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The believers have the need of both the inward life and the outward power. The Holy Spirit of God in His two aspects meets this twofold need of the believers. The consummate work of the inward Holy Spirit of life in the believers is to fill the believers inwardly in the aspect of life that they may live a spiritual and overcoming life. The primary work of the outward Holy Spirit of power on the believers is to fill the believers outwardly in the aspect of work that they may carry out a work of authority for the Lord. Therefore, we need to be filled with the Holy Spirit inwardly and outwardly.
The Bible clearly shows us that the outward filling of the Holy Spirit is the baptism in the Holy Spirit.
1)That of John the Baptist — “He [Christ] shall baptize you in the Holy Spirit” (Matt. 3:11). The first person to mention the baptism in the Holy Spirit was John the Baptist. When he came out to baptize people into water, he prophesied to them that the Lord Jesus would baptize people in the Holy Spirit that they might receive the Spirit baptism.
2)That of the Lord Jesus — “But you shall be baptized in the Holy Spirit not many days from now” (Acts 1:5). This is the Lord’s prophecy to the disciples after His resurrection and before His ascension based on the prophecy of John the Baptist.
1)For the Jewish believers on the day of Pentecost, on the one hand — “But you [the first group of Jewish believers] shall be baptized in the Holy Spirit not many days from now” (Acts 1:5); “And when the day of Pentecost was being fulfilled, they were all together in the same place…a rushing violent wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting…and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:1-4). The prophecies of John the Baptist and of the Lord Jesus concerning the baptism in the Holy Spirit began to be fulfilled on the day of Pentecost. According to the Bible, this fulfillment was divided into two parts. The first part was fulfilled in one place, while the second part was fulfilled in another place. Although it was divided into two parts and was fulfilled in two places, it was one complete fulfillment. It was separately fulfilled in two parts because the church is composed of two peoples, the Jews and the Gentiles. As depicted in these verses, the first part was fulfilled among the first group of representative Jewish believers in the upper room in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost.
2)For the Gentile believers in the house of Cornelius, on the other hand — “Now as I [Peter] began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them [the Gentile believers] just as also on us [the first group of Jewish believers] at the beginning. And I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said…you shall be baptized in the Holy Spirit” (Acts 11:15-16). The second part of the baptism in the Holy Spirit was fulfilled in the house of Cornelius, being accomplished upon the representative Gentile believers, as described in these verses. According to the principle of representation, just as the Lord baptized all the Jewish believers throughout the ages in the Holy Spirit once and for all on the day of Pentecost, likewise, He baptized all the Gentile believers throughout the ages in the Holy Spirit once and for all in the house of Cornelius. From God’s view, as all the Jewish believers throughout the ages received the baptism in the Spirit on the day of Pentecost, in the same manner, all the Gentile believers throughout the ages received the baptism in the Spirit in Cornelius’ house. These two parts of the baptism in the Spirit combine to form one complete baptism in the Spirit. It is in such a complete baptism in the Spirit that Christ the Head baptized all of us who believed into Him, whether Jews or Gentiles (represented by the Greeks), in one Holy Spirit into one Body (1 Cor. 12:13).
1)Being baptized in the Holy Spirit upon believing — “For also in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks” (1 Cor. 12:13). Since Christ baptized all the believers throughout the ages in the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost and in the house of Cornelius, He has already accomplished the baptism of the church in the Spirit through these two instances. The baptism in the Holy Spirit is a fact already accomplished upon the church. Today, when a Jew or a Gentile believes in the Lord, he participates in the church and hence participates in this accomplished fact upon the church. We who have believed into the Lord and belong to the church are not baptized one by one and time after time in the Holy Spirit; rather, we have received the entire baptism in the Spirit, which includes all the believers and is once for all.
1)To be filled outwardly with the Holy Spirit is to experience the baptism in the Holy Spirit — “But you shall be baptized in the Holy Spirit not many days from now” (Acts 1:5); “And when the day of Pentecost was being fulfilled…they were all filled with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:1-4); “The Holy Spirit fell on them…And I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said… you shall be baptized in the Holy Spirit” (Acts 11:15-16). These verses show us that both on the day of Pentecost and in the house of Cornelius, to be baptized in the Spirit was to experience the outward filling of the Holy Spirit. Thus, when we are filled outwardly with the Holy Spirit, with the Holy Spirit of power coming upon us, we experience the baptism in the Spirit.
2)The fact of the baptism in the Holy Spirit was accomplished once and for all upon the church on the day of Pentecost and in the house of Cornelius; however, the experience of the baptism in the Holy Spirit is instant and numerous upon the believers — The fact of the baptism in the Spirit has been accomplished once for all upon the church. The experience of the baptism in the Spirit takes place on the individual believers and is instant and numerous. A believer can receive the fact of the baptism in the Spirit only once, but he may experience the baptism in the Spirit many times.
