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Supernatural Healing

We at Abundant Life believe in Supernatural Healing. In the Bible, we find that not only Jesus, but His disciples healed the sick by using His Name. What some people don’t know is these type of occurrences still happen today. At Abundant Life, we’ve had a young child healed of cancer. One lady testified of being healed of an issue of blood. Once doctors found a growth on a man’s brain they believed to be cancer; and our Pastor prayed for him and the doctors could not find the growth anymore. I personally have seen people healed of thyroid issues, women’s wombs open who wanted to have children, people with injured backs testify of no pain, blood sugar return to normal, and cancer disappear. Many other healings have occurred also. The point is that healing still occurs today. We’d like the opportunity to pray for you. Please fill out the form below and we’ll reach out to you to have someone to come pray with you.

The Importance of Acts 2:38

Acts 2:38 is the first Altar call we find in the church age. The Jews responding to what Peter had preached, in the second chapter of Acts, asked, “What shall we do?” Peter replied:

“Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”

This scripture takes place after Jesus resurrects and ascends into heaven. It is a pivotal point in the Book of Acts, and the foundation of the Apostles’ doctrine found in that book. Acts 2:38 is a vital part to the Doctrine of Salvation. It is the same plan of Salvation Paul would go by years later in Acts 19.

“He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. 3And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism. 4Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. 5When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the LORD Jesus. 6And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.”

Acts 2:38 references the first baptisms that took place after Jesus ascended into heaven. It sets the foundation that baptism is to be done in Jesus Name. It also lets us know that believers should be filled with the Holy Ghost. Peter and the Apostles received the Holy Ghost in Acts 2:4. Acts chapters 10 & 11 let us know that the Gentiles had a similar experience to the Jews when they received the Holy Ghost; they both spoke in tongues.

“While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God.”

“And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning. Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost. Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?”

Acts 2:38 has listed a few steps for a true conversion experience:
- A person must believe in Jesus Christ.
- The first thing Peter tells the people is to repent. They must be sorry for their sin and willing to turn away from them.
- Next, they are to be baptized in Jesus Name. All throughout the Book of Acts and the Epistles we find that Baptism was in Jesus Name by full immersion. This means that the person was completely submerged under water.
- The person was to receive the Baptism of the Holy Ghost, which is the Promise of the Holy Ghost. We find through Biblical example that people speak in tongues when they first receive the Holy Ghost.

Please reference the Biblical story as a whole. Also refer to the following scriptures:

Acts 2:1-38; Acts 8:7-12; Acts 10:44-48; Acts 19:2-6; Romans 6:1-6; Galatians 3:27; Mark 16:16-17;

This short study does not cover every aspect of Acts 2:38. It is intended to highlight the importance of this particular verse of scripture.

The Plan of Salvation

What is the Plan of Salvation according to the Bible?

According to Jesus in John 3:3-5, you must be born again of Water and Spirit to enter into the Kingdom of God. So the question becomes, “What does He mean by Water and Spirit?” Well, the Water would be Baptism and the Spirit would be the gift of the Holy Ghost.

According to Peter in Acts 2:38, the plan of salvation is to repent, be baptized in Jesus Name for the remission of sins and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. That is directly in line with what Jesus told Nicodemus in John chapter 3. Being born of the water is baptism, and being born of the Spirit is receiving the Holy Ghost. That would make the plan of salvation as follows:

Believe in the Lord Jesus
Repent for your sins
Be baptized in Jesus – click here
And Receive the gift of the Holy Ghost – click here

According to Mark 16:16, you have to believe and be baptized to be saved. Acts 2:38 tells us baptism is for the remission of our sins. Looking further, 1 Peter 3:21 tell us baptism is part of what saves us, through the resurrection of Christ.

According to Acts 19:2, you can believe in Jesus and not receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. That is also true when we consider Acts 8:15-17. Whenever a person receives the Holy Ghost they began to speak in tongues. We see in Acts 10:44-47, that tongues is the sign that someone has received the Holy Ghost. The Jews simply knew that the Gentiles received the Holy Ghost because they heard them speak in tongues. Biblically speaking it is appropriate to ask someone if they have ever received the Holy Ghost; and they should know the exact moment they receive it (Acts 19:2-6). Even in Acts 8:17-18, we find that you can see someone receive the Holy Ghost. What you would see is them speaking in tongues.

We ask that you sincerely pray and fast about this. It is dangerous to simply disagree with something that the Bible teaches. We should not only study, but seriously pray to God for truth. Many people’s relationship with God is based on what someone is telling them. We have to go directly to Jesus for Truth.

Why We Baptize in Jesus Name and Not by Saying Father, Son, and Holy Ghost

Apostolic Pentecostals baptize people in the name of Jesus and not by saying in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Now many people have never heard of baptism in Jesus Name. So the question arises, “Why would you baptize in Jesus Name, and not by Saying Father, Son, and Holy Ghost?” In Matthew 28:19, Jesus told His disciples to baptize people in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. We know the Name of the Son is Jesus. But what is the Name of the Holy Ghost? In John 14:26, we find out that the Holy Ghost comes in the Name of Jesus. Then we find out in Romans 8:9 that the Holy Ghost is the Spirit of Jesus. Therefore, the Name of the Holy Ghost is Jesus. What then is the Name of the Father? Jesus said in John 5:43 that He came in His Father’s Name. We also know the Father and the Son are one (John 10:30; John 14:8-9; Isaiah 9:6). Simply put, the Father and the Son have the same Name. Even with this Biblical evidence, some people are still confused on which way to baptize. We then can look at how the disciples baptized after Jesus gave that commandment in Matthew 28:19. Looking at Acts 2:38-41, we find Peter baptizing people in Jesus Name. These were the first baptisms after Matthew 28:19. Later we find Philip the evangelist baptizing people in Jesus Name in Acts 8:12-17. Many years later we find the Apostle Paul re-baptizing people who had been baptized by John the Baptist in the Name of Jesus. It is amazing to find that every baptism that happened after Jesus gave commandment in Matthew occurred in Jesus Name. That’s why we baptize in Jesus Name, and encourage everyone to do the same.

What Does the Bible Say About Speaking in Tongues?

Many people believe in speaking in tongues; but what does the Bible say about it. Interesting enough, speaking in tongues is a Biblical experience and should be expected by believers. The Jewish followers of Jesus believed speaking in tongues was the sign that someone had received the Holy Ghost (Acts 10:44-48).This is important because receiving the Holy Ghost is part of being born again. This would make speaking in tongues a positive thing. The first biblical account of people speaking in tongues was in Acts chapter 2. All the people who received the Holy Ghost spoke in tongues (Acts 2:1-4). This is not the only biblical experience of individuals speaking in tongues when they received the Holy Ghost. Paul once found people who had never heard of the Holy Ghost. He explained the importance of receiving it, and prayed for them to receive it. According to the Bible, when they received it they began to speak in tongues (Acts 19:2-6). We should not be scared of the supernatural power of God. Speaking in tongues is ordained of God as the evidence that someone has received the Holy Ghost.