Mark 16:16-17 (NKJV) He who believes and is baptised will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;
Speaking or praying in tongues is a form of prayer that helps us express what we can’t articulate in a known language and engages the Holy Spirit. It is extremely helpful when we are stressed because we know the Holy Spirit, our Helper, is interceding for us.
The disciples received the Holy Spirit after Jesus’ resurrection as a seal of their salvation. Likewise, all of us have received the Holy Spirit as a seal of our salvation the moment we received Jesus Christ into our lives. The Holy Spirit was at work in our hearts, bringing conviction of sin, righteousness, and judgement. This is the first experience of the Holy Spirit. The seal of the Holy Spirit sets us apart and clearly identifies us as children of God.
John 20:22 (NKJV) And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit”
Acts 19:2,4-6 (NKJV)he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” So they said to him, “We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.” …Then Paul said, “John indeed baptised with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.” When they heard this, they were baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.
In John 20:22, Jesus breathed on the disciples so that they would receive the Holy Spirit. We also see in Acts chapter 19 that all 120 people were baptised in the Holy Spirit and spoke in other tongues on the Day of Pentecost. This is consistent with what Jesus said in the opening Scripture, Mark 16:17, that those who believe would speak in new tongues. This is the second experience of the Holy Spirit: an empowerment, evidenced by speaking in other tongues as the Spirit gives us utterance.
The outward evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit is the ability to speak in tongues. We see this consistency in Acts chapters 2, 10, and 19, where all the believers spoke in tongues when the Holy Spirit came upon them, whether or not the laying of hands was involved.
The Holy Spirit is often described as a gentleman because He will not impose Himself on us if we do not welcome Him. However, there is a spiritual and supernatural empowerment that comes with the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, we are encouraged to be filled with the Holy Spirit daily, and to pray in both the Spirit and understanding as a spiritual discipline.
Reflection: In your prayer life, how can you grow in becoming more sensitive to the Holy Spirit?
Sermon Series: The Holy Spirit is our best stress release valve
圣灵的两方面工作
马可福音 16:16–17 信而受洗的，必然得救；不信的，必被定罪。信的人必有神迹随着他们，就是奉我的名赶鬼；说新方言……
说方言或用方言祷告，是一种帮助我们表达无法用已知语言表达之事的祷告方式，也是与圣灵同工的一种属灵操练。当我们面对压力时，这样的祷告尤其宝贵，因为我们知道圣灵——我们的帮助者——正在为我们代求。
耶稣复活之后，门徒领受了圣灵，作为他们得救的印记。同样地，当我们接受耶稣基督为救主的那一刻，也领受了圣灵，作为得救的印记。圣灵在我们心中运行，使我们为罪、为义、为审判，自己责备自己。这是我们经历圣灵的第一次经历。圣灵的印记将我们分别出来，清楚地表明我们是神的儿女。
约翰福音 20:22 说了这话，就向他们吹一口气，说：‘你们受圣灵！’
使徒行传 19:2,4–6 问他们说：‘你们信的时候受了圣灵没有？’他们回答说：‘没有，也未曾听见有圣灵赐下来。’……保罗说：‘约翰所行的是悔改的洗，告诉百姓当信那在他以后要来的，就是耶稣。’他们听见这话，就奉主耶稣的名受洗。保罗按手在他们头上，圣灵便降在他们身上，他们就说方言，又说预言。
在约翰福音20:22中，耶稣向门徒吹一口气，使他们领受圣灵。而在使徒行传第2章，我们看见五旬节那天，一百二十位门徒都受了圣灵的洗，并说起别国的话来（方言）。这与耶稣在今天的主题经文——马可福音16:17——所说的话完全一致：信的人必说新方言。这是我们经历圣灵的第二次经历，就是领受圣灵的能力，而其外在的凭据，就是照着圣灵所赐的口才说方言。
圣灵洗最明显的外在记号，就是能够说方言。我们在使徒行传第2章、第10章和第19章都看到同样的模式：当圣灵降临在信徒身上时，他们都说起方言来，无论是否经过按手，都是如此。
圣灵常被形容为一位“温柔的君子”，因为祂不会勉强我们，也不会在我们不欢迎祂的时候强行介入。然而，领受圣灵的洗会带来属灵、超自然的能力。因此，圣经鼓励我们天天被圣灵充满，并养成用灵祷告和用悟性祷告的属灵操练。
默想：
在你的祷告生活中，你可以如何更加敏锐于圣灵的带领，并学习更多顺服祂的引导？
讲章系列：圣灵是我们最好的“减压阀”