Oxford Bible Church - Living in the Last Days

The Baptism in the Spirit is when we receive the Spirit upon us, clothing us with His power to witness. 'Baptism means immersion, so to be Baptised in the Spirit means to be immersed in the Spirit (the Spirit upon us). There is a 2-fold ministry of the Spirit in Scripture for us to receive: (1) the Spirit WITHIN, at salvation, for our own blessing, holiness and life with God, and later (2) the Spirit UPON, at our Baptism in the Spirit. To be baptised in the Spirit, we must first be born again and receive the Spirit within (Matt 9:17), then we can receive the Spirit upon. Jesus Himself (1) had the Spirit within from conception, and then later (2) received the Spirit upon, when He received power for His ministry. At salvation, we were BAPTISED into CHRIST and received the Spirit WITHIN (1Cor 12:13). This is the ONE Baptism ALL believers have (Eph 4:4-5). In the Baptism in the Spirit, the Spirit within us also comes UPON us. The PURPOSE of the Baptism in the Spirit is POWER for ministry, for fulfilling the Great Commission. At our Baptism into Christ, we received the blessing for ourselves through the Spirit within, who connects us to God and His life. Next we need to surrender ourselves to God, to receive His power upon us, to be a blessing to others: “You shall receive POWER when the HOLY SPIRIT has come UPON you; and you shall be My WITNESSES” (Acts 1:8). The same Spirit we receive WITHIN us at salvation, wants to also come UPON us to clothe us with power.

Both these ministries of the Spirit (the Spirit WITHIN and UPON) are available for ALL believers, and were prophesied in the Old Testament, as coming to pass through the New Covenant of Messiah. Jesus called this promised 2-fold Blessing of the Spirit: ‘the Promise of the Father’, which includes the Baptism in the Spirit (Luke 24:49, Acts 1:4,5). At Pentecost, Peter announced the Promise of the Father had now been received by the exalted Jesus on our behalf, and was now fully poured out and freely given to us (Acts 2:33,38-39). The Father's Promise of the Spirit in both (1) His indwelling through the New Birth and (2) the Baptism in the Spirit is for all believers. The Old Testament Prophecies point to a 2-fold Promise to all believers: (1) The Spirit WITHIN through the New Birth, enabling us to live a holy life (Ezek 36:26-27), and (2) the Spirit UPON to empower us (Isa 59:21, Joel 2:28-32).

This New Covenant Ministry of the Spirit is different from what was available before: (1) Before, no one had the New Birth or Spirit WITHIN them, but Ezekiel prophesied in the New Covenant all God’s people would have the Spirit WITHIN. (2) Before, although prophets, priests and kings were anointed with the Spirit UPON, generally God’s people did not have this, but Joel prophesied in the New Covenant the Spirit would be poured out UPON ALL flesh (the answer to Moses’ prayer in Num 11:29). So it was promised that in the New Covenant: (1) ALL God’s people would receive the Spirit WITHIN, and (2) the Spirit UPON would be available to ALL believers. This promised double Blessing of the Spirit was only made available through Christ's death and resurrection (Gal 3:13-14). This Promise is also called the Blessing of Abraham (Gal 3:14), which was 2-fold: “(1) I will BLESS you (through the SPIRIT WITHIN), and (2) you will be a BLESSING (to others – through the SPIRIT UPON)” (Gen 12:2). This is parallel to God’s 2-fold BLESSING of Adam: (1) He blessed Adam by putting His Spirit within him (Gen 2:7). (2) Then He blessed him by empowering him to impart the blessing of life to others (Gen 1:28).

Jesus is our perfect example. His life confirms the Spirit (1) WITHIN and (2) UPON are 2 distinct aspects of God’s provision for man of the Spirit: (1) He had the Spirit WITHIN from conception (Luke 1:35), and later (2) He received the BAPTISM in the SPIRIT (Luke 3:21-22, John 1:32-33). In the New Covenant, He makes the same 2-fold provision of the Spirit available to us. But just because (1) we are born again and have the indwelling Spirit, it does not mean we are (2) baptised in the Spirit and have the Spirit UPON, for it is a distinct experience, coming after the New Birth. The Baptism in the Spirit is compared to Baptism (immersion) in Water (Matt 3:11). Just as a baptised man is covered in water, so in the Baptism in the Spirit, He comes upon us and covers us. “(1) UPON whom you see the SPIRIT descending, and remaining UPON Him, (2) this is He who BAPTISES with the HOLY SPIRIT” (John 1:33). (1) Jesus first received from God the Baptism in the Spirit, which (2) enabled Him to baptise us in the Spirit, according to the same pattern. His Baptism in the Spirit is the BLUEPRINT for our Baptism in the Spirit (except He has the Spirit without measure - John 3:34). If we are born again, Jesus wants to immerse us in His Spirit, so that the Spirit comes and remains upon us, clothing us with His power, just as He came upon Jesus.

