The Baptism With the Holy Spirit Paperback – June 1, 2004

The Baptism with the Holy SpiritBy R. A. TorreyJust as the company, Baskin-Robbins is known for its 31 flavors of ice cream, so are all the churches known for having their different flavors of doctrine. Baskin-Robbins is famous for the different 31 flavors of ice cream; its variety sets them apart from other companies, which are in the same business. Likewise, all churches set themselves apart from others by their variety of doctrine. However, no one needs to fear doctrine; doctrine is not the enemy of the church, though there are false doctrines outside the church, but doctrine can be true, correct, and proper.The doctrine of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, also known as the Baptism in or with the Holy Spirit, has had many interpretations as to what such doctrine is all about, its importance in the life of the Christian man or woman, and its purpose. In spite of the many interpretations this doctrine may have had, or still has, this doctrine is important because it is in the Bible and because Jesus spoke of it. One must surely understand this doctrine and how it relates to the Christian lifestyle because the "Bible speaks about the baptism in the Spirit as an aspect of the work of the Spirit in the lives of believers."The greater issue with the baptism of/in/with the Holy Spirit is the physical evidence of manifestation of such great a promise that Jesus made to His followers. While one camp advocates for speaking in tongues as the initial physical evidence of such baptism, other camp advocates for powerful witnessing as the true evidence of the Holy Spirit's baptism. While these two camps continue to argue, the heathen around them continue their path to eternal damnation.Chapter 1In this chapter, Torrey numbered a few phrases connected with the baptism of the Holy Spirit.1. Designations connected with the same experiencea. "baptized with the Holy Ghost"b. "filled with the Holy Ghost"c. "promise of the Father"d. "promise of my Father"e. "endued with power"f. "Holy Spirit fell on them"g. "gift of the Holy Ghost"h. "received the Holy Ghost"I believe that it is safe to say that Torrey is correct in his analysis that all of these phrases designate the experience of the Holy Spirit's baptism.2. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit as portrait by Luke in the Book of Acts is an experience that a person can determine whether he/she has received it or not.a. When Jesus told His disciples to tarry or wait until the endowment of power from heave, they had to know when to continue or when to cease waiting for such promise, so something had to happen as an indication that they had received the power.b. Aside from speaking in tongues as the initial physical evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, something external has to happen in order for a person to testify that he/she has received the Holy Spirit's baptism. The answer to the issue whether a person has received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is a simple "yes" or "no".3. It is safe to believe that the Baptism of the Holy Spirit that Luke addresses in the Book of Acts is a separate work from salvation. I believe that the Spirit's baptism that Paul speaks of in his epistles is the baptism of a person into the Body of Christ, His Church, and not the empowerment that comes from the baptism that Luke describes. Note: Let me be clear that I do not believe that a person that has not being baptized with the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is less a Christian who has received the empowerment to serve. The reason for this statement is simple; many Pentecostal brothers tend to imply that they are somehow superior because they speak in tongues and these tongues serve, according to their view, as the IPE (Initial Physical Evidence) of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.4. The Baptism with the Holy Spirit is not for showing off or to give the impression how holy the recipient is, but the Baptism with the Holy Spirit is "connected with testimony and service." It does not make a person sinless but empowers the recipient to live a holy life by the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said (Acts 1:8, NIV), "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is the power to witness for Jesus to unbelievers. In addition, the moral life of the recipient should be greater in comparison with those who have not received the Spirit's Baptism.5. I agree with Torrey that the Baptism with the Holy Spirit imparts the power for service, especially service to the Church of Jesus Christ. That service manifests itself through the gifts of the Spirit Paul mentions in Romans and 1st Corinthians, and which Peter mentions in his epistles.No matter how one receives the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, one thing is certain: God will manifest His supernatural power in and through the recipient. For my fellow Charismatic Christians, quit making the Baptism of the Holy Spirit a spectacle and serve the Lord Jesus with a life full of the power of God.Chapter 2The Necessity and Possibility of the Baptism with the Holy SpiritThough Jesus Christ taught His disciples very well, yet there were missing the empowerment of the Holy Spirit in order to do the work Jesus left the to accomplish. If it was true then, it is true now: we cannot do the job God left us to do unless we receive the power of God, the Holy Spirit. If God, the Father, anointed His Son with the Holy Spirit to accomplish His redemptive work, we can rest assured that we will do better and greater things for God because of His power. Do not leave home without Him.A person can accomplish so much on his/her own abilities. However, a person that is skillful and has the power of the Holy Spirit of Christ in his/her life will do greater things, influence more people, and will impact the world at a greater scale. Paul is a good example. Before the revelation of Jesus Christ, he knew the Law like no one else did. However, he lacked the revelation from the Scriptures; he lacked the revelation of the One to whom the Scriptures pointed. Once he surrendered to the Lord, we see clearly that all that he accomplished was done through and in the power of the Holy Spirit and not because of his knowledge of talents alone. More than ever before, we need that power in our teaching, preaching, and our outreaching.Even Jesus stated His ministry "in the power of the Spirit". The Holy Spirit anointed Jesus in order "to proclaim good news to the poor, to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, and to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." He did all of these things because of the power of the Holy Spirit in Him.Torrey states correctly the following statement on page 24: "The Baptism with the Holy Spirit is an absolutely necessary preparation for effective service for Christ along every line of service." All Christians can do service for Christ along every line of service. However, only those who Jesus baptizes with His Holy Spirit will effectively serve Christ enough for others to notice.Torrey emphasizes something that I have always believed since I became a born-again individual. He states that the "promise then of this verse (Acts 2:39) is the promise of the gift or Baptism with the Holy Ghost." The gift of the Holy Spirit to the Church of Jesus Christ is not the gift of speaking in tongues but the Holy Spirit Himself. It is not something a Christian receives; it is someone who comes in to dwell in the recipient. Then, the believer is empowered because the Holy Spirit is the power of God to serve not to make it a show of power.The Baptism with the Holy Spirit is not for the elite or for "members only" club in some charismatic circles. This empowerment is for everyone who is willing to receive it. "The result of the Baptism with the Holy Spirit that was most noticeable and essential was convincing, convicting, and converting power." When I compare this statement against the Book of Acts, it becomes clear that it is true. However, when I compare speaking in tongues as the initial physical evidence of this baptism with the "convincing, convicting, and converting power" that comes with such baptism, I see speaking in tongues lacking all these three essential elements. Please, do not misunderstand me; I believe speaking in tongues comes from God but I totally disagree that speaking in tongues is the initial physical evidence of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit because of the place and importance the Apostle Paul gives to the gift of speaking in tongues in 1st Corinthians. I see that those who adhere to speaking in tongues as the IPE of the Holy Spirit's Baptism, they lack the power to witness to Christ. If speaking in tongues could be exchanged for souls, we could have experienced the greatest harvest today more than ever before. In many Pentecostal or Charismatic churches, speaking in tongues is a show of the flesh. As long as someone speaks in tongues, in many churches it becomes a sign that God has not departed from that church no matter whether they are winning souls or not. The gift of speaking in tongues becomes the center of the church service. Though I am making a general statement, some people can testify of this reality. The center of any Christian Church must be Christ. The power source must be the Holy Spirit and the One we must worship is God, the giver of life, power, and gifts. When Christians exalt the gifts of the Holy Spirit over the Giver it becomes idolatry.Chapter 3How the Baptism with the Holy Spirit can be obtainedThe issue that usually accompanies the theme of the Baptism with/in/of the Holy Spirit is how an individual can receive it. Some Christians, in their sincere desire for others to receive such baptism, lay hands on people and ask them just to receive it, sometimes they tell them to just open their mouths and let