A pastor argues that Scripture shows believers receiving the Holy Spirit after conversion, not just at salvation. He cites Acts 8, 10, and 19: Samaritans who got the Spirit when Peter and John laid hands on them, Gentiles who spoke in tongues, and Ephesian disciples who prophesied after Paul prayed for them.
Here's a question that has sparked debate among Christians for generations. That they might receive the Holy Ghost, Peter and John prayed for them, for as yet he was fallen upon none of them. Only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost. The Bible distinguishes the two. They were already saved. They were already baptized in water, but the Holy Spirit had not yet fallen upon them. Amen. Peter and John lay hands on them and the Spirit comes upon them. Offers Peter money to get the same exact power. When Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands, the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money Currency. Simon said, "Man, I got to have this stuff." The text does not specifically name tongues here, but something visible and powerful was happening when the Spirit came upon those Samaritans. Simon said, "Man, I got to have this." Acts 10, verse 44. While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost. Fell on all of them which heard the word. How did Peter know? Verse 45 and 46 says this: And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Ah, that was the evidence. Peter then goes back to Jerusalem and defends what happened. And in Acts 11, he says, the Holy Ghost fell on them as on us at the beginning. As on us at the beginning. He is referring back to Pentecost. Yes. Acts 19:2. He said unto them, have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? He was asking whether something additional had happened after they believed. They said, we have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. So Paul teaches them, baptizes them in water, and then, then in verse 6, and when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them, and they spake with tongues and prophesied. Hallelujah. They glorified God.
