It starts when Jesus informs disciples to go tarry in Jerusalem and wait for the "promise" of the Father.
We all know the account. The sound as a strong wind. The tongues of fire. Even John the Baptist said: I baptize with water, but one comes after me, whose sandals I am not worthy to unthong, and He will baptize with the Holy Ghost and fire.
The fire??? Is the fire that John the Baptist was referring to the same fire that is mentioned in the upper room experience. It would certainly seem too.
Let's go to Samaria, where Phillip.....the deacon......has gone soon after the dispersion of Christians that occurred after Stephen the deacon was stoned to death. Phillip is in Samaria, preach and teaching the Gospel. People hear. People believe, and subsequently are baptized in water. Peter and John get the news while they are in Jerusalem. They go down to Samaria and meet up with Phillip and the new converts. Scripture says that those two Apostles pray that the new Samaritan converts will be filled with the Holy Spirit. Then, they lay hands on the new converts. They receive the "promise" of the Father....the Holy Spirit. Let's take a quick ride (in a Hummer, since we are kinda pretending) and we drive up alongside Paul the Apostle just as he walks up to several guys. What does he ask them? "Are you saved?" no he says this:
"19 While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples 2 and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when[a] you believed?”
They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”
3 So Paul asked, “Then what baptism did you receive?”
“John’s baptism,” they replied.
4 Paul said, “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” 5 On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues[b] and prophesied. 7 There were about twelve men in all." Acts 19:1-7
Paul seemed to place a major importance on "receiving the Holy Spirit"......plus...."since ye believed". THEN......he asks them about their baptism. They had been baptized with John the Baptist's baptism....and that wasn't enough. They were then baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. (I am a Trinitarian and this scripture doesn't cause me trouble).
But do y'all see where I am going with this??? The first century church placed alot of importance on being filled with, or receiving, or being baptized with, ......the Holy Spirit. Paul the Apostle didn;t seem to think that ya get it ALL at the moment ya pray the sinners prayer. Or even after your baptized.
To summarize.....after reading all of this in the book of Acts and taking it at face vale......I would venture to say that I, too, have NOT been filled with the Spirit. But Jesus says in Luke's gospel that we can ask the Father for the Holy Spirit and feel confident that we will recieve it....or Him. Any thoughts on this. I'll add more tomorrow. I am very sleepy right now.