Ye Shall Recieve Power...

Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me...

I want to take a moment today to re-introduce myself. It is necessary. Why? Because I'm not who I used to be, thanks to the empowering presence and outpouring of the Holy Spirit. My life, ministry, and every aspect of my relationship to God and others has changed. This is my story...

After 16 years of preaching, church plating, and pastoral ministry, I was no different from the average Southern Baptist pastor. I thoroughly enjoyed the Word of God, and would labor hours on in for some new nugget of wisdom that I might apply to my life, and  then share with others. I've seen people saved, added to the church, baptisms performed, and individuals helped and encouraged. Yet, I must admit that all along there has been an underlying longing for something more. There has been an underlying thirst that had not been quenched, a hunger that had never been satisfied. People often comment on how God has blessed my doctrinal understanding of His scriptures, as well as a solid grounding in philosophy and apologetics. But still, something was lacking. I have worked diligently to give generously, commit myself to a daily ministry of free labor to my community as a means of witnessing, and have been committed to caring for and loving the church. But still, there was a void.

Back in January of this year my heart was captured when I read the prayer of Moses, "Lord, show me Thy glory." God then responded that He would indeed make all His glory and goodness to pass before Moses, as long as Moses was hidden in the cleft of the rock. Being hidden in the cleft of the Rock, the Lord Jesus, I too began praying, "God show me Thy glory."

I'll never forget that first day praying this prayer. My heart was earnest, but the prayer time was a struggle. It was if I was trying to speak into the wind. There was a hindrance to my prayer life in regards to this request. Yet, I persisted. Daily I diligently prayed the prayer of Moses.

A few days after beginning this persistent prayer request, I found myself often reading the Book of Acts. As I read through the book I was struggling to impose the systematic theology I'd had ingrained in my mind. Every time I'd read of the Holy Spirit coming upon God's people and doing the miraculous in, with, and through them, I would want to whisper in my mind, "God doesn't do that today." After all, that's what every true intelligent student of systematic theology believes, right? However, it got to the point that I couldn't even finish the thought.

One day after reading about the incredible conversion of Cornelius the Gentile and his household, I remember being fascinated with the text like never before. My heart zoned in on this portion...

Acts 10:44-46 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. (45) And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. (46) For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God.


So at this point I decided to look at all that was said about the coming Holy Spirit. Jesus told His disciples in His earthly ministry that the Holy Spirit was indeed "with them." He told them that the time would come when the Holy Spirit would be "in them." This was fulfilled in the following text...


John 20:22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:


So they already had the Holy Spirit with them. As the book of Acts begins they have the Holy Spirit in them, as Christ had breathed on them already. And yet as I read through the book I continue to see over and over that Holy Spirit came upon, or fell upon, or was poured out upon them. Every time He came or fell or was poured out upon them, incredible manifestations of God's glorious and miraculous power was revealed. Thousands were saved, their faith was strengthened, their worship was dynamic and joy filled, miracles occurred, and the world was changed!

That day I crawled down on my knees with all of these things in my heart. I was as brutally honest with God as I could be. I placed my heart before Him in tearful petition and confession. I confessed my prior lack of faith, and confessed my hunger and thirst for more of Him. My heart was genuinely open to anything He had to offer. I really wish I could explain what happened next, but I can't. I can only say that God made His glory, His power, and His presence known to me. I was completely and totally overtaken by the presence of God. I tried to talk, and yet I couldn't. I tried to rejoice, and I just couldn't. I couldn't even move. I just wanted to stay in that place, in that moment forever. There were tears on my face, but they were tears of thanksgiving and appreciation for the miraculous experience of peace I was enjoying. There was an overwhelming feeling of unconditional love, and unconditional rest.

Yes, I said rest. There was no struggle, there was no burden, there was nothing but an incredibly peaceful sense of rest. All that I needed, all that I longed for, all that I struggled with, suddenly and powerfully God was everything I needed, and removed every barrier. I'm genuinely struggling to explain my experience, and I know I am failing. Mere words will never do it justice.

I thought my time of prayer had been maybe ten to fifteen minutes leading up to this experience, and I thought that powerful experience lasted only a few moments. But when I finally arose from my time of prayer, well over an hour had passed! Talk about a sweet hour of prayer! I finally understood why Peter, James, and John saw Jesus in all His glory on the Mount of Transfiguration and said, "Let's build three tents, and never leave this place!" I really wish I could put into words my experience, but it was truly a joy inexpressible and filled with glory!

I think it's vitally important to interject at this point, that I have continued to experience amazing and life transforming times of prayer since that day. It's like heaven has opened in a powerful new way, and I have immediate access into God's very presence like never before. But what I really want to share is my experience after that time of prayer, and what the pouring out of God's Spirit has done for my life.

