DLCM Search The Scripture Youth Manual for September 21, 2025 : Lesson 178 : Title - Baptism In The Holy Spirit

DLCM Search The Scripture Youth Manual for September 21, 2025 : Lesson 178 : Title - Baptism In The Holy Spirit 

YOUTH STS 

LESSON 178

BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT

TEXT: Acts 2:1-47.   

Memory Verse: “And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2:4).

After the ascension of Christ, the one hundred and twenty (120) disciples gathered at the upper room to pray in obedient to the Master’s command (Acts 1:4). While praying on the day of Pentecost, they experienced the outpouring of the power of the Holy Spirit. This marks one of the most important events in Acts of the Apostles. It also sets up a new dawn of Spirit-inspired exploits by the early Church. 

Question 1: Is the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on sanctified youths necessary today?

Jesus Christ, while leaving the earth physically, knew the great task that was before the apostles and had told them of the importance of the coming of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit was to continue in the grand supervision of the work on earth after Christ’s ascension. The Holy Spirit came upon the disciples and there was an instant change in their lives and ministries. If any Christian minister or ministry is to achieve tangible results today, there is need for the Holy Spirit’s baptism. He is the third Person in the Trinity and reveals the mind of God to believers. Sanctified youths need this Spirit’s outpouring to be fulfilled in Christian service. Also in our text, Peter stood up and preached his first sermon to the multitude that was confused and amazed at the “wonderful works of God”. In his preaching, he explained the predicted Pentecost (Acts 2:14-21), exalted perfect prince (Acts 2:22-36) and the effect of pentecostal preaching (Acts 2:37-47).

THE PREPARATION FOR THE SPIRIT'S BAPTISM (Acts 2:1,2; John 3:3,5,7; 17:6,8,14,17,20,21; Acts 15:8,9; Ezekiel 36:24-27; Proverbs 1:23; Luke 11:9,10,11)

“And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place” (Acts 2:1). Pentecost is the Greek word for “fiftieth or fiftieth day”. It is used to designate the fact that this feast occurred fifty days after the Passover. The Old Testament designation is the feast of the weeks (Exodus 34:22; Deuteronomy 16:10). This is because it was celebrated seven weeks after the Feast of First-fruits which marked the beginning of the barley harvest (Leviticus 23:9-16). According to the Scriptures, every adult Jew was supposed to attend three annual feasts. These are the feast of Unleavened Bread (Passover), the feast of the weeks (Pentecost) and the feast of Tabernacle (Deuteronomy 16:16). The Jews had their biggest celebration at Pentecost. There were several days of preparation and observance proceeding the festival day itself. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit occurred on the actual day of the festival as the one hundred and twenty (120) disciples gathered at the upper room in obedience to Christ’s instruction (Acts 1:4).

Question 2: What preparation should youths who desire to be filled with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit make?

“Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you” (Proverbs 1:23). On the day of Pentecost, the disciples were all together “with one accord in one place”. There was perfect harmony, unity and love which bore the fruits of joy and peace among them. The Christian experiences that can produce these in our lives are salvation and sanctification. “Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh” (Ezekiel 36:25,26). After these Christian experiences, we press forward to pray, desire, believe, thirst and hunger with great expectation for the infilling of the Spirit (Luke 11:13; Isaiah 44:3). As the early disciples were together, “there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting”. The infilling of the Holy Spirit occurred with startling suddenness. It was the dawn of a new dispensation. This Christian experience is for everyone who is prepared for it today.

Question 3: Is the Baptism of the Holy Ghost for everyone?

“And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit” (Joel 2:28,29). Regardless of age, social status and races, God will fill you with the Spirit as long as you fulfil the conditions.

THE POWER OF THE SPIRIT IN BAPTISMAL MEASURE (Acts 2:2- 13; Numbers 11:25; 1 Samuel 16:11-13; Acts 4:7-12; 6:3-8; 13:9- 12;10:44-47)

“And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them”. These one hundred and twenty believers got endued with the Spirit’s power. Fire-like wind is the symbol of divine presence (Exodus 3:2) and of the Spirit who purifies (Malachi 3:2,3). This symbol of fire was a prophecy and promise in the Scriptures (Mathew 3:11; Luke 316).

Question 4: What is the first evidence of receiving the power of the Holy Spirit?

“And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance”. The first major evidence that a sanctified youth is baptised in the Holy Ghost is that he will begin to speak in an unknown tongue. The Spirit-inspired tongue was not brought about by human knowledge or efforts but as the “Spirit gave them utterance”. It simply means that the disciples spoke the words which the Spirit put in their lips in foreign languages which even they could not understand. This is the wonderful work of God.

Question 5: What is the main purpose of the baptism in the Holy Spirit?