CHRIST is our ROCK, our sure FOUNDATION (Isa 28:16, Matt16:18, 1Cor 3:11), the Rock of our Salvation (Ps 89:26, 2Sam 22:47). He contains the waters of life and salvation. "They drank of that spiritual ROCK that followed them, and that ROCK was CHRIST" (1Cor 10:3). Derek studies and compares the 2 stories of WATER flowing from the ROCK, showing how together they give us a picture of the Holy Spirit flowing from Christ. The first is in Exodus 17:1-7 at the start of the 40 years, and the 2nd is in Numbers 20:1-13, 40 years later.

(1) When Moses STRUCK the ROCK with his Rod ('the Rod of God'), living waters flowed from the Rock (Ex 17:6, Ps 105:40-41, Neh 9:15). The Rock was split in 2 (Isa 48:21). The Rod of God was used for Divine Judgment. Jesus is the Source of life and salvation, which flows to us from His (1) death and (2) resurrection. Before His death He was full of God's life, but it was not available for us. It was only released when He was smitten. The split Rock is a picture of Jesus on the Cross, bearing our sin and smitten by God in our place, struck by the Rod of God's judgment. Then, on the basis of His death, God released the waters of life for us to drink. He paid the price so we could drink fromHis River freely.

(2) At the Rock of Kadesh, Moses was told to bring a different Rod, Aaron's priestly Rod that budded (Numbers 17:1-11), that was placed before the Lord in the Tabernacle (Num 10:8,9). This time he was told to just SPEAK to the ROCK (v8), and thereby he would bring forth water from the Rock, for the people to drink. The Rock this time was a high, elevated Rock. Whereas the first Rock represents Christ on earth judged for our sins, once for all (Heb 9:28), this high Rock represents the risen, exalted, ascended Christ in Heaven (Ps 61:2), who possesses the Spirit on our behalf, and now pours Him out upon all who call on Him. They were to look to this Rock above them to be their Source of living water. Moses was meant to hold up Aaron's Rod, the Rod of the High Priest, a Rod of grace not judgment (so he was not to strike the Rock with it), and speak to the Rock and say: "Water come forth" and the water would have flowed from the Rock. This is a picture for us. The Rod that budded represented the authority of the anointed High Priest, which now corresponds to the Name of Jesus, risen from the dead. So, when we lift up the Name of Jesus (our resurrected High Priest), and speak to the exalted Rock (Christ) in prayer, calling upon Him to release His Spirit for us to drink, He pours out His Spirit upon us. The Name of Jesus and faith in His Name are the keys to accessing His resurrection life by prayer.

In the typology of the Rock, Christ had already been judged once for all (Exodus 17), so was not to die again. It is done! We just have to hold the Rod (believe in the Name), lift it up in prayer, and speak to the Rock (call on His Name), and then the waters of the Spirit will flow to us. The typology was meant to show God gives us His Spirit by grace based on Christ's finished work, not because of our works (John 4:10,14, 7:37-39, Rev 21:6, 22:17). This is where Moses sinned and misrepresented God (Ps 106:32-33), breaking the type by striking the Rock twice, making it seem the water flowed as a result of his efforts, rather than by God's grace, so he got the credit (v10-11). Also striking the Rock a 2nd time signified Christ had to die again, because His work on the Cross was unfinished. As a result, God had to discipline Moses (v12). Despite this, the water flowed abundantly (v11, Ps 78:15-20, 114:7-8, Deut 8:15).