1)“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be My witnesses…unto the remotest part of the earth” (Acts 1:8); “And when the day of Pentecost was being fulfilled… they were all filled with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:1-4).
The inward filling of the Holy Spirit is for spiritual living that the spiritual life may mature, whereas the outward filling with the Holy Spirit is for spiritual work that the spiritual work may be powerful. To be merely filled inwardly with the Holy Spirit is adequate for life, but not for work. Before Pentecost, although Peter and the early apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit inwardly, they were not able to work for the Lord because they had not yet been filled with the Holy Spirit outwardly in order to receive power to work for the Lord. It was when they were filled with the Holy Spirit outwardly at Pentecost and received the Holy Spirit coming upon them as the Spirit of power that they were empowered to do an exceedingly effective work for the Lord.
1)“Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God, and having received…the Holy Spirit from the Father, He poured out this which you both see and hear…Therefore…know assuredly that God has made Him both Lord and Christ — this Jesus whom you crucified” (Acts 2:33-36).
The outward filling of the Holy Spirit also confirms to us the Lord’s ascension and exaltation and His being appointed both Lord and Christ. The outward filling of the Holy Spirit is able to empower us because it brings the heavenly scene to us. The Holy Spirit, who fills us outwardly, is poured down by the ascended Lord and therefore brings us the heavens and the scene of the Lord in the heavens, giving us the sense that the heavens are very near and that the heavenly scene has fallen right before us. Since the scene of the Lord Jesus’ being exalted and glorified on the heavenly throne seems to appear before us, we are able to witness for the Lord in the heavens by the heavenly power, not caring for the earthly situation and difficulties.
1)Speaking in tongues (Acts 2:4; 10:44-46; 19:6). Three groups of people — the disciples at Pentecost, the people in the house of Cornelius, and the disciples in Ephesus — spoke in tongues when they were filled with the Holy Spirit outwardly. Thus, tongue-speaking is a manifestation of the outward filling with the Holy Spirit.
2)Prophesying (Acts 19:6). While being filled with the Holy Spirit outwardly, the believers in Ephesus not only spoke in tongues, but they also prophesied. Therefore, prophesying is also a manifestation of being filled with the Holy Spirit outwardly.
Of the many cases of the outward filling with the Holy Spirit recorded in the Acts of the Apostles, only three cases involving the three groups of people mentioned above had the speaking in tongues. In the other cases, the Bible does not mention tongue-speaking at all. This proves that speaking in tongues is not a necessary manifestation of the outward filling with the Holy Spirit.
3)Having boldness and power — “And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and spoke the word of God with boldness” (Acts 4:31); “Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them…” (Acts 4:8). To speak for God with boldness and power is also a strong manifestation of the outward filling with the Holy Spirit. The outward filling with the Holy Spirit is mainly for men to speak for God with boldness and power.
4)Having authority — “Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him and said, O son of the Devil, full of all deceit and all villainy, enemy of all righteousness…perverting the straight ways of the Lord…And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind, not seeing the sun for a time. And instantly a mist and a darkness fell upon him” (Acts 13:9-11). This word shows us that when the Apostle Paul was outwardly filled with the Holy Spirit, he had the authority to deal with the evil person utilized by the Devil. This kind of authority is also a manifestation of the outward filling of the Holy Spirit.
1)Repenting and dealing with sins — “Repent…for the forgiveness of your sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38). Repentance for the forgiveness of sins will cause us to receive the Holy Spirit. Hence, to be filled with the Holy Spirit outwardly, there is the need for thorough repentance and dealing with all sins.
2)Believing — Believing that at the moment a person believes into the Lord, he is baptized in the Holy Spirit. After we have fully dealt with our sins, we have to believe that since the baptism in the Spirit is a fact accomplished by the Lord on the church and that since we are a part of the church, the outward filling with the Holy Spirit from the baptism in the Spirit is now our portion.
3)Obeying — “The Holy Spirit also, whom God has given to those who obey Him” (Acts 5:32). The Holy Spirit is given by God to those who are obedient. Therefore, to receive the outward filling of the Holy Spirit, we must obey God.
4)Praying with one accord — “These [who were to be filled outwardly with the Holy Spirit at Pentecost] all were persevering with one accord in prayer” (Acts 1:14). In order to receive the outward filling of the Holy Spirit, there is the need for much individual prayer as well as prayer in one accord with those who pursue the Lord together. This is what the first group of people who received the outward filling with the Holy Spirit did at Pentecost.
