Since we know that baptism of the Holy Ghost is a gift from God through Jesus Christ, the question is. How do we qualify for this gift? What do we do that triggers God to release the Holy Spirit to us? That is what we will be discussing here shortly.
Let’s pray.
Eternal Father, I prophesy the Spirit of understanding in the knowledge of you that makes all the difference in the life of this one today in the name of Jesus Christ. As he or she receives and apply your word, let the Holy Spirit be given to him/her in the name of Jesus Christ.
Amen.
Every gift is triggered by the receiver. I mean every one of them. The giver is the last input in the equation of giving. It’s the receiver of a gift that initiates a giving process.
What do we do to qualify for the baptism of the Holy Ghost?
1. You must be born again
Someone may say we have over flogged this issue of born-again for too long. No, we haven’t. This is our first entrance into the kingdom of God. Until one enters the kingdom of God (born again), he can’t see neither can he partake of the things of the kingdom of God. Now he may try to be he can’t because he is outside. He may try to imitate those inside but he is still an outsider (Mark 4:11).
Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
John 3:3; 5 (KJV)
Now, there are people who dislike their birth country and are in love with other countries. They can’t see neither can they enter the country they wish to until they are given visa by the host country. That’s what born again all is about. It’s our visa into the kingdom of God. If you don’t have it, you can’t get in.
Until the kingdom of God gives a man visa through the new birth, he can’t enter heaven no matter what he does. What you do don’t make you a citizen. Our inputs in the kingdom only begin to count when we are citizens.
The new birth is our first qualification for the baptism of the Holy Ghost. If you are not born again, you haven’t started the process for the baptism of the Holy Ghost no matter whatever you have been doing in this regard.
And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned. 17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
Mark 16:15-17 (KJV)
Until you’re saved, you can’t be baptized and until you’re baptized with the Holy Ghost, His signs can’t follow you. The signs of the Holy Ghost only follow those who are baptized with the Holy Ghost.
The baptized don’t follow the signs. The signs follow them.
2. Believe in the Holy Ghost
They’re many believers who don’t believe in the Holy Ghost and in His ministry. There was a time I myself didn’t believe in the Holy Ghost. There was also a time I didn’t believe in salvation.
It was strange to me back then how confessing Jesus as my Lord and savior can make me a child of God. I use to think in my mind that these people are really out of their mind. I tried it a couple of times and nothing really happened to me as it were.
One day, I was liberated by God through knowledge.
And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
John 8:32 (KJV)
The truth as powerful as it is can’t make anyone free until it’s known. The truth impotent if not communicated. Teaching is the pulling of the trigger that releases the truth. Captivity is a product of a limited knowledge of the truth in that area.
Ye shall know. No one can know the truth for you. If you don’t know the truth yourself, you will remain in bondage forever. It’s the truth you know not the one I know that makes you free. So if you don’t know the truth for yourself, freedom wouldn’t come to you.
We teach the truth so you can know it for yourself and believe it. The truth you don’t know, you can’t believe and the truth you don’t believe can’t make you free.
And he marveled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching.
Mark 6:6 (KJV)
Teaching cures unbelief that comes from ignorance. Nothing cures ignorance like knowledge. He marveled at their unbelief and went with the cure of knowledge to them.
If you don’t believe in the Holy Ghost, seek knowledge about Him to be free from the bondage of His absence in your life.
3. Desire the baptism of the Holy Ghost
It’s our desire that triggers our receiving. What you don’t desire, you can’t go for. For you to go for the Holy Ghost. You must desire Him very much. I made mention in one of my teachings that I went to different meetings for the baptism of the Holy Ghost. That shows my eagerness to receive Him.
And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me. 48 And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me. 49 And Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee.
Mark 10:47-49 (KJV)
The people tried to shot this man up. But he wouldn’t because he saw it as his last chance. He was desperate. It’s today or never.
When I gave my life to Christ after haven failed for many times I said to God if you don’t save me today. I will never come out for altar call in my life again.
How desperate are you for the baptism of the Holy Ghost?