Now Christ our Rock has (1) been smitten once for all, and (2) is risen again and pours out His Spirit from Heaven, upon all who call on Him as their Source of abundant and eternal life (Acts 2:33, Rom 10:13). By faith we come to Him as our crucified and exalted Rock of Salvation, and hold up His Name, speaking to Him in prayer, asking Him to release to us His blessings of resurrection life in the Spirit, which He purchased on the Cross for us, and made available to us as a free gift. When we pray, He responds by releasing His Spirit of grace to flow to us for us to drink (believe we receive), so that we become filled with His Spirit. The first time we came to Him and drank, we were born-again, and the Rock (Christ) and His everlasting Fountain of living water (the Spirit) came to live in our spirit (John 4:10,14, 7:37). So now, the Fountain of Life, who is within the Rock (Christ), is also in us and available to fill us, so that as we look to the exalted Christ, and call on His Name to fill us with His Spirit, He fills us from within. So, when we trust in Christ as our Rock of Salvation, not only does He uphold us as our living Foundation, but He lives in us as our abundant life-giving Source of living water (the Holy Spirit) to fill, uphold, bless and empower us for this life and for all eternity.

Derek explores what it means to be in Christ - who we are in Christ and what we have in Christ, by grace through the New Birth. This includes a special study of the classic passage - Romans 5:12-21.

In John 3, Jesus shared with Nicodemus that we must be born again to enter the Kingdom of God. This New Birth is accomplished by the Triune God: (1) the Father brings us to birth, through (2) the work of the Spirit (the wind of God), when we believe in (3) the Son of God, who died for our sins on the Cross, in fulfilment of the type of the Bronze Serpent lifted up on a pole.

Derek shares how God accomplished the rebirth of our spirit in the New Birth, and describes the nature of our New Man (our regenerated spirit).

Derek shares 3 keys to receive your healing from God: (1) know God's will to heal, (2) know God's gift of healing power, (3) surrender yourself to God.

The BAPTISM in the SPIRIT is to receive the Spirit UPON. In Acts, new believers normally received this Baptism soon after their salvation. The PURPOSE of the Baptism in the Spirit is to EMPOWER us to fulfil the Great Commission (Acts 1:8). As well as (1) having the Spirit WITHIN for our own blessing and walk with God (HOLINESS), we also need (2) the POWER of His Spirit, through His Spirit UPON us, to communicate His life and blessing to others. This 2-fold BLESSING of the SPIRIT corresponds to the 2-fold BLESSING of Abraham (Gen 12:2). The Baptism in the Spirit empowers us to be a blessing to others, especially by sharing the Gospel with them, so they can be saved. This 2-fold ministry of the SPIRIT in the New Covenant was prophesied in the Old Testament (Ezek 36:26-27, Joel 2:28-29). The promise of the Baptism in the Spirit (Matt 3:11) came to pass on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 1:5). The life of Jesus, our example and representative reveals this 2-fold experience of the Spirit: (1) He had the Spirit WITHIN Him from birth, and lived a perfectly holy life, even before (2) He was BAPTISED in the Spirit at 30, when He received the Spirit UPON to supernaturally EMPOWER Him for His ministry to others (Luke 3:21-22, John 1:32-33, 2:11, 4:18). When we are born again, we have the SPIRIT WITHIN, but we also need to receive the SPIRIT UPON to empower us to witness and minister to others. Jesus baptises us in the Spirit - the Spirit UPON us (John 1:33). In His teaching, He described these 2 experiences of the Spirit in terms of living water: (1) A Fountain of living water within (John 4:10-14), and (2) Rivers of living water flowing out of us (John 7:37-39).

