The Baptism in the Holy Spirit III
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Holy Spirit, miracles and supernatural signs in the epistles
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| coals of fire |
“I will not venture to speak of anything
except what Christ has accomplished through me to bring the Gentiles to obedience – by word and deed, by the power
of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God – so that from
Jerusalem and all the way around to Illyricum I have fulfilled the ministry of
the gospel of Christ.” (Ro.15:18-19)
“And my speech and my message were not in
plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so
that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.” (1 Co.2:4-5)
“I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and
I will find out not the talk of these arrogant people but their power. For the
kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power.” (1 Co.4:19-20)
“Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and
works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith?” (Gal.3:5)
“Our gospel came to you not only in word, but
also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what
kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.” (1 Th.1:5)
“How shall we
escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the
Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard, while God also bore witness
by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit
distributed according to his will.” (He.2:3-4)
One would think that all Christians should want to take
advantage of this baptism, along with the gifts that God has given to the
church in order to function, but it is not so. Always, when there is a moving
of the Spirit, there is opposition and the opposition does not come from the
people of the world, but from the church itself. This has been the case in all
revivals. We should know and be sure that, although a large part of the church
has denied the power that God has granted to it, the enemy has not given any of
his power away. His kingdom is threatened by a power that is greater than his.
The gates of hell are assaulted by a church that is
supernaturally active, supported by the power, gifts and wonders of the Holy
Spirit. For this reason, Satan will do what he can, to provoke whoever he can,
against the people, through whom the power of God is manifested. When Christ sent
His twelve apostles to preach the gospel, “He
gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every
disease and every affliction” (Mt.10:1). He prepared them for a
supernatural encounter.
I will never forget what I experienced in my adolescence.
My dad was director of a Bible school for Native Americans, Mokahum (Sunrise), in the north of the
State of Minnesota, USA, in the years 1955-1957. During that time, there were
tremendous manifestations of evil spirits in the region, and the staff, along
with the students, spent much time attempting to deliver a girl, whose father
was a medicine man. In the end, 169 demons were cast out, and the young lady
was set totally free; she live a Christian life and married a man, who was also
a Christian.
There were other cases like that and I, because of what I
have seen with my own eyes, can testify to you of the reality of a spiritual
realm. From time to time, I share these stories, so that people can see that,
what we read in the Bible about wicked spirits, continue to be an actual
reality in the 21st Century… let there be no doubt about that!
What I have seen and heard by personal
experience
My father was a man, who knew God’s power from the time
he received Christ (I have written a book that gives the story… What Our Hands Have Handled). His
relationship with the Lord was intimate and personal. He related his
testimonies to the native students in the Bible school and perhaps, for these
two reasons… that is, because of the reality of the spiritual world that they
had experienced and because of the testimonies of my dad… they decided to give
Mondays, after their classes, over to prayer. That simple decision, set in
motion a move of God among them. What began as a discipline in their lives,
became a passion; it developed into the only activity that satisfied them. Innocent
parties and games, although they were never prohibited, were laid aside, because
of a mighty longing deep within them that obligated them to seek the Lord.
With no organized effort, any kind of agreement, or even
contact with one another, there were groups throughout the region, involved in
prayer. Only God was the promoter of that movement. Without getting into a lot
of particular details, concerning what took place at that time, I will only say
that, besides the salvation of many souls, there was restitution and unity
among the various Christians and the leaders of their churches; there were
Baptists, Mennonites, Methodists, and the group in which I was raised, the
Christian and Missionary Alliance, who recognized their spiritual weakness and
lack of power in their lives and ministries.
Previously, many of these people, did not adhere to a
second experience, crucial to the believer, but what they did have was a
tremendous conviction and sense of need. The Holy Spirit opened their
understanding, so that they could comprehend the biblical truth, concerning a
baptism in His presence. It is curious to me, that they had no contact with
Pentecostalism, nor were there Pentecostals among them. I say this, not to
criticize this branch of Christianity in the least, but only to emphasize that,
what I saw firsthand, had no relationship with the Azusa Street movement in
1910 in California. I do remember conversations concerning the Wales Revival,
that of the Hebrides Islands off Scotland, and the experiences of great men of God
throughout church history.
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| Multitudes attending revival meetings in Wales |
In Wales, in 1904-1905, the entire nation fell under the
fire of God. The church awoke to the need for prayer and intense intercession.
Evening meetings often went on until dawn. The glory of God was palpable and
souls fell under profound conviction of sin. People cried in the streets in the
middle of the night. During the revival, the taverns were closed for lack of
business. Prostitutes and people bound by evil habits were radically
transformed. Sporting events were cancelled; no one was interested in watching
them and the athletes themselves came to the meetings. Theater crews and their
casts stopped coming to Wales, because there was no public interest. People
only wanted to hear the Word of God! Local businesses closed during the
meetings, so that the employees could attend.
