I had been attending an Apostolic Pentecostal Church; I loved it. I was 17 years old and I was so curious about God, how He worked, how He loved me. I found peace at the thought of Him. But, I looked around, and saw people speaking in tongues. Of course, my curiosity struck in. I wanted to receive this Holy Ghost.
The preachers talked about the peace of God; how the love that comes with the Holy Ghost comes inside and all around you. I wanted this. I was baptized in Jesus' Name on April 27th 2010. Well... I became very hungry for the Holy Ghost. I wanted Him.
On May 18th 2010, not long after my baptism, I was told the verse of Acts 2:38 "Then Peter said unto them, Repent and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." I was determined on a Tuesday night to come to church and receive this gift. I was told to expect to speak in tongues, well, the experience was more than that.
Before church, every service, we have a prayer room for men. I came to church hungry for the gift, expecting it to hit me at any second. Well, as I was in the prayer room it was the guy that was preaching that night (a fellow youth member, I'll talk about him in a minute) and myself. I was asking God for this gift. I suddenly felt my lips moving uncontrollably. I was so excited I began to cry, but I held the moving from my lips off. I continued to pray, ecstatic at this.
During the message, as Robert was preaching, I was ready for the altar call. When he was finished I became discouraged. I thought to myself, "What if no one prays with me and I can't get this gift?" Of course, the Devil didn't like this.
But while the altar call was going on, I stood to my feet, silently praying. I felt my lips begin to move on their on once again. A lady was sitting on my row. She gestured to me with her hands to step out of the aisle and a look that said, "We'll pray with you."
I suddenly took up on the offer, stepped out of the aisle and walked to the altar, raised my hands and praised God. I felt two sets of hands land on my back, but I didn't care. This was between God and me.
My lips, once again, became so excited that I couldn't control it. I wanted this. I was willing to stay at the altar all night.
"That's it! That's it, Steven! Let the Holy Ghost have you!" these were the words from the ones praying for me that allowed my heart to suddenly soften to the Holy Ghost.
My tongue let loose. I felt the tongue go so loose and my voice raised louder. It felt like an electric shock was coiling through my body. My whole right side was moving without my permission. But I loved it. I felt a smile whip across my face.
I stayed there for a little while longer, soaking in this love that was coming over me. I could feel God's love in a way that I never felt anyone love me! It was quite amazing.
When I was done praying through with the Holy Ghost, I stepped away from the altar, shaking. I walked to the back of the church, told my best friend "I just spoke in tongues." He gave me a hug and cried because he was so excited. Still, I was shaking, and a smile was still over my face.
Then I stood by myself, and then Robert (the preacher) came up to me and smiled. I asked, "When you speak in tongues, does your voice go horse?" He shrugged, "I guess if you speak in tongues a lot. You'll receive the gift someday."
"Oh, he got it." Said the guy who was praying for me.
"What!?" Robert said with a look that I hadn't seen on anyone's face since then. "You did?"
I nodded. He gave me a hug that no one else had. He said, "I prayed and fasted for that!"
That night after church, I went home with tears coming down my face every now and then. When I got home, I stepped outside to call my mom at her third shift job. No one answered. When I turned off the call, I started praying on the front porch. And that's where it hit me once again. I spoke in tongues again, dancing across the yard with inexpressable joy. I couldn't contain it! Then I quickly opened my eyes and saw my neighbors looking at me with eyes and thinking "Is this kid going crazy."
But I didn't care! I continued, and worshipped God. I didn't care what people thought. I went inside and this continued all night long.
Wow. Ever since then, that night, May 18th 2010 was the greatest experience of my life. Nothing, and I mean nothing, can compare to the night that I received the Holy Ghost. I sometimes cry because of the joy that comes to me because of that night. Jolts sometimes come out of nowhere when I pray. I feel the leading of God's Hand.
I know this story probably sounded crazy, and a little bit far fetched. But you can tell me it's not true, or that I found something that I wanted and expected to come so it happened, or God is not real. Some of you may believe in God, but not speaking in tongues; you'd rather say that it was something that only happened in 'biblical' days.
Well, I'm 18 years old, and I'm standing for God. This is something that is True, Real, and Forever. Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. His love and mercies and miracles will never cease. If receiving the Holy Ghost is available for me, it's very much available for you. Pray about it.
God bless.
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The information comes from Yeshua and you may not agree with it, but you need to look within your home life at what was and what may, if you choose, be again.
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James