the Spirit flow, or just to start praising the Lord and thanking Him, in faith, for such gift.I have been a "victim" of such experiences to the point that I wanted to speak in Spanish so people believe that "I got it", if you know what I mean. Because many Christians believe a person must speak in tongues as the IPE (Initial Physical Evidence) of the Spirit's Baptism, then the whole practice of asking people to come forward and be baptized becomes a spectacle, a fiasco, if you will. People, instead of living strengthened and encouraged, lived confused and disappointed because they did not get it. Do you get what I mean? In essence, the baptism becomes the center of the seeker instead of the giver of the Spirit's Baptism.In this chapter, the author states that there are seven steps to receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. The issue I have with the "follow-these-steps" mentality is that God is not our servant while we are the masters. We can give our tithes and offerings until the cows come home or until we turn blue, however, God also looks at the attitudes or reasons of our giving and they can be an obstacle for God's blessing. My blood pressure goes up when I see the 7 steps for victorious living, the 7 principles of the Kingdom, the 40 days for a deeper walk and/or the three-step on how to know God's will. What we try to do is to place God in a situation where we somehow make God work for us instead of the other way around.I am not going to list the seven steps the author mentions. However, we must know and understand that though God does not withhold any good thing from His children, the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is an act of grace. Even though the Apostle Peter told his audience they must repent in order to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, not all the instances of the Spirit's Baptism occurrences, in the Book of Acts, involved repentance. The first time the Holy Spirit came down from heaven in the upper room, they were just waiting as Jesus told them. Those who only knew John the Baptist's baptism received the Holy Spirit when Paul prayed for them.It is a bad habit to seek ways to figure God out or to try to figure a way to get something from God by ways of doing "X" in order to get "Z". The principle of sowing and reaping applies to all people. However, we must think of God's grace when He blesses us because He wants to and God's mercy when He interferes in our lives when our sowing is going to cause a harvest of negative consequences. Let us move on to the next chapter.Chapter 4"Fresh Baptisms with the Holy Spirit" or "The Refilling with the Holy Spirit"Just as I believe salvation is both an event and a process, I also believe that the reception of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is a continual baptism or refilling; it is not a one-time deal. Just as we do not fill our cars with gas once, the Spirit's Baptism is not a one-time filling. When we fill our cars up with gas, we can go as far as the rate of consumption takes us. With the Holy Spirit's Baptism, there is no difference for we must continue to allow the Spirit of Christ to fill us up in order to continue to live the abundant life, the empowered life of Christ.Chapter 2 and chapter 4 give us an insight or an illustration that a one-time Spirit's Baptism is not enough to be a witness to Christ in Jerusalem, in Judea, in Samaria, and to the uttermost part of the world.Chapter 5How Spiritual Power is LostI agree with Torrey when he states the following reasons why men and women of God lose the power of the Holy Spirit.1. First, God Withdraws His Power from Men when they go back upon their Separation to Him - God does not bless or condone unfaithfulness, spiritual laziness, and/or rebellion. When Christians turn their back to God, they become God's enemies. As they turn to the world, they become filthy temples in which the Holy Spirit will definitely not dwell. Today, many churches and their pastors are running on empty. It is my opinion that many mega churches are guilty of running on fumes since, once a pastor has a lot of people and a lot of money flowing unrestrained, they do not need the power of the Holy Spirit, much less the Holy Spirit Himself. Many churches today are working without the power of the Holy Spirit; the presence and power of the Lord has long departed. God moved on and they are still eating from a 40-year straw and drinking from broken cisterns.2. Power is lost through the Incoming of Sin - Though we categorize sin, as the sin of omission and commission, there is really one sin: disobedience. It is disobedience to God when we do not do the right thing and when we do the wrong thing. Sin separates humans from God. This is true, whether people sin before or after coming to the knowledge of Jesus as Lord and Savior. Sin makes separation between God and humanity and the only way to come back to God is through repentance, being a heathen or a lukewarm individual. Sin and God do not cohabitate, so why do we think we can have both? Why do we tend to think we can have the power of God in our lives while living (dying) in sin?3. Power is lost again through Self-indulgence - I am not sure whether Satan or "self" is public enemy number one. Satan is a defeated foe, however, we must guard from the strong-pull force of living for "self". I believe, as Christians, we confused "self denial' with the "denial of self." When we use the phrase "self denial" it is usually in the context of denying ourselves things to have or sacrificing ourselves when on a diet or when making a vow or promise that might cost us an arm and a leg. However, when I look into the life of Christ and when I see the Bible in its totality, I see Christ, the prophets, the apostles, and people of God totally living out the life God intended them to live. I see that they finally accepted God as their Lord, Savior, and King, and therefore they see their lives as belonging to God, not to them. This is a hard concept to grasp and accept in Western Christianity where Christians, as well as the heathen, demand their rights. We tend to forget, consciously or not, that we are not our own; Christ bought us with a great price, His blood and His life.4. Power is lost through greed for money - This is a big issue here in Western Christianity. With the prosperity gospel from hell, preachers entice their hearers to give money in order to receive God's blessings. Sadly, because many Christian do not read the Bible, they are not aware that God's blessings are already theirs in Christ. In the prosperity gospel, God becomes the genie (our slave) and we become God's master. Greed is like hell; it is never satisfied. Greed wants more and more even when there is no more.John the Baptist, Jesus, and the Apostle Paul have something revolutionary for Western Christianity that is worth repeated and heed. In Luke 3:14, John the Baptist told some soldiers, "Don't take money from anyone by force or accuse anyone falsely. Be content with your pay." Jesus said (Luke 12:15), "Be careful to guard yourselves from every kind of greed. Life is not about having a lot of material possessions." In 1st Timothy 6:6-8, Paul said, "A godly life brings huge profits to people who are content with what they have. We did not bring anything into the world, and we cannot take anything out of it. As long as we have food and clothes, we should be satisfied." This is a foreign concept here in the United States. Christians and non-Christians are in competition with each other trying to outdo each other by accumulating more and more. The result is that both groups of people end up dissatisfied with what they have and feeling empty. Sadly, Christians have lost the power they once had in the process of wanting more material things instead of wanting more of God in their lives.5. Power is lost through pride - Pride is one of those public enemies of the people of God. Once God starts to do great things in His people and through His people, then His people start to think they deserve better treatment than other fellow Christians. As the author points out, "The more he uses us the lower let us get." John the Baptist said of Jesus, "He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less."6. Power is lost through neglect of prayer - In the Western Church; there is no ministry as neglected as the ministry of prayer. We know the positions of prayer and the purpose of prayer, but we do not purpose in ourselves to prayer. If someone mentions a prayer meeting, many Christians run out of the church as though someone cried out, "Fire!" A preacher once said that a prayer-less Christian is a powerless Christian, and a powerless Christian is a pathetic Christian. Do I need to say more?7. Power is lost through neglect of the Word - This is the second ministry in the Western Church that is affected by the apathy towards reading and studying the Holy Scriptures. I believe that more than 50 percent of the Christians here in the USA do not read the Bible regularly. The percent is even higher for the numbers of Christian who do not study the written Word of God.ConclusionThe churches in the USA are full. There are full of apathy toward prayer, the reading, studying, and meditation of the Word, and toward the lost. The church has lost its positive and powerful influence in the community in which God placed her. More than ever, we need the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives so our light might shine brighter or shine at all. Preaching without power is as useful as a screen door in a submarine. As Christians, we need to be people of the Word, people of prayer, and people of the Spirit. Anything less, and we are deceiving people and doing them a disservice by not showing forth the mighty power of God which is supposed to flow in us and through us. We need the Baptism of the Holy Spirit more than ever before. The book was well written and simple enough to understand.

