Acts 19:1-3
And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples 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.” And he said to them, “Into what then were you baptized?” So they said, “Into John’s baptism.”

These verses describe what happened in Paul’s missionary journey. He reached Ephesus and met some disciples. The first question he asked them was, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” Let us ponder over the question Paul asked. Why did he ask this question? Usually when we meet each other, we would greet each other with peace or to ask how the other is. But Paul asking this shows he wanted to know whether the disciples in Ephesus had the correct understanding of the faith; whether they had believed correctly.

“Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” The disciples responded, “We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.” “Into what then were you baptised?” “Into John’s baptism.” The disciples here had not fully understood the teachings of John nor were they clear about the Holy Spirit and Jesus Christ.

Paul then explained in v4, “John indeed baptized 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.”

v5 “When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.”
The disciples in Ephesus understood the explanation of Paul and got baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus.

v6 When Paul laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them. They spoke with tongues and prophesied. The men were about 12 in all.

From here we understand that when the Holy Spirit comes upon man, it’s something we can SEE and HEAR. It could even be seen that the number of people who received were 12 in all.

The people in those days didn’t receive the Holy Spirit immediately upon receiving the gospel; they didn’t receive the Holy Spirit immediately after believing in Jesus. When did they receive the Holy Spirit? The Bible says clearly it was when Paul laid hands upon them that the Holy Spirit come upon them.

We must ask ourselves these questions:
Is what we believe in today the same as what the people then believed in? If it’s the same belief, then do we have the same experience as them? Did we receive the Holy Spirit when we believed?

How do we know when we have received the Holy Spirit? The answer to this is clearly mentioned here. When the Holy Spirit came upon them, they spoke in tongues. This was evidence they had received the Holy Spirit. The reason Paul asked and acted in this way had to be because he had a similar experience. He must’ve understood the importance of this teaching - after believing in Jesus, one will receive the Holy Spirit evidenced by speaking in tongues. That’s why Paul prayed for them that they may receive the Holy Spirit. Without this understanding and experience, Paul wouldn’t have asked this question. What was Paul’s experience?

Acts 9:3-7
Paul, then named Saul, was a persecutor of Christians. He was on the road to Damascus on the way to persecute Christians. A light shone on him and he fell on the ground blinded. God used this method to choose him. He then understood Jesus was the Saviour God had sent.

v10-11 also records that in the three days he couldn’t see, he prayed to God and repented. God then sent a man named Ananias who came and prayed for him. Paul understood Jesus is the Saviour. Because of that, he was baptised into Christ. Both his physical eyesight and the eyes of his heart were restored. When Ananias laid hands on him, it’s recorded he was filled with the Holy Spirit. From that point onwards, he courageously testified of the gospel of Jesus. After Paul understood the truth, he was very certain in the gospel/truth he believed in. His belief was established on the words of God.

We may ask: The Bible only records Paul was filled with the Holy Spirit. It doesn’t record that after he received the Holy Spirit, he spoke in tongues. His experience seems to be different from the experience of the disciples he met in Ephesus. How do we know Paul spoke in tongues after receiving the Holy Spirit? Let’s take a look at how Paul testified.

1 Cor 14:18
“I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all” Paul says here he spoke in tongues more than the believers in Corinth. From here we know Paul experienced the speaking in tongues after receiving the Holy Spirit. Why did Paul have to mention this in this manner here? Because the believers in Corinth misused the gifts God had given them. Paul hence grabbed hold of the opportunity to correct them in the truth.

In 1 Cor 12-14, Paul corrects the Corinth believers to have a correct understanding in their faith. God has given the church different gifts because He wants to edify the church. Because the believers in Corinth had misused the gifts God had given them, that created disruptions in the church.

1 Cor 12:10
“to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues” Here discusses the issue of gifts. One of them is the interpretation of tongues which was given by God to edify the church. One would be able to understand the tongues spoken by another person. Through the revelation of God, they’re able to interpret the prophecy spoken in tongues.

1 Cor 13:1
”Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.” Although Paul acknowledged it’s good for the church to have gifts, without love, it is nothing. Gifts God has given to man isn’t for man to be selfish. It’s not for man to boast of himself and not think about the needs of others. If everybody emphasises on these gifts but does not have love, it profits nothing. If they use their gifts and it causes confusion in the church, this is not pleasing to the Lord.