The dark tunnels under the coal mines echoed with the hymns
and prayers of the miners. Because of the conversion of a great number of
miners, the horses had to be retrained, because previously they were accustomed
to respond to commands of profanity and blasphemy. They had to learn to obey a
new language, according to the new vocabulary of transformed miners. Crime
plummeted and the police force had nothing to do, but to direct the traffic of
people entering and leaving the prayer meetings. Denominational walls crumbled
and Bibles emptied off the shelves of the book stores. The cry that dominated
the Welsh prayers was, “Bend us, Lord,
bend us!” An entire society was transformed by the power of God. It was
calculated that in that short period of revival, 200,000 were converted and for
20 years into the future, some churches remained so full that they had to place
extra seats in the aisles.
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| Two elderly ladies from Barvis, Hebrides, 82 and 85-years-old, one almost blind. They knew the Lord and listened to His voice. They stand with revival preacher, Duncan Campbell, whom God used powerfully in the revival. |
Years ago, I took our family to the Isle of Lewis,
Hebrides, to talk personally with people, who had experienced revival in
1949-1950, which was very similar to that which occurred in Wales. I was
astounded to learn of the clear direction of the Holy Spirit, guiding the
leaders of the movement and the general public. At times, a crowd of hundreds
would congregate in an open field, without a clue as to why they were there. At
the same time, the Spirit would lead a preacher, without previous announcement,
to share the gospel with them. Just as in Wales, the taverns were emptied and
young people fled from dances, frightened and under the conviction of the Holy
Spirit. It was especially a move among youth.
A few years ago, I went to India for the first time. As I
found my way to the seat in the aircraft, I had a clear sensation of hearing
the voice of God say to my: “Sit down and relax. On this trip, although you
will teach, what you learn will be more important.” I learned many things
there, but what impressed me most of all was a mission for ladies near Pune.
The founder was Pandita Ramabai (1858-1922), who attempted to help those she
called “child widows”, persecuted by their in-laws. This happened after the
death of their husbands, who were much older than the girls that they “married”;
many were enslaved and even branded.
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| I took this photo of the life-sized cardboard image of Pandita Ramabai in her room. She was so small that the legs on her bed, table and chairs had to be cut to her size. |
The people in the mission told me of the revival that occurred
at the beginning of the 20th Century. The mission was largely
self-sustaining, through various small businesses and labor, in which the
members were involved. Because Pandita Ramabai went to England, she attended
the Keswick Convention, and heard of
the Wales Revival. She returned to India, with a longing to see the same happen
in her country among the girls and ladies in her mission. She organized a
prayer meeting, in which 70 girls, all of which belonged to the work force or were
high school students, took part. Among those who volunteered, these 70 were
carefully chosen, because of their hunger and zeal for God. They were excused
from their jobs or their schools, in order to dedicate themselves to prayer. The
prayer group grew until it numbered seven hundred. This was a great sacrifice
for the mission and yes, the financial situation suffered and so did the
students’ studies. However, the leaders, wise and prudent ladies, believed that
the sacrifice was worthwhile, and God visited them. There is always a price to
pay, in order to get our priorities in order, as we long for a work of the
Spirit.
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| In this room at 3 a.m., a girl found her roommate in the flames of the Holy Spirit. It was the beginning of a powerful revival. |
At three o’clock in the morning, one girl awoke from
sleep to find her roommate covered in flames. She sprang from bed and ran for a
bucket of water. Upon returning and having a better look, she saw that the fire
had not damaged the bed or her companion. It was as the fire in the bush that
Moses observed. In a certain meeting, the Holy Spirit also manifested Himself
in glowing coals around the room, such as in Isaiah’s vision in chapter 6. The
participants testified of an inner heat that purified them. It was a revival of
fire, as on the Day of Pentecost. Many young ladies were regenerated and
baptized in the Spirit; all the gifts of the Spirit of God were manifested.
Said Pandita Ramabai, “There are things
than cannot be done by human striving.” I found the books that I acquired
at the mission fascinating, especially concerning how the leadership was given
direction to guide the work. Perhaps, I should add that sometimes they were
directed to keep their hands off of what God was doing.
Matthew quoted John the Baptist, who presented One, who “baptized with the Holy Spirit and fire” (Mt.3:11).
Satan hates this fire, as well as the baptism, that destroys his work in the
inner beings of people. Some seem to change the conjunction ‘and’ to ‘or’, pretending to say that people are either baptized in the
Spirit or, if they reject the gospel, are baptized in the fires of hell.