As a former non-denominational staunchly Biblically based pastor I could prove, so I thought, that all the power in the gifts left with the Apostles did and the completion of the Bible. Well...God has done some eye opening in my house and to quote An old writer; "It's Not what ya don't know that will hurt ya; It's what ya know for sure...but it just ain't so"Both Moody and Torrey, pillars of American revival and Moody Bible Institute who loved the Word of God had a secret. The same secret and presence of God that the early church possessed and the secret Who is very much active and alive today. It's the secret power of the Holy Spirit Whom Francis Chan calls "Forgotten God". Jesus said..."I must go, so you can have Him"; He said, stay in the city and wait till you receive the power my Father promised." Our Lord dedicated much of. His teaching to the 12 on Him...a Who would be just like Jesus and now taking up residence inside every believer. Not just residence but dynamic power and gifts to turn a world upside down. He wants to turn our lives upside down but we conservatives are afraid of what He might do and what our teachers may say. He and the gifts are not gone. Just forgotten by our leaders and we have believed it. Ephesians 4:11-13 describe 4 major gifts given by Him to people who must be active in every New Testament church whether in a house or a mega building. With those gifts of people, Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers are other essential Spiritual Gifts that they would embody the world was turned upside down. The people everywhere marveled at these people. This should be happening today. Why isn't it and why is the institutional church in America, the UK and all over declining? Open our eyes Church...believer...understand we have Him inside and He wants us to believe Him, wait for and receive His enabling power. He was raised up but He gave gifts to mere men (and women) so that He could build a church that the gates of hell could not prevail against. It's high time we awake from this sleep, for now the time is closer than when we first believed!