What was the problem created in the Corinthian church?
1 Cor 14:6, 13
“But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you unless I speak to you either by revelation, by knowledge, by prophesying, or by teaching?”
”Therefore let him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret.”

The issue of the Corinth church was that without someone able to interpret tongues, everyone still wanted to prophesy in tongues. Prophesying in tongues without interpretation is not able to edify the listeners. The tongues they spoke wasn’t able to be understood by anyone.

1 Cor 14:26-28
”How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret. But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in church, and let him speak to himself and to God.” If there is no one who is able to interpret the prophesying in tongues, it doesn’t edify anyone. And even if there is someone who is able to interpret the tongues, only 2 or 3 should speak, and they should take turns.

Paul wasn’t stopping them from speaking in tongues, the gift of prophesying in tongues and the interpreting of tongues is not something that happens frequently. Such a revelation only happens when God requires of it. But the Corinth church just prophesied in tongues even when there was no interpreter of tongues. It was very chaotic and Paul had to tell them to do it orderly.

1 Cor 15:39-40
”Therefore, brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak with tongues. Let all things be done decently and in order.” But Paul clarifies not to forbid the speaking in tongues because it is speaking to God and edifies oneself. It is also a guarantee and evidence of God abiding with them.

A small conclusion of the above:
Paul spoke in tongues after receiving the Holy Spirit. He believed that those who believe in the Lord will speak in tongues as well. It is a pity that Christians misunderstand the teaching of Paul that speaking in tongues is unnecessary and that it’s the smallest gift of the Holy Spirit. Gifts are from God; we shouldn’t measure if they’re big or small.

If Paul thinks speaking in tongues is unimportant, he wouldn’t have asked the disciples if they had received the Holy Spirit when they believed. He wouldn’t have lain hands on them to receive the Holy Spirit.

Why did Paul place so much emphasis on receiving the Holy Spirit evidenced by speaking in tongues? Because it’s related to the salvation of Christians.

Eph 1:13-14
”In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.”
In the letters of Paul, what did he say to the believers? They had already heard the gospel of salvation, received the truth, believed in Christ and received the Holy Spirit of promise as a seal. The Holy Spirit is the guarantee of their inheritance. Note that not all who believe have the Holy Spirit. Paul wrote this letter to BELIEVERS. Some misunderstand that once one believes, one would’ve received the Holy Spirit.

2 Cor 5:5
”Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.”

Rom 8:9
”But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.”
If anyone doesn’t have the spirit of Christ, he is not His. The spirit dwelling in us is directly related to salvation. It’s not just simply a feeling.

Rom 8:26
”Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” The Holy Spirit prays for us by making intercession with groaning which cannot be uttered. We may not be able to express what we want to say but the Holy Spirit intercedes for us. From this verse, some people may infer that the Holy Spirit is in the heart and not given. They apply this inference to Acts 19 and say that the disciples already had the Holy Spirit in their hearts before Paul went to Ephesus. When Paul laid hands on them, they received special grace - the gift of tongue speaking. Meaning that they already had the Holy Spirit and tongue speaking was an added gift; not the evidence of having received the Holy Spirit. Is this really so?

Let’s consider the testimony of another apostle.
Acts 10:44-47
”While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Then Peter answered, “Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?”
Peter was sent by God to preach the gospel to Cornelius and his family. While he was still speaking to them, the Holy Spirit was poured down on them. Peter and those who came with him were astonished that the Holy Spirit were poured down on the Gentiles also! They spoke in tongues and magnified God. Is this the special grace of receiving the Holy Spirit?

In v47 Peter said, “Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” Note the phrase “just as we have”. Peter returned to Jerusalem and made a report that Gentiles received the Holy Sprit “just as we have”.

Acts 11:15-18
”And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, as upon us at the beginning. Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ If therefore God gave them the same gift as He gave us when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could withstand God?” When they heard these things they became silent; and they glorified God, saying, “Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life.””
Here clearly tells us that whether it was the Gentiles who came to believe (family of Cornelius) or the Jews, it was the same Holy Spirit the apostles received on the day of Pentecost. This is the same Holy Spirit that lives in the hearts of men. It’s not a special grace, but the promised Holy Spirit God has given to them. Before and after His resurrection, Jesus had told His disciples to pray for the Holy Spirit. This is something we need to pray for after believing.

