John G. Lake (1870-1935) was an evangelist, missionary, and Pentecostal pioneer. He’s one who usually requires no introduction, but if you’re unfamiliar with him, we’ve got a short biography available on a separate page.
Lake’s writing have been among the most influential in the Pentecostal movement. His teachings on healing, on tongues, and on the Holy Spirit have endured for generations. While some have distanced himself on some points (most especially on healing), many still believe that he was one of the most straight-forward teachers of his day.
We’ll be sharing his four-part teaching on the Baptism of the Holy Spirit in the following blog posts. We’ll accelerate our schedule until these are complete, and then scale back to our usual routine.
This series, and many other sermons, are available in our book The Selected Sermons of John G. Lake: Volume 1. This volume is available in print, but is also available as a free download through NoiseTrade. If you like it, you can purchase volumes 2 and 3 in print, or you can download our complete collection as an eBook (via Amazon, iBooks, B&N, and Kobo).
We’ve got a large collection of Lake’s writings and sermons, and hope that you’ll enjoy them.
The Baptism of the Holy Spirit: Part 2
Message given through tongues and interpretation in Battle Creek, Michigan, September, 1913.
There are as many degrees in God in the Baptism of the Holy Ghost as there are preachers who preach it. Some people are born away down weeping at the foot of the cross. They are still on the earth plane with Christ. They are still weeping over their sins, still trying to overcome sin and be pure of heart.
But there are other people who are born away up in the blessed dominion of God, like our Mother Etter. They have resurrection power. All power is given, and it is in our soul.
And beloved, one day there are going to be Christians, baptized in the Holy Ghost who are away up in the Throne of God, away up in the consciousness that is breathed out of His holy heart. Somebody is going to be born a son of God; and be baptized in the Holy Ghost where Jesus is today, in the Throne-consciousness of Christ. Where they can say, like Jesus said, where they can feel like Jesus feels: “I am He that liveth, and was dead, and behold. I am alive for evermore and have the keys of hell and of death.” Absolute overcoming consciousness!
You dear folks listen, who are trying to pump up a Pentecost that has worn out years ago. God let it die. God had only one way under heaven to get you to move up into God, and that way is to let you become dissatisfied with the thing you have. And if you have not the consciousness you once had, God Almighty understands the situation. He is trying to get you hungry so that you will commit your Body and your Soul and your Spirit to God forever, and by the grace of God you will be baptized in the Holy Ghost over again, at the Throne of God-consciousness, in the power of Jesus Christ., as Jesus is today. “As He is, so are we in this world.”
[bctt tweet=”God had only one way under heaven to get you to move up into God: to let you become dissatisfied with what you have. #JohnGLake” via=”no”]
Why, with most of you, when you were baptized in the Holy Ghost the Lord had to baptize a whole dose of medicine, and pills, and everything that was in you. Well, God never had to baptize that kind of stuff in the Lord Jesus. Jesus came down to the River Jordan, and gave His BODY and His SOUL and His SPIRIT to God forever, and He never took a pill or a dose of medicine. He never went to the spirit of the world for assistance: or to the devil for help. His SPIRIT, His SOUL, and His BODY were God’s from that minute, forever.
Beloved, God is calling men and women to a holier consecration, to a higher place in God, and I am one of God’s candidates for that holy place in God. I want to get to the Throne of God. Oh, yes, God baptized me in the Holy Ghost with a wondrous baptism, according to the understanding I possessed ten or fifteen years ago. But I am a candidate today for a new baptism in the Holy Ghost that comes out of the heart of the GLORIFIED Christ, in the lightnings of God; everlasting overcoming; on the throne with Jesus.
And that is the experience that is going to make the sons of God in the world. That is the reason they will take the world for Jesus Christ, and the Kingdom will be established, and they will put the crown on the Son of God and declare Him “King of kings and Lord of lords” forever. Amen.
Therefore, fear not, for God is able to perform in you even that which He performed in Jesus, and raise you likewise in union with Christ Jesus, and make you reign in dominion over sin, instead of being dominated by the powers of evil and darkness.
