Baptism of the Holy Spirit

Acts chapters 10 and 11 tell how God called Peter to preach salvation to the gentile Cornelius and his household. He was sent in spite of his inclination to think that salvation was only for the Jews. The vision made it clear that he was to go without hesitation: "What God has made clean, you must not call profane." As he preached Jesus to them, the Holy Spirit came down upon them and they began to speak in tongues and glorify God: "just as He had upon us at the beginning."This baptism with the Holy Spirit was a clear sign of God's acceptance of them and the presence and power of the Holy Spirit in them, a sign that they truly believed in Jesus and had repented of their sins. Accordingly, Peter ordered them to be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ.This baptism with the Holy Spirit is meant for every believer in Jesus. It is absolutely necessary for our faith to come alive, to become contagious and effective. We are not meant to be powerless, fearful Christians, rather, we are meant to have the dynamic power of the Holy Spirit at work in us and through us as He was through the apostles and those who accepted Jesus Christ as Messiah, Saviour, and Lord.