Baptism of the Holy Spirit
It was on one of those weekend trips to my grandmother’s
that the Holy Spirit first met with me and answered my cry. Although the encounter is seared in my
memory the date alas is not. It was
though a Saturday night around 10 or 11 o-clock at night, six months or so after I had found Jesus and
became a Christian. The word found is
not strictly true for in all these encounters it is God who found me. First God the Father at the little Anglican
church. Then Jesus his Son who became
my Saviour at the Salvation Army hall
and now The Holy Spirit at my grandmothers home in Oldham. The Godhead three in One found me and
despite all my wanderings. My attempts throughout the subsequent years to give up and go my own way. Despite
the numerous times I have told Him how to do things my way or I won’t
play. God said He will never leave me
or forsake me and He never has but again I digress.
It was late and grandma had gone to bed. There was no T.V. those day, only the radio and that was not that exciting
a choice for a 14 year old boy, so I
passed the night away reading a book.
After a while I picked up the bible and again found myself reading Acts
and praying that God would baptize me with the Holy Spirit. Suddenly the coal fire seemed to burst into
flames from the dark dying embers of the fire that was going out. The fire seemed to become very bright and
the room filled with light. Although I
was praying for the Holy Spirit to come upon me I didn't know what to
expect. I wasn't in a church meeting
with people around me praying for me. Shouting
and praying out loud for the Holy Spirit to come as I had seen it several times
before. I was in my grandmother’s
living room, my grandma sleeping next
door and everything still and quiet. I
sensed though through the peace and quiet the presence of God and I found
myself talking to Him. I wasn't too fussed or bothered about the
gifts of the Spirit or wanting to speak in tongues but I knew everyone says the
first thing that happens when you are filled with the Holy Spirit, you speak in tongues. So I said to God "I don’t particularly want
to speak in tongues but if You have heard my prayers and I have been baptised
in Your Spirit, could I just speak a few words,
a sentence or two in tongues as a sign I have really been filled with
Your Spirit." A moment or so later I was speaking in tongues which lasted for 5 or so minutes and then the
words came “Take my yoke upon you, for
my yoke is easy and my burden is light”
Suddenly it was over, As quickly as He had come He as quickly went. The fire
in the hearth went out and the room was again dark apart from the small table lamp
which I had been reading by. Only a
strange, warm comfortable feeling was
left behind and I was in no doubt I had had my first encounter of the Spirit
kind. I had been baptised with the Holy
Spirit. After a few moments as there
was nothing left to do, I got up, turned off the light and went to bed.
The next morning I had to get the train back to Worksop
and there were no opportunity to meet up with my Uncle or go to the Pentecostal
church with him. I needed to get the
train home and so I did.
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