Now that you're born again, the next step is to receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. This is the very reason the Lord Jesus forgave your sins and cleansed you—so that you could become a child of God. And God's children are filled with His Spirit: "Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts" ~ Galatians 4:6.
Why You Need This
You cannot live the Christian life without the power of the Holy Spirit. The Lord Jesus Himself told His disciples not to go out and do anything until they were clothed with this power (Luke 24:49). If they needed it, so do you. It is non-negotiable.
The baptism of the Holy Spirit is what clothes you with the power of God. It's what equips you to operate as a son or daughter of God. The Bible says God anointed the Lord Jesus with the Holy Spirit and with power, and He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil (Acts 10:38). That same anointing is for you. You cannot undo the works of the enemy with physical strength. You need the anointing of the Holy Spirit.
This is the same power that empowered Samson, Elijah, Elisha, and the prophets. When the Holy Spirit comes upon you, you will be bold for the Lord Jesus. You will do mighty, unexplainable things as the Spirit wills. You will know things before they happen. There is a reservoir of supernatural gifts available to you (1 Corinthians 12:7–11).
What the Lord Jesus Promised
Jesus promised this to every believer:
"Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water." ~ John 7:38
This living water bubbling up within a believer is the infilling of the Holy Spirit.
He also said:
"I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever." ~ John 14:16
The Holy Spirit is that Comforter, a Helper who is exactly like the Lord Jesus, sent to guide, strengthen, and empower you to live as a child of God.
And before His ascension, He declared:
"You shall receive power after the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be witnesses unto Me in Jerusalem, in all Judea, in Samaria, and to the uttermost part of the earth." ~ Acts 1:8
God's children are known for power (1 Corinthians 4:20). The Holy Spirit fills you with that power and remains with you forever (2 Timothy 1:7).
Beyond Power
The Holy Spirit doesn't just empower you for ministry. He helps you in every area of your life: living holy, pleasing God, understanding His Word, and making Him real to you. He also produces His fruit in your character: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22–23).
How to Receive the Holy Spirit
Sometimes, during prayer for salvation or during water baptism, the Holy Spirit will come upon you and fill you. You'll know you've received the Baptism when He gives you a new tongue to speak, a heavenly language. This is the scriptural evidence of the Baptism, and it's how believers, both then and now, recognize that someone has received the Holy Spirit.
Scripture records:
"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?'" ~ Acts 10:46–47
The household of Cornelius, who were Gentiles, received the Holy Spirit the same way the apostles did at Pentecost, by speaking in tongues (Acts 2:3–4). God makes no distinction. You will receive the same way the early church received: the Bible way, with the evidence of speaking in tongues.
Like everything we receive from the Lord, the approach is simple: ask. Jesus said that God gives the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him (Luke 11:13). So pray expectantly. The Baptism will come, and when it does, you'll speak in tongues as confirmation.
Another approach, especially helpful for new believers, is to ask a Christian minister or church leader who has experienced the Baptism to minister to you through the laying on of hands. We see this in Acts 19: after Paul baptized certain disciples and led them to faith in Jesus, he laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues.