Chapter 4

How you can get the power

(“The world's best kept secret”)

Now it's your turn!

Marvel of marvels, and miracles of miracles. You can receive the same power as the original disciples as described in the previous chapters! Jesus called it “the promise of the Father.”

“Behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you…” (Luke 24:49, KJV).

Remember, the apostle Peter said:

“The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off -- for all whom the Lord our God will call” (Acts 2:39).

(As did Jesus in Acts chapters 1 and 2, and as used in the remainder of the book of Acts, I often synonymously use the terms “baptism with the Holy Spirit,” “filled with the Spirit,” and the Holy Spirit coming “on” or “upon” people.)

Jesus also said, “But tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem , until ye be endued with power from on high” (Acts 24:49, KJV). Tarry means to wait, and in the past some have believed that one must “tarry” or wait at the altar of their church, for minutes or hours, before they can receive the power. But this is not what Jesus meant. While they did not understand it at the time, He intended for the disciples to wait until the appointed prophetic time, the day of Pentecost ten days later, when the Holy Spirit would come and fill them. From the previous chapter, you can note that “tarrying” was not required in the other instances given when the Holy Spirit's power came “upon” people.

I have heard of people who have tarried, hungered, and begged for hours at the altar and never did get filled with the Spirit. Sadly, they just did not know the Scriptures. That is not God's will, which I will show you.

Mike desperately wanted the baptism with the Holy Spirit. He met the prerequisites below and prayed several times at the altar at church and he prayed at home, but nothing ever happened. He kept thinking that he had not tarried long enough. He even began to think that God did not want him to be filled with the Spirit, or maybe even that God did not like him, all ideas being totally contrary to Scripture and absurd. The devil tries to put all kinds of negative thoughts in our heads to rob us of God's blessings and negate our effectiveness for Him. But when Mike discovered the biblical truth described below, he asked for and immediately received the baptism with the Holy Spirit. You can too -- right now!

Prerequisites. What are the prerequisites to receiving the Holy Spirit's power?

The number one requirement to receive the power is that one must be a born-again believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. Some people are not accustomed to and are turned off by the phrase “born again,” thinking it is only terminology from the modern evangelical movement. Not so. It is an ancient biblical term taken from Jesus' own words. When approached by a religious leader, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again” (John 3:3). Jesus' own use of the phrase forever stamps it as theologically proper, whether or not it fits one's denominational tradition.

The phrase is full of meaning, synonymous with being “saved” (saved from an eternity without God), because when one places his faith and commitment in Jesus Christ, the Bible says that we become a new person and a dwelling place for God Himself. “I f anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Our spirits, which were dead, have become alive to God, or born again. We are saved from eventual perishing, God's wrath to come, and are given the gift of eternal life.

If you have never accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and been born again, stop reading now and immediately turn to Appendix 3, then come back to this page later. Right now, the Holy Spirit is “with” you, prompting and urging you. But He must first be “in” you before you can have the “upon” experience of the baptism with the Holy Spirit!

Second, once you are a born-again believer in Jesus Christ, you must want Him not just as a fire insurance policy to escape hell, but you must want to serve Him and be His vessel and instrument in this world. The primary purpose of the power is to serve Him. You must desire to yield to Him and His will for your life.

Third, remember the Holy Spirit is “holy.” He is pure and perfect, free from all sin and vileness. While you will never make human perfection in this life (only Jesus did that), you should not ask God to fill you with His Holy Spirit if you are consciously holding on to any particular sin or sins. For example, do not take this step if you are a habitual and unrepentant thief or one who practices immorality. Pray now, and ask God to show you what may be displeasing to Him in your life. If He shows you anything, confess it and sincerely turn from it (the meaning of repent) according to 1 John 1:9:

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Now, are you ready?

I assume that you are now born again, you desire to be a servant of Jesus Christ, and you have sincerely confessed and turned from any known sin. You want the power of the Holy Spirit.

You are a modern-day Holy Spirit explosion waiting to happen!

