Listen to the broadcast program. radio013en.ram (15 minutes)
PROGRAM 13 is transcribed below.
This is based on short article.
First verse of "Holy Spirit Fall Upon Us"
Welcome once again to another program of ComfortForToday.com. These programs are available in audio or written form on a website of the same name called ComfortForToday.com
Today, we who believe in Jesus Christ must heed what the Apostle Paul wrote to one of the churches he had planted:
"STAND FAST IN THE LORD" (Philippians 4:1)
It was difficult to stand fast in the Lord in the days of the early church, but it is still difficult today. Times have not changed. Jesus' half-brother, Jude, wrote in Jude 3 that we must:
"CONTEND FOR THE FAITH." We must fight to protect our faith from the false teachings of our day just as Jude warned the people of his day.
While some denominations today believe that signs, wonders and miracles were only for the early church, what is taking place around the world today disproves this theory. Despite the fact that most of the western media ignores God's miracles, the fact is that God's own people are rising up around the world performing miracles unprecedented in modern times. We could say the church is rising from the dead!
The Old Testament prophet, Joel, foretold a time when a great army of believers led by the Lord himself would rush throughout the earth, overcoming all opposition. You can read about this great army in the second chapter of the book of Joel. And you can see the army for yourself if you attend some of today's great revival meetings where God is pouring out His Holy Spirit visibly evidenced by signs, wonders, and miracles. Some of these are televised.
If we attend one of these large meetings, we often hear the crowd burst out simultaneously into a great unified prayer in an unknown language. Those who pray this way are praying "in the Spirit". They have been baptized with God's Holy Spirit as the disciples were that day when they began to preach boldly in the streets. This is what changed Peter from a cowering, fearful, follower of Jesus to a great preacher who later became a missionary to the Jews, his own people.
What changed Peter?
Acts 2, verse 4 gives us the secret answer:
"AND THEY WERE ALL FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT AND BEGAN TO SPEAK WITH OTHER TONGUES, AS THE SPIRIT GAVE THEM UTTERANCE." (Read again)
I shall now read from article #13, but there will be some changes and some repetition. I have done this so that we can all see our need for Jesus' baptism to "stand fast" and to "contend for our faith" in these last days. The article is called "What is Speaking in Tongues?"
The Bible fortells that in the last days there will be a mighty outpouring of God's Spirit on all mankind (Joel 2:28-29). The fulfilment of this prophecy began at Pentecost (Acts 2:17) and is now sweeping across the entire world. Many do not understand what is happening.
When we receive Jesus into our hearts, He gives His Holy Spirit to enable us to see the truth of His words and feel the reality of His presence. However, there is a further gift which He gives, usually by laying on of hands and prayer. It is called the baptism of the Holy Spirit. This experience gives an overflow of His power and a closer awareness of His presence. The Bible explains that John the Baptist baptized with water, but Jesus baptizes with the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:5).
The sign that we have received this baptism is the ability to pray in a language we do not understand. It is called "speaking in tongues". Many people have never heard anyone praying this way. They expect it is someone losing his own control, screaming and making a public spectacle of himself. But this is not true; the person speaks only when he wishes and is in full control. Many people are deeply spiritual without having had this experience and have great ministries, but until the Holy Spirit can use the human tongue to intercede to the Father, our prayers are limited.
Satan tries very hard to block this communication from us through the Holy Spirit to God as he cannot understand it. He has tried for 2,000 years to convince Christians that this experience died at Pentecost, but today it has spread like a forest fire into all denominations around the globe. When Jesus' disciples received this baptism, the Bible describes it as a rushing of a mighty wind and tongues of fire resting on each person (Acts 2:4). Indeed, the baptism often feels like both of these things.
After receiving this new power, the disciples preached boldly in the streets. Foreigners heard them speaking in their own language, and this still sometimes happens today. Most often, however, tongues are for praise and prayer to God and to edify the person speaking to equip them for ministry.
The Apostle Paul said, "I would like every one of you to speak in tongues" (I Corinthians 14:5 NIV). Paul received the baptism when Ananias laid hands on him and prayed for him after returning from his conversion experience on the way to Damascus (Acts 9:10-22). He wrote to the church at Corinth that they should not forbid speaking in tongues, but unbelievers should be instructed in a language they can understand so that proper order can be maintained in the church.
The gift of tongues is a sign that the Holy Spirit has been allowed to enter into us in a greater way than at conversion. We could say that a spiritual baby is born at conversion, and the baptism is entrance into God's kindergarten. If properly nurtured by use, by prayer, by Bible study and fellowship with other Christians, other gifts will appear such as prophecy, interpretation of tongues, healing, and discerning of spirits. Fruits of the Spirit such as faith, hope, love, and joy will also become evident. If these are lacking, we know the person has been more concerned about himself than in serving Jesus.
Satan has a counterfeit for all spiritual gifts and this makes many people afraid, but only those who have been involved with Satan worship and the occult could receive this evil counterfeit. But to say God's gift of tongues is evil is speaking against God and is very, very dangerous. We read,
"The Holy Spirit fell on those listening to Peter and THERE COULD BE NO DOUBT ABOUT IT, FOR THEY HEARD THEM SPEAKING IN TONGUES AND PRAISING GOD" (Acts 10:44-46). (repeat)....
The 'tongues' was a sign that they had received the Holy Spirit!
If we want to stand fast and contend for our faith today, we need help. And help is available if we honestly repent of our sins and say two simple prayers.
The first prayer is one to accept Jesus as Lord and Saviour. You simply ask forgiveness for all the sins you have ever committed, then ask Him to take you as His child, and deliver you from all the powers of darkness. Tell Him that you want to love and serve Him the rest of your life, then you will be assured of eternal life!
The second prayer is asking Jesus to fill you with His Holy Spirit and empower you with this great gift. Ask forgiveness for any involvement in the occult--satanic worship, witchcraft or anything like that. Jesus is ready and waiting to answer your prayer.
Prayer:
So in the name of Jesus, we declare victory over all the powers of darkness for everyone listening to this program. We ask You, Lord, to fill them with your Holy Spirit that this land be filled with Your glory from sea to sea. We pray that everyone will know indeed that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God, the true Messiah.
Hymn: "Lord, I Only Want to Love You" by John & Pat Martin assisted by Kathy Henderson and recorded by Shaun Hayward at Community Pentecostal Church, Beaverton.