The Evidence

By Sidharth Mohandas

Many people today believe that the baptism in the Spirit is a separate experience from salvation. While we tend to agree on that fact, there is a lot of disagreement as to what the evidence for the Spirit baptism actually is. What exactly are the indicators of a person baptized in the Spirit? I personally believe that if a person is ready to receive the Spirit in whatever manner He chooses to manifest Himself, the discussion on the indicators of the Spirit baptism then becomes irrelevant. It would be akin to arguing the fact that an indication of being baptized in water is getting wet. I encourage you to read along with an open heart and an open mind.

So the first question we need to ask ourselves…Is there direct evidence of the Holy Spirit baptism?

That can be answered in the form of a few questions:

Why did those at Samaria wait for Peter and John to come and lay hands on them? How did they know that the Holy Spirit hadn’t come upon them if there was not any outward evidence? What did Simon see when the apostles laid hands on them to receive the Holy Spirit? (Acts 8:12-18)

Why did Paul have to lay hands on those at Ephesus to receive the Holy Spirit even after they believed and were baptized in water? (Acts 19:4-6)

These passages show us clearly that there is definite physical evidence that accompanies the baptism in the Spirit.

Did you also notice that it wasn’t only those who received the Spirit who knew that they had received Him, but also the onlookers? (Acts 2:1-12; Acts 8:18; Acts 10:45-46; Acts 19:6)

Many people believe the evidence of the Spirit baptism is the fruit of the Spirit, while others believe it is power. But let me ask you, in how many of the five experiences did the apostles wait to observe if the fruit of the Spirit had manifested itself in the lives of the recipients, or if they started operating in the power and authority of God? From a sola scriptura standpoint, the apostles did not wait to determine if those who had received the Spirit were operating in the fruit of the Spirit, or in power.

Before we go any further, it should be noted that although power as explained in Acts 1:8 is the result of the Spirit baptism, it is not evidence for the Spirit baptism. For example, when rain falls on the ground where seed is sown for harvest, the evidence for rainfall is a wet field. The result of rainfall is that the seed grows into a plant. Likewise, power is the outcome of being baptized in the Spirit, but not the evidence. What then is the evidence? Let’s look into the passages where this experience is recorded once again:

All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. [Acts 2:4]

Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. 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.” [Acts 8:17-19]

The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. [Acts 10:45-46]

When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. [Acts 19:6]

In all 4 passages quoted above where the experience of the Holy Spirit baptism is narrated, in only 3 of them is the evidence mentioned. In those 3 passages, being filled with the Spirit has been made evident in one common way: supernatural utterance. Never did the apostles wait for any other evidence. They saw the evidence of speaking in tongues and immediately declared that the Holy Spirit had come upon the recipients. Therefore, the evidence for the Spirit baptism is supernatural utterance.

A Vision

At this juncture, I would like to share with you a vision Abba showed me concerning this while He was teaching me on the subject of the Spirit baptism. In the vision He showed me a cup and a bucket of water. The cup was being dipped into the bucket of water and He asked me, ‘What do you see?”. I said, “A cup dipped in a bucket of water”. He said, “You have seen correctly. This is the baptism in the Spirit”.

Then He went onto tell me something that really got my attention–”The first thing noticed when the cup is immersed is that its mouth starts to overflow.” But He didn’t stop there. I saw Him dip the cup deeper into the bucket to the bottom, and He said, “Many Christians stop with the overflowing of the mouth, but the purpose of the Spirit baptism is to take you down to the bottom, to the ground of humility so that I can do My work through you without any hindrance.”

There is much revelation contained in this vision. But with respect to the evidence, you must realize that this occurs in accordance to a principle you can find in Matthew 12:34 where it says “For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks” When the heart of a man is filled to overflowing, it gushes out through his speech. Therefore, when the Holy Spirit fills a person’s heart to overflowing, the direct result of that overflow takes place via that person’s speech. As the infilling is supernatural, the overflowing is supernatural as well. The person will speak in a language he or she has never learned as is shown as the norm in Scripture. 

Do all speak in tongues?

This brings us to a question that is asked very often. Do all speak in tongues? (1 Corinthians 12:30). The answer to that question is an absolute ‘no’. What many don’t realize is that the gift of tongues is not the same as the evidence of tongues that we see accompany the baptism in the Spirit.

One is a sign, the other is a gift to profit others.

Jesus said, “And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues…” (Mark 16:17). If you look into the narratives, all who received the Holy Spirit spoke in new tongues.

(1)   ALL of the 120 spoke in tongues as they were filled with the Holy Spirit

(2)  Cornelius and ALL his household spoke in tongues and glorified God when the Holy Spirit came upon them

(3)   ALL the 12 at Ephesus spoke in tongues when the Holy Spirit came upon them.

In fact, Hebrews 2:4 mentions signs and the gifts of the Holy Spirit separately.

You see, I can have faith and still not have the Gift of faith which is something totally supernatural. I can share the Gospel with someone and see them saved, and still not have the gift of evangelism. The spiritual gifts entail ministry.

When I received the Holy Spirit, I spoke in a clear language I had never learned before. However, I was unable to speak in tongues after this first experience. The reason being, I had not received the gift of diverse tongues–it was a direct result of having just been baptized in the Spirit. However, about a year later, I received the gift of tongues when a minister of God laid hands on me, and I’ve been able to operate in the gift of tongues ever since.

A great man of God by the name Smith Wigglesworth experienced the same thing. He had received a glorious baptism and spoke in tongues, but when he got back home; his son asked him if he could speak in tongues. And this is what Smith relates:

“But I could not. Why? I had received the Baptism in the Spirit with the speaking in tongues as the Bible evidence according to Acts 2:4, and had not received the Gift of tongues according to 1 Corinthians 12. I had received the Giver of all gifts. At some time later when I was helping some souls to seek and receive the Baptism of the Spirit, God gave me the Gift of tongues so that I could speak at any time.” (From Ever Increasing Faith, Chapter 12)

We will revisit the topic of speaking in tongues later on in the series.

In the coming article, I will be giving you practical instructions as to how to receive the Holy Spirit baptism. Stay tuned. 

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