What are the signs of the baptism of the Holy Spirit?

When it comes to growing as a disciple of Jesus, one crucial spiritual experience that many believers long for is the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

In today’s blog post, we will examine key biblical passages and typical manifestations of the Holy Spirit that may come with being baptized by the Spirit–or sometime afterward.

12 Signs of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit

These are common signs witnessed, experienced, and recorded in testimonies:

1. Speaking in Tongues
2. Weeping and crying
3. Overwhelming Joy
4. Overwhelming Love
5. Overwhelming Peace
6. Physical Sensations
7. Goosebumps
8. Feelings of Fire
9. Feelings of electricity, power, or wind
10. Shaking
11. Falling down
12. Power to Witness

Everyone’s walk with God is different. Some people feel lots of stuff, and others hardly experience a thing. One person might get struck by the power of God and fall to the ground; another may get hit with Holy Laughter and appear to be “Drunk in the Spirit,” like the early disciples were on the Day of Pentecost.

Some people may hardly feel or have any outward manifestations; they may feel lighter or know that the Holy Spirit has empowered them and given them the ability to speak in tongues.

Speaking in Tongues

Speaking in tongues is the most common evidence of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. It is a gift mentioned throughout the New Testament and a way to communicate with God more intimately.

It can also be used for personal improvement and to strengthen and build up your own spirit. Your spirit is like a muscle; it can grow mighty in the things of God; praying in tongues is a crucial way to become spiritually strong and in tune with God.

Tongues is a private prayer language; when you do it, you declare God’s mysteries in an unknown language. God understands, and perhaps the angels and demons do too.

Crying as Emotions are Touched

The Holy Spirit can deeply touch our emotions, sometimes leading to tears of joy, conviction, or deep gratitude. The Spirit can bring to the surface emotions we may have been suppressing, allowing us to experience healing and freedom. I cried a lot when I first received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. It can be a deeply profound experience.

Weeping in the presence of God is a powerful way to express our vulnerability and surrender to Him. It allows us to release the burdens we may have been carrying and experience the peace and comfort of being in His presence.

When the Lord brings me to tears, and I can receive His illumination over my heart and life, I often feel much lighter afterward. Like I am floating, as if something was weighing me down I didn’t realize was there–until I surrendered it to Jesus in tears.

Overwhelming Joy

When the Holy Spirit fills us, we can experience an overwhelming sense of joy beyond our circumstances. It is a pleasure that can only come from God and cannot be manufactured by human effort.

This joy is a deep-seated peace and contentment not dependent on external circumstances. Even during trials and difficulties, the Holy Spirit can fill us with an unshakable joy that surpasses all understanding.

No money can buy it; no one can earn it. No trial can take it from us (unless we give it away). So as we yield to the joy of the Spirit, we become vessels of hope for those around us, a shining light for all to see.

Overwhelming Love

The baptism of the Holy Spirit can fill us with a deep love for God. He opens our eyes, tenderizes our hearts, and we love others as God does. We receive a supernatural grace to forgive offenses and mistreatment in relationships easily. We learn what it means to bless our enemies and pray for those who persecute us.

It motivates us to become Love like Jesus is Love. To see through His eyes, to think how He thinks, and to feel his affection for His creation.

This Love spills over into our relationships with others, and we become more compassionate, forgiving, and merciful. We learn to see others through God’s eyes and extend grace to those who hurt or wronged us.

Overwhelming Peace

In John 14:27, Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; the peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”

Jesus gave us his personal peace to stay content and tranquil in moments of distress and worry. So likewise, Holy Spirit gives us peace that surpasses all understanding in times of difficulty (Phillippians 4:7).

The Holy Spirit provides comfort and assurance to our hearts in all situations.

He provides hope, joy, grace, and security in the power of His presence. God will supply everything we need, and His peace reassures us of this. (Matthew 6:33).

Baptism of Holy Spirit Physical Sensations

When you get baptized in the Holy Spirit, it can be a unique and intense experience! Many people feel a range of physical sensations when baptized, like feeling electricity or Fire, shaking or falling down, or having a sense of weight or pressure on the body. Some may feel lifted up, while others could even feel pushed down. Either way, these physical sensations can signify Holy Spirit (or angelic) activity.

