Whatever happened to the Baptism in the Holy Spirit? You don’t hear about it anymore. Churches don’t pray with people to receive it anymore. There’s a big reason why.
Preacher, if you stopped presenting the Baptism of the Holy Spirit to your people—Satan made you do it. If there is no room in your service for people to receive this urgent gift—the enemy seized control of your agenda. If your people don’t even know what it is—you will answer to God.
No matter how noble, persuasive, or convincing the argument, the decision to exclude the Baptism of the Holy Spirit from the life of the church, is a decision conceived in hell.
Omitting this Baptism was a masterstroke of Lucifer.
He knew this was the most destructive deception possible. It created lukewarm Christians. It single handedly wiped out a huge amount of our soul winning. And, it opened the door to untold heresy.
Today we are swimming in more false teaching, false prophecy and false Christianity than ever before. All across the internet ministries dabble in new age hybrids of Christian faith, exotic extremes, drunkenness and even perversion. Turns out, the church is the other swamp that needs draining.
Noted Christian Apologist Ravi Zacharias said, “I had dinner with the most popular preacher on television. He told me that he did not see much difference between Islam and Christianity.”
How can we hang the blame for such foolishness on neglecting the Baptism of the Holy Spirit? Let’s examine the evidence.
Jesus said, “John 16:13 “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.”
Jesus calls Him the Spirit of truth. He imparts hunger for truth. It is futile to layer truth on the unwilling soul. False teaching abounds from the lack of hunger the Holy Spirit awakens. Let’s go back to the root:
Don’t make a move without it!
Acts 1: 4 And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; 5 for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
The church has no witness without it. Acts 1:8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
The Apostles considered it an extreme urgency for all who believed to be filled with the Holy Spirit.
–Acts 8: 14 “Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, 15 who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit.”
-Acts 19: 1 “And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples 2 he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” So they said to him, “We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.” 3 And he said to them, “Into what then were you baptized?” So they said, “Into John’s baptism.” 4 Then Paul said, “John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.”
5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.”
Thank you brother Mario for always being so obedient I was baptized in the Holy Spirit at your church in Berkeley over 40 years ago if it wasn’t for me attending your church I probably would not have the gift I pray everyday in the spirit it has empowered me and strengthen me and I thank you and your ministry that you had at that time in Berkeley for that gift that came from God through you and the members of your ministry God bless you continue the good work of the Lord Jesus Christ we have lost our way in the church that’s why I continually read your website and try to attend your services thank you again brother Mario for being obedient I pray that God blesses you and show you favor in all things that you do I will continue to pray for your ministry God bless
Rose, Wow! Thank you for taking the time to share with me!
Great Word my Brother! I recently promised the Lord to preach on it more and more and to always make room for people receiving innour services. Where would I be without His power from on High!
Brother Mario,
The reason this has happened is a capitulation towards those who are more concerned with everyone being “equal” and nobody having hurt feelings or being “left out”. It began with the denial of tongues as the initial evidence of Spirit baptism. This was because a lot of people had problems with the fact that they never spoke in tongues – or, they never believed they spoke in tongues genuinely – so, instead of sticking with an evidence from Scripture, people decided that you could receive the gift of the Holy Spirit without speaking in tongues by just believing you had received it. Even cessationists, like the late Bill Bright (founder of Campus Crusade For Christ), believed in asking the Father for the gift of the Holy Spirit subsequent to the new birth.
From this developed the idea, in agreement with the mainstream of evangelicalism, that the baptism in the Holy Spirit was just another term for being born-again. So that, when you believed on Jesus, you received the gift of the Holy Spirit at the same time, thus denying the fact that the baptism in the Holy Spirit is separate from and subsequent to the new birth–they are both the same thing.
What it all boils down to in the end is a general unbelief in the supernatural manifestation of the Spirit of God in this “modern age”. We cannot afford to believe in the actual supernatural manifestation of the Spirit of God, because if we do, that means everything that we claim to believe is absolutely true and demands us to change our lives, even to the point of suffering for the cross of Christ, instead of giving Jesus lip service while we enjoy the pleasures of this world.
This is exactly what happened!! In early Pentecost or early Church – everyone was expected to speak in tongues after receiving the Holy Ghost and if you didn’t, a couple of apostles would come and lay hands on you (as in Acts 8:16,17.) Another dangerous lie crept into the church and that is that “tongues is only ONE of the gifts of the Spirit.” But we know from Scripture that the Gift of Tongues is used (when accompanied with interpretation) to edify the CHURCH, but the evidence of tongues in a Believers life is used to edify the INDIVIDUAL (I Corinths 14:2-4.) “He who prays in an unknown tongue EDIFIES HIMSELF.”
So there is the speaking in tongues which EVERY Believer needs for their own personal edification, and the gift of tongues that the church needs (with interpretation) for their edification.