Now, “Let's roll,” using the expression of the late hero, Todd Beamer, on the doomed airliner on September 11, 2001. As you may know, Todd was an outspoken and committed Christian.

Here is how:

•  To ask anything from God with the certainty that He will give it and you will get it, you have to know His will on the subject. We find His will in His Word, which reveals the mind of God.

•  We know, “ For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes' in Christ. And so through him the ‘Amen' is spoken by us to the glory of God” (2 Corinthians 1:20). We know His promises are all “yes,” but we have to “amen,” or agree with and affirm them, by faith.

•  We know for certain that it is His will that you be filled with the Spirit, because He said it and, in fact, commanded it: “Be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18). God worded that as mandatory, not an option.

•  Now this promise applies: “ This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him” (1 John 5:14-15). Note the word “confidence.” Strong's Enhanced Lexicon defines that as “free and fearless confidence, cheerful courage, boldness, assurance.” I love that: “fearless confidence”!

•  Because we know that it is His will, we ask for it and, by faith, make a decision to receive it. Jesus said, “Whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours” (Mark 11:24).

According to Scripture, we know it is His will; therefore, we ask according to His will; therefore, we know that He hears us; therefore, we know that we have the answer now; therefore, we believe we have received it; therefore, we have it. Right now. Period. Done.

Summary:

•  Know it is His will revealed in His own Word.

•  Ask according to His known will.

•  Know that He hears you according to His Word.

•  Know that you have the answer according to His Word.

Or, (1) ask, (2) believe, (3) receive.

That simple five-letter word I previously referred to as providing for us this power was F-A-I-T-H.

This is the way God designed for us to receive all His promises. It involves faith in His Word, and action based on that faith.

Salvation works the same way: We know it is His will; we ask in faith; we believe; we receive; and we never doubt. That is God's way.

Steps to Receiving the
Baptism With The Holy Spirit  

A suggested prayer

Within the mystery and activities of the Godhead, we know that it is the Son, Jesus Christ, who baptizes with the Holy Spirit. John the Baptist tells us:

I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire (Matthew 3:11).

(Remember, at salvation, the Holy Spirit has already baptized us “into” Christ. 1 Corinthians 12:13).

Therefore, let us specifically ask Jesus, the one who baptizes, for this empowerment.

Here is a suggested prayer:

"Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for forgiving my sins and saving me by dying on the cross for me. Thank you for offering the fullness of your Spirit to me. As you commanded, I desire to be baptized with the Holy Spirit, and I know it is your will. And you said that if I ask anything according to your will, that you hear me, and that I have what I asked for. You also said that if I believe that I receive, then I can have what I ask for and it is mine. Therefore, in your holy name, Jesus, I ask you to baptize and empower me with your Holy Spirit, and for your Holy Sprit to come upon me right now. I receive by faith, right now. I now thank you for answering this prayer and baptizing me with your Holy Spirit. Now use me for your purposes and your glory. In Jesus' name. Amen.”

Begin to worship and praise God. You may or may not experience physical or emotional feelings. That is not important. It is not based on feelings but on faith . Feelings may come now or later. The gifts of the Spirit may begin to flow through you immediately, or later, also by faith.

In their book, How to Heal the Sick , (Whitaker House, New Kinsington, PA, 1981), Charles and Francis Hunter give a simple and powerful formula for receiving the baptism with the Holy Spirit. They have probably seen more people receive this blessing than anyone on earth. Charles says:

“Ask Jesus to baptize you with the Holy Spirit, lift your hands up to God, begin to love and praise Him, but not in your native language. Start giving sounds of love rapidly so that the Holy Spirit can take those sounds and give you the language which will take any individual and make an extraordinary person out of him! Let your spirit soar as it talks to God for the very first time!” (1 Corinthians 14:2).

What's this business
about speaking in tongues?

As carefully pointed out previously, clearly in the book of Acts and in the early church, speaking in tongues was a normal part of the package of receiving the baptism, or infilling, with the Holy Spirit, when the Holy Spirit came “upon” people.