Physical manifestations and feelings aren’t what’s important. Many believers do not feel these things as intensely as some do. This faith journey is all about being conformed to the image of Jesus, embracing the sermon on the mount, and becoming like Jesus. So, don’t let it distract you, as it can for some.

Holy Spirit Goosebumps

Our bodies can get goosebumps when encountering the presence of God. It happens to a lot of us. This reaction is often associated with the emotion of awe, which can be a powerful experience of encountering the divine.

This goosebumps phenomenon can be physical and spiritual, representing a deep reverence and respect for the Lord; and our spirits and bodies reacting to it.

Many people report experiencing goosebumps during their initial immersion into Holy Spirit and continue to feel this physical response throughout their walk with the Lord.

Feelings of Fire

Feeling the heat of the Spirit or the Fire of God is usually unmistakable. It is unique and can be a physical sensation during the baptism of the Holy Spirit. However, the fire part of this is often overlooked. Did John say we’d be baptized in the Holy Spirit and ___?

Fire! We were promised that we would receive the Fire of God.

On the Day of Pentecost, tongues of Fire appeared and rested upon each present disciple. You better believe they felt the Fire of God that day, but it’s not just a feeling.

Fire signifies God’s purifying and refining work as He works through us. I have often felt this Fire after intense times of prayer, fasting, and worship; it’s an incredible experience. It’s been written about extensively throughout church history, from the Desert Fathers to Theresa of Avila, St John the Cross, and many modern contemplatives, Christian Mystics, and prophetically gifted believers.

Feelings of Electricity or Power

The Holy Spirit can manifest his power in a person or region, and it can feel like a charge of electricity. So whether it runs through your body or the spiritual atmosphere is charged with a tangible presence of God that is electric-like–electricity is one common way people describe the power of God.

I’ve had this happen several times, feeling it in my body and being in worship services where the atmosphere was charged like this. When I first got the baptism of the Holy Spirit, I felt a similar shock.

Shaking or Falling Down

Sometimes this electric-like power can cause people to fall down. This is known as “slain in the Spirit,” in Pentecostal circles. I have to admit, though. The power of God does fall at times, and this does happen, but in some churches, it becomes more of an expectation and a show; and is not God at all!

The genuine exists as God does do this; in the Bible, the priests and musicians were unable to minister because the power and Glory of God were so thick and tangible (2 Chronicles 5:14).

God’s power is sometimes released when believers are baptized in the Holy Spirit or at other times in a believer’s life. This reaction is typical when confronted with the genuine. Still, it has been hyped up and sensationalized in an unhealthy way in certain places.

I pray for the genuine and authentic presence of Jesus! I want to experience His power! I want the hunger, the miracles, the Love. I want the REAL THING.

Power to Witness

After receiving the Holy Spirit’s baptism, God’s dynamo power is inside you. You are equipped with spiritual gives and access to God’s power to minister the gospel, share your testimony, heal the sick, and even raise the dead. The Spirit of Christ in you, the hope of Glory.

There is often an increased effectiveness in prayer, evangelism, or another ministry that is evident to the person and can sometimes be verified by others who know them.

What happens when the Holy Spirit comes upon you?

When Holy Spirit comes, you may feel overwhelming joy, peace, Love, or power as he descends upon you. He only speaks what He hears and always brings you closer to Jesus. However, you may also experience physical phenomena like goosebumps, tingling, shaking, or other unusual feelings like Fire.

How many times can you be baptized in the Holy Spirit?

We can continually seek and receive the Spirit’s filling in our lives. The Greek word for baptism, “baptizo,” means to immerse or dip, emphasizing being entirely filled with the Spirit. We can be baptized in the Spirit as often as needed and be refreshed in God’s presence.

Being baptized with the Holy Spirit doesn’t mean it’s a one-and-done deal. On the contrary, it is not just an event but an ongoing journey to seek and receive more from God!

Jesus, Himself found refreshment in spending time alone with His Father – so why shouldn’t we?

Ephesians 5:18 invites us on this fantastic adventure; Paul uses “plērousthe,” which means being filled entirely up to overflowing daily. Right now, we have access to something greater than anything imaginable – total transformation through filling our lives with the power of the Holy Spirit!