Acts 19:5,6 – When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.

Could it be that being baptized in the Name of Jesus is not a formula that is used in some mystical church liturgy but maybe is as simple as being baptized by the authority found in the Name of Jesus? I think Paul was touching on something very special here when he began to explain to these disciples the difference between the baptism of John and the baptism of Jesus. You see the baptism of Jesus is a heavenly baptism connected to the heavenly ministry of Jesus. John the Baptist had an earthly ministry and an authority here on earth. Jesus was quite different, when He took His place at the Father’s right hand it all changed, He carried a new authority and a heavenly ministry. When Paul laid his hands on these brothers and baptized them in the Name of Jesus they were filled with the Spirit and all prophesied and spoke in tongues. This was totally different from what they had formerly received in the baptism of John, they were now baptized in the Holy Spirit by the power found only in the Name of Jesus. Here is how the NEW COVENANT COMMENTARY SERIES describes this scene.

“In the process of the disciples’ baptism and drinking of the Holy Spirit, Paul first recognized that they had been baptized into John’s baptism, not into Jesus’; then Paul reminded them of the characteristics of John’s baptism, that is, “the baptism of repentance,” and of John’s teaching on “the one who was to come after him,” which would include the baptism of the Holy Spirit and fire; finally, Paul linked “the one who was to come” with Jesus. Eventually, the disciples whom Paul met should have concluded that they should now be baptized with the Holy Spirit via Jesus. Thus the narrator naturally continues that when they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. This result reminds us of the Pentecost: when Paul laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they began to speak in tongues and to prophesy.”

So I guess the question we have to ask ourselves today is this, “have we been baptized in the Holy Spirit in the power of the Name of Jesus”. This is more than immersion into water, this is an immersion into God Himself.