This is a very controversial subject, heavily influenced by denominational tradition, some of which is biblical and some of which is not. I know that whatever I say here will find disagreement with some of my dear friends whom I respect but who are on different sides of the issue. For that reason, we will look at exactly what the Word of God actually says, for which I am not ashamed and on which I must stand, and we all should stand. There is no other foundation.

If you find fault with what I say, I urge you to take another look at what God says in the Scriptures before your final decision. I know from past discussions on different subjects that some people have made up their minds and do not want to be confused with the facts, will hold to their traditional opinions no matter what, and have closed themselves off from further revelation from God's Word. As I said earlier, it does not matter what I say or what any person says. The only thing that matters is what God says. All I can do is tell you what the Scriptures say, and it is up to the Holy Spirit to convince.

I am reminded of this profound quote by dear friend Pastor Jeff Good:

“In a nominal, complacent, secular society, any attempt at normal biblical Christianity will be considered radical.”

What we are talking about here is “ normal biblical Christianity.” It's radical, but it's in the book.

Some may ask, “Do I have to speak in tongues?” The conclusion of my many years of study on this subject leads me to agree with the well-known and respected Christian leader Harold Bredesen, who once said: “You don't have to -- you get to.” But I would add that if you do not, from my experience, I must conclude that there will be a missing supernatural dimension in your life. See the explanation in my personal testimony below.

There is nothing in the Scriptures that says you absolutely have to speak in tongues or else, although it is revealed as God's will. For example, through Paul, God says, “ I would like every one of you to speak in tongues” (1 Corinthians 14:5). That could not be more clear. Regardless of our denomination or tradition, we must never think of ourselves as wiser than God. We must take Him at His Word, crucify our fallen human intellects, and do what He says.

Speaking in tongues following the “upon” experience of the Holy Spirit was a normative experience in the New Testament, which means it should be a normative experience today. But the problem today is that tradition and improper teaching have created misunderstanding and doubt about the phenomenon, which tends to block faith and instill fear in many people, robbing them of what God intended as a blessing.

For example, even among those who accept the modern-day reality of tongues, some point out the rhetorical question in 1 Corinthians 12:30, “Do all speak in tongues?” as proof that not all have this “gift.” However, this is a misunderstanding based on this isolated verse, out of context. In Chapter 12, Paul is speaking about the Spirit's corporate manifestations in the church, or body of Christ: “The manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good ” (v. 7). Mention in this verse involves a message in tongues to a corporate assembly of believers, when that person or someone else interprets. Indeed, not all have this gift. He is not referring to the manifestation of the Spirit coming “upon” people as in the book of Acts and which in 1 Corinthians 14 he promotes for all believers as a special language for prayer and worship.

For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind (vs. 14-15).

In summary, from a comprehensive study of the book of Acts and 1 Corinthians chapters 12 and 14, we can conclude that:

•  It was normal for all newly Spirit-empowered believers to speak in tongues, and because of that, it should be the same today;

•  Yet not all have the gift of delivering a message in tongues to an assembly of believers;

•  Yet all Spirit-baptized believers are exhorted to pray and sing in tongues.

Speaking in a tongue, as prompted by the Spirit, is not “jibberish” as some uninformed detractors claim. This is a reckless charge that frightfully borders on blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, a sin that Jesus said could not be forgiven, a sobering thought. The Bible says:

For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God. Indeed, no one understands him; he utters mysteries with his spirit (1 Corinthians 14:2).

So, praying in tongues is actually speaking to God with one's spirit, not the mind, which is bypassed. If your mind is like mine, that is a relief! I frequently do not know how to pray and do not trust my own wisdom to decide. But with the Spirit, God provides the answer:

The Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will (Romans 8:26-27).

Note: “Groans that words cannot express.”

Paul and Jude also say that praying in tongues has a positive, blessed effect upon the one who is praying:

He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself (1 Corinthians 14:4.)

Build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit (Jude 20).

To edify means to build up and to strengthen. Have you ever met one person who did not need edifying or building up? God does not make provision for just a few people to be edified and ignores everyone else because “God does not show favoritism” (Acts 10:34). His provisions are for everyone and cannot be dismissed without loss.

As to “edification,” science now confirms what Scriptures says and what the faithful have believed for centuries. In a public statement titled, “Effects of Extended Verbal Prayer and Joyful Laughter,” Christian psychiatrist Carl R. Peterson, M.D. writes:

I have had a number of inquiries concerning the efficacy of praying in the spirit (glossolalia) and its benefit to the human immune system, i.e., immunity enhanced by chemicals released from a part of the brain. I am attempting to clarify some information I have shared with a number of ministers. This is information that may be deduced from what we know about the way the brain functions. We do know the part of the brain affected most noticeably by extended prayer and laughter represents a significant portion of the brain and its metabolic activity. Therefore, voluntary speech during extended vocal prayer causes a major stimulation in these parts of the brain (mainly the hypothalamus).

The hypothalamus has direct regulation of four major systems of the body, mainly: a) the pituitary gland and all target endocrine glands; b) the total immune system; c) the entire autonomic system; and d) the production of brain hormones called endorphins and enkephalons, which are chemicals the body produces and are 100-200 times more powerful than morphine.

In summary, a very significant percentage of the central nervous system is directly and indirectly activated in the process of extended verbal and musical prayer over a period of time. This results in a significant release of brain hormones which, in turn, increases the body's general immunity. It is further enhanced through joyful laughter with increased respirations and oxygen intake to the brain, diaphragm and other muscles. This same phenomenon is seen in physical activity in general, i.e., running, etc.

We know from the Word of God that there is a true joy that builds and sustains. Nehemiah tells us the joy of the Lord is our strength. There is joy in the presence of Jehovah. We, as believers having entered into that wonderful presence of our Lord, know this to be true. What we must continue to remember is that the joy of the Lord spoken of in the Word is so much more

than any manifestation. We can truly have that unspeakable joy in the face of any trials we may encounter, if our joy is grounded in a knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ…. Truly, we all benefit—body, soul, and spirit—from obedience and yielding to the Spirit of God in every area of our lives.

Love, not tongues? But some have said, “But I want love, not tongues.” I remember when I first heard about the power of God and His outpouring of power today, many rejected it and said, “I just want love,” as though we can cherry-pick from what God wants us to have. Some young people I remember jokingly referred to “the power bunch” (the charismatics) and “the love bunch” (the non-charismatics). It was interesting, however, that the power bunch usually also had love, but the love bunch had no power!

God's power and love are not mutually exclusive, but mutually supportive. If you are edified, you can be a more loving person. God wants us to have both. Who are we to argue with God?

As previously discussed, in the book of Acts, virtually all whom the Holy Spirit fell upon began to speak in unknown languages, or tongues (e.g. Acts 2:4, 10:46, 19:6). This manifestation of the Spirit coming “upon” people has continued through history and continues to this day, as attested to worldwide. I have Chinese, Hispanic, and other friends who pray in a language other than their native tongue or English. A friend from China who prays in tongues is a brilliant professor of mathematics at a major American university.

By faith. By faith we receive salvation. By faith we receive the baptism with the Holy Spirit. By faith we speak in tongues. By faith we receive all of God's promises. That is just the way He designed it. “W ithout faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him” (Hebrews 11:6).

If by faith you have received the baptism with the Spirit and feel unintelligible words or phrases begin to well up inside your spirit, do not hold them in but let them come out. Release your faith! With some people, it sometimes starts with only one word or syllable, but by faith they speak it out, and over time, faith and the language grow. If just one syllable or word forms in your mind—speak it out! “ Do not quench the Holy Spirit” (1 Thessalonians 5:19, NKJV).

