I Need Help Now!

For about two years I had been praying to receive the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. My church family prayed for me to receive it, and I had been studying the Holy Spirit in the Scriptures. I wanted His power in order to be what God wanted me to be, and to be able to serve him better. In addition, I felt like I was not really breaking through to God in prayer. I felt my prayers were being heard, but were not really effective. If the Baptism in the Holy Spirit was God’s gift to help me, well, I needed help! I was tired of waiting for a promise, I needed help now!

My husband at the time and I had been fighting often. Also, the ongoing custody battle with my ex-husband was taking the last of my joy and peace. I knew evangelist/missionary Paul Conger was coming to our church to do a four night revival. I decided to go, and prayed to God He would bless our church through this revival. The first day, Sunday, the Holy Spirit cleaned the hurt and bitterness out of me through tears. Lots of tears! Monday at work as I was folding laundry, I spoke to God:

God, I’m tired of waiting. I need help in my life, in my marriage, with my ex. I need help, and I’m tired of waiting. You know I trust You. You know I’m sincere and really want You to be my Lord. So tonight when Paul prays for us, I’m going to march up to the front of the church, and I am going to be selfish and take my fair share of the Holy Spirit.

So that’s what I did. I went to the revival again and sat up front. Paul started praying for us and with his eyes closed put his hand above me. He said, You guys are all ready to receive the Holy Spirit, you’re so close. But this one right here, she’s trying to understand it. She’s trying to think about what’s happening. For God to be fruitful, your mind has to be unfruitful. For God to be effective, you have to turn your mind off. Stop thinking about it, and just start praying!

I instantly knew he was talking about me because for the last few months as I prayed, I heard sounds in my head that I felt like I was supposed to repeat. However, I didn’t even recognize them as words so I wasn’t about to make those noises out loud and sound like an idiot.

Now, though, I had gotten to a point where I didn’t care anymore. I started making those sounds and Paul said to pray it louder. So I did. At first I felt really silly. Then I felt a huge relief like something had been bottled up inside me, and it was finally being released.

When I got home, the Holy Spirit filled me with such joy I couldn’t stop giggling. My husband started laughing, and asked what in the world happened. I received it! I received the Baptism in the Holy Spirit!

The next night at the revival God filled me and three other ladies with joy and giggles again until Paul said Let’s worship our Lord. The giggles instantly left us, and we were filled with a calm, peaceful amazement at the greatness and mercy of our Lord and Savior.

My daughter and son went with me the last night of the revival. We saw three people healed; two of them collapsed during the process, which I later learned was called being slain in the Spirit. A few others cried. We have a truly awesome God, and He did indeed revive our little family!

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. Acts 1:8