We look at the testimony of another apostle.
Acts 8:14
”Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them”
The people in Samaria believed in Jesus and were baptised already. But they still had yet to receive the Holy Spirit! Why were Peter and John sent to them after hearing they had received the word of God? To lay hands on them that they may receive the Holy Spirit. This was something John personally saw and experienced the Lord working in him.

1 John 3:24
”Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.”
God abides in us by the Spirit He has given us. How do we know we’ll receive the Holy Spirit after believing in Jesus?

In Samaria, John experienced that when he laid hands on them, they received the Holy Spirit evidenced by them speaking in tongues.

In Acts 8:9-25, a man named Simon (who used to practise sorcery) saw that people received the Holy Spirit through the laying on of hands. He wanted to buy this power and was rebuked for having this incorrect mentality. The Holy Spirit cannot be bought, the Holy Spirit must be prayed for and given by God.

Receiving the Holy Spirit is not just a feeling. It was something Simon could see.

We have seen the testimony of 3 apostles. Let us now look at what the Lord Jesus Himself tells us.

Luke 11:11-13
”If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”
The Lord Jesus tells us we have to PRAY for the Holy Spirit. We have to believe that God will give us the Holy Spirit. We must ask sincerely for the Holy Spirit. This was the teaching the Lord Jesus told the disciples before He resurrected.

Post-resurrection, what did Jesus instruct His disciples?
Luke 24:49
”Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.”
The Lord Jesus promised the disciples that they would receive the Holy Spirit.

Acts 1:4
”And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me;”
Jesus wanted them to pray for and wait for the Holy Spirit. Later we see the Holy Spirit was poured down on them and they received the promised Holy Spirit.

Consider again when Cornelius received the Holy Spirit. Peter said it was the same Holy Spirit they had received (at Pentecost). Peter and the disciples had already believed and followed Jesus for 3 years. They had performed many miracles and cast out demons. But when did they receive the Holy Spirit? They had to wait and pray for the Holy Spirit.

This shows that believing in Jesus doesn’t mean you will automatically have the Holy Spirit in you.

Acts 2:1-4
On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was poured down and they spoke in tongues.

In v17, Peter used the prophecy in Joel 2:28ff to testify of God’s promise. This was to encourage the believers of Jesus then.

v33 “Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear.”
Those who came back to Jerusalem to keep the feast could SEE and HEAR the Holy Spirit that was poured down on the disciples. The Holy Spirit is something we can see and hear.

How can we receive the promised Holy Spirit?
Acts 2:38
“Repent, let everyone of you be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

For different people, whether it’s the believers in Ephesus, the gentile Cornelius, the people in Samaria; in different occasions, at different times; based on the different experiences of the apostles Peter, Paul and John; it tells us that we don’t automatically receive the Holy Spirit when we believe. More importantly, let us consider the testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ. The phenomenon of receiving the Holy Spirit is speaking in tongues. It’s the only evidence to determine whether a person has received the Holy Spirit or not.

A testimony:
In the hilly area of Thailand, evangelistic services were conducted by the True Jesus Church in the open spaces. Villagers worshipped the devils, and not God. But because they experienced the almighty works of God, when the evangelical service was conducted, they came to listen. A man, a Christian from another church, came to listen. The service was on the promised Holy Spirit. It was amazing because more than 10 of them received the Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues. This man observed our prayers and thought it was very funny. But because he was a pious Christian, he thought since it was still a service, he should kneel down anyway. When he knelt down, he saw a vision. He saw a cross and on it a person. He started to weep. “It’s true Jesus died for our sins!” As he wept, he started to speak in tongues. He continued to cry after the prayer ended. When asked why he was crying, he said his heart was really moved when he saw the vision and then he received the Holy Spirit.

The promise of God is not affected by time and will never change.

The book of Joel says that in the last days God will pour down His spirit on all flesh. When Peter cited this prophecy in Acts 2, he understood it referred to the promised Holy Spirit.

Paul asked, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”
If not, we have to ask for the Holy Spirit, because it is related to our salvation. God wants to give us the Holy Spirit, and we need to ask for the Holy Spirit.

Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed? After you believed, did you pray for the Holy Spirit? Is our experience the same as the experience the apostles had? We need to have a correct understanding of our faith. We shouldn’t use our own method of explaining that we receive the Holy Spirit when we believe. Let us humble ourselves and consider the words of God.

Receiving the Holy Spirit must be evidenced by the speaking in tongues.