|
WHY SEEK THIS GIFT?
There are many reasons for your receiving this powerful spiritual tool.
- Speaking in tongues fulfills prophecy. ( Isaiah 28:11-12; Joel 2:28; 1 Corinthians 14:21)
- All the major New Testament figures received this gift. ( Acts 2:4; 10:44-46; 19:6; 1 Corinthians 14:18 ) If they needed
it, so do you!
- It gives spiritual power. ( Acts 1:8; I Corinthianas 14:4 )
- Tongues help in prayer. ( 1 Corinthians 14:2; Romans 8:26-27; Jude 1:20 )
- The Holy Spirit aids in worship. ( John 4:24; Ephesians 5:19 )
- The spirit gives comfort and instrction through speaking in tongues. ( Luke 12:12; Acts 9:31 )
There is much confusion about the Baptism of the Spirit today. There are those who claim it has
passed away and some who even say that it is from the devil. Yet, the truth is that this idea has no backing in scripture.
The Bible clearly states that the Holy Spirit will be available as long as God is calling people to salvation. ( Acts 2:28-39
)
We are seeing a great outpouring of the Spirit in our day. At the turn of the twentieth century
there was no known Pentecostals, yet today they number in the tens of millions, with one in four Christians claiming to be
Pentecostal or Charismatic in the United States alone. The Christian scene is dominated by those who are receptive to, or
who practive, the full gospel message. While the greatest thrust in the history of the world missions is taking place reight
now, it is fueled by those who speak in tongues. This is a fulfillment of Bible prophecy. ( Acts 2:17 )
You, too, need this gift in your life.
HOW TO RECEIVE?
Just like salvation, this gift of God is received by faith. There is no danger of a real Christian
receiving a demonis counterfeit since Jesus himself promised to protect us. ( Luke 11:11-13 )
A person can receive the Holy Spirit anywhere, but it often helps to have those who have already
received the baptism lay hands on you. ( Acts 8:17 ) Their faith and yours merge to release the gift in you. This is usually
easiest at the end of a church service when the presence of the Spirit is strong after the preaching of the word.
Confess your sins to God, and then ask his Spirit to come in. For some people, this can be a
very emotional experience. For others, it is very real but not overpowering. God will not force you to speak in other tongues.
The new language will be given to you, but you must give voice to the words, just as you do in speaking English. There words
may seem strange to you, or you may be afraid that others will laugh, but speak them out boldly. At first the words may be
few and stammering, but as you use this gift, you will find an increasing fluency. The proof of its validity will be seen
as you build your spiritual nature through use of this gift in prayer and worship.
The baptism is not a one-time experience. When God gives the gift, it is yours. You will find
that you can speak in this spiritual language at will, just as you do in English. The more you use this gift, the stranger
you will find yourself in the battle against sin and Satan. ( Jude 20 )
Don't be frustrated if you don't receive the first time you pray. Fear, doudt, or unyielded
sin can block us from receiving from God. Seek again and remove whatever God speak to you about that may be hindering you.
|
