Once at a Pentecostal church in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, a man in his 40's explained to me, “I just finished taking the Alpha Course. I was told that I received the Holy Spirit at the end of it when some people prayed with me. I don’t feel any different. Did I or didn’t I receive the Holy Spirit?” I asked him, “Did you speak in tongues?” “No! I was told that it was not necessary,” he answered. I explained to him that by simply asking to receive the Holy Spirit does not guarantee that you will receive Him.
First of all, there must be a genuine repentance for any sin in our life. Secondly, a person must really desire that the Holy Spirit comes into their life. Thirdly, Jesus cautions us that not everybody likes or wants what the Holy Spirit will do when He comes into their body. He compares the Holy Spirit to “new wine” which begins a “Holy Fermentation” that allows Jesus to be Lord over our lives. Jesus said, “And no one after drinking old wine desires the new; for he says “the old is better” (Lk. 5:37-39). The “old wine” describes the church traditions in which people have been involved in and which Paul describes as “holding the form of religion but denying the power of it” (2 Tim. 3:5).
So often people don’t really want to have “all” the changes that the Holy Spirit is going to make in them (old wineskins). When they ask for the Holy Spirit, He bursts their wineskins and moves away from them and they remain as they were - “unspiritual” people (1 Cor. 2:14). This becomes obvious when they do not receive the “initial evidence” of speaking in tongues (Acts 2:4; Mk. 16:17). When we receive and speak in our tongues languages, we give the Holy Spirit some control over our mouths and what we will say (Lk. 12:12; Jas. 3:6).
Fourthly, whoever lays hands on a person to receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit must already have received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit themselves with the evidence of the “signs following”. The man listened intently then said, “I’m serious and I want the Baptism of the Holy Spirit so I can be an effective witness. Will you pray with me to receive?” I agreed. We prayed and he fell to the floor speaking in tongues. Three others said, “I want to be Baptized with the Holy Spirit too!” We prayed and they received the proof as they all began to speak in their tongues as the Holy Spirit gave them utterance (Acts 19:6).
Are you ready to receive your miracle today? If you, your family and/or friends would like to receive either Salvation, the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, a Gift of the Holy Spirit, Healing, Deliverance, etc., I invite you come to one of our house meetings or contact me. May God bless you richly with His Spirit!
Yours in Jesus,
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