I have talked to various ministers of so called “Pentecostal” churches about this and they dismiss it airlily saying, “Our church doesn’t teach that.”
I remember an old adage in Pentecost in response to those who object to tongues: “Thank God that you GET to speak in tongues!”
Indeed. This is the edifying (battery-charging) power of the Holy Ghost in my life and ministry, and in all those who believe and receive.
“For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people to whom he said, THIS is the rest wherewith you shall cause the weary to rest, and this is the refreshing. YET THEY WOULD NOT LISTEN!” Isaiah 28
God foresaw this situation.
Meanwhile we heave churches of millions who do not have the power of the Holy Ghost in their lives and they are told to live holy lives and win the lost!
amen many in the Pentecostal Churches have lost Their D.N.A Dynamic Needed Anointing of the Holy Spirit . Having a form of godliness but denying the POWER thereof . Kind of like Power Point presentations … there is no power so whats the point ? Playing Church . The Book of Acts is the Book of the Acts of the Holy Spirit , which none of the Apostles would be able to do without the Power of the Holy Spirit. today we have bunch of modern day “Sons of Sceva”. running around saying ” “I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims. And the devils are laughing telling them who are you? meaning who do you think you are ? The devil is saying I know authority when I see it , and buddy you an’t it. lose another battle , and blame it on a weak church growth program.
You nailed it brother!
We love you Mario, from New Life Church in Houston Texas on Hammerly. Pastor, please come and see us soon, you have always been the best preacher to come to our church, we need prayer as well.
Thank you and God Bless you and your family.
Jana, Mechelle and I see New Life as home! Can’t wait to get back there!
Timidity I ask you this…did your doctor do blood work to see if you have a blood disorder or disease? Our son, Timothy, a few years back, suddenly started crying in pain! His hip hurt him badly! The ER said nothing was wrong, believing he was faking, wanting attention because we’ve been blesssed with a large family. Quiet me, was furious! We took him down to A. I. duPont’s in DE, where they found out he had an infection in his blood, probably from an unknown cut. Praise the Lord, he’s a better! I’m still praying for you! Bless you!
Susan, thank you so much. I will check this out. It means a lot to me when people share.
At the age of 6 I received the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in other tongues…not in a side room so as not to offend the visitors, but on my knees in the sanctuary! What an experience…I went home and went door to door witnessing about Jesus?
Yes we need to allow the Holy Spirit to have his way and stop grieving the Holy Ghost! God said if you are ashamed of me…preach it Bro. Murillo!!?
Six and you were door to door witnessing! Thats good sister! But I was 26 when I got saved and baptized in the Holy Ghost, speaking in tongues. It is the power of the Spirit of God in me that keeps me on His trail. Jesus said we would be His witnesses after we receive the Holy Ghost. I began telling everyone everywhere, about Jesus. Door to door, on the street wherever.
Apostle Paul explains throughout his writings without the Baptism of Holy Spirit one doesn’t have the fullness of a regenerated spirit in Christ. The current mainstream “church culture” teaches that all who ask Jesus into their life and are water Baptized (or sprinkled) in the local church are saved and have Holy Spirit.
Yet as Mario M, showed with Acts 19:6 in New Testament, there was a progression, 1st the Apostles Baptized in The Name of Jesus, then Paul laid hands upon them and Holy Spirit came upon them with a manifestation of speaking in Tongues and Prophesying. Manifestation is essential! It has been my husbands & my experience in ministering for over 18 years that far too many local church assemblies and their leadership are convinced the gifts of Holy Spirit are absolutely unavailable to the post modern church today. They encourage and promote abroad that those gifts were ONLY for the primitive early church, which in our opinion is doctrinal heresy. This is as Mario showed…very advantageous to all high profile church leadership, so that they may usurp the power of Holy Spirit and replace the lack of empowerment within the individual, with teaching CD’s DVD’s and tours along the sea of Galilee in Israel with whomever the high profile church leader is.
This is a SAD state of affairs in modern Christianity.
I do miss all of this teaching use to be big in Sunday night service now no more Sunday nights, now we get only a few songs none of the good old HYMNS an offering and a sermon. our churches has turned into coffee house and places of entertainment as I see a large church in Billings has a comedy team coming in. Wonder what God thinks of that as Jesus SAID my Fathers house is a house of Prayer which there is very little of in the church anymore
Yes Deloris, and as I recall that scripture where Jesus said His Father’s House was called a House of prayer, He went onto tell them they had made it a den of thieves, and this was after Jesus had already walked into the Temple Complex and overturned all the money changers tables and those who were selling doves on chairs. Kind of seems like some today who try to sell Holy Spirit by charging money for prophetic words & insights, or church memberships where one cannot join without being a regular tither.
I attended a large “Bible” church in Colorado where the pastor actually made fun of the baptism by babbling nonsense from the pulpit!!!
