The ‘baptism’ (βάπτισμα baptisma is immersion), ‘anointing’, or ‘filling’ of the Holy Spirit means the Holy Spirit takes control of the born-again believer from ‘head to toe’ and inside out – spirit, soul and body (conscience, intuition, bearing, attitude, awareness, mindset, will, thoughts, emotions, head, hair, tongue, eyes, ears, nose, belly, hands, legs… – the whole person (Psalm 133:2). This also means the person is ‘in the Spirit’. (Rev 1:10).

As every born-again believer already has the Holy Spirit in him / her as the new life, it is only (super)natural that the Spirit in the person would spring up from within during the filling of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit does not have to come from outside to fill; He just springs up from within as a fountain to fill and overflow.
While ‘baptism of the Holy Spirit’ will happen on a given day, the fulness needs to be experienced continuously – everyday all the time. (Eph 5:18). Depletion must be replenished immediately.

There is high possibility that a believer might lose the ‘filling’ over a period of time when the believer fails to submit to the Holy Spirit though He keeps convicting of the believer of his /her misadventures into ungodly, sinful, or self-willed activities.

This brings us to a profound question: Would a believer who is filled with the Holy Ghost fall into sin? Don’t the scriptures say: Whosoever is born of God sins not; but he that is begotten of God keeps himself? (1 Jn 5:18); and again: Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remains in Him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God?. (1John 3:9).

Jesus washed the feet of His disciples and wiped them with a towel which He was girding Himself with. (Jn 13:5). When Peter refused to be washed by Him. Jesus said, ”What I do you know not now; but you shall know hereafter”. “If I wash you not, you have no part with me”. He then mentioned the reason behind this washing of feet and wiping with the towel: He that is washed needs not to wash except his feet but is clean completely. (Jn 13:10) Meaning: you walk outside on the streets that makes your feet dirty; this is inevitable. But make sure, you get your feet washed quickly. This will keep you entirely clean. However, this dirtying of feet would lead to the exalted Saviour humbling Himself again as a servant (which He is glad to do – what humility!) He also instructed us to wash one another’s feet. (Jn 13:14) i.e., we, need to exhort each other to help one another remain clean; and, we need to remain submissive to accept the exhortation. The ‘word’ cleans. “That He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word”. (Eph 5:26).

A believer will occasionally fall into sin but will never remain there. He will not be comfortable in that filthy atmosphere. He can’t. He will immediately get up and come to the Father as soon as he returns to his senses. And, the Father will forgive His repentant child even seventy times seven – every time the child comes to Him with godly sorrow resolving not to sin again. (A sense of remorse is not sufficient). A just man falls seven times and rises up again. (Pro 24:16).

(Visualize a lamb and a pig, both falling into slurry. The lamb will get out of it as quickly as possible and try to get rid of the dirt; the pig will love to thrive in the dirt. What are you?),

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. However, if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 Jn 1:8, 9). There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. (Rom 8:1).

When we remain unrepentant, we might even lose our salvation totally (Heb 6:4). Hymenaeus and Alexander (1 Tim 1:19, 20), Phygellus and Hermogenes (2 Tim 1:15), Demas (2 Tim 4:10), Corinthian believers (1 Cor) and others (1 Tim 6:21) are set before us as examples. Those who began in Spirit might strive to be made perfect by the flesh (finish in the flesh) (Gal 3:3) losing their salvation because only one who endures to the end shall be saved (Matt 10:22; 24:13). If we live after the flesh, we will die; but if we, through the Spirit, do mortify (put to death) the deeds of the body, we will live. (Rom 8:13).

A person who became a believer by the Holy Spirit might still be in a gall of bitterness and in a bond of inequity, be covetous, wicked, the heart not being right with the Lord. (Acts 8:20-22). This is because the believer has not received the fullness of the Holy Spirit. He is still seeking for the approval or recognition by his world, not pursuing holiness and a God-pleasing lifestyle.

The general condition to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit: Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. (Acts 2:38). The condition is for everyone – not just the Jews. (Acts 2:39). So is the promise – for everyone; faith is essential for this (Acts18:2; Gal 3:14; Eph 1:13). Being born-again is the fundamental qualification; the spirit should have been ‘made alive’ or quickened in the person who is seeking for the fullness of the Holy Spirit. Unbelievers are unqualified.

(Roman Catholics are idolators; they cannot be filled with the Holy Spirit; they must repent: turn away from their idols, church traditions and self-righteousness. So are the ‘Jesus only’, Seventh Day Adventists, Jehovah’s witnesses, Mormons and other cultists).

The Holy Spirit does not look for holiness in a person to fill him / her. A sincere desire to live a sanctified life that pleases God, a longing for a Spirit-led journey as a witness for God and an attitude of total submission to the will of God are the signs that God looks for. This yearning does not come to a person who is after physical, worldly, material, and temporal benefits. A true believer anticipates persecution, pain, and tribulation along the way but trusts the Spirit to take him / her through.

Spirit baptism is a gift and cannot be earned (by offerings, good works or self-righteous deeds).(Acts 2:38). However, The Father gives the Holy Spirit to all that ask Him (Luke 11:13) because this shows our earnest desire and desperation for this gift. God gives the Holy Spirit to those that obey Him (Acts 5:32). This shows the will of the believer to submit to the word and faith in the promise of God. Obedience is the evidence of faith (as against disobedience which is the evidence of unbelief).

The Holy Spirit could be imparted to believers (who are also baptized in water) by the laying on of hands by Apostles. (Acts 8:14-18; Rom 1:10; 2 Tim 1:6)). Such an ability is a gift not for others, not even for Philip who was chosen as one among the seven with a special assignment to serve tables in the church. However, even the diligent hearing of the word of God resulting in faith might be enough for the believers to receive and be baptized in the Holy Spirit. (Acts 10:44). And, there is no mention that Saul (later Paul) was baptized in the Spirit when Ananias laid hands on him at Damascus. Yes, he was healed from blindness, and he was baptized in water, as the context tells us. However, Saul should have been baptized in the Spirit soon afterwards because he ‘striaghtway’ preached Christ is the Son of God with boldness in the synagogues. (Acts 9:17-20).

Today’s ministers dare to call themselves Apostles but the need for apostleship has ceased. The twelve Apostles of Christ (Paul being the last, not Mathias – he was not the choice of the Lord) have already laid the foundation for the walls of the church New Jerusalem as its framework through the doctrines they preached, wrote and exhorted the believers. We find that in our hands in black and white. So, none of today’s ministers are qualified to impart the Holy Spirit to a believer by the laying of their hands.

A ‘tarry meeting’ is not necessary for receiving this baptism. The disciples were instructed to ‘tarry in Jerusalem’ because the Holy Spirit was not sent till that time (Acts 1:8). Post the arrival of the Holy Spirit on that day of Pentecost, a special ‘receiving meeting’ is also redundant. One can be baptized anytime he / she genuinely asks for the filling.