Bill Johnson on More to the Baptism of the Holy Spirit

"Tarry in the city of Jerusalem until ..." ... It was as if they had been working under the umbrella of His anointing. The time had come for them to get an anointing of their own through an encounter with God. The baptism of fire would give them their own on-going encounter that would help to keep them at the centre of God's will when persecution came.

The baptism of the Holy Spirit is an immersion into the dunamis of heaven. The ability to pray in tongues is a wonderful gift given through this baptism. I pray in tongues constantly and am grateful for such a gift from God. But to think that speaking in tongues is the purpose for such a holy invasion is embarrassingly simplistic. It would be the same as saying that when Israel crossed the Jordan River it was the same as pssessing the Promised Land. Yes they were in it, yes they could see it but they did not possess it! Their river crossing gave them a legal access to the possession.

This wonderful Spirit baptism has given as such an access. But to stand on the banks proclaiming "It's all mine" is foolishness at best. Such ignorance has caused great numbers of people to halt their pursuit once they've received their spiritual language. They have been taught they are now full of the Holy Spirit. A glass is only full when it overflows. Fullness can only be measured by overflow".

Bill Johnson - "When Heaven Invades Earth" - Destiny Image Publishers (2003) - (p129).