Apostle Peter has given us a good instruction how one can receive the gift of the Holy Spirit -
Peter
replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name
of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift
of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off —for all whom the Lord our
God will call.”
With many
other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from
this corrupt generation.” Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three
thousand were added to their number that day. (Acts 2:38-41)
From the
above instruction, we know that to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit–
The Word of God Must Be Heard :
First, the Word of God must be heard. Peter has preached that in
God’s plan Jesus was crucified, raised, and exalted as Lord over all the
universe and that forgiveness of sin and spiritual renewal can be had from him.
The Word has been heard.
The Sovereign God Must Call Men and Women :
Second, the sovereign God must call men and women to himself, or they
will never come. Verse 39 says, “The promise is to you and to your children and
to all that are far off, everyone to whom the Lord our
God calls to him.”
The preached Word is
heard with conviction and power only when the effectual call of God lays hold
on the hearers.
We Must Receive the Word :
Third, we must “receive the word.” Verse 41: “So those
who received his word were
baptized.” Receiving the Word means that it becomes part of you so that you
trust the Christ it presents. You trust his provision for your forgiveness. You
trust his path for your life. You trust his power to help you obey. And you
trust his promises for your future. And that radical commitment to Christ
always involves repentance — a turning away from your own self-wrought
provisions and paths and powers and promises. And when you really turn to
Christ for new paths and new power, you open yourself to the Holy Spirit,
because it is by his Spirit that Christ guides and empowers.
We Must Express Faith Through Water Baptism
Finally, we must give an open expression of faith in the act of water
baptism in obedience to Jesus Christ. Baptism was the universal experience of
all Christians in the New Testament. There were no unbaptized Christians after
Pentecost. Christ had commanded it (Matthew 28:18–20) and the
church practiced it. So we do today.
Therefore,
Repent (turn away from your worldly way of life/sin). Trust Jesus Christ. Open
yourself to the power of his Spirit. Call Him in prayer. Ask Him to forgive
your wrong way of life/sin. Invite Him to become your Saviour and Lord of your
life. Entrust the direction and control of your life. Be baptized in His name.
Then, you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
God bless you.