Some may point out that the evidence of tongues in the book of Acts seems spontaneous and involuntary, and they may ask why must it be done by faith today. The answer is that in many cases today it also is spontaneous and seems involuntary, although it is never totally involuntary, as the Holy Spirit never forces Himself on anyone. The speaker can stop when he wills. But in many cases, modern tradition and improper teaching have caused doubt and fear in people, which can block the spontaneous flow of the Spirit. That is the reason for suggestions on how to allow the Spirit to flow in one's life by faith.

A bad rap. Let me clear the air on a fallacious impression. Some who oppose speaking in tongues charge that those who do speak in tongues think or act like they are spiritually superior. I have observed interaction between these two groups for many years and know that except maybe in rare cases, it is not true that those who do speak in tongues feel or act superior. It may be an impression, but a false impression. It is simply not true. Where it may be true, the same may be true of those who claim not to have the experience. Pride is a fleshly temptation to which all are subject.

What is the reason for the false impression? It is simply because those who do speak in tongues have found wonderful revelation in God's Word, have acted upon it by faith, have received a blessing, and out of love, they often want to share this revelation and blessing with others, such as with salvation. The problem is that “others” are often not open or not interested. They have been wrongly taught that they already have everything God has for them, and they resent the idea that God may have more and that they have been lacking. The fact is that God always has more for us and we never exhaust His infinite supply. But such a resentment, rooted in spiritual pride, is a main cause of the so-called “divisive” nature of the subject. Another fact is that nobody is superior to anybody. We are all wretched beggars without God's grace, which none of us deserve.

Many also point out that if one has the indwelling Holy Spirit at salvation, they already have all of the Holy Spirit and there is no more to be obtained through a “second experience.” However, if that were true, Paul would not have needed to exhort the believers at Ephesus to be “filled with the Spirit” (5:18). Nor would Jesus have later told His disciples, on whom He previously already “breathed” and said “receive the Spirit,” to wait for power from on high through what both He and John the Baptist called “the baptism with the Holy Spirit.” The above argument is simply not in accord with Scripture, no matter how logical it may sound to the uninformed. With our natural minds there is a tendency to want to quantify everything. The “filling” or baptism with the Spirit is not a quantitative phenomenon, but a spiritual phenomenon, transcending human logic. Our finite minds are not able to technically dissect and explain spiritual processes, and we must take it by faith.

Can one be filled with the Spirit and not speak in tongues? Many claim to be filled with the Spirit, do not speak in tongues, and are wonderful and effective servants of God. But in my years of observation, I have found a difference. Let me tell you what happened to me, and maybe my testimony will help you decide for yourself.

My discovery

Here is what happened to me. Many years ago in a seminar, I learned about the Holy Spirit ¾ who He is, what He does, and how to be filled with Him, all according to the above scriptural principles, except the tongues part. These truths immediately bore witness in my spirit. It was from the Word, and I knew this was from God. Based on God's command to be filled, I knew it was His will. I knew if I asked anything according to His will, He heard me, and if He heard me, I knew I had the petition I asked for. Within minutes, I asked, I believed, and I received. And I have not been the same since.

I did not feel anything. No tingles. No emotion. No fire from heaven. No tongues. It was all by faith, as most things in my life have been. But over a period of days, I was told that a change began to be noticeable in me. I also noticed that I began to have more joy and peace, fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). And I had both a desire and a boldness to tell others about Jesus and the gospel, a main purpose of such an empowerment.

Previously, I would meet at the church on Tuesday nights to go out knocking on neighborhood doors. But when people came to the door, I did not know what to say to them except to invite them to church. I did not know how, nor was I empowered, to tell them about Jesus and the plan of salvation. And if by chance they would come to that particular church, they still would not hear much about Jesus!

At about that time, I did not understand about tongues and no one ever told me. It had been hidden from me because of the tradition of the churches where I had been attending. But little by little, the Lord began to show me what His Word revealed on the subject and I began to understand what the Bible, not man, says about it, such as explained above.

