Dear Ones,
THE HOLY SPIRIT ENCOUNTER
MARCH 22-28, 2020
IN LEBANON, OREGON
Is full! But you can join our second ENCOUNTER June 21st through the 27th, also in Lebanon, which is also filling up fast. A HSE is like NOTHING you have ever experienced! You can contact Yahna at admin@lightbearers-ministries.
THE FULLY EQUIPPED BELIEVER
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Phil 4:13 NKJV
Are you fully equipped to handle the challenge of that verse? One translation I read years ago puts it as such: I am ready for anything, and equal to anything, through Christ who infuses inner strength into me. Any challenge set before me, any emergency that comes my way, any faith opportunity that the Lord lays upon me, I am ready for, and equal to the challenge it represents, because of the constantly flowing power of Christ dwelling in me.
Where does this power come from? The baptism of the Holy Spirit.
But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. Acts 1:8 NKJV
Mario Murillo, in his great new book VESSELS OF FIRE AND GLORY, in the section of MODERN CRIMES AGAINST THE HOLY SPIRIT, details the crime of withholding the baptism of the Holy Spirit from the believers. He lists this crime as the greatest of the ones he has listed. He calls the pastors who commit this crime ‘traitors.’ Strong words, huh? It’s interesting to note that two separate people, at the same time, sent this book to my wife and I. That’s never happened before…
Pastor, why would you withhold the baptism of the Holy Spirit? In fact, why would you not systematically seek to see that every believer is filled? If you need help, Lightbearers can help you. I heard a pastor say one time, If I pray for someone to get filled, and they don’t, what do I do? Good question! We can help with that question. In fact, we can help with the whole process, of not just speaking in tongues, but operating all nine of the gifts all the time!
Why is the baptism – specifically speaking in tongues – so important?
He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself…1 Cor 14:4 NKJV
…that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, Eph 3:16 NKJV
I’ve read a number of good books on speaking in tongues, one of which even indicates there are seventy reasons to speak in tongues. But no one seems to grasp, and I may have missed it in some of the books, the awesome reality that speaking in tongues builds up your spirit man. Why is this so important?
Anecdotally, I’ve had hundreds of testimonies over the years of people speaking in tongues much more and seeing more revelation, clearer revelation, more miracles, more staggering miracles, more provision, more answers to pray. I’ve actually seen lives and ministries revitalized and reawakened, and launched into new spheres of authority, influence and blessing. Why is that?
Some people seem to base their spiritual perception of the importance of a thing by how satan reacts to it. I will tell you this – the devil HATES speaking in tongues! Not because ‘he can’t understand what you’re saying,’ which is a foolish, nonbiblical argument. Anyone for whom your tongue is a known language can understand what you are saying. No! The devil hates speaking in tongues because, among other things, but primarily because much speaking in tongues builds up your spirit man which is essential to you being able to operate the other gifts of the Spirit effectively.
Now you can operate the other gifts of the Spirit in a limited manner without speaking in tongues, except interpretation, of course. But you will operate the others in a much more enhanced manner when you speak in tongues much. This is the testimony of Parham, Wigglesworth, Lake, Oral Roberts, Charles Capps, Derek Prince, and on and on… Oral Roberts would pray in tongues out loud for five hours each time before he went to preach. His ministry recorded one million doctor confirmed healings, and eight million brought to the Lord.
‘I am ready for anything, and equal to anything, through Christ who infuses inner strength into me.’
Having received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God… Acts 16:24-25 NKJV
Let’s say you were dropped into a forest with no extra clothes, no food, no water, no way of knowing which way to go to find shelter, and it was the middle of winter. What would you do? In essence, Paul and Silas found them selves in the same position, in the death cell in Acts 16. Remember – you are ready for anything and equal to any challenge. What did Paul and Silas do? They prayed in tongues and sang in tongues praises to God. Was this an act of desperation? NO! Nothing in the text indicates they were acting desperately – in fact, just the opposite. This was a strategic act to release the game saving, lifechanging power of God, which is exactly what happened!
The gifts of the Spirit are SO practical, and the key to the effective use of the gifts is much speaking in tongues. Are you getting this?
When we try to do the works of Jesus Christ without the divinely given mechanisms of the gifts of the Spirit, especially speaking in tongues much, we end up in heartache, confusion, condemnation and ridicule. But when we do them within the clearly set parameters of New Testament instruction, we become witnesses and demonstrators of the risen Christ. In a practical sense, we are what we choose to become…
I would demonstrate for my live audiences what I was explaining by saying that one of my legs was the written Word and the other was the gifts of the Spirit. You need TWO LEGS to run a race! Otherwise, you are as helpless as a one-legged man!
I sense that for most believers Philippians 4:13 is merely a positive, encouraging sentiment with no real practical value, because no one has taught them to operate in all the gifts of the Spirit, all the time. That is a shame and a disgrace…but we can help. We don’t ask for money, and we don’t ask for recognition or credit. We seek to be nameless and faceless servants of Jesus Christ. That attitude keeps us positioned perfectly…
…He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; John 7:38-39 NKJV
The fully equipped believer is ready for anything, and equal to any challenge, because the power of Christ is continually flowing in them and through them. Is that the reality in your life? Be honest. We can help! But just be ready to take the instruction and encouragement and run with it. You are in control of your life. You can do what God’s Word teaches, and you can turn Philippians 4:13 into a living reality. Amen? Love you!
Remember dear ones, we must be about our Father’s business…