May 15: Jesus, the baptizer in the Holy Spirit

The very next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and yelled out, "Here he is, God's Passover Lamb! He forgives the sins of the world!..... I watched the Spirit, like a dove flying down out of the sky, making himself at home in him. I repeat, I know nothing about him except this: The One who authorized me to baptize with water told me, 'The One on whom you see the Spirit come down and stay, this One will baptize with the Holy Spirit.' That's exactly what I saw happen, and I'm telling you, there's no question about it: This is the Son of God."  (John 1:29-34 — The Message)

This is part of John the Baptist’s testimony about the Lord Jesus. He tells us three king-sized truths about Him. First he says that Jesus is the Passover Lamb who takes away the sin of the world. Under the Old Testament system many sacrifices were offered to God. But Jesus is the great, final, effective sacrifice for sin. His death is the definitive payment for all sins of all men for all time.

John also says that Jesus is the One who baptizes with the Holy Spirit. Men can baptize us in water, but only Jesus can fill us with His Holy Spirit. Only He can give us the power to serve Him and transform us by pouring His Spirit into us. And then John says that Jesus is the Son of God — the Messiah who was sent into the world to save and rescue us. He is the One God provided to save us from death and destruction.

Jesus wants to be all of these to you all the time. He the sin-offering that frees you from the guilt and power of sin. He washes you white as snow. He supplies the Holy Spirit — He baptizes, renews, and fills you with His mighty Spirit. This is God's greatest gift to men and women — His Spirit in them. The Holy Spirit will come to fill you if you surrender your life completely to the Lord Jesus. He will be your constant Counselor; He will teach and remind you of what Jesus said; He will speak to others about Jesus through you. The Holy Spirit will clothe you with power from heaven, and will forever satisfy your spiritual thirst, and enable you to satisfy others. He will work miracles through you. — Ask Jesus to baptize you in the Holy Spirit today!

I’m not worthy… I did so many bad things in the past… I don’t know the Bible well enough… I’ve only been in the church a short time… I don’t feel His presence… Countless excuses for why you do not qualify for the baptism in the Spirit will flood your mind if you allow them. But the simple fact is that this is one of the things Jesus came to do in this world, and if we don’t experience it, part or all of His work will have been for nothing. If you are not saved and baptized in God’s Spirit, all that Jesus did will have been a waste. So… take advantage of what Jesus came to offer you. Be bold and insist on receiving what was promised.

A woman in the church recently prayed: “God, I don’t want this life that I have, I want what You promised!” That’s the precise attitude we should have.