I was struggling with duties and responsibilities that once gave me joy and I while I do not want to withdraw from these jobs, I want that power and joy restored. This book gave me hope to re-examine the ways that I may have fallen away from God and renew my commitment to living wholly for Him. It’s not self-help or a step program. This book sheds light on areas of my life where I can grow and be refreshed and renewed.

I wanted to secure a copy of this book since it was suggested reading by the late Paris Reidhead in one of the messages on Sermon Index given by him. He said that the book about the Holy Spirit Baptism by R.A. Torrey was the clearest understanding he had ever read of this wonderful blessing and the person of God the Holy Spirit. It was out of print at the time he mentioned it so I was so glad that it is again available.I was greatly enriched and enlightened! Reading this cleared up some misconceptions I had been taught and had believed over the years. Though saved in 1976 during the Charismatic Renewal I have not been 'comfortable' with a lot of what has been happening in the churches regarding the Baptism in the Holy Spirit and resulting manifestations.I was so comforted by R.A. Torrey's explanation! I only wish I'd read this years ago. God's timing is perfect however so maybe it is more likely that today was the time I would really be able to appreciate the truths contained in this little book.If you have questions, like me, and want answers, I highly suggest you read this classic and be blessed!Judi

This is a classic work by Torrey and well worth the purchase. Easy to read and follow, and totally scriptural. The one slight downside is that this edition contains a number of misprints and spelling mistakes that really shouldn't be there. Still a very worthwhile purchase however.

The Church has in the most part Forgotten what gives her Power this book Shows how the power Comes and How the Holy Spirit uses us not the other way round Amen.

Get this Book and Run with the Holy Spirit Amen.I have found a truth in this book that is going to Change the Work I do for God Amen.

This is the most important subject in our Christian life and it has been a blessing to those who has read it . Highly recommended for those who has not heard of this "the baptism of the Holy Spirit" in their Christian life.

Buy, read, do....