That is not the case. Clearly, in reference to the
fulfillment of this prophecy of John on the Day of Pentecost, we see the Holy
Spirit settling as flames of fire on each one present. “Our God is a consuming fire”, declared the writer of Hebrews
(He.12:29). Elijah said, “The God who
answers by fire, he is God… Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the
burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the
water that was in the trench” (1 K.18:24 and 38). The baptism, on the Day
of Pentecost, was a baptism in the Holy Spirit and fire.
God moved in 1955-1957 in Minnesota
A Mennonite pastor, recently baptized in the Spirit, came
to our town of Cass Lake, Minnesota, with a tent. Drawn by the Spirit, the
people, believers and unbelievers alike, began to attend. The meetings caught
the attention of the townspeople and they became a matter of conversation
around the area. As you might imagine, they also became a target for gossip.
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| Our pastor in Cass Lake, Earl Quesnell (1923-1997), also a life-long friend |
Our pastor, attempting to be faithful in warning his
congregation, began to criticize the tent meetings in his sermons, calling it
emotionalism and fanaticism. After one of his public accusations, an elder of
the church called him aside, “Pastor Earl,” he said, “have you personally gone
to the tent?” “No, I have not,” our pastor replied. The elder continued, “Don’t
you think it would be fair for you to go, in order to see firsthand what is
happening?” The pastor could not argue against that kind of logic and admitted
to the elder that he was right.
Our pastor observed this transformed Mennonite preacher,
and needed no longer than five minutes to see that this man had ten times more
evidence of the presence of God upon his ministry, than that which he pretended
to have. The Mennonite reflected the glory of God and besides there were no
signs of disorder in the tent. From that meeting, the pastor launched a new
study of God’s Word with an open heart and mind, and he began to see the
teaching of a second experience for a believer in the Bible. He also sensed his
own need in his ministry that, up until that time, although very eloquent, had
been lacking in power and effectiveness.
In his office, he spoke to the Lord, “Christ, I am now
conscious of my need. Please, baptize me right now in Your Spirit.” An answer
came to his heart… “Nothing of the kind! You criticized, unjustly and publicly,
this good Mennonite man. Now, you will go to him publicly and ask him to pray
for you, so that you can receive the baptism.” And that is what he did; he
obeyed and the Lord baptized him.
This pastor, Earl, was an intimate friend and counsellor of
mine over the major portion of my life and I knew him to be very careful and
organized. He had prepared for the ministry with four years of Bible school
training and, I believe, three years of seminary. He had two complete and
identical collections of sermon notes and he kept them in two different
buildings. Should there be a fire, he reasoned, he would not lose his ministry!
The following Sunday, after his new experience in the Holy
Spirit, he took to the pulpit. He couldn’t find his notes in the Bible and
looked under his seat on the platform. Since they were nowhere to be seen, he
found his text and began to preach, under an anointing that he had never known
before! He continued as a pastor in the United States and became a missionary
to Mexico, taking with him a gospel of power that resulted in the salvation of
many souls and the edification of the flock of God.
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| Frank McLaughlin, a Baptist and Evangelical Free pastor, anointed richly to teach the Word |
Another lifelong friend of mine was a Baptist pastor, Frank,
one of the best Bible students that I have ever known. Our pastor was also
Frank’s friend for many years and he told him of his experience. Knowing Earl
and his great zeal for correct doctrine, the Baptist pastor thought it
necessary also to examine the Scriptures anew. He prayed to the Lord, “I ask
you to give me something personal; not something that I’ve heard from others,
but something directly from You.” He began to read from the Gospel of John, chapter
2, of the wedding in Cana. It was where Jesus converted the water of
purification into the best wine. He began to meditate upon the passage… the
water always represents the work of the Spirit in salvation, but the wine
symbolized the rich blessing of the Spirit towards the people of God. Then, he
understood, that in his life, now purified with the water of regeneration, he needed
the new wine that would give flavor and richness to his ministry. There, in his
office, Christ baptized this Baptist pastor in the Holy Spirit, and Frank began
a rich ministry of teaching the word. Personally, I grew and blossomed under
his ministry.
There are just too many stories to tell… I will only add
how fascinated I was with what was happening all around me. It seemed like
every day there were new developments in the work of the Lord among us. For
this reason, I will never be satisfied with less. God moved, saving the lost,
many of them religious church members; Jesus baptized in the Holy Spirit; there
were miraculous physical healings; Christ was the Head of the church, leading
His people, as He saw fit. Gifts of the Spirit were common. Man only had to put
himself aside and let Him work. As in Wales, the denominational walls fell and
there was a full recognition of the body of Christ; God’s love filled the
hearts.