The Sunday following that day, after the morning worship at Means Baptist several people commented that the sermon was different. They shared with me privately that something incredibly powerful was present in my message that morning, and something they'd never experienced before. My personal experience was that it was the easiest sermon I'd ever preached. I wasn't tired and exhausted after the service like I had been for 16 years prior, and I was filled with strength and vigor just itching for Sunday evening to hurry up and arrive! My preaching had immediately and radically transformed by the power of God's Spirit that fell upon me, and it was evident to others as well.

It wasn't just my preaching that transformed. It was my study of God's word that changed as well. After that first incredible experience I found myself looking at the scripture with a new perspective. No longer was I looking at it as a doctrinal tool, or an instruction manual. It was now transformed into a living, breathing, power source by which I began to see on every page the incredible and miraculous things God could do in my life today. I would literally get so excited with expectation when I read, that I could hardly stand it! I just can't stop reading now, and I genuinely believe God can do absolutely anything for me and you today, that He did for His children back then! It's like I'm reading for the first time every time I pick it up.

But it just keeps getting better! We all have those hidden sins that we struggle with. For years we have repented and forsaken them, over and over. We battle, struggle, and go to war with them daily. Radio programs, television ministries, and multitudes of books have been published with practical every day practices to help us forsake our hidden sins. We do good for a while then fall away again. It seems to be the accepted reality for most Christians. We even perfect the art of excusing our sin with the phrases repeated weekly such as, "Well, we are all sinners saved by grace. Saved by grace, but still sinners." However, since God's mighty outpouring of His Spirit upon me I have found that certain besetting sins I struggled with for years are now gone. Gone? Yes, they're gone. They don't even cross my mind anymore! There is a complete and total sense of rest in my life in those areas. I feel like the man that carried giant rocks on his back up a treacherous hill for years, and suddenly the rocks are gone, the weight is lifted, and he's resting by a gentle brook. I am NOT saying I'm perfect, or have reached some place of sinless life experience. I'm saying God has done for me what I could never do for myself in many areas of my life.

Back in early December I started experiencing some dangerous health issues. Sudden dizziness, daily nausea, headaches, and several other symptoms would always be accompanying those. I had tried everything under the sun for relief. Nothing worked. However, after my experience with God I have yet to have one headache, one dizzy spell, one moment of the type nausea I had, or any other symptom. God miraculously and powerfully healed me, and I hadn't even asked for healing in my prayer time. Exceedingly and abundantly above all I ever imagined or asked, He had done and continues to do! Yes, without any mincing of words I'm telling you that the God of all glory and grace literally healed my physical body!

My prayer life has radically transformed as well. I literally feel as if I'm sitting in heaven right at the foot of the throne of my Heavenly Father. There is such an incredible peace, and an inexpressible joy. Often now in prayer my words are just lengthy amounts of praise and thanksgiving. Often I am moved to tears by an immense feeling of unconditional love, and often to laughter as I'm engulfed in God's joy. Sometimes I can't speak at all, and I'm just completely overtaken with the presence of God. At times I can't utter a syllable, and yet the Spirit of God makes utterance for me. When that happens it is an absolutely amazing moment, and it's like a powerful spiritual boost. It is so empowering that I literally have to immediately find some way to share Christ with someone immediately after! I just can't shut up about Him after these times of prayer. I want to shout His goodness from the rooftops! Thank God the Holy Spirit makes intercession for us!

There is so much more that I want to share! I started slowly teaching my church about Moses prayer, along with such texts as "taste and see that the Lord is good", and started preaching about the Canaan land rest that God desires His people to have. After a few weeks I extended an invitation to all who would like to come pray with me for the outpouring of God's Spirit upon our lives, and our church. If you've ever been to Means Baptist in the past, then you know it's reputation holds true. You can hear the mice snoring in the walls during worship. A bended knee only happens when someone tears an meniscus. But not that morning. The front of the church was covered with Saints praying for a mighty outpouring of God's Spirit. Since then not a single day has passed without me receiving calls, texts, e-mails, or visits from people sharing absolutely breathtaking testimonies of the miraculous workings of God in and around their lives! The church is being transformed into the dynamic spiritual powerhouse of prayer that God intended it to be, and for that I am truly grateful! Thank God for the Holy Spirit!

One story in particular really sticks out to me. Someone called me with a prayer concern. As I was told what the Doctor's had said about a particular situation, it was like someone was wrenching my guts out. It was just painful to hear. Everything I heard was wrong. Very wrong. I had never experienced anything like this. Suddenly, it was like a light came on in a dark room. I just blurted out, "It's not that, it's this." The that being what the doctors said, the this being what God powerfully thrust into my heart. Three days later I get a call... God was right. That experience in and of itself has incredibly increased my faith! And I could share so many more just like it that other folks are having in our church family!

Anyhow, I just wanted to re-introduce myself to you all. I'm not who I used to be. By the mighty outpouring of God's Spirit, I'm now a different man. I'm living in that joyful land of rest that God promised, endued with power from on high, and excited for what each day holds! God is gloriously manifesting His goodness daily. I see Him operating and blessing everywhere I look, and I have indeed tasted and seen that the Lord was good!