The apostles also had this 2-fold experience (receiving) of the Spirit: (1) They were BORN AGAIN and received the SPIRIT WITHIN on the day of the resurrection (John 20:22, Gen 2:7). Then Christ prepared them to receive the Baptism in the Spirit (Luke 24:48-49, Acts 1:4-5,8). Then (2) they were baptised in the Spirit at Pentecost, when He came UPON them (Acts 2:1-4). There were 2 aspects to their experience of being baptised in the Spirit: (1) The Spirit came UPON them (v3), and (2) He filled their souls from within (v4). To be filled with the Spirit and so receive the Spirit UPON, we must surrender our soul and body to God to do His will and fulfil His mission. Moreover, God wants us to stay continually filled with the Spirit (Eph 5:18). By surrendering our souls to God and yielding our bodies to Him (by speaking out the words the Spirit gives us), we allow the Spirit to fill our souls from within, and to come UPON us. The outward evidence the Spirit has filled us and has now come upon us, is that we have yielded our tongue to His control by speaking in tongues (v4). Acts 2:4 describes the first time believers received the Baptism in the Spirit, and so it is the prototype description, God’s blueprint for all New Covenant believers. In Acts 11, Peter confirms what they received at Pentecost was the Baptism in the Spirit, because he says what the Gentiles received, when the Spirit came upon them in Acts 10, was the same experience the Jews had ‘at the Beginning’ (Pentecost), which he then described as the Baptism in the Spirit (Acts 11:15-16). Acts 8 describes the 2-stage experience of the Samaritans. They heard the Gospel and were baptised in water, so they were saved (v14,16), but they had not yet received the Spirit upon them (v15-16). When the apostles laid hands on them they received the Spirit upon (v17), which was manifested outwardly in a supernatural way (v18-19), namely by them speaking in tongues (v20).

The 2-Stage experience of the Paul is in Acts 9: (1) He was SAVED when he saw the risen Christ and called him ‘Lord’ (Acts 9:5-6). (2) He was FILLED with the SPIRIT, when Ananias prayed for him 3 days later (Acts 9:9-18), and he spoke in tongues (1Cor 4:18). The Gentile Pentecost is described in Acts 10:44-48 as the Spirit coming upon them, and in 11:15-16 as the Baptism in the Spirit. Just as at Pentecost, the outward evidence of the Baptism was speaking in tongues. This was the only proof the apostles looked for and accepted. Finally, we study the 2-stage experience of the Ephesians in Acts 19. Paul's question in v2 shows that receiving the Baptism in the Spirit is not automatic, when you believe in Christ for salvation. The Ephesians (1) believed the Gospel, that Paul preached to them and were saved (v5a), then they were baptised (v5b), and then (2) "when Paul laid hands on them, the HOLY SPIRIT came UPON them, and they SPOKE with TONGUES and prophesied” (v5c). So, they were BAPTISED in the SPIRIT subsequent to their SALVATION, as a distinct experience. Consistently in Acts, it was normal for Christians to receive the Baptism in the Spirit as a separate experience soon after salvation, and the outward evidence of this Baptism in the Spirit is speaking in tongues.

There is a 2-fold RECEIVING of the SPIRIT: (1) WITHIN, at the New Birth (Romans 8:9), and then (2) UPON - the BAPTISM in the SPIRIT. (1) The Spirit WITHIN is for our personal holiness. (2) The Spirit UPON is to EMPOWER us to fulfil the Great Commission. It is a separate experience that comes after salvation. Old Testament Prophecy said when Messiah comes and brings in a New Covenant, it would include a greater ministry of the Spirit for all believers - the 2-fold Promise of the Father: (1) The Spirit WITHIN for their blessing and holiness (Ezekiel 36:26-27), and (2) the Spirit UPON, to empower them to be a blessing to others (Joel 2:28-29). John announced the Messiah as the One who will bring this Promise to fulfilment. He was the first to use the phrase ‘Baptism in the Spirit’, so his description is definitive. He compared it to Baptism in Water: “I BAPTISED you IN WATER but He will BAPTISE you IN the HOLY SPIRIT” (Mark 1:8). When a man is BAPTISED (immersed) IN WATER, the water covers (envelops) him, so it is UPON him. Likewise, when Jesus BAPTISES us IN the HOLY SPIRIT, we are immersed in the Spirit, so we are covered and clothed with the Spirit UPON us. We see this 2-fold experience of the SPIRIT in the life of Jesus, our example: (1) He was conceived of the Spirit, and had the Spirit WITHIN, enabling Him to live a perfect human life, (2) He was BAPTISED in the SPIRIT, when the SPIRIT came UPON Him to supernaturally EMPOWER Him for His ministry (Luke 3:21-22, 4:18). Only after the Spirit came upon Him did He start preaching, healing and working miracles (John 2:11). The same Jesus, who was BAPTISED in the Spirit also BAPTISES us in the SPIRIT (John 1:32-33). Thus, He was BAPTISED in the Spirit as our representative (receiving the Spirit on our behalf), so He could then BAPTISE us in the Spirit

