The dynamics of discipleship (part 8)
“I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose, He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” – LUKE 3:16
Upon receiving my salvation experience becoming a born again believer I was given a Bible by a friend and invited to the local Baptist church. The church I found out was in transition because their pastor was preaching a revival in New Albany, Indiana where God had showed up performing signs, wonders and miracles of healing.
It wasn’t long before I was baptized in water and then began to seek the baptism in the Spirit that I had read about, but the church I was in didn’t believe in it so I decided to go to Indiana and see for myself what God was up to. When I arrived at this typical Southern Baptist Church, I found out several ladies had begun to pray for God to show up and show up, He did! These people didn’t know anything about the power of God, and He just started healing people and saving the lost. People were quitting their jobs and showing up at church in the mornings, praying and then going out witnessing and people were getting saved.
The second night I was there I went to the service and the choir was singing and the peace of God permeated the sanctuary. My pastor got up to preach but couldn’t and fell down weeping on the altar and people in the audience began to weep and wail and so I went to the altar and fell down myself and all I could do was weep in His presence.
As I looked up I saw a golden cloud descend upon the entire place and all I could do was give praise to God and my tongue was being controlled by the Spirit, I wasn’t speaking in tongues but Someone else was controlling my speech. I thought I was going to die, being nailed to the floor, I couldn’t move as the Holy Spirit was filling me and what a glorious death it would have been!
Now when Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the house. The priests could not enter into the house of the Lord because the glory of the Lord filled the Lord’s house. All the sons of Israel, seeing the fire come down and the glory of the Lord upon the house, bowed down on the pavement with their faces to the ground, and they worshiped and gave praise to the Lord, saying, “Truly He is good, truly His lovingkindness is everlasting.” – II CHRONICLES 7:1-3