One chapter in a book changed history!
It was Chapter 21 of David Wilkerson’s book The Cross and the Switchblade.
That chapter was responsible for creating the physical office of the Charismatic wing of the Catholic Church in the Vatican! It was the catalyst for holding large arena-sized meetings of Charismatic Catholics.
Here is how it happened. A group of sincere Catholics were planning to meet at Duquesne University in the 1960s. Their required reading for the weekend was the book by Wilkerson.
His hard-hitting chapter was Chapter 21.
It begins with the words, “What is the Baptism of the Holy Spirit?”
The book continues with an explanation of what is meant by the Pentecostal view of that term.
He pointed out the five locations in the book of Acts where such an experience is highlighted. (Given below.) That weekend, numerous Catholics from various walks of life entered into the then-controversial experience of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. The rest is history, thrilling church history. Since then, arenas of happy Catholics (clergy and laymen) have met and compared their exciting stories.
I believe the Christian’s first step in receiving this wonderful Baptism of the Holy Spirit is to know scripturally that (1) such an experience exists today and (2) that every believer qualifies to receive it. Those two things need to be settled.
- Begin with the Bible. Notice that this on-going ministry of Jesus is predicted by John the Baptist and cited six times in scriptures. See Matthew 3:11, Mark 1:8, Luke 3:16, John 1:33, Acts 1:5, Acts 11:16. John the Baptist never lived to see his famous prophecy fulfilled, because the promise in John 7:37-39 said that believers would receive the Spirit after the glorification/resurrection of Jesus. Study carefully the five accounts in Acts in which regular people receive the Spirit.
- chapter 2
- 8:4-25
- 9:17
- 10:1-11:18 and
- 19:1-7.
- Believe that you qualify. John 7:37-39. Only non-Christians do not qualify (John 14:17). If you heard from a lawyer that you had inherited a sum of money, you would believe that and show up at his office to claim your inheritance. Similarly, as one young lady shared, if a friend called and told her that the mall was having a big sale “for women only,” she or any woman would believe that she qualified.
- Ask for this precious gift; ask in faith. It is biblical to ask for laying on of hands for it.
Other good resources include They Speak with Other Tongues by John Sherrill of Guideposts magazine and Aglow with the Spirit by Robert Frost of Oral Roberts University. Assembly of God leader George O. Wood’s book, Living in the Spirit, especially chapter two, is excellent. There is a whole body of Christian literature by outstanding men and women. See such authors as Charles and Frances Hunter, Larry Tomczak, Joyce Meyer, Dr. John Osteen (father of Joel), Ken Sumrall, Derek Prince, Don Basham, celebrities Pat and Shirley Boone and Dean Jones, and other Charismatic leaders.
There are also some words from the first dean of both Moody Bible Institute and BIOLA University, R. A. Torrey in his book, How to Work for Christ:
The supreme condition of power in the apostolic church was the definite baptism with the Holy Ghost. The supreme condition of success in soul-winning is the same today. Many in these days are trying to prove that there is no such thing as a special baptism with the Holy Spirit, but a candid and careful study of the Acts of the Apostles will show that there is. Very many in our day also know by blessed experience that the baptism with the Holy Spirit is a present-day reality. One ounce of believing experience along this line is worth whole tons of unbelieving exegesis, no matter how subtle and learned it may be. There are thousands of men and women in this and other lands who have been brought out of a place of powerlessness into a place of power in the Lord’s service, through meeting the conditions plainly laid down in the Bible for receiving the Holy Ghost. This baptism with the Holy Spirit is for every child of God, and the one who would be largely used of God in personal work must get it at any cost. (From: www.amazon.com Kindle edition, November 22, 2013. Torrey graduated from Yale University and Yale Divinity School and went on to do Biblical studies in Germany at the Universities of Erlangen and Leipzig, there under top Old Testament scholar, Franz Delitzsch. Torrey came to reject the destructive higher criticism of the Bible in the German universities and returned to the US to begin his fruitful evangelistic ministry).
How about a recent testimony?
Here is one. Larry Bateman at my home church says:
I got saved at 23 with very little church background. The young adults my age from the local church all were Pentecostal Christians and spoke in tongues. I knew virtually nothing about the Baptism of the Holy Spirit or speaking in tongues. One person in particular had been witnessing to me. I asked him about speaking in tongues and being baptized in the Spirit. He told me about it and shared his experience of it. He also spoke in tongues so that I could hear it.
About a week or two after I became a Christian, I was even more curious about the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues. I began to talk to him about it once again. He gave me a pamphlet written by Kenneth Hagin on how to be filled with the Holy Spirit. The pamphlet was only about 8 pages long. It simply showed the places in Acts where people became Christians and then had a separate experience with the Holy Spirit. Also, it was clear that every time this happened, everyone there began to speak in other tongues. Other things happened, but tongues happened every time. I was filled with faith because it was clear to me in the Bible that it was for today and it was for me. (Emphasis mine)
I was at my friend’s house when I read this short book. I finished the book and went outside onto the front porch. It was a cool, autumn night and the stars were out. I looked up into the night sky and asked my Father God to baptize me with His Holy Spirit. I then thanked Him for doing it. I thanked Him because I knew that His answer to this prayer was “yes” because it was in His Word. I then went inside the house. I went to a bedroom and knelt beside the bed. I remembered what the pamphlet said about tongues. Hagin said to allow the easiest syllable that wants to form in your mouth be formed and release it. However, remember that it will be an unlearned syllable and subsequent words that flow out. However, God will not take over your mouth. You must release it by faith and be willing to sound silly. However, it’s now silliness or foolishness. It is simply an unlearned language given by God the Holy Spirit. I tried my best to follow these guidelines, and sure enough, a language flowed out of my mouth the instant I stepped out in faith to release what I believed God had already done moments ago outside on the porch.
And from that day to this one, I can speak in tongues at any moment I choose. The same way I choose to start and stop speaking in English, I can choose when to start and stop speaking in tongues.
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There are countless other testimonies of the power that has come to earnest Christians as they seek to be totally yielded to the will of God. Others may not understand, but you know you are on solid ground since your experience is in line with the written word. Reach out and claim your inheritance!