In Old Testament we find in the book of Joel we read the Prophesy about Holy Spirit.
Joel 2:28
And afterward,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your old men will dream dreams,
your young men will see visions.
The second step for being Born Again is Confirmation. Confirmation is “Baptism by Spirit”. As stated in above prophesy the Holy Spirit came on the Apostles on the day of Pentecost. Holy Spirit was sent only when Jesus went back to heaven. Holy Spirit is the one who now guides the followers of Jesus.
John 16:7
But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.
Acts 1:4-5
On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
Let’s read how the Holy Spirit came on the Apostles for the first time.
Acts 2:1-4
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
This is how Holy Spirit came on the Apostles. But later for other followers of Jesus the gift of Holy Spirit is given by laying of hands by Apostles. And today in Church the baptism by Spirit is called Confirmation. In Confirmation we confirm our faith on Jesus that He is indeed Son of God and he died for our sins on the Cross.
You might be wondering Baptism is enough why do we need to be Confirmed in order to receive the gift of Holy Spirit. Why cannot we receive the Holy Spirit when we are Baptised. Well lets read the following passage and we would know that Holy Spirit can only be given by Laying of Hands.
Acts 8:14-17
When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to Samaria. When they arrived, they prayed for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
In Churches we get Holy Spirit by laying of hands on us by senior Pastor or Priest. This is a very sacred act, not anybody can give out the Holy Spirit as we read below.
Acts 8:18-24
When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money and said, “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”
Peter answered: “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God. Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord in the hope that he may forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.”
Then Simon answered, “Pray to the Lord for me so that nothing you have said may happen to me.”
So Holy Spirit can only be received by Laying of Hands by elder Pastors of the Church. Also Baptism is must before you receive the Holy Spirit. For in order to receive the gift of Holy Spirit you must first realize that Jesus had paid the price for our sins on the Cross and he has bought us by his blood. We must give our lives to Jesus and lead a Holy life.
Well some of you might still be confused that how Baptism is not the same as John’s baptism as John did not give Baptism in name of Jesus and also you may be wondering how is Baptism different from receiving the Holy Spirit. Well we can have bettering understanding of this by reading following passage.
Acts 19:1-7
While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”
They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”
So Paul asked, “Then what baptism did you receive?”
“John’s baptism,” they replied.
Paul said, “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. There were about twelve men in all.
Hence prerequisite for receiving Holy Spirit is not John’s baptism but a Baptism in the name of Jesus. And Holy Spirit is received only by Laying of Hands. Also Holy Spirit guides us and tell us what should we do and help us in growing in kingdom of God.
1 Corinthians 2:11-16
For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, for,
“Who has known the mind of the Lord
so as to instruct him?”
But we have the mind of Christ.
So now we know that Confirmation is second step of being Born Again, the first one being Baptism. Hence, we are born again of the Water and Spirit so then we can be prepared for the kingdom of God and everlasting life.
Another thing about the Holy Spirit that the Bible tells us are the Gifts and Fruits of the Holy Spirit as we see them below.
Gifts of the Holy Spirit
1 Corinthians 12:4-11
There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.
Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.
Fruits of the Holy Spirit
Galatians 5:16-26
So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
Now, we know that for being Born Again to see the kingdom of God, we need to be born of Water by Baptism in name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and secondly we need to born of the Spirit by receiving Holy Spirit by laying of Hands. We have seen that Baptism mainly symbolizes the forgiveness of sins, and we always wonder why receiving of Holy Spirit is not the part of the Baptism, why is Baptism and Confirmation be just clubbed together.
What God requires is for some reason. Well if we see Baptism to symbolize the repentance of sin, then let me remind you that there is one sin which cannot be forgiven. We know about Trinity, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are one and if we believe that Christ took all our sins and died for us then one thing is quite evident. He took all the sins of the flesh but he did not die for our sins against God. I mean the sin against the Holy Spirit is a sin against Jesus and God the Father for they are one. Hence receiving of Holy Spirit is not a part of Baptism but truly Baptism is a must thing before we can receive the Holy Spirit. For a sin against Holy Spirit is not forgivable so we must be careful at all times not to commit this eternal sin.
Mark 3:-28-29
Truly I tell you, people can be forgiven all their sins and every slander they utter, but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; they are guilty of an eternal sin.”
Hence we must be thankful to God that he gave his only Son Jesus to die for our sins and also that we have been given the gift of Holy Spirit, so that we are not alone in this world but we are given a helper who guides us in times of trials and temptations. God gave us a second chance to be Born Again in Spirit so that we have eternal life in Kingdom of God. We must give thanks with a grateful heart.
Titus 3:3-8
At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.