Overwhelmed, overflowing, overjoyed

“I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire” (Matthew 3:11). So proclaimed John, the voice in the wilderness. God the Father had told John that God the Spirit would descend upon God the Son, “who will baptize with the Holy Spirit” (John 1:33) and John he proclaimed it just as he had heard it.

So if the Father introduced the Son as the one who would baptize with the Spirit, this baptism must be important, right? So what does “baptize in the Spirit” mean, anyway? Why is it important to God? And how must we respond?

The word, “baptize” means to immerse, or submerge, often as a means of cleansing. It has an “overwhelming” connotation to it – a thoroughness or completeness. When participated in as a rite, baptism is an outward symbol of an inner working of grace. Writing about our baptism into Christ, for instance, Paul explains our submersion signifies our participation in our Savior’s death and our resurfacing depicts our resurrection with him to eternal life.

Shortly before his crucifixion, Jesus shared this advanced notice with his disciples: “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever - the Spirit of truth ... He lives with you and will be in you” (John 14:16, 17). Now, God is Spirit. And in sending his Holy Spirit to live in us, God fills us with his own being, unites us with him and binds us together with each other. It is as Jesus prayed to his Father, “I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me” (John 17:22, 23). Oneness restored. Mission accomplished. Prophesies fulfilled. It is finished.

So God’s desire is that we be completely immersed – overwhelmed – in his Spirit. This is the closeness, the unity he desires with us: we live in him and he lives in us. Ours is not a “restored-and-set-on-the-shelf” relationship with God, but a “clothed-with-power-from-on-high” identity in him. And the overflow of the Holy Spirit in us is a “you-will-do-even-greater-things” baptism. For the Holy Spirit fills us with God’s power and for God's purposes. His Spirit works in and through us in whom he lives. It is part of being one with him and one in him.

The questions each of us needs to ask ourselves and answer are these: Do I believe this to be true? If so, how will I respond? We can suppress the truth and deny it. We can deem it to be true but not give ourselves over to the will of God and the working of his Spirit. Or we can completely submit ourselves to God’s will in all things and open ourselves to the powerful working of his Holy Spirit in and through us.

When we choose to submit ourselves to God in belief and obedience, we can expect his Spirit to act and we can expect to respond ...

He will counsel us as a trusted friend; we submit to his wisdom and care.
He will counter the lies of Satan with the truth of Christ; we listen for him and trust him.
He will speak the words of God; we listen for divine instruction.
He will remind us of Jesus’ teachings; we read the Word and breathe in its truths.
He will give us words to say before opposition; we wait, listen, trust and speak.
He will fill us with faith, hope and love; we celebrate God in the Spirit.
He will make us more like Christ; we submit to his work in us.
He will gift us as he determines; we seek his gifts and operate in them to the glory of God.

Throughout the Old Testament, God pointed forward to a day that excited his own heart – the day when he would pour out his Spirit on his people. That day has come and that day is now.

Our response? Give ourselves over to him completely. Hold nothing back from him. And let him baptize us – completely overwhelm us – with his Holy Spirit. This is his great desire. May it be ours, as well.