Our willingness is manifested in our actions. If you’re eager to receive the Holy Ghost, it will show in your quest for Him. The degree of our desire determines our eagerness for acquisition.
Jesus says in the book of Mark 11: 24,
Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
Whatsoever you desire, Jesus said, “when you pray for it”. Until your desire prompt you to pray, you aren’t in line to receive the manifestation of it.
David prayed in Psalm 43:1-2,
As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. 2 My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?
David’s desperation for God didn’t only earn him a place in the presence of God forever; he was able to know the mind of God far beyond his generation. That shows friendship (John 15:15).
And the Bible says in the Book of Malachi 3:6 that God doesn’t change. Anyone who complies with His terms receives the provisions attached to those terms.
4. Ask for the baptism of the Holy Ghost
Whatever you don’t ask for, you don’t believe it can be given to you. There’re two kinds of belief:
- · Believe in the existence of something.
- · Believe that you can receive or be given something.
Many Christians live in the realm of the first belief. They believe in the existence of the provisions of God.
The second realm of belief where the first is manifested is hard for many Christians. They don’t believe that the provisions of God they have come to believe exist can be theirs. They will go to any length to prove that the provisions aren’t for them.
The bible says,
Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? 2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
Isaiah 53:1-2 (KJV)
Who among the children of God have believed the provisions of the kingdom of God? And who among those who believe has God given understanding in those provisions to the point of acting on them? For that man shall grow in those provisions in steps.
Though at the beginning there isn’t anything to prove the finger of God on his life it shall surely speak at the end (Habakkuk 2:3).
Only those who believe they can be given ask.
If you believe that God is your heavenly Father and can give you anything that you ask for, you will be eager to always ask for things. But when you don’t believe God is your Father, you have restriction asking some things.
It’s vital we’re sure that we’re God’s children. I mean sure. You have proof to show you’re God’s child. When you’re sure that you’re God’s child, your way of asking and receiving from God changes.
If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?
Luke 11:13 (KJV)
You see why salvation is paramount for the baptism of the Holy Ghost. It’s a Father’s gift to a son. If you aren’t a son, you aren’t qualified for the gift of the baptism of the Holy Ghost from the Father.
This is an opportunity to be saved so you can receive the Holy Ghost in your life. To become a child of God, say the following prayers with me from the depth of your heart with all sincerity.
PRAYER OF SALVATION
Oh Lord God, I believe with my entire hearth in your son Jesus Christ. I believe He died for me and You raised Him from the dead. I believe He is alive today. I confess with my mouth that Jesus Christ is the Lord of my life from today. Through Him and in His name I have eternal life.
I am born again. Thank you, Lord. I am now a child of God. Praise God!
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PASTOR’S PRAYER FOR YOU
Father in the name of Jesus Christ, I decree the opening of the spiritual eyes of this one into what qualifies one to be baptized with the Holy Ghost.
Be baptized with the Holy Ghost right now in the name of Jesus Christ the baptizer.
I prophesy healing and health to your body by the Spirit of the living God in the name of Jesus Christ. Sickness and diseases are cast out of your body right now in the name of Jesus Christ. Sickness and disease shall not rule your body anymore in the name of Jesus Christ.
You are no more called the sick in the name of Jesus Christ. From now henceforth your name is now the health of God in Jesus name.
I release the blessings of the spirit of knowledge, of understand and of wisdom upon your life right now in the name of Jesus Christ. Go and manifest God in the name of Jesus Christ.
PERSONAL CONFESSION
I am a child of God. I am born of the Holy Spirit of God. I believe in the Holy Ghost and in His ministry on the earth in the name of Jesus Christ.
I believe the Holy Ghost is here on earth to guide me to manifest the full nature of God. I trust in His ability to lead me right.
Therefore, I am the servant of the Holy Spirit of God to the fulfillment of the will of God on earth.
I manifest the gifts of the Holy Ghost as I have been Baptist by Him now.
I am called by the name of God not the name of sickness and diseases in the name of Jesus Christ.
Begin to answer your new name and drop the old sickness associated names you use to answer.
Remain ever blessed
Jesus is Lord
