But then in John 20:22, the resurrected Jesus breathed on the disciples and said, ..."Receive
ye the Holy Ghost." As you study the Scriptures it becomes evident that something transpired
within the disciples at that time.
The disciples had just watched their Master die on a cross and they had buried Him. They
were a confused, mystified group of people. But after meeting with the risen Christ and having
the Holy Spirit imparted to them in the work of the new birth, the disciples were changed.
We know that something happened to the disciples when Jesus breathed on them because
after Jesus ascended, even before the Day of Pentecost, the Bible says that the disciples
returned to Jerusalem with " . . .GREAT JOY: And were continually in the temple, praising and
blessing God" (Luke 24:52,53). They were a changed group of people because they had been
born again.
Therefore, John 20:22 records the beginning of the Church, for that is when the disciples were
born again.
Born Again, but Waiting for the Outpouring
These same men that received the Holy Spirit when Jesus breathed on them were all there in
the Upper Room on the Day of Pentecost, along with the rest of the 120 mentioned (Acts 1:1315). These same
disciples were waiting in the Upper Room to receive the outpouring of the Holy Ghost; to be
baptized with the Holy Ghost; to be endued with power by the Holy Ghost (Acts 1:8; Luke
24:49). These are all describing the same New Testament experience — the infilling of the
Holy Spirit.
There Is More To Receive of the Holy Spirit After the New Birth
If the disciples had heard some of these modern-day theologians and preachers who say that
a believer receives all of the Holy Spirit at the new birth, then the disciples never would have
gone to wait in the Upper Room for the promise of the Holy Spirit and the enduement of power
from on High.
They would have said, "Jesus breathed on me and I received the Holy Ghost, so I've got Him!
Therefore, I've got all of the Holy Spirit there is to get. That's all there is to it, period!" But as we
will see, that isn't all there is to it, praise God!
'Are You Hungry for More of God?'
A number of years ago, I was speaking at a Full Gospel Businessmen's Convention. One of
the other speakers, a Spirit-filled Episcopal priest, related an experience he had with a
denominational minister who believed that a person receives all of the Holy Spirit there is to
receive in the new-birth experience.
This Episcopal priest was speaking at a meeting about this experience of being baptized with
the Holy Ghost and speaking with other tongues. In the middle of the sermon, the
denominational minister jumped up and ran down the aisle to where the priest stood.
The denominational minister said to the priest, "I want you to know that I'm just as much filled
and baptized with the Holy Ghost as you are, and I don't speak with tongues. I don't plan to
ever speak in tongues either!"