Hi, Ann: I hope that pastor repents! There are several verses in the Bible that remind us blaspheming the Holy Spirit is an unpardonable sin. I witnessed this as well, when TV “evangelist” Robert Tilton pretended to speak in tongues and prophesy as he asked people to send him money. Several well known non-Pentecostal Christian ministers have written tracts that say speaking in tongues is of the devil. Woe to those who call good evil, and evil good! I have spoken in tongues since I was 12. That was in 1962. I simply knelt by my bed, all by my self, with no one around to “pray me through”, and a beautiful prayer language came to me. No hype, no theatrics. It has been the greatest blessing in aiding prayer, Bible study, and witnessing. Thanks Mario! A much needed message.
Precious Brother ,thank you , I was baptized in the Holy Ghost 57 years ago and as Paul said ,I pray in tongues more than you all ,
If it would not have been for the Btism in the aHoly Spirit my relationship with The a Fatherand The Son would not have been that real to me and sustaining on mlife , Thank you God for the Baptism in the Holy Spirit , I try to minister it everywhere and it has not been well received , My heart is saddened about that ,
Love
Sharona
Preach it Mario. I’ve been saying the same thing for many years. The devil has rocked many leaders to sleep concerning the baptism in the HG. It’s a immersion into the power of God and it hasn’t been explained. In my 40 years of I’ve seen most rededications of people to Jesus actually need the baptism in the HG. I’ve been praying for people over 40 years to be baptized in the HG. I’ve often wondered why you don’t hear about this from the pulpit anymore. Satan has blinded preachers minds to this. Jesus said to those in the upper room don’t leave Jerusalem without this power. He’s still saying it today. Iam currently the team leader at Bethel Church in Redding CA of the Freedom Banner team 10:30 service. People answer the altar calls and they are sent to the FB. Many get baptized in the HG every week because the team explains the baptism in the HG to them and why tongues. Mario is one of my favorites because he’s bold and tells the truth.
WOW!!! Such a true word!!! I was baptized in the Holy Spirit back in 1971, and the need and importance of this was expressed emphatically!! My life was so changed, and the Power of God flowed through my life, and the love for God and for others abounded in me!! People would come to the “altar” and stay until they received the manifestation!! Now you don’t even see altars in churches anymore, at least none that I have attended. And there is no more emphasis put on the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and no encouragement or prayer for those who have not received. People are missing out, and the enemy gloats!!! O God, revive us again!!!!!
Thanks for the honest truth. I’m reminded of the scripture “God uses the foolish things to confound the wise.” Because people feel foolish speaking what they don’t understand, using their head knowledge, they forgo the most valuable tool given to us to combat all that comes against Christ and His church. I am now finding it difficult to speak of the Word to those who don’t speak in tongues, they are such babes in Christ. Second most upsetting trend is the lack of teaching and preaching of eternity and covenant and the blood. It’s all about “fixing me” here on earth. Jesus already provided for that by giving us the Word on how to conduct our daily lives. Even the songs of so-called worship start with “I” not Jesus.
What awesome anointed words of admonition Mario….treason indeed ….committed by uncommitted preachers of half truths …..omitting our most
Precious power generating gift
To enlarge the Kingdom and to keep the enemy at bay and under our feet ….defeated by that Authority imbued by the Holy Spirit…thank you for your penetrating truth expounding
Exposure of this churchiosity FAULT so needed as a wake up call to the body of Christ ….carry on as we keep you in prayer as you lead the charge!
Also, check with a chiropractor to see if your coccyx is out of place from all those hours of standing , it only takes a simple move , a slight twist to knock it out …it’s very subtle but can cause much hip pain if it’s out of place…but totally correctable easily with a chiropractic visit …I know firsthand …praying for your Divine connection there …
Tell it like it is Brother Mario! I’m so thankful I am part of a full Pentecostal, word of faith, no compromise, church. Every service there is an opportunity to get this powerful miracle gift from our Lord. I’m praying for you for strength, total healing, & anointing stronger than you known before!! Souls, youth, miracles, & revival is my prayer. Lee Norton, the Seed Church Savannah. Look forward to having you back in Savannah
Many years ago in a small church in Ventura Ca. we met a dynamic young man named Mario Murillo. Our Pastor was Bill Severn and he led us all into what a Spirit-filled life in Jesus was supposed to look like, he brought in many speakers to teach us and resemble the early church type and you were one of them!! I will never forget or ignore the powerful Word that was ingrained in my DNA from those days many years ago and am sooooo blessed you are continuing in your ministry with power and fortitude!!
Baptised in the Holy Spirit in 1976, in a prayer meeting the catholic church. My life was radially changed by Gods dynamite power. In some churches pride, preaching,a club mentality has assigned The Holy Spirit to the corner of the Room.
