It's All In There, part 2
Another issue of confusion is the gifts of the Spirit. Paul in the letter to the Corinthians gives us this message. "For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength". God chose to use a gift that totally confounds the wise, one of a list of nine manifestations of the Spirit. The gift of Tongues.
The Lord has entreated us to call upon Him with the promise to; show us great and wondrous things that we know not.
In my new walk with the Lord I would ask for wisdom and revelation into the scripture. One night while sleeping I had a dream. In this dream I and a friend were walking down a street in a small town, talking as we went. He was talking of the things in the store windows, and I was talking of the awesome heavens. It was at night and I could see the stars clearly, and a large number. Suddenly the stars started swirling and as I looked I saw stars form a cross. They started to decend and I could sense the Lords presence. I started to praise and give thanks to the Lord, for it seemed that I was witnessing the Lord's return. As I was rejoicing with all my heart, my ears fell upon my words. Thou I was speaking I was no longer speaking english, but a language that I didn't know, nor had ever heard. Yet it was flowing from within me to glorify God, and to give him praise.
I then awoke and could still feel the presence of the Lord, and the joy in expressing my praise in that foreign language. The memory was achored in my mind. I had no understanding of what I said, but I knew what it was, it was thankgiving and praise. It was not a deception, it was not an illusion, it was not just me, it was me giving voice to the utterance of the Spirit who lives in me.
At this time in my life I had no teaching on these things. I didn't know anyone who had any idea of any gifts. I am not the smartest guy, but I know if you want to bake a cake, you go to a baker, not a butcher. So I searched for a church were this was understood, and encouraged, and practiced. It wasn't all that common, I found a church that included it in there doctrine. I visited with the pastor, and he received me, and encouraged me to attend the church.
So that wednesday I did, there was a young man who had seen me with the pastor the day before and had heard our conversation. He came to me and asked if I would join him and others in a prayer meeting before church started. So I went with him to a room that was for small children. I've never seen chairs that small.
There were around twenty young people, we all knelt on the floor, and began praying. I hadn't been to a lot of prayer meetings. It was very quiet, everyone in private conversation with the Lord. I knelt and listened for a minute or two. Then I decided the reason I was there was to praise the Lord. I threw my hands up, my head back, and with all my heart let out the loudest noises and incoherent language I had ever heard. I prayed in this manner for a full half-hour. I never heard a peep out of any one else, I think I put them in shock.
It was a large church and I had to traverse several hallways back to the auditorium. As I went everyone that I passed started rejoicing in heavenly languages as they came in contact with me. Talk about power transfer, I was lit up.
After this I found teachers anointed by God to instruct me and to help me work with the Spirit, with understanding. One was Kenneth Hagin, who is now with the Lord, but has left a collection of teaching, and wisdom in print. The majority on faith and healing, and gifts of the Spirit.
The Lord has shown me many things, and manifested His purpose by this gift. It is to build up the believer as Paul said; I would that you all spoke in tongues. It is available to all who believe, that you may recieve from God. You do not know what to pray for, nor how to pray for it, but by the gift of tongues, the Spirit makes intersession according to the will of God.
The Lord has entreated us to call upon Him with the promise to; show us great and wondrous things that we know not.
In my new walk with the Lord I would ask for wisdom and revelation into the scripture. One night while sleeping I had a dream. In this dream I and a friend were walking down a street in a small town, talking as we went. He was talking of the things in the store windows, and I was talking of the awesome heavens. It was at night and I could see the stars clearly, and a large number. Suddenly the stars started swirling and as I looked I saw stars form a cross. They started to decend and I could sense the Lords presence. I started to praise and give thanks to the Lord, for it seemed that I was witnessing the Lord's return. As I was rejoicing with all my heart, my ears fell upon my words. Thou I was speaking I was no longer speaking english, but a language that I didn't know, nor had ever heard. Yet it was flowing from within me to glorify God, and to give him praise.
I then awoke and could still feel the presence of the Lord, and the joy in expressing my praise in that foreign language. The memory was achored in my mind. I had no understanding of what I said, but I knew what it was, it was thankgiving and praise. It was not a deception, it was not an illusion, it was not just me, it was me giving voice to the utterance of the Spirit who lives in me.
At this time in my life I had no teaching on these things. I didn't know anyone who had any idea of any gifts. I am not the smartest guy, but I know if you want to bake a cake, you go to a baker, not a butcher. So I searched for a church were this was understood, and encouraged, and practiced. It wasn't all that common, I found a church that included it in there doctrine. I visited with the pastor, and he received me, and encouraged me to attend the church.
So that wednesday I did, there was a young man who had seen me with the pastor the day before and had heard our conversation. He came to me and asked if I would join him and others in a prayer meeting before church started. So I went with him to a room that was for small children. I've never seen chairs that small.
There were around twenty young people, we all knelt on the floor, and began praying. I hadn't been to a lot of prayer meetings. It was very quiet, everyone in private conversation with the Lord. I knelt and listened for a minute or two. Then I decided the reason I was there was to praise the Lord. I threw my hands up, my head back, and with all my heart let out the loudest noises and incoherent language I had ever heard. I prayed in this manner for a full half-hour. I never heard a peep out of any one else, I think I put them in shock.
It was a large church and I had to traverse several hallways back to the auditorium. As I went everyone that I passed started rejoicing in heavenly languages as they came in contact with me. Talk about power transfer, I was lit up.
After this I found teachers anointed by God to instruct me and to help me work with the Spirit, with understanding. One was Kenneth Hagin, who is now with the Lord, but has left a collection of teaching, and wisdom in print. The majority on faith and healing, and gifts of the Spirit.
The Lord has shown me many things, and manifested His purpose by this gift. It is to build up the believer as Paul said; I would that you all spoke in tongues. It is available to all who believe, that you may recieve from God. You do not know what to pray for, nor how to pray for it, but by the gift of tongues, the Spirit makes intersession according to the will of God.
posted by pete porter | 9:03 PM
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