The apostles also had a 2-stage experience of the Spirit, as (1) on the day of the resurrection, He imparted the Spirit into His disciples. This was their new Birth, when He gave them the Spirit WITHIN (John 20:22, Gen 2:7). Then He started to prepare them to also (2) receive the Spirit UPON, to be His witnesses, 50 days later at Pentecost (Luke 24:46-49). He gave them the same instructions 40 days later in Acts 1:3-5,8. Although they had already received the Spirit WITHIN, they had not yet received the SPIRIT UPON (Luke 24:49), called the BAPTISM in the SPIRIT (Acts 1:5). So, what they experienced at Pentecost, when the Spirit came UPON (Acts 2:1-3), was the BAPTISM in the SPIRIT. The Spirit came UPON them (v3) and “they were all FILLED with the HOLY SPIRIT" (v4). In the New Covenant, anyone who receives the Spirit UPON has previously received the Spirit WITHIN, so He must come upon us from within, and so fills us from the inside (v4). When we dedicate to do God’s will and fulfil His mission, we receive His Spirit to come UPON us by FILLING our SOULS and taking control of our tongues, the control centre of our body (Jas 3:3-4). So: “they were all FILLED with the HOLY SPIRIT, and began to SPEAK with TONGUES, as the SPIRIT gave them UTTERANCE (the words)” (Acts 2:4). When we pray in tongues, we YIELD our TONGUE to God, speaking the words the Spirit gives us. In this way, we submit our body to the Spirit, and allow Him to come upon us. Then as we continue to pray in tongues, we maintain and deepen that surrender, keeping the Spirit active upon us. Acts 2:4 is a key verse describing the Baptism in the Spirit. Speaking in tongues was the outward evidence and sign the Spirit had FILLED them and was now UPON them in POWER.

What the disciples received at Pentecost was the BAPTISM in the SPIRIT (Acts 1:5), and this is confirmed by the Gentile Pentecost in Acts 10-11, when Peter explained the SPIRIT had come UPON the Gentiles, just as He had come UPON the Jews at the Beginning (Pentecost), and that both events were fulfilments of the Lord's prophecy in Acts 1:5 of the BAPTISM in the SPIRIT (11:15-17). We also see this 2-stage experience of the Spirit with the Samaritans in Acts 8, who had received the Gospel and were born again (v14,16), but had not yet RECEIVED the HOLY SPIRIT, in that, He had not come upon UPON them (v15-16). But later when the apostles laid hands on them, they RECEIVED the HOLY SPIRIT upon them (v17), which was manifested outwardly (v18-19), even tongues. Their experience proves the Baptism in the Spirit is different from and subsequent to salvation. They had received salvation through the Gospel, but had not yet received the Spirit upon, for there was no outward evidence (tongues), until the apostles prayed for them. So, to receive the Baptism in the Spirit, we must (1) be born again with the Spirit within. Then (2) we must surrender to God to fulfil His mission, which allows His Spirit within to fill us and come upon us with power, so as we obey Him His Spirit flows out through us as rivers of life (John 7:37-39).

Central to the Christian faith is the revelation of the Deity of Christ. A saving faith in Christ includes believing that Jesus is the God-man, the Son of God, who is both our Lord and Saviour, and who is therefore worthy of our worship. Therefore the key Christian confession is: "Jesus is Lord." Derek shows this from a number of Scriptures.

The Messianic Prophecies in the Old Testament consistently speak of the Coming Messiah as being both GOD and MAN (the unique God-man). The prophecies were given so that we might recognise the true Messiah when He comes.The New Testament proclaims that all these Prophecies were fulfilled in the Person of Jesus Christ. He is the LORD JESUS CHRIST (Lord = His Deity, Jesus = His humanity, and Christ means Messiah). He is the unique God-man Messiah. So, the New Testament is perfectly consistent with the Old Testament revelation, and proclaims that all these Prophecies were fulfilled in Jesus Christ.

Derek studies a number of these God-man Messianic Prophecies, which prove that Jesus is the Messiah, including Genesis 3:15, 4:1, Isaiah 7:14, 9:6, Micah 5:2, 1Chronicles 17:11-14, Jeremiah 23:5-6, Proverbs 30:4, Job 9:32-33, 19:23-27, Psalm 110:1-5.

These confirm that Jesus is both fully Man and fully God, and therefore He is uniquely able to save us, if we call upon His Name, and He is worthy of our love and worship.