6“That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7“Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8“The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” How wonderfully amazing,that God would choose us to rescue the lost,heal the sick, be a part of His heavenly army,give to us the Spirit of truth! The baptism in The Spirit is not optional it is essential.
Right on , Mario–i remember working with you in Berkely years ago and seeing miracles in your services and when you and I flew to Dallas the Houston for services the prayer a doctor and his wife into the baptism in the Holy Spirit–Hallelujah!~
YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I think Pastors don’t like the kick back and resistance from preaching the Baptism in The Holy Ghost . But that is no less than what you said it is, treason !
I was baptised in the Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues, in 1976. I speak in tongues every day, which is more than I can say for most Spirit-filled believers who seem happy to rest on the fact that they did it once and follow up with tongues every so often.
However, even though I am very grateful for my Pentecostal experience and heritage, I would make two valuable observations:
1) Sadly, the loopiest Christians that I’ve ever known have come from Pentecostal churches. If we want to see a revival of the baptism with the Holy Spirit, we also need to deal with the many crazy things and extremes that are done in the name of Pentecost. Heresies? There are plenty of them preached by Pentecostals.
2) There is no evidence that the early church preached the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Check it out for yourself. Following the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2, in Acts 9,10 and 19, the gospel was preached, there was repentance and conversion, and new believers were usually automatically filled with the Holy Spirit. In Acts 8, it was a little different in that they sent Peter and John to pray for the Samaritans to be filled with the Holy Spirit. But what did they do? There’s no mention that the apostles preached about it. They simply laid hands on them and it happened. Why can’t it happen like that now?
The people are afraid of GOD’S presence.So when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him. So it was, when you heard the voice from the midst of the darkness, while the Mountain was burning with fire,that you came near to me, all the heads of your tribes and your elders.”And you said:’Surely the Lord our GOD has shown us His glory and His greatness, and we have heard His voice from the midst of the fire.We have seen this day that GOD speaks with man; yet he still lives.’ Now therefore why should we die? For this great fire will consume us: if we hear the voice of the Lord our GOD anymore, then we shall die.’ For who is there of all flesh who has heard the voice of the living GOD speaking from the midst of the fire, as we have, and lived? ‘ You go near and hear all that the Lord our GOD may say, and tell us all that the Lord our GOD says to you, and we will hear and do it.
I received the gift of the Holy Spirit at your revival meetings at Portland Foursquare in the early 1980’s. My husband and I were new Christians and attended everyone of your evening services for a week. My husband is now with the Lord and I am very happy t o serve our Lord at Beaverton Foursquare Church . Cannot imagine life without THE FATHER, THE SON AND THE HOLY SPIRIT.
Mario speaks the truth!
Thank you for this critical word! Churches are dying without the power of God. Every new believer desperately needs the baptism and tongues to thrive. Bless you sir!
Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. ”
I know it is not popular, with the belief in one God in three manifestations,(rather than three persons), but the United Pentacostals have never wavered in their belief that getting the Holy Ghost is for everyone….as they are baptized in the name of Jesus as mentioned by Peter.
They are regarded as heretics by some…(Why?) UP’s sey say the trinity is never mentioned in the Bible….
Glory to God! Thank you brother Mario for preaching the truth. The church needs the power and guidance of the Holy Ghost so bad in these last evil days. May the Lord bless you for sharing his truth. God bless you my brother.
Reblogged this on My Blog and commented:
This is Gospel TRUTH.
One major organization started having afterglows in the back rooms of the church where the people were encouraged to encounter the Holy Spirit and His Gifts. Then they must have shown the Holy Spirit the back door because today they have no Gifts whatsoever in their church services. I saw the present leader of this denomination lamenting the fact that no Gifts of the Holy Spirit operate in their church services and wondering how they could get them back ?It is a sad state of a church when they have taken a so-called moderate stance on the Holy Spirit that is actually a stance that offends Him out of their churches.
True. But they cannot have the gifts of the Spirit without the Spirit.
By that I mean, if you deny that speaking in tongues is always the evidence of having received the Spirit, then you will have no one receive and no one will speak in tongues and people can pray all they want to for the Gifts, but they won’t receive, because they reuse the baptism in the Holy Spirit. They refuse to believe that tongues is always the evidence. Even though all throughout Acts they always spoke in tongues when they received the Holy Spirit. The devil has craftily caused preachers to believe that tongues is “only one of the Gifts.” But speaking in tongues is for all and it edifies us as individuals (I Corinths 14: 2-4) and the gift of tongues is for the church and edifies the Body (church) when accompanied by interpretation. Everyone gets to be filled with the Holy Spirit and speak in tongues for their own personal edification: but only those with the GIFT of tongues get to speak in a church gathering (with interpretation) to edify the church.
I have spoken to Pentecostal ministers on these lines and they say, “Our church doesn’t teach that.”