2
Corinthians 13:14
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.
Chapter 1
My Personal Testimony
Just
to share some of my background with you, I was born and raised in the
Assemblies of God Church. I grew up in Antioch, California (which is 60 miles
east of San Francisco). It used to be a small town on the east side of Contra
Costa County with a population of 3,000. However, over the years it has grown
to over 100,000 residents and has gained honor.
Growing
up, we attended a few different Assemblies of God Churches in the area. I grew
up since birth being in an atmosphere where the Holy Spirit was free to move. I
witnessed people being baptized in the Holy Spirit with the initial evidence of
speaking in other tongues. I saw the miracles and healings take place. I
witnessed people being “slain” in the Spirit (falling under the power of God)
when the Holy Spirit touched them.
I
grew up in an atmosphere of Davidic style worship, and the anointing in the
music and worship was so strong at times. I saw people dancing in the Spirit,
and sometimes individuals would run around the sanctuary up and down the aisles
when touched by the Holy Spirit.
It
wasn’t always shouting and dancing, but often times everyone would be at the
altar kneeling or worshiping God, with soft anointed sacred music playing in
the background. I remember those special times of waiting on the Lord, and
praying through until victory came.
I
used to cry when in God’s Presence as a child, as the Holy Spirit touched my
heart in a very deep way. I would lift my hands up to the Lord while we would
be worshiping at church.
I
gave my heart to the Lord when I was six years old. It was a Sunday afternoon
or evening at home in our living room. Rev. Rex Humbard was preaching on
television, and the salvation message he preached gripped my soul. I knew I was
a sinner that needed to be saved, and so I told my mom that I wanted to ask
Jesus to come into my heart.
She
knelt down with me at the sofa, and I prayed after her a salvation prayer. When
I did, I instantly felt the Holy Spirit rush into my heart and fill me with His
Presence. I felt so much peace and joy fill my soul, and also felt a literal
cleansing take place in my heart. I was a brand new creature in Christ Jesus.
I
was filled with the Holy Spirit prior to being baptized in the Holy Ghost and
speaking in tongues.
At
the age of 20, I began attending Full Gospel Church. Since that time, I have
attended Charismatic and Pentecostal non-denominational churches in Northern
California, including Family Worship Center in Pleasant Hill for 9 years,
Shiloh Church in Oakland for 15 years, New Birth (Destiny) Church in Pittsburg
for 3 years, and Light the Bay Church in Pittsburg for 5 years.
As
a child, my brother and I attended a Baptist Christian School in Concord,
California (which was 25 miles away) for five years called Higher Heights
Christian School. It was the best school we ever went to. We learned all about
the fruit of the Spirit, the Beatitudes and the Bible in general. They did not
teach doctrine.
When
we had chapel, we did not lift our hands in worship as they did in the
Assemblies of God, but the presence of God was certainly there. Most of the
songs we sung were psalms set to music. I had stability in my life at this
school, and I was excelling in my studies. I had several friends at this school
and was very happy and contented.
At
the beginning of my 8th grade year, my parents placed my brother and
I into the public school. My brother and I never did flourish and thrive in the
public school. However, things got a lot better once I went to college. I did
well at a Community College, but thrived the very most at Bible College (since ministry
is my primary calling).
When
my brother and I were teenagers, I chose to walk with the Lord and to serve
God. My brother got involved with the wrong friends and chose to walk away from
God and to live for this world. My brother stopped going to church and refused
to go to youth meetings and retreats. He was backslidden for 40 years, but is
now serving the Lord.
I
had such a hunger for God and for the Presence of the Holy Spirit during my
youth years, and even in my adult years. I longed so much to receive the
baptism of the Holy Spirit with the initial evidence of speaking in other
tongues. I wanted more of God generally speaking.
Often
the youth would go on retreats. This retreat happened to be held at a lodge in
the mountains of the Sierra Nevada’s, north of Yosemite National Park.
At
one of the services at the retreat, the leaders were praying that we would be
baptized in the Holy Spirit and begin speaking with other tongues. I did feel
something bubble up within me, and I began to speak with tongues.
My
heart was filled with rage and anger, hatred, bitterness and unforgiveness
towards a few people who had hurt me. My soul was clogged up and the Holy
Spirit could not flow the way He wanted to, until I learned to forgive.
It
took me years to forgive and let go of offenses and past pain. When you hold
onto bitterness and unforgiveness it ties God’s hands. He is not free to flow
as He would want to.
In
my 20’s, I still yearned to receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit with the
initial evidence of speaking in other tongues.
Besides
being locked up on the inside, I also had issues with my past religious
upbringing. While all of those Pentecostal/Charismatic experiences were real,
it seemed as if in my denomination that the church members would shout all the
time, excessively.
I
felt that if I went to my own church group to have them pray over me, then they
would all be shouting out their prayers, and then commanding me to begin to
speak in tongues.
All
I knew was that I wanted this experience to be for real (of speaking with other
tongues), and not something hyped up. I wanted it to be a very gentle
experience.
During
my 20’s, I was heavily involved in Women’s Aglow. Women from many major
denominations attended the meetings, including Charismatic Catholics.
Thoughts
came to my mind that for me to know for sure that me speaking in tongues is for
real, then I would seek out prayer from the Charismatic Catholic ladies. They
were conservative but very anointed! They had power with God!
I
knew that they would not be showing excessive emotionalism, or shouting, or
nearly pushing me down when laying hands on me. And if I received the gift of
tongues, then I would know that it’s of God.
So
at one of the retreats, at the end of the service there were ladies at the
front who were there to pray for people. I sought out one of the Charismatic
Catholic ladies to lay hands on me and pray over me that I would receive the
baptism of the Holy Ghost.
She
began to pray, but then stopped. Then she spoke up and said that I was already
filled with the Spirit, and all I needed to do is to open my mouth and let the
Spirit speak through me. Then I was able to receive the language of tongues
from that point on.
I
guess I was expecting the Holy Spirit to do the speaking in tongues for me (like
Him take over my mouth), but what happened is that I had to just begin speaking
whatever syllables He put into my mind and spirit.
In
an upcoming chapter, I am going to teach on the subject of tongues. If you have
ever been in a service where everyone is singing in tongues (or in their prayer
language) at the same time, it is so beautiful to experience, and the anointing
is so strong.
It’s
like a taste of Heaven where there will be people there from all nations,
tribes, kindreds and people groups all worshiping around the Throne.
