The Practice of the Early Church
1. In the book of Acts we see a distinct pattern of people receiving Christ, then immediately getting baptized in water, and receiving the Holy Spirit (usually by the laying on of hands), right after baptism. There were some notable exceptions. Incredibly we see the household of Cornelius receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit even before they were baptized! (see Acts 10:44-47)
While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word, And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God.
Then Peter answered, "Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have? Acts 10:44-47
2. The household of Cornelius was unusual. God did that to make the apostles understand that Gentiles could really be saved! Most of the time, when people had come to faith in Christ, they were baptized immediately, and then received the gift of the Holy Spirit (through the laying on of hands), right after baptism. That was the custom. (see Acts 2:38, 2:41, 8:36-38, Acts 9:17-18, 13:33, and 19:5-6) There was a reason for this. I'm sure the apostles wanted the new believers to find their identity and their position in Christ - and receive the power of the Holy Spirit without delay. Why should the new believers have to go even one day without this? Instruction could come later.
3. Salvation is a package deal. Baptism in water, and the Baptism in the Holy Spirit (the "falling upon" of the Holy Spirit) should happen as soon as possible after someone receives Christ. Why have we changed it? Why do we cheat the new believers? Why do we not baptize them right away, and then lay hands on them to receive the epipipto, the "falling upon" of the Holy Spirit?
note: If you have any doubts about this see St. Patrick "Let Me Die in Ireland" Bercot, pp 120-121 taken from St. Patrick's confessio. St. Patrick lived at a time (385-461 AD), close enough to the early church that some of the apostolic traditions had not yet been corrupted.
4. What happened at Cornelius' house is significant for us today. Peter and those who were with him may never have baptized those people, and they may never have laid hands on them to impart the gift of the Holy Spirit - so God just did it Himself. That's the way He wants it to be!
5. It looks like Peter and the other apostles learned their lesson. They never made that mistake again. Whenever someone became a Christian they baptized him right away, and then prayed with him immediately to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (see again Acts 2:38, 2:41, 8:36-38, Acts 9:17-18, 13:33, and 19:5-6) The apostles trusted in the continuing work of the Holy Spirit to lead, guide, comfort, sanctify, teach, heal, gather, deliver, and keep God's people. There was no delay, no period of instruction, no time wasted. The apostles believed the new believers should receive the help of the Holy Spirit as soon as possible. The practice of the apostles should be our practice today.
6. The Baptism in the Holy Spirit has purpose. The purpose is to witness the gospel. That's why God insists that all new believers receive this gift as soon as possible.
7. Just like Caesarea, something happened at Samaria that also teaches us something.
Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then, they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. Acts 8:14-17
Why is it that the people of Cornelius' household received the Holy Spirit even before they were baptized, but the people of Samaria did not! And why is it that the Holy Spirit had not fallen upon the people of Samaria even though they had been properly baptized? It is impossible to make any doctrine out of these things. But we can make some sense out of it. The apostles laid hands on people who had not yet received the Holy Spirit - to make sure that they did! This was important to them, because they knew it was important to God - for the purpose of spreading the gospel. Once again we see that salvation, baptism in water, and the "falling upon" of the Holy Spirit (the baptism in the Holy Spirit), is meant to be a package deal. If there are some believers who have not received the "falling upon" of the Holy Spirit, we should take care of that oversight immediately.
note: The situation in Samaria shows that people can be properly baptized and still not receive the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. In fact, water baptism, and the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, are two different things - and should not be confused - and yet both are meant to be part of the package deal of salvation.
8. If you have been baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit - you have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. But perhaps (like the Samaritans), the Holy Spirit has not yet "fallen upon" you. The practice of the Church should be to take care of that right away. Find a pastor or evangelist who has received the "falling upon" of the Holy Spirit and ask him to lay hands on you and pray with you - as soon as possible!
9. If you have received Christ, you have His Holy Spirit. But you should be baptized immediately, and then also have someone lay hands on you to receive the embrace of the Father - immersion into God's love - the "falling upon" of the Spirit of God, the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. The Difference is this: The disciples had the Holy Spirit before the day of Pentecost (see John 20:22) - but after the day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit had them!
10. Of course there is the exception to every rule. There is the household of Cornelius. The Holy Spirit "fell upon" them even before they were baptized - and no one even laid hands on them! That kind of thing still happens today. Many times there have been hungry people who were seeking the Lord - when the Holy Spirit just "fell" upon them, and they received His love, and power - and were never the same again.
11. A strange thing happened at Ephesus. Paul met some believers, about twelve of them the Bible says, who did not have the Holy Spirit. How weird! Something was wrong! Paul asked them...
Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed? So they said to him, "We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit." And he said to them, "Into what then were you baptized?" So they said, "Into John's baptism." Then Paul said, "John indeed baptized you with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is on Christ Jesus."
When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. Acts 19:2-6
note: Notice that Paul made sure they got the whole package deal. He baptized them into Christ, and then laid hands on them to make sure that the Holy Spirit "came upon them." Once again we see that salvation, baptism, and the falling upon of the Holy Spirit are all meant to be a part of the same package deal.
12. Apparently there are some Christians today who have not so much as heard that there is a Holy Spirit. We should tell them, and then do what Paul did. He made sure they got the whole package! They had not been properly baptized, so he baptized them in the name of Jesus, then laid hands on them, to receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit - and they did.
13. The Baptism in the Holy Spirit is something God does. We cannot make it happen. But we can believe that God is good, and that He delights to give good gifts to His children. How He would love to give them a hug! We should pray for them!
note: It is common to see people explode out of the waters of Baptism enraptured with joy - and speaking in tongues!
P.S. Not everyone speaks in tongues. (see I Corinthians 12:29-30) Yet everyone receives some sort of spiritual gift - and probably more than one. The spiritual gifts are listed in Romans 12:6-8 and I Corinthians 12:8-10 These gifts are meant to be used - to reach people with God's love - for the extension of God's kingdom. God gets all the glory.
P.S.S. The "falling upon" of the Holy Spirit (the Baptism in the Holy Spirit), is not the end of His work in your life. He wants to do more. He wants to continually: fill you, lead you into all truth, guide you, direct you, heal you, help you, sanctify you, perfect you, teach you, etc. The continuing work of the Holy Spirit is to keep on filling us with God's love, His truth, His grace, His power, and His wisdom
till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. Ephesians 4:13
This process is called "sanctification."
note: The question is not "Do you have the Holy Spirit?" but "Does the Holy Spirit have you?" God is love. That means His Holy Spirit is love. The love of God and the fruit of the Holy Spirit in your life is the evidence that God's Holy Spirit has fallen upon you. Sure there will be gifts of the Spirit, but if the Church is to know that you belong to Christ and that His Holy Spirit is active in your life, we will look for the evidence of love.