After I had been “filled with the Spirit,” people began to witness to me about the “baptism with the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues.” I struggled with the difference, and I read everything about it I could get my hands on, especially arguments against it, so I could have all the facts. I decided to base my conclusion solely on the Word and the Word alone. By the way, one is only safe with the Word. But with that decision, four interesting things happened.

I could see it! First, I began to see in the Scriptures that the baptism with the Holy Spirit was a subsequent empowering experience and that speaking in tongues was a typical result and manifestation. It seemed so clear in the book of Acts.

Visit with my pastor. Second, I naively made an appointment to see my pastor whom I knew to be strongly opposed to any such thought, as was his denomination in general. I wanted to give him a chance to counsel me, and if necessary correct me, through the Word. He graciously invited me to his home to talk. I took my Bible but was nervous, believing that I dare not get into a Bible debate with this distinguished, older man with a doctorate in theology, who had been a pastor for many years. As a relatively ignorant layman, I knew he would blow me away. I felt very inadequate. But I went. He invited me into his study, where I saw the walls lined with thick theological books. I felt doomed. I held my Bible tightly. God's Word is all I had (but all I needed, I discovered). I was an intellectual midget compared with this scholar. We talked, and soon, to my surprise, one thing became very clear: His counsel and arguments were not based on the Bible. He did not even open a Bible or quote a verse. When I mentioned a Bible verse, he had no answer and avoided the question. I had mine open, but he didn't want to hear what it said. It was clear that any objection he had to the baptism with the Spirit and speaking in tongues was an emotional one and not a biblical or intellectual one. That experience taught me the power of the Word. No man can stand against it, not even doctors of theology. I left there more convinced than ever of what I had seen in the Word.

Considering a great scholar. Third, I decided to read a new book about the Holy Spirit written to oppose the powerfully new and emerging charismatic renewal. It was by one of the top biblical scholars in America, a distinguished pastor of a very large church, now deceased, and a man I respected very much, and still do. However, I found his book to be no argument against what I saw in the Scriptures. For example, in one instance the author quoted only the middle part of a verse that if read alone supported his view, but omitted the first and last part of the very same verse that opposed his view!

In case you are wondering, the verse was 1 Corinthians 14:5, where he said that Paul wrote, concerning tongues, “ I would rather have you prophesy,” the middle section of that one verse. However, the verse reads in total: “I would like every one of you to speak in tongues [ opposes his view ], but I would rather have you prophesy [ supports his view ]. He who prophesies is greater than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may be edified” [ opposes his view by equating tongues and interpretation with prophecy ]. The net effect of the whole verse opposed his view. God's Word is amazing!

H ow could I, a nobody, see this and this great scholar not see it? I saw that as disingenuous, as surely this great scholar knew better. Or maybe it was spiritual blindness. Some people are so bound by their denominational doctrines that they have become spiritually blind to anything else. That is scary.

A startling confirmation. Fourth, after much study, I felt confirmed that the baptism with the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues as a separate empowering experience from salvation was totally biblical, but I was still under attack from the devil about it. I know now that it was because the devil hates the manifestation of God's power, as it is his undoing, and he does everything he can to undermine this great biblical truth. Sadly, this causes some ministries to avoid the subject and ban tongues because it is “divisive,” thus for fear of men depriving themselves of God's available power. But truth is divisive. The gospel is divisive. People have to make choices, and choices have consequences.

One day I had returned home from church where the above pastor had preached against it, as usual, and I was somewhat dejected, seeing something different in God's Word from what my own pastor was preaching. That saddened me. After lunch, I was sitting all by myself in my home meditating on the subject when all of a sudden the Holy Spirit came upon me in a dramatic way, strongly affirming what I had been seeing in the Scriptures. I had never experienced anything like that before or sense. It was like God saying to me, “ Yes -- you've got it right!!!” I was suddenly filled with an indescribable joy that began flowing from my innermost being, and overflowing. I was engulfed in this joy. I began laughing and laughing and laughing. I had to get up and go for a walk, still laughing. I walked into the woods, still filled with joy and laughing, almost uncontrollably. I had never experienced such joy. The trees and leaves around me appeared strangely alive and joyous themselves. It was surreal, a heavenly experience, like I had been transported into a new dimension. I was still in the same old place but everything became transcendent. This went on for about 10-15 minutes, then it stopped as suddenly as it began. I walked back home, elated that the Holy Spirit Himself had visited me! In this experience, the Holy Spirit strongly spoke to me that my conclusions about what the Word says on the subject were correct. It was also a small foretaste of heaven, as everything was filled with the joy, beauty, and the life of the Lord.

