The New Birth & The Baptism Of The Holy Spirit

I asked the Lord to save me and forgive me when I was 6 years old. This occurred in a non-denominational church. I truly believe something happened as I thought of God from that time on. We moved to Texas and soon found ourselves in a Calvinist Baptist church. I learned much there, but the baptism of the Holy Spirit was denied, along with the gifts of the Holy Spirit. We were taught there is nothing we can do to be saved, even though Jesus taught otherwise.

• 40"This is my Father’s will: That everyone who sees the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him to life on the last day.” John 6 ISV

As I floundered through life I would one day in 1991, go home as a prodigal son. The Lord sent people to help me and many of them believed in the gifts of the spirit and spoke in foreign languages (tongues). They were filled with the love of God, were overcomers and had power from God. As I grew in the Lord, I asked him for his gifts including the ability to speak in foreign languages. I have had several different experiences of what I believe were the filling of the Holy Spirit. Early in 2010, I was baptized in the Spirit and received the gift of tongues. I received power from God to be a witness and have grown in my surrender to Jesus the Messiah.

I do not believe the scriptures teach that all believers have to speak in tongues or that speaking in tongues is proof you are born again. Satan counterfeits the gifts. We have to look at the fruit, but if you are not seeking the Lord and asking for power to be a witness, you are missing out. While you wait on the Lord, devote yourself to obedience. Humble yourself, pray, protect your eyes and ears from sin, and seek to live a holy life. The Lord loves to give his children the best gifts, but we must obey him!

It is heartbreaking to me that Satan has so distorted the truth about God's gifts. They are for God's children. Each one is priceless! I am not ashamed of Jesus the Messiah. I am not ashamed of the gifts he has given me. I am not ashamed to talk about being able to talk in foreign languages (tongues). I speak in many different prayer languages. Paul tells us they edify the person who has the gift. I have also spoken in Cherokee to a Cherokee Indian man. All to the glory of Christ!

Acts 1 ISV

1In my first book, Theophilus, I wrote about everything Jesus did and taught from the beginning, 2up to the day when he was taken up to heavena after giving orders by the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. 3After he had suffered, he had shown himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during a period of 40 days and telling them about the kingdom of God.

4While he was meeting with them, he ordered them, “Don’t leave Jerusalem. Instead, wait for what the Father has promised, about which you heard me speak, 5because John baptized withb water, but you will be baptized withc the Holy Spirit a few days from now.”

6Now those who had gathered together began to ask Jesus,d “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7He answered them, “It isn’t for you to know what times or periods the Father has fixed by his own authority. 8But you’ll receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you’ll be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”