However, as I said at the beginning, there is always
opposition. In our case, gossip reached the headquarters of our district of the
Christian and Missonary Alliance, and the superintendent called my dad to give
account. He was responsible for this area of the denomination in the north of
Minnesota. The superintendent asked dad why he did not use his authority to
detain this movement. My dad answered, “How can I stop something that comes
from God?” He also told his superior that what he observed happening in our
area was the same thing that he had experienced in his early days in the
Alliance in the 1930s.
So as not to get into more details, I will only say that
my father, as well as the teachers in the Mokahum Bible School, had to renounce
his position. I read, not long ago, what the denomination had written in their
official documents, concerning my dad’s resignation as director of the school.
They stated that the sickness of his daughter (Jean died of leukemia during
those years) and because of the state of the finances, my father could no
longer continue with his obligations, and therefore renounced his position. It
is true that my sister was very sick and required much attention from my
parents, but those were not the reasons for his resignation. I know very well
the reason behind it.
How can you explain the fact that the entire faculty of
the school resigned and discontinued their membership with the denomination at
the same time? Other Christian leaders in the area experienced the manipulation
of their superiors, seeking an excuse for their opposition to the work of the
Holy Spirit. It seemed to me, when I read the official statements and knew the
facts and the deception, that I should tell the truth in this article, for
whatever purpose it might serve. I hold no animosity towards anyone; almost all
of these individuals have passed on. All I intend to show is the opposition,
which occurs without exception, when God, the Holy Spirit takes control.
Sometimes, it comes from sources that one would least expect.
I want to add to this account a little concerning the
work of the Holy Spirit in a community called Bethany, in the south of the
State of Minnesota. Bethany was, and I think, still is a school for missionary
trainees. Leonard Ravenhill, the very well-known preacher, who had experienced
revival in England, lived on the Bethany campus at the time. He had twice
crossed the entire country of England on foot, evangelizing towns and villages
in the open air. As in the north of the State, so in the south, a spiritual
flame was lit. Ravenhill fanned the flame and also, from time to time, A. W.
Tozer, friend and mentor of Ravenhill came to speak at Bethany. Contact was
made between those who had experienced the work of the Holy Spirit in the north
with those of the south. They prayed for each other. In time, the Bethany Publishing Company was launched
and had international impact. My wife, before we were married and before going
to Mexico for missionary work, was trained at Bethany.
Gary Zabel, a missionary in Spain, could tell you of the
work of the Holy Spirit in the Baptist church, where we grew up. He could
relate how his own life and that of friends and relatives were transformed. He
could also reveal the opposition that arose inside the church.
I will not disclose more; I will only recommend that
readers of these paragraphs should investigate the story of other revivals that
have occurred, some in antiquity and others in more modern times. It is
especially interesting to read of the revival among the Moravian refugees in
Germany in 1727, the result of which commenced the modern missionary movement.
Another, which moved me and was especially interesting, was a wonderful moving
of God among the Canadian Eskimos, close to the turn of the millennium. You
will see similar characteristics in all of these accounts.
This is a biblical attempt
Coming to a close of these three articles over the
Baptism in the Holy Spirit, I want to say that my main intention has been to be
biblical. I am concerned, above all else, that the things which might occur in
the church be confirmed by the Word of God. I dare to say that the opponents of
revivals and of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, are committing a very serious
error in their attempt to annul and quench the Spirit. They misinterpret the
Bible and, in doing so, have put themselves in the greatest danger!
Peter said to the Jews on the Day of Pentecost: “This is what was uttered through the
prophet Joel” (Ac.2:16). It is essential that we be able to say this that is happening among us is what was uttered, biblically. If it is
not, I, for one, am not interested. Whatever takes place that is not found in
the Scriptures, you and I have no obligation to accept. Is the lack of a
manifestation of a true and living God in the church today something biblical?
Do we dare to say that we are a New Testament church? Can we support it through
what we see in the book of Acts or, on the contrary, are we arrogantly excusing
ourselves with weak and even twisted doctrines? After writing these articles, I
will leave each one to arrive at his own conclusions.
Acts 2:16-21
16. But this is
what was uttered through the prophet Joel:
17. And in the
last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all
flesh, and your sons and your daughter shall prophesy, and your young men shall
see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams;
18. even on my
male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and
they shall prophesy.
19. And I will
show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood, and
fire, and vapor of smoke;
20. the sun shall
be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the day of the Lord comes,
the great and magnificent day.
21. And it shall
come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
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