The only way God Almighty can ‘beget’ us as sons wherefore we cry “Abba, Father!” is by translating us unto the Godhead. The only way God can translate us from being ordinary to being spiritual – from humanity to Divinity; from manifesting physical powers to manifesting spiritual powers; from doing our wishes to doing the will of God, is by anointing us with the Holy Spirit.
At Water baptism, we attest to our Faith; at the Spirit baptism, we confirm openly of our translation to Divinity. At Water baptism, we prove by faith that we are born again; at the Holy Spirit baptism, we prove by power that we are born of the Spirit!
The baptism of the Holy Ghost translates us into the realm of the Spirit. We are now in touch with God; we could now read people’s thoughts; heal their bodies, and perform all kinds of miracles as God’s will. These great works aren’t done merely by the speaking of the Word alone, but by the power of the Holy Ghost, who tells us exactly what to do in order to cause His powers to flow.
When I got filled with the Holy Ghost as a new Christian, we students organized an outreach. We went to a village to minister the Gospel to the people. There we cast out devils, prayed and healed the sick in Jesus name. There was this demonic possessed girl – an agent of satan – whom we delivered through prayers. She afterward followed us about, begging us to give her the Holy Ghost. She said, “Wow! There is bright fire burning all over your bodies, covering you Christians like a garment. It is so marvelous to behold… please give me this powerful fire or Holy Ghost of yours that I may be like you…” We told her to calm down and obey God… only then, would God give her His Spirit.
After Jesus was filled with the Holy Ghost, within 31/2 years, He did what He couldn’t do within the first 30 years of His life. He became an instant super‐star; a mighty miracle worker, and a great prophet. I loved what Luke said, that (Jesus left Galilee an ordinary man for the river Jordan and) He returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit:
“Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region.” (Luke 4: 14).
How can we be ‘born of the water and of the Spirit’ in order to enter Heaven? Being born of water is being born again. However, being born of the Spirit is, in fact, the baptism of the Holy Spirit!
Let me make you understand. Water baptism is a sacrament or rite that symbolizes your Faith as a born again. You are born again not because you were baptized by water but because of your Faith in God. So water baptism is just like an identity card for people to know you are employed in God’s vineyard. Honestly, if a born again person wasn’t baptized by water before he died, such a one would still go to Heaven. People may not see his identity card here on earth but his employers in Heaven would still recognize him when he comes knocking.
The Spirit baptism doesn’t take anyone to Heaven. The Holy Ghost is given to us as a seal of confirmation that we would be translated unto the Godhead at the resurrection. It is like a stamp that God will not withdraw from His own part of the bargain unless we withdraw ourselves.
“… the Holy Spirit of God, whom you were sealed for the day of redemption” (Eph. 4: 30).
If the Holy Spirit baptism isn’t responsible for taking us to Heaven, then what is the operation of being ‘born of water and of the Spirit’ all about? Good question! Going to Heaven unless you are ‘born of water and of the Spirit’ is the sacraments, which Jesus instituted. First, Jesus commanded, after the death of John the Baptist, and after His resurrection from death, that everyone should be baptized by water “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost”. In this particular sacrament, we have access to the three covenants of the Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Ghost).
Whether you are baptized with water or not, which is merely a symbolic rite, or whether you are baptized with the Holy Ghost or not; at the new birth when you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you are given full access by right to the three covenants of the Trinity. A right of ownership doesn’t necessary make you the sole possessor of an inheritance if you are found wanting. Foolish people leave their assets to rust, while wise people invest theirs wisely.
Therefore, how does being ‘born of water and Spirit’ makes us to enter the kingdom of God? Paul said that the Holy Ghost has sealed us for the day of Redemption. Water helps us here on Earth to live the life of Faith; but entering Heaven’s kingdom (on the future day of Redemption) is done by the Spirit, who would quicken our mortal bodies during the resurrection of the dead. That is when the Holy Spirit would become part of our genetic code forever. We’d become spiritual beings, so that this statement would be fulfilled “what is born of the Spirit is spirit”.
If you, for some reasons, didn’t receive the Holy Spirit baptism in your life‐time on Earth, provided you were born of water (born again), you’d be born of the Spirit during the resurrection because of your full access by right to the three covenants of the Trinity. But for not receiving Him here on Earth by the Spirit baptism, you’d have wasted that part of grace given to you. The parable of the talents symbolizes what you’ve done.
The man with ten talents went and traded and made more; same with that of five talents… while the one with one talent went and buried his. The master came back and rewarded the ones given ten and five talents respectively because they invested wisely. But the foolish servant was severely punished.
Jesus also told us about the parable of the ‘Ten wise and Ten foolish virgins’. This parable symbolizes what would happen during the resurrection. The 10 wise virgins carried oil in their lanterns while the 10 foolish virgins didn’t. Oil is a fluid; and a fluid symbolizes the presence of water. Water is Faith (or the faith to be born again)! So when the bridegroom came for them, the 10 wise ones lighted their lantern. How? With oil! They carried water in them. By faith, they were born again; so the Holy Ghost (also called ‘Fire’) could ignite them and resurrect their bodies. But the foolish virgins weren’t people of faith – they weren’t born again or illuminated. That was the genesis of their undoing.