“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8). The main purpose of receiving the Holy Spirit baptism is to be empowered from on high to be more effective witnesses of Christ. “And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high” (Luke 24:49). “…and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call” (Acts 2:38,39). The ministry of the Holy Spirit is to convict sinners of their sins (John 16:7- 11), help and give believers victory in temptation (Romans 8:2,26,27), fill with joy, peace and boldness (Acts 13:49-52), illuminate and inspire (2 Peter 1:21), teach and guide into all truths (John 14:26; 16:13), help in prayer and intercede for the saints (Zechariah 12:10; Romans 8:26,27), quicken and heal (Romans 8:11), direct gospel work (Acts 8:26-29), empower for service (Act 1:8) and comfort, counsel and command (Isaiah 11:1,2). “And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language” (Acts 2:5,6). On the Jewish day of Pentecost when the disciples got baptised in the Holy Spirit, Jews and proselytes from various places had gathered in Jerusalem. The Jews are here described as “devout men” as against Gentiles who are termed heathen. These men had come to Jerusalem for the ceremonies from different countries to which the Jewish faith had been dispersed. It was not only the Jews but also the natives of those countries that had been converted to the Jewish faith. These were called proselytes. This mixed audience of Jews and proselytes who heard the great volume of voices rising to heaven and filling the air rushed towards the place of prayer of the disciples. The marvellous truth of the day is that all of these lingual groups heard the Spirit-filled disciples speaking the languages of their countries. This was the initial witness of the risen Christ to a bewildered world heard in every language group of the world. What a marvel.

PETER PREACHES WITH PENTECOSTAL POWER (Acts 2:14-21; Joel 2:28-30; Luke 24:46-49; Acts 1:4, 5; Ezekiel 36:27)

“But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day” (verses 14,15). The boldness of Peter and the eleven confirmed the fact that the pentecostal experience is accompanied with power and boldness. The dwellers of Jerusalem had thought the disciples were drunk. But Peter, moved by the Holy Spirit preached and explained what had happened. In explaining the event of Pentecost and the significance, Peter preached the gospel of Christ to the astonished Jews who gathered around them who thought they were drunk of new wine. The Jewish day began at 6 a.m. The third hour would be 9 a.m. in our own time. Therefore, Peter proved that the one hundred and twenty disciples who just got endued with power of the Holy Spirit were not drunk, by referring to the book of Joel the prophet.

Questions 6: To whom was the promise in the prophecy of Joel referred?

“But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy (Acts 2:16-18). The experience of the Holy Ghost baptism is a scriptural one backed up by both prophecy and promises of God. Peter directed the people back to the prophecy of the promise of the Holy Spirit as prophesied by Prophet Joel in the Old Testament (Joel 2:28-30). God is truly faithful to His promises. From the experience of the disciples, we can be sure that anyone who meets the conditions can equally have the promise of the Spirit fulfilled in his life. “Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know’ (verse 22). This first message reminds us of the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Under the freshness of the influence of the Spirit’s baptism, Peter exalted Jesus Christ. The Scriptures say, when the Holy Ghost comes, He will not exalt Himself; rather, He will exalt and glorify Christ. “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself, but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you” (John 16:13,14).

Question 7: What were the highlights of Peter’s message?

“This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses” (Acts 2:32). The central theme of this message was Jesus Christ, the crucified. The focus and the highlight were multidimensional in nature. He declared that Jesus Christ was approved of God (Acts 2:22). Jesus Christ was not only approved of God but also appointed and anointed by God (Hebrews 3:1,2; Acts 10:38). He also highlighted His miracle- working ministry (verse 22), crucifixion (verse 23), resurrection (verses 24-32), ascension and exaltation (verses 33-36). Peter presented Him as Jesus, the Son of man as well as the Lord. He portrayed Him as the Messiah, Lord and Saviour. Peter’s reasoning in this message, the reproof of the wicked act of his audience (the Jews) and the exhortation, all point to a central theme which is the lordship of Jesus Christ. It became clear from this first model sermon that without Christ as the central theme of our message, it is worse than “sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal. To preach the gospel effectively in the power of the Holy Spirit, our message must have these features. One, it must be direct and personal in application. Peter’s message comes as a sharp arrow piercing even to the dividing asunder of the soul, spirit, discerning the thoughts and intentions of their hearts (Hebrews 4:12). Two, it must be based on the Scriptures. Peter the apostle referred to the very Scriptures which the Jews held in high esteem. As shown in our text, the works of Jesus, the outpouring of the Holy Ghost, the death of Christ, His burial, resurrection, ascension, sitting at the right hand of the Father and His office as Christ and Lord are all written in the prophecy, illustrated and validated by the Holy Scripture. Therefore, this teaches us that thorough knowledge of the Bible is a necessary qualification of a successful preacher of the gospel of Christ. Hence, the Holy Spirit and the Holy Scripture coupled with sincerity, straight- forwardness and sanctification of life gives power and positive result to our preaching. To the Jews, Peter said, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins…” Today, as many as truly repent and believe on the Lord Jesus will also be saved. The effects of this sermon remain a standard for preachers today. One, the message produced three thousand saved souls who received Jesus as their Lord and Saviour. They had immediate change of heart and submitted to water baptism. Two, the message produced steadfast disciples. The fact that the converts gave diligent attention to the apostles instructions and doctrines showed the genuineness of their conversion. Three, the sermon produced a deep sense of unity and delight in fellowship among brethren. Four, it produced the manifestations of divine power for “many wonders and signs were done by the apostles”. Finally, the life of the new Church became an irresistible centre of attraction for worship and revival (verse 47). 

Question 8: From verses 4147, state seven principles of spiritual growth. 

“And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.” Some of the principles of spiritual growth include salvation from sin (verse 41), steadfastness in faith (verse 42), steadfastness in the Scriptures (verse 42), supplication to God (verse 42), separation from the ungodly (verse 44), sharing the goodness with others (verses 44-46) and soul-winning (verse 47). These are the secret of personal and Church growth.