The baptism of the Holy Ghost is the experience of the Holy Spirit coming into a person’s life to give power for God’s service. Thus, a study of this experience must begin with an exploration of the Person and nature of the Holy Ghost.

Who is the Holy Ghost?

The terms Holy Ghost and Holy Spirit are interchangeable in Scripture; they are both translated from the same Greek word in the original texts. The Holy Ghost is not an abstract identity or a remote influence, but a distinct personality of the Godhead. He is God Himself, part of the Trinity that is comprised of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. He has personality and all the attributes of Deity.

The Holy Spirit was present at Creation. In Genesis 1:2 we read, “The Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.” From Creation and on through the Bible, we see evidence of Him, but in the New Testament, we find a fuller revelation of the workings of the Holy Spirit.

Every believer is influenced by the Spirit of God. It is the Holy Spirit who regenerates the heart of man (John 3:3-5; Titus 3:5). The Holy Spirit sanctifies the believer (Romans 15:16; 1 Corinthians 6:11). However, the filling of the Spirit, or the baptism of the Holy Ghost, is an experience beyond regeneration (salvation) and sanctification.

Although the baptism of the Holy Spirit was typified in the Old Testament, and alluded to by Old Testament prophets, it was not until after the crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus that the Holy Ghost was poured out upon believers. When Jesus completed His work on earth and returned to the Father, the Holy Spirit came as the promised Comforter.

What is the baptism of the Holy Ghost?

There is much to be heard and read today about the baptism of the Holy Ghost. There are various theological understandings and opinions. Some say that this experience was only for the Early Church and not for believers today. Others teach that a person receives all God has for him at the point of conversion. Some think that the baptism is about speaking in tongues. However, we must base our beliefs on Scripture. What does the Bible have to say about the baptism of the Holy Ghost?

John the Baptist prophesied that Jesus, the One of whom he spoke, would baptize with the Holy Ghost and with fire. In Matthew 3:11 we read: “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire.” The word that is translated baptism means “to be immersed; to be totally covered” and can be understood by looking at the physical demonstration of water baptism. When we come to be baptized in water after we have been saved, we go down into the water and the water completely covers us. We are immersed, totally under the water. When we receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost, we are totally immersed and covered and filled with the Holy Ghost.

Jesus also used the word baptism in connection with the outpouring of the Holy Ghost. He explained to His disciples that just as John had baptized with water, they would be baptized with the Holy Ghost. The word baptize gave His followers an idea of what they were to expect—that they would be immersed in the Holy Ghost.

Prophecy of the outpouring

Some eight hundred years before Christ came to earth, the prophet Joel wrote of the baptism of the Holy Ghost. His account prophesies events we have seen fulfilled within the past century. In Joel 2:23,28-29 we read, “Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month. . . . And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: and also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.”

Joel may not have fully understood the prophecy that he gave, but God moved upon him and those words were spoken by inspiration of the Holy Ghost, to let us know that there would be an outpouring of the Spirit of God. The Former Rain pertained to the outpouring on the Day of Pentecost; the Latter Rain pertains to the outpouring of the Holy Ghost that began in the early 20th century.

The outpouring on the Day of Pentecost

Just before Jesus ascended to Heaven, He told the disciples that the Holy Ghost would come. He instructed them to tarry in Jerusalem until they received the “promise of the Father,” which was the infilling of the Holy Spirit. We read that a group of 120 people gathered in an upper room in the city of Jerusalem, and they prayed. They had gathered in the Upper Room with one purpose in mind: the Lord had promised He would send power upon them and they were determined to receive it.

Scripture tells us that something happened in that upper room that they had never seen or experienced before—the power of God descended upon them and they were filled with the Holy Ghost. We read, “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2:1-4).

God made His presence known to this group of believers in an outstanding way in this initial outpouring of the Holy Ghost. The coming of the Spirit was accompanied by two manifestations: the sound of “a rushing mighty wind,” and the appearance of “cloven tongues like as of fire.” John the Baptist had foretold One who would baptize “with the Holy Ghost, and with fire” (Matthew 3:11, Luke 3:16), and the two physical manifestations made a graphic picture of the coming of the Holy Spirit.

The evidence of this amazing event was that those who had been filled began to speak in “other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” Those from faraway countries who were in the city for the Day of Pentecost recognized the languages that were spoken and were amazed to hear the believers speaking in languages they had never learned. Peter stood and declared that this was what had been prophesied by the prophet Joel—the Holy Ghost had descended. Peter’s sermon that day resulted in the salvation of three thousand souls. The Holy Ghost, or Pentecostal, dispensation began then and continues until now. In fact, this event marked the birth of the Church.