Day 14 – Receiving the Baptism of the Holy Spirit

Scripture

“If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” — Luke 11:13

Promise

The Father delights to give the Holy Spirit to His children. The baptism of the Spirit is not complicated—it is received by believing, asking, surrendering, receiving, and yielding in faith.

Quote

“If you don’t believe in the baptism of the Holy Spirit, you won’t receive it—for everything in the Christian life works this way: you must first believe before you can receive.” — Dr. Daniel LeBlanc

Devotion

The baptism of the Holy Spirit is not a mystery reserved for a few—it is the Father’s promise for every believer who hungers for more of Him. Like every part of the Christian life, it comes through faith. When you say, “Hello Holy Spirit, I welcome You,” you are opening yourself to this very promise.

Here are five biblical steps to receiving:

1. Believe in the Baptism of the Holy Spirit

The starting point for everything in the Christian life is belief. Hebrews 11:6 reminds us: “Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.”

Many never experience the baptism of the Holy Spirit because they simply do not believe it is real, necessary, or for them. For years, I was one of those people. As a young pastor, I had not been trained in the things of the Spirit. In Bible school, I was even taught not to believe in the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Then one day, an elderly man explained it in the simplest of terms:

“Pastor, it’s just like salvation. If you don’t believe in salvation through Jesus, you won’t receive it. And if you don’t believe in the baptism of the Holy Spirit, you won’t receive that either. Everything in the Christian life works this way—you must first believe before you can receive.”

That conversation changed my life. From salvation to healing to answered prayer to spiritual gifts, faith always comes first. You cannot receive what you do not believe. Belief is the foundation for every other step.

So ask yourself: Do I believe this baptism is real? Do I believe it is for me? If yes, you are already positioned to receive. Begin with this prayer: “Hello Holy Spirit, I believe You are for me.”

2. Ask for the Baptism of the Holy Spirit

Jesus said, “Ask, and it will be given to you” (Luke 11:9). Asking is the next step after believing. If faith opens the door, asking walks you through it.

In Acts 19, Paul met disciples in Ephesus who had only received John’s baptism of repentance. When he asked if they had received the Holy Spirit, they replied, “We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit” (Acts 19:2). They had a foundation, but they needed more. They needed to learn—and then to ask.

The same is true today. Many Christians stop at salvation and never pursue more. But Jesus compared asking for the Spirit to a child asking their father for bread. A good parent would never give their child a stone (Luke 11:11–12). Likewise, your heavenly Father delights to give the Holy Spirit to those who ask (Luke 11:13).

When you ask, it is not begging—it is faith. Pray: “Hello Holy Spirit, I ask You to fill me now.”

3. Surrender to the Baptism of the Holy Spirit

The Spirit fills what is yielded. The more you surrender, the more He fills.

The disciples surrendered by waiting in the upper room as Jesus commanded: “Tarry in Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high” (Luke 24:49). Their waiting wasn’t wasted—it was surrender. They laid down their timelines, impatience, and their own strength.

Think of your life as a vessel. A clenched fist can hold on to control but cannot be filled. An open hand can receive. Likewise, when you surrender your pride, fear, or self-will, you make room for the Spirit to flood your life.

Each time you pray, “Hello Holy Spirit, I surrender all,” you are opening wider for Him to fill you.

4. Receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit

Peter told the crowd on Pentecost: “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38).

The word repent means to change the way you think. To receive the Spirit, we must see Him not only as the One who lives within us but also as the One who wants to manifest through us.

Notice the word receive. To receive means to take hold of what God is already offering. You don’t earn it, work for it, or beg for it—you simply accept it by faith.

Many hesitate here because they don’t feel “worthy.” But the Spirit is not given because of your worthiness—it is given because of Christ’s worthiness. You receive the Spirit the same way you received salvation: by grace through faith.

Receiving is trust in action. Say: “Hello Holy Spirit, I receive You right now.”

5. Yield to the Baptism of the Holy Spirit

Finally, after believing, asking, surrendering, and receiving—you must yield.

At Pentecost, “they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2:4). The Spirit gave the utterance, but they had to yield their voices. In Acts 19:6, when Paul laid hands on the Ephesian disciples, “the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.” Again, the Spirit came, but they yielded.

Yielding means cooperating with the Spirit—letting Him move through you even when it feels risky. It may mean opening your mouth in prayer when you feel timid, speaking in a heavenly language, or obeying a prompting to minister to someone.

Yielding is simply saying: “Hello Holy Spirit, I yield to You.”

Let’s make some application now. This is your moment. Do you believe? Then ask. Are you willing to surrender? Then receive. Will you yield? Then the Spirit will fill you. Take a quiet moment now—lift your hands and pray aloud: “Hello Holy Spirit, I welcome You. I believe, I ask, I surrender, I receive, and I yield.” Don’t rush. Wait in His presence. Expect His power, His liquid love, and His gifts to flow through you.

Declaration

I believe the baptism of the Holy Spirit is for me. Today I say, “Hello Holy Spirit, I welcome You.” I ask with hunger, I surrender my will, I receive by faith, and I yield completely. I am baptized in the Holy Spirit, filled with His power, His gifts, and His love.

Prayer

Hello Holy Spirit, I welcome You. Thank You, Father, for Your promise. Today I believe Your Word—it is for me. I ask in faith: baptize me in Your Spirit. I surrender every part of myself. I receive this gift by faith, not by works. And I yield my life completely to You. Flow through me with boldness, gifts, and love. I receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit right now, in Jesus’ name. Amen.