“The Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them, for they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.”
Acts 8:16 (NLT)
After Philip preached the good news in Samaria, people believed Jesus and were baptized in water. Then the apostles in Jerusalem heard what God was doing and sent Peter and John to check on these new believers.
When they arrived, they prayed for them to receive Holy Spirit immediately—because Holy Spirit “had not yet come upon any of them.” Verse 16 makes a clear distinction: the Holy Spirit of new birth comes into our hearts when we believe the good news, but Holy Spirit coming upon us is something more. These believers had been baptized in the name of Jesus, yet they still needed the power Jesus promised.
Peter and John laid hands on them, and something happened that Simon the sorcerer could see. That takes me right back to Pentecost—Acts 2:4 says they were filled with Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages. Acts 2:33 says Jesus was given the ability by the Father to pour out Holy Spirit like they saw and heard at Pentecost. So when Holy Spirit is “poured out” or “falls upon” people, Scripture shows there’s a visible change. I believe Simon saw the same kind of evidence.
That same pattern shows up again in Acts 10:44–48, then is explained in Acts 11:15–18. Peter connected it to what John the Baptist said in Matthew 3:11: John baptized with water, but Jesus baptizes with Holy Spirit. In Acts 8, believers were baptized in water first, and then Holy Spirit came upon them. In Acts 10, Holy Spirit fell upon believers first, and then they were baptized in water. The order may change, but Jesus said we need both baptisms. Acts 1:8 says we receive power when Holy Spirit comes upon us, and then we become witnesses. I don’t think we can witness the way we’re called to without that power, so today I’m praying we would wait for it, receive it, and then actually use it—never neglecting what Jesus promised.