1. HE’LL BE HERE AT 5PM – THE HOLY SPIRIT SAID
THE HOLY SPIRIT SENDS ANOTHER TO BAPTISED IN THE
SPIRIT
I was a young Christian of just
around 9 months. I’d left the merchant navy as I wasn’t convinced I could
survive the temptations of that old life style and besides I much more
appreciated the fellowship of my new brothers and sisters in Christ. So, I
committed my time to helping them with the new bible school they were building
a few miles out in the countryside from my hometown.
This particular day I was up to
my eyes in mud hand digging a deep trench for the drainage.
I’m mentioning this to show you
that the Holy Spirit can whisper to you anytime or place and regardless as to
how long you have been saved. Providing that you love Him and are seeking to please
Him with you’re your heart. Then you can expect miracles as you walk in
obedience before Him. You do not always have to be in your prayer closet for
Him to speak to you. You should most definitely go there and often. Learn to
love that closet. Our walk with the Master will only ever be equal to our time
spent in His lovely presence.
Christ actually said “Pray in
your closet in secret and your Father in heaven will reward you openly” Matt 6:6
and that might be in a ditch full of mud and you’ve got a sore back already. So,
we shouldn’t be too bothered if we don’t hear Him in the prayer time as we wait
upon Him. Sometimes we will hear in that place of prayer, and sometimes we
wont, entirely up to the Master. However, He has promised we WILL eventually hear
Him and see Him at work as a reward because we took time to seek Him and wait
upon Him in secret just as He has commanded us.
Anyway, the lunch break was over
and it must have been around 2pm. I was back
digging shoveling mud when I clearly heard the Spirit whisper in my soul
“Duncan will be here at 5pm - Pray with him for the baptism in the Holy
Spirit”. Oh I just love to hear His gentle voice. What a privilege it is that
He would take the time to speak with us. Life is so full of excitement with the
Lord, you never know what is going to happen next, but He surely does know
what’s next, and its His desire to share that information with us. Scripture say’s
“We are workers together WITH Him. His will comes to pass as we yield our will to
Him so that He can work THROUGH us. So it’s very important that we have our
heart and hands clean and ready and our ears trained to hear HIM when He speaks.
My earthly hands were covered with dirt but my inner hands were as clean as I
could keep them by daily calling on the Lord for help to stay out of trouble.
The secret
of the Lord is with them that fear him;
and he will
shew them his covenant Psalm 25:14
Knowing that I had a 5pm (exact) appointment
I tried to get as much of that trench dug as I could before Duncan got there
because then I knew it was time to set about kingdom matters.
Sure enough, after a while, I heard
Duncan’s voice over my shoulder “Hello George how are you today”? And there he
was looking down at me in my ditch. “Ah, Duncan”, I was told to expect you at
five”. He looked surprised, looked at his watch, then back at me. “Yes, exactly
5pm now. How was you expecting me because I didn’t know myself that I would be
here until just fifteen minutes ago”?
He explained further that they
had been plumbing a job a few miles away but without explanation the driver had
decided to come back this route on the road to town so he had asked him to drop
him off at the end of the lane.
I had no idea I was coming here today
he continued”? He looked more than a little confused. His confusion then turned
to excitement as I told him that the Holy Spirit already told me that he would
visit at this precise time and that we should waste no time and pray for him to
receive the gift God had for Him along with the evidence of speaking in other
tongues. I called out to another young
lad that was working with us to join us and together we walked to the little caravan
I was living in.
Once in, from my pocket New
Testament I shared numerous verses with my friend regarding the gift of the
Holy Spirit and the reason for tongues. I asked if he believed what the bible
said and if he’d like to experience the power of the Baptism of the Holy Ghost
and fire and boldness to be a witness. He nodded enthusiastically asking, “what
happens now”. I said we pray now. I asked him as I did with everyone that I
prayed with for the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, “did you notice that during our
short bible study there, that of all five incidents listed in the New Testament
whereby someone received the baptism of the Holy Ghost that they all spoke in
tongues. Some also prophesied”? He looked at me with great earnestness and
anticipation as I shared. It was hard to believe that in our earlier youth he
and I had once been archenemies.
I explained how there was no set
procedure for people to receive the Baptism other than Acts 8v19 which tells us
that after the laying on of hands and prayer the people received the power of
the holy Ghost. And since the Lord told me to pray for him when he arrived,
that’s what I would do.
“Duncan” I said, “I’ll pray for
you to be baptised but you pray out loud for it also. Focus on praising Christ
and when strange words rise up inside your being just speak them out to the
Lord ok”? He nodded his agreement and I laid my hand on his head with the young
worker joining me. But, lo and behold, I had no sooner started talking to the
Lord when Duncan himself bellowed out “Lord - Please fill me with your Holy
Spirit”. Right there and then, as if invisible lightening struck him, he immediately
began streaming forth a torrent of tongues at great volume. With hands raised
and tears rolling down his cheeks he spoke to His heavenly Father in the
tongues of men and of angels. We two certainly had no idea what he was saying.
May people have said to me over the years “you shouldn’t speak in tongues
unless there is one present to interpret”. In a public service that is correct.
However, that verse should not be used as a cop out for not speaking in tongues
at many other times, but read in context as to what Paul is saying. Not all
tongues are for interpretation. Most tongues are direct intercession between
the person praying and his Father in Heaven.
For he that
speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for
no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries - 1
Corinthians 14:2
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