Can We Receive the Holy Spirit Through Human Effort or the Laying on of Hands? [New Book Release]

Introduction to Pastor Paul C. Jong’s book series, ‘HOW CAN WE RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT AS A GIFT? [New Revised Edition] (English 3-Volume Series)

Today, within Christianity, charismatic denominations are mainstream.

But through what is the Holy Spirit given?

Is it received through one’s fervent prayer or fasting, or through supernatural experiences such as speaking in tongues received by the laying on of hands at revival meetings that pursue the fullness of the Holy Spirit?

No, it is not.

The Holy Spirit is not received through one’s own efforts or experiences from the laying on of hands, but is a gift from God given to those who have received the removal of sins through faith in the gospel of water and the Spirit, which is the gospel of God’s truth.

The content below is recorded in the third book, “HOW CAN WE RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT AS A GIFT?”, among the many books written by God’s servant Pastor Paul C. Jong of the New Life Mission, and it will let you accurately understand, through the written Word of God, how one can receive the Holy Spirit.

Can the Holy Spirit Indeed Be Bought with Human Effort?

< Acts 8:14–24 >

“Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, saying, ‘Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit.’ But Peter said to him, ‘Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money! You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity.’ Then Simon answered and said, ‘Pray to the Lord for me, that none of the things which you have spoken may come upon me.’”

I would like to deliver the answer to whether the Holy Spirit’s indwelling can be received through human effort based on this scripture.

The apostles of the early Church were empowered by God and sent to various parts of the world by Him.

The Acts of the Apostles records a few unusual events, one of which is that the Holy Spirit came upon people when the apostles laid hands on them.

Therefore, the Bible records that “the apostles enabled those who believed in God but had not yet received the Holy Spirit to receive it through the laying on of hands.”

How then did they receive the Holy Spirit through laying on of hands?

During the apostolic era, as the Word of God was still being written and was not yet complete, God endowed the apostles with special powers to perform His works.

The Holy Spirit worked alongside the apostles, allowing many signs and miracles to be manifested through them. This was a time when God specially worked through the apostles to produce visible signs and miracles to make people believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the Savior. It was necessary to manifest the work of the Holy Spirit powerfully among the disciples to show that Jesus Christ is God and the Son of God, the Savior.

If the Holy Spirit had not worked powerfully through signs and wonders in the early church, no one would have believed Jesus to be the Savior.

However, now that the prophecies of the Bible have been fulfilled, people no longer need to receive the Holy Spirit through visible signs and miracles. Now, the Holy Spirit can be received through faith in the gospel of truth about the Holy Spirit’s indwelling given by God.

God grants the indwelling of the Holy Spirit to those who believe in the Word of truth — the Word of water and Spirit — through which He works.

This truth declares that the indwelling of the Holy Spirit occurs only for those who believe in the Word of salvation through the removal of sin, accomplished by the baptism and bloodshed Jesus received when He came to this earth.

However, today many pastors see the phenomena of visible miracles and tell their congregations that this is what receiving the Holy Spirit looks like.

These pastors attempt to make their congregants receive the Holy Spirit in the same way. They deceive people by making them think they have received the Holy Spirit when strange tongues erupt due to the laying on of hands they perform. These pastors try to elevate themselves as if they were apostles performing great powers and miracles.

Particularly, such pastors have become more notable among the fanatics within Christianity who seek emotional and experiential Christianity.

Eventually, this frenzied work has spread among all those who believe in Jesus in the world, and many who have inherited their faith have received evil spirits through what are called shaking experiences and intense emotions.

Even now, those influenced by such teachings believe they can impart the Holy Spirit to others through their own laying on of hands.

However, their actual nature is exactly like that of Simon the magician mentioned in the scripture. They are indulged in self-intoxication and the desires of their flesh, causing confusion among people.

Such a belief before God is a profoundly incorrect faith that is completely detached from receiving the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

Even today, many false prophets within Christianity spread Satan’s work through mystical experiences, disguising it as the work of the Holy Spirit.

We must focus on God’s Word, which grants the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, using our reason. Faith in that Word is the only path to receiving the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

Those who advocate for so-called ‘experiential gifts of the Spirit’ must quickly abandon their vain beliefs and return to the Word to believe in the truth that brings the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

The person named Simon in the scripture was a famous magician at the time. This magician saw the apostles’ work of indwelling the Holy Spirit in people and wanted to buy the Holy Spirit with money.

Such believers later became the servants of Satan, used for Satan’s work.

Simon was amazed by the power of the Holy Spirit demonstrated by Philip and desired to receive it himself. However, his desire stemmed from human greed and fleshly desires. This kind of faith was not genuine faith for receiving the true Holy Spirit.

Simon sought to buy the Holy Spirit with money, which led him to be severely rebuked by God’s servant Peter.

Although Simon professed faith in Jesus, he had not truly received the indwelling of the Holy Spirit through faith in the gospel of water and the Spirit, which removes sin.

In other words, Simon thought he could receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit by offering something worldly he possessed.

His outward appearance seemed like someone who believed in Jesus, but in reality, his heart had nothing to do with the word of truth given by Jesus. Instead, his heart was filled only with the desires of the flesh.

However, Peter knew his heart and rebuked him for trying to buy the Holy Spirit, a gift from God, with worldly money, saying that Simon would perish along with his silver.

Today’s false prophets are captivated by evil spirits, and they deceive people by presenting the signs and miracles that occur through them as the work of the Holy Spirit.

Additionally, we often see people who admire these powers and earnestly pray to receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

However, one must understand that the Holy Spirit cannot be received through prayers made from fleshly desires.

Are there such Charismatics around you?

You must be cautious of them.

These individuals approach others with fanatical faith and claim that receiving their laying on of hands can cast out demons and impart the Holy Spirit. Such people are not empowered by the Holy Spirit but by evil spirits.

Those who receive their prayers often pass on these gifts from evil spirits to others, spreading false spiritual experiences.

The true indwelling of the Holy Spirit given by God occurs in those who believe in the recorded words of the Bible about water, blood, and the Spirit (1 John 5:3–7).

Despite the clear biblical recording of the gospel of water and the Spirit, people believe in Jesus but have sin in their hearts, do not have the Holy Spirit, and thus they seek to receive shaking, tongues, clairvoyance, exorcism, and supernatural things through their own zeal.

Therefore, the false ones show the vain things they have received to others, making them believe as well and leading them into false faith.

Peter rebuked Simon, saying,

“Your heart is not right before God. You have no part or share in this ministry because you thought you could buy the gift of the Holy Spirit with money. You will perish with your money because I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin. You are a child of the devil.”

Today, we must lament that many pastors within Christianity are just like this.

These people are generally Charismatics who demand money from others.

We must distance ourselves from such faith and receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit by believing in the recorded truth of the gospel of water and the Spirit (Matthew 3:15, 1 Peter 3:21, John 1:29, John 19:21–23).

Can you receive the Holy Spirit through the laying on of hands?

No. The Holy Spirit can only be received through faith in the gospel of water and the Spirit.

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Have you received the Holy Spirit?

The Holy Spirit can only be received through the gospel of the water and the Spirit, which is the gospel of salvation accomplished by God.

If you visit the website of the New Life Mission, you can freely download the sermon books of Pastor Paul C. Jong, who is an authority on the gospel of the water and the Spirit, in the form of e-books, audiobooks, and combined volumes, all of which have been translated into multiple languages.

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