It is significant that I am not at all a “feely” person. This experience was totally out of character and contrary to my emotional nature.

I knew that God had given me a supernatural experience and confirmation of what was in His Word. By the way, that was many years before anyone ever heard of the phenomenon of so-called “holy laughter,” or “laughing in the Spirit.” But when this phenomenon appeared many years later, I knew what those people were experiencing. It was real, and from God, regardless of what the critics may say. The Bible says a lot about the fullness of joy. As to the other strange manifestations that sometimes accompany this in some churches, I believe they are evidence that the persons are being delivered from some demonic influence or activity, a work of the strong presence of the Holy Spirit.

It was wonderful, and I wish I could flip a switch and turn it on at will, but I cannot. It has never happened to me since with that intensity, although I have had some less intense times of supernatural joy and laughter when the Holy Spirit has visited me in a special way. Again, I am encouraged that it is all just a taste of the glorious joy of heaven in the presence of our Savior.

Acting on my faith. With personal confirmation from both the Word and the Spirit, I finally decided to pray for the baptism with the Holy Spirit. I did, and I received by faith , but the tongues part simply would not come out. I tried and tried and it would just not come. I opened my mouth expecting the Holy Spirit to speak, but nothing. I did this privately, of course, and I am sure I would have looked foolish to anyone watching!

Finally, a friend pointed out a profound truth. Acts chapter 2 records that on the day of Pentecost, it was not the Holy Spirit who spoke in tongues. It says that “ they (the disciples) spoke with tongues.” I suddenly realized that the Holy Spirit does not have a mouth or a tongue, which is what we have! It is something we have to do, by faith, then the Holy Spirit honors our faith and gives spiritual meaning to the sounds. God always meets us at our point of faith. The friend also pointed out that it is like Peter stepping out of the boat and walking on water. It didn't make sense to his natural mind, and it was illogical, but Peter actually stepped out of the boat and started walking on the water, by faith ¾ until he started looking around at the circumstances and doubting, then he began to sink. Looking at circumstances instead of Jesus and His Word will always cause us to sink!

Praying in tongues bypasses the mind and human understanding. God says, “L ean not on your own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5), which is faulty. Such prayers free the human spirit to be guided by God's Spirit.

I remembered that Paul said, “ I will pray with my spirit… I will sing with my spirit…” (1 Corinthians 14:14-15). Clearly, this was an act of Paul's will . This provided a major breakthrough in understanding for me.

One day soon after that revelation I prayed again and opened my mouth and began praying in another language, by faith and as an act of my will. It was as simple as that. I have never doubted, and now years later I still pray that way, usually daily.

An open door. People will debate the “infilling of the Spirit” versus the “baptism with the Holy Spirit” and speaking in tongues until Jesus comes, but I will tell you the difference it made in my life.

It did not make me more superior. Far from it. If anything, it made me feel more humble and helped me more fully understand, appreciate, and depend upon God's grace.

But once I began praying in tongues, by faith in God's Word (to my natural mind it still did not make sense), it was like this step of faith had ushered me through a whole new spiritual door and into a new dimension. It was like a fresh power came, not just to witness, which is important and needful, but power to see miracles, to see people healed, to see people delivered from demon power, and to understand the operation of the supernatural gifts of the Spirit listed in 1 Corinthians chapter 12, typically ignored in most churches.

