Baptism of the Spirit Part 1Baptism of the Spirit Part 1
Lance Johnson Ministries
There are a lot of difficult teachings in the Bible that, if we’re honest, we don’t fully understand. As a result, there are a lot of different interpretations for these teachings. In today’s message, Bishop Lance shares what the writers of the Gosp
29:30•17 Nov 2024
Kingdom Life, Real Change and the Baptism of the Spirit
Episode Overview
- The kingdom of God is presented as God’s rulership within a person, active in daily life rather than only a future destination.
- Jesus is said to have died not just to forgive sins but to be Lord, with true Christianity shown through daily obedience and spiritual fruit.
- Lance contrasts religious institutions and traditions with inner change produced by the Holy Spirit, warning that behaviour alone is not enough.
- The baptism of the Spirit is described as coming with fire, which is meant to purge and transform rather than simply excite.
- Old wineskin attitudes such as gossip, self-focus and church politics are challenged as barriers to genuine kingdom living and spiritual maturity.
“If you got the baptism of the Holy Spirit and you didn't get the fire, I got news for you. You didn't get the real thing.”
What drives someone to seek a life fully surrendered rather than just "saved" on paper? This message from Bishop Lance Johnson leans hard into that question, drawing on scripture and his own journey from addiction to a radically different way of living. Across the episode, you'll hear Lance break down what "the kingdom of God" really means, insisting it's not just a distant place or future event but God's active rulership in a person's life right now.
As he puts it clearly, "Jesus didn't die to just become your savior. He died to become your lord." That shift from simple belief to daily lordship is central to his teaching. Working from Matthew 3 and the ministry of John the Baptist, Lance challenges religious assumptions and church traditions that keep people stuck.
He contrasts institutional religion with genuine transformation, warning that repeating a prayer, joining a church or behaving morally doesn't automatically mean someone has experienced the "miracle of regeneration" that produces real spiritual fruit. He also tackles the idea of "old wineskins" head-on, calling out gossip, church politics, and self-centred attitudes that look more like the world than the body of Christ.
For anyone in recovery, his critique of a "sipping saints" culture and his comments on addiction and alcohol in church circles may feel uncomfortably close to home. Linked closely to the title, Lance explains the baptism of the Spirit and insists that true baptism comes "with the Holy Ghost and with fire"—and that fire has a purpose: deep inner change, not just emotional hype or religious performance.
If you're tired of surface-level religion, wrestling with addiction, or wondering why your faith hasn’t yet touched your daily choices, this episode might push you to ask harder questions about lordship, fruit, and what kind of "kingdom" you're really living in. Are you just carrying a label, or are you letting God rewrite your life from the inside out?
Do you want to link to this podcast?
Get the buttons here!
More From This Show
The latest episodes from the same podcast.