Share the Good News!

Several months ago, I was listenting to a Joyce Meyer CD and heard her mention her baptism in the Holy Spirit as an experience that occured while she was driving and crying out to God for "more". She described it as an experience that changed her completely. I honestly didn't give it much thought... I think my assumption was that of course she has had special encounters with God... she is a worldwide teacher of His word! She needs a little extra attention! :) At one point I was on her website and ordering some materials when I felt led to order the CD "Baptism of the Holy Spirit". The teaching on this CD really opened my eyes to the fact that this is a gift available to all believers. (After all, God is no respector of persons!) I developed a strong desire to learn more about this topic and even experience it for myself.

In September of 2007, I attended Joyce's Women's Conference with my mom and a friend. At the conference, Joyce spoke of the filling of the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues, and encouraged us all to open our mouth and begin speaking, while she (and many around me!) began praying and speaking in tongues. I made an attempt but could only utter a few syllables... la-ba-ba-ka (or something like that!). I was really trying to have 'enough faith' to make it happen! (of course that was the problem... *I* was trying!) After I arrived home from the conference, I was a bit confused. I was working my way through a Bible study... an in-depth study of the Fruit of the Spirit. There was a section in the workbook that stated that we already received the Holy Spirit in full when we accepted Jesus into our lives, and that though some do receive a gift of tongues, it is not for everyone. I dug into the Bible looking for clarification and also decided to meet with my good friend and spiritual mentor and ask for her input. She and I met for lunch one day, and when I began with my questions, she just smiled and said "I just love how He works!" :) She had been in prayer that morning and was specifically praying for our upcoming meeting. She was led to bring a CD to me... of course it was on the subject of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit! (I did not tell her ahead of time what I was wanting to talk about!). The CD was called "More of Him" by George Bloomer. A few evenings later, after the kids were in bed and my husband at work, I sat in my bed, grabbed my Bible and study materials, and started the CD. Even today, I can't really tell you much of what I heard. I do remember him focusing on the real evidence of baptism in the Holy Spirit is the power to witness, but he also gave insight on speaking with tongues. At some point, Bishop Bloomer was ministering to me, with praise music flowing. I began to pray and just thank God. I told God that I desired to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit with evidence of speaking in tongues. But I am a very analytical person... I told Him that if He wanted me to receive it, He would need to help me past my unbelief (and my embarrasment... even though I was alone!) and just bring it on! What happened next was an experience I am so thankful for and will never forget. I had my eyes closed in prayer, and suddenly I began to feel "full"... the best I can describe it is (those of you w/ kids can relate)... my heart just began to feel so full of love, similar to times when I just look at my children and feel so full of love for them. But the fullness kept coming, my body itself felt numb, but my heart felt so full! Suddenly, my mouth opened and words just came pouring out. I was speaking in tongues! It just felt like it rose up in my spirit and flowed out my mouth. I spoke for a long time, and I was laughing as I spoke because I could see myself in the mirror on the dresser across from our bed, and thought I looked ridiculous, had no idea what it was I was saying, but I was also just so joyful over the experience. Well and then I was also laughing about what my husband would do if he came in and saw this. I can only imagine! I walked around the house and quietly prayed over my home and children and continued to pray for quite a while. The next day or two, anytime I spoke, I almost had to purposefully make myself speak in English. The foreign tongue just kept wanting to spill out. We were getting ready for church the next morning and I went to tell my little girl to "Come here" so I could fix her hair, and when I opened my mouth, I spoke in another language. I was glad my husband wasn't in the room, as I had not yet shared my experience with him yet. Even later that day, when I tried to fill him in on everything, I was trying to tell about the syllables I uttered at the conference, and I just couln't pronounce it in my own accent, it kept coming out in another accent. (Of course he is looking at my like I'm crazy! It's ok though, he already thought I was crazy long before this.) :) Thankfully, he loves me anyway!

For many days following my experience, the Holy Spirit was very present with me. Anytime that I would invite Him in during prayer, I immediately felt His presence. When I pray in my prayer language, I know that even though I do not know what is being said, thes Spirit is praying a perfect prayer on my behalf. One of the best things that has changed since then is the feeling of anticipation that I often get. I have no idea what I am anticipating... you know the feeling when you are excited about something, and it makes you happy just thinking about it. Like a vacation, or Christmas...? That's the feeling. I know that God is going to do something great. He already has! But there is more to come. There are many things I still don't understand. I naively just recently realized that this can be a subject of disagreement for believers who feel differently about the baptism of the Holy Spirit. I didn't know if this was something that I should keep to myself... after all, I haven't heard others say much about it. I have come to the conclusion that my experience can only help others if shared! I have learned that some of my family and friends also have a prayer language that they received at various times in their life.

Thank you God for the miracle you have worked in me, for cementing my belief in you through revealing Yourself so powerfully! For making available to me the power of the Holy Spirit.. the same power that created the world and raised Jesus from the dead! Amen!
Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you." Matthew 7:7