ABC

[Guest]

Alpha Beta Gamma

Edited November 28, 2024 by Titus Stahl
n/a

[TheBlade]

Can I ask you a question please don't be offended. Was this mainly to sell your book? Well you could have easily just posted your testimony. 

[Guest]

Thank you for asking in a polite manner. No, sir. While it is just 2500 words, publishing my testimony in a book seemed like the best way to get the story out to more people. I have shared it on forums and social platforms many times free of charge. Besides, having a small paperback lying around the house can be picked up and read by anyone even though they never purchased it, for years to come. One of my dreams is to become an author, so I thought this would be a great opportunity to get one foot in the door, so to speak.

[choir loft]

On 12/17/2023 at 4:03 PM, TheBlade said:

Can I ask you a question please don't be offended. Was this mainly to sell your book? Well you could have easily just posted your testimony. 

I've written a few books myself.

Is it now appropriate to advertise one's literature on these pages so as to garner a profit from gullible types who believe anything they read?

People who tred upon the desire of others for some sort of spiritual circus act or to obtain the approval of other men are not the sort of people from whom one can learn truth.

Instead of learning spiritual magic to impress one's friends at the next fellowship meeting, it might be more spiritually efficacious to learn what pleases God instead.

Or is pleasing God now something that's not important to anyone?

Are we all so fervent to obtain gifts of the spirit from God that we cannot embrace the subtle rewards of pleasing God and giving to Him (by faith) instead?

The post-modern church today has so corrupted itself that pleasing the congregation rather than God is the primary focus of ministry.

that's me, hollering from the choir loft....  (Isaiah 6:9-10)

[Michael37]

2 hours ago, choir loft said:

Is it now appropriate to advertise one's literature on these pages so as to garner a profit from gullible types who believe anything they read?

No, and thanks for bringing this to my attention. I've removed the advertising link.

[CaptWalker]

Well i was at first going to start a new topic about this but might as well reply here. My question was about something i recently overheard a TV preacher saying that this began AGAIN in 1901, according to some lady/prophetess who i can't recall? Now i've always thought the Azusa Street revival in 1906 was a new "awakening" of sorts, even though it only lasted a couple of years, and i've never heard of any other such major events before that.

So my real question is did this "baptism" really cease to be at the end of the first century Church era, only to begin again in the 20th century? And also about the experience itself, do you need to receive it in order to be of any real use to God as far as bearing fruit/works or fulfilling your "calling" or ministry, and is it only for those people whom God has truly called, while everyone else are just sinners saved by grace who won't receive very many rewards at the Judgement seat of Christ? I've been a Christian for almost 30 years and prayed often to receive it when i was first saved, but then i finally just gave up on it and figured if God wanted me to have it then it would not happen unless someone laid hands on me and it would be in HIS perfect timing, but now i'm not even sure about that?

 

Edited June 7, 2024 by CaptWalker

[Cntrysner]

On 12/16/2023 at 9:13 PM, Titus Stahl said:

It is called "My Baptism in the Holy Spirit

"Baptism in the Holy Spirit" is not biblical.

[Starise]

I have been in both strict Protestant circles where these things are always minimized if they are discussed at all, then I have been in other assemblies more open to the Spirit. I have always catered to the latter simply because I think passages in Corinthians where Paul encouraged us to seek the gifts of the Spirit are valid present Bible instructions. The way I see it, at least being open to everything according to scripture is far better than pretending it doesn’t exist or minimizing it. 
In both churches I have seldom seen anything overtly supernatural. Those who speak in tongues pray them silently. Those who had a word they want to share are given the opportunity. No “ Thus says the Lord” stuff, just things God laid on their hearts and minds.

Don’t become discouraged if you haven’t had some kind of mountain top experience. 
There have been spiritual awakening events that kicked off famous revivals. There have also been plenty of experiential  demonic counterfeits under the guise of Christian events.

Similar to music concerts, some of these events put a large emphasis on experience.These things can be staged. Real revivals cause true repentance which then extends out into communities and the world. 

 

[hishandmaiden]

I remembered when I was first seeking to be baptized in the Holy Spirit. I was a teenager, then, and I prayed for hours to be baptized. I remembered shaking visibly when the Holy Spirit descended on me. 

I also remembered being afraid of the Holy Spirit. I could understand that the Father and the Son is a person, but the Holy Spirit? I wonder what He is. I am glad that that period of fearing what the Holy Spirit is, is over now. Now, He is my friend, just like the Father and Jesus.

It is important that we see the Holy Spirit as friend and not just some forces to get hold of.

[Cntrysner]

Hello @hishandmaiden

As to who is the Holy Spirit I offer these scriptures for you to consider....

Rom 8:9  But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

1Pe 1:11  Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.

1Co 15:45  And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.