Blinders came off my eyes and at last I could understand the reality of the spiritual warfare constantly going on around me, and how to wage it and win. I learned how to cast out demons, and I have seen people set free from their power. I saw my new pastor (yes, I changed churches to one that preached the whole Bible) cast a demon of homosexuality out of an oppressed young man. The demon had tormented this extremely effeminate man and had strongly affected his personality. He was very uncomfortable around women and withdrew from them. The deliverance took only a few minutes, and the demon finally came out with a blood-curdling scream. But as soon as it did, the young man's countenance totally changed! His personality and even his voice returned to normal. It was absolutely amazing, just like in the Bible.

Our family visited Disney World, and against my better judgment, one of the attractions we visited was the haunted house. An hour or two afterward, my youngest son got sick. His stomach was very upset and he had a fever. Here we were, stuck in a hotel room in Orlando with a sick child. “Discernment of spirits” is one of the gifts of the Spirit described in 1 Corinthians chapter 12. As I was praying for Scott, the Lord manifested this gift of discernment in me and I saw that a spirit of fear had come upon him in the haunted house, not to possess him, as he belonged to Christ, but spirits can harass and affect even Christians. I said, “Scott, you are not going to understand this, but let me pray for you in a special way.” I then pointedly took authority over that spirit of fear and cast it out in Jesus' name, just like in the Bible. My prayer took only about ten seconds. Scott immediately vomited (a typical reaction in deliverance), and in just seconds his fever totally vanished, his stomach problem was gone, and he felt normal again! This is a vivid example of the power of the spirit world over matter and the material world.

I often wonder how many people are sick from a similar demonic attack and how they could be set free and healed, if they only knew. That is a purpose of this book. The Bible speaks of…

How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power : who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil ; for God was with him (Acts 10:38, KJV).

A door to the supernatural world of the Bible had opened for me, and I had boldly walked right through it, by faith.

Objective observations. I am not a member of a Pentecostal denomination, a charismatic, or a “full gospel” church, so I have objectivity here. But it is not coincidental that such churches and ministries, the ones that teach the baptism with the Holy Spirit as a second experience and speaking in tongues, are typically the ones that also believe in modern-day miracles, healing, and deliverance, expect them, and experience them. Many non-Pentecostal and non-charismatic churches and ministries that do not believe or practice speaking in tongues do a fantastic job of witnessing and helping in the fulfillment of the Great Commission (or at least part of it—see Chapter 5), but they rarely see miracles, healings, deliverances, nor do they expect them. That is a big difference. I am convinced that it is because their tradition has kept that spiritual door closed, and they have not entered. I am reminded of two things Jesus said:

Y ou nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition (Matthew 15:6).

You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God (Matthew 22:29).

Over the years it has been my observation, with exceptions, of course, that those who claim the experience of the baptism with the Holy Spirit generally exhibit three principal characteristics:

•  They have a greater hunger for the Word of God and His many truths;

•  They study and know more about the Word of God; and

•  They are more enamored with the person of Jesus and love to talk about Him in every day conversation. To the world and with many Christians, even His holy name is avoided.

I have known missionaries who have committed their lives to the Lord's service and are hard workers, but they reject the experience, and generally they do not have these same three characteristics. Even many who have been missionaries for years, their knowledge of Scripture is minimal, and talking about Jesus in personal conversations seems to make them uncomfortable and something they avoid. This is very, very strange to me, and should not be. One cannot be truly baptized with the Holy Spirit with Jesus and His Word not totally central in one's life. Otherwise, people are caught up in “religion,” and not the Holy Spirit.

Do it now. Dear reader, you now know the Scriptures and the power of God. You know my testimony and the difference I experienced, as have millions all over the world.

Now, boldly ask, believe, receive, never doubt, and move on to be a channel of God's love and power in a very needy and sick world. Through you, Jesus wants to do the same today as He did when physically upon the earth.

The only difference now is that He is living in and operating through you. You are His dwelling place. You are His suit of clothes. You are the channel of His mighty power.

If you have not already done so, review this chapter again, receive His power, and do His works.

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