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Baptism of the Holy Spirit (Testimonies)


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This thread is to share testimonies of saints past and present regarding the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. Please note, I am not of the denominations called charismatic or pentecostal and neither were nine out of ten of the saints whose testimonies will be shared (though I do know true disciples, godly men and women who come from/ came from that background.)

 

I pray The Lord Jesus would grant this thread to be a blessing and place of edification for those wondering about or seeking the true baptism/ filling(s), anointing of the Holy Spirit. 

____________

 

D.L. Moody:


 “I was crying all the time that God would fill me with His Spirit. Well, one day, in the city of New York -- oh, what a day! -- I cannot describe it, I seldom refer to it; it is almost too sacred an experience to name… I can only say that God revealed Himself to me, and I had such an experience of His love that I had to ask Him to stay His hand. I went to preaching again. The sermons were no different; I did not present any new truths, and yet hundreds were converted. I would not now be placed back where I was before that blessed experience if you should give me all the world -- it would be as the small dust of balance.”

 


Paul Washer:

“When I was 22 years old I’d go out street preaching in Austin, TX. I was scared half out of my wits. I’d walk around a lot of times the whole night with my Bible and not be able to share with anybody or preach, like a coward… So I decided that either this whole thing is a hoax, and I knew it wasn’t, but I said where’s the power? Where’s the life? What did those apostles do?… I went out west of Austin and I climbed up on a hill and I went crazy for 3 days. I would grab rocks and throw them at the sky and beg God to come down. Nothing happened! I went home, it went on couple more months, I almost got to the point where I was crazy. 

And one night I cried out to God, I don’t know how long, but God came, and I thought I was going to die. I laid on my face I don’t know how long, I covered my head, I curled up in the fetal position and just laid there. Then all of a sudden a joy that I had never known in my life, my mouth shot open… It was like everything I had ever read in the book of Psalms came pouring out of my mouth. After that did I struggle with sin? Yep! Did I struggle with fear? Yep! 
Did I have all the common problems with sanctification? Yep! But did my life change? Yep! I started going out there and preaching. God was real, He’s more real to me than all of you sitting in this room right now.”

 


Charles Finney:

“As I turned and was about to take a seat by the fire, I received a mighty baptism of the Holy Ghost. Without any expectation of it, without ever having the thought in my mind that there was any such thing for me, without any recollection that I had ever heard the thing mentioned by any person in the world, the Holy Spirit descended upon me in a manner that seemed to go through me, body and soul. I could feel the impression, like a wave of electricity, going through and through me. Indeed it seemed to come in waves and waves of liquid love, for I could not express it in any other way. It seemed like the very breath of God. I can recollect distinctly that it seemed to fan me, like immense wings

No words can express the wonderful love that was shed abroad in my heart. I wept aloud with joy and love; and I do not know but I should say, I literally bellowed out the unutterable gushings of my heart. These waves came over me, and over me, one after the other, until I recollect I cried out, ‘I shall die if these waves continue to pass over me. I said, ‘Lord, I cannot bear any more; yet I had no fear of death.”

 


Duncan Campbell:

“But listen, friends, as I lay there, God the Holy Ghost came upon me. Wave after wave came rolling over me until the love of God swept through me like a mighty river! So much so, that there were moments… now listen, my daughter beside me put her hand on my shoulders and she prayed, ‘Oh God, keep his reason to daddy.’ I was never more sane in my life! But I was so wrought by the Holy Ghost that I cried and I laughed and I prayed.”

“Someone asked me, ‘Did you speak in tongues?’ Oh, I was asked that again and again. No, my dear people, I’ve never spoken in tongues nor have I ever been in a meeting where tongues have been practiced… No dear people… mind you, when I say that, don’t think that I’m denying the gifts mentioned in the New Testament, precious gifts when God gives them. But all I can say is that it never came to me!”

“But I say that the baptism of the Holy Ghost came to me… in a mighty cleansing, empowering power!”

 


R.A. Torrey:

“I had been a minister for some years before I came to the place where I saw that I had no right to preach until I was definitely baptized with the Holy Ghost… Then just as far as I could, I shut myself up alone in my study and spent the time continually on my knees asking God to baptize me with the Holy Spirit… I recall the exact spot where I was kneeling in prayer in my study… It was a very quiet moment, one of the most quiet moments I ever knew… Then God simply said to me, not in any audible voice, but in my heart, ‘It’s yours. Now go and preach.”

“Some time after this experience (I do not recall just how long after), while sitting in my room one day, that very same room… suddenly, as near as I can describe it, though it does not exactly describe it, I was struck from my chair onto the floor and I found myself shouting (I was not brought up to shout and I am not of the shouting temperament, but I shouted like the loudest shouting Methodist), ‘Glory to God, glory to God, glory to God,’ and I could not stop. I tried to stop, but it was just as if some other power than my own was moving my jaws. At last, when I had succeeded in pulling myself together, I went downstairs and told my wife what had just happened. But that was not when I was baptized with the Holy Spirit. I was baptized with the Holy Spirit when I took Him by faith in the naked Word of God…”

 

 

Jonathan Edwards:

“Once as I rode out into the woods for my health, in 1737, having alighted from my horse in a retired place, as my manner commonly had been to walk for divine contemplation and prayer, I had a view that for me was extraordinary, of the glory of the Son of God. As near as I can judge, this continued about an hour, and kept me the greater part of the time in a flood of tears and weeping aloud. I felt an ardency of soul to be what I know not otherwise how to express, emptied and annihilated; to love Him with a holy and pure love; to serve and follow Him; to be perfectly sanctified and made pure with a divine and heavenly purity.”

 


Art Katz:

"I have also been greatly shaped by experiencing the baptism of the Holy Spirit. I once had a great experience, probably the profoundest in God, in preparing the message on mercy. In Ma Brogger's trailer up at the farm, the Lord lifted the veil, so much as a crack, and beams of light came forth in such a way that I was found two hours later when she returned with a friend, stretched out on the floor, on my face and unable to move. I was surrounded by wads of soaking kleenexes from my tears, and she went right to the phone to call for an ambulance; I could only gesture that it was not necessary, but I could not speak, I was so overcome by the power and the glory that had issued from this little crack of God's revelation. Finally, they put me up on a seat, and I tried to explain what had happened. It was now time for me to speak, so they wanted to drive me down to the camp. I said that I could not get into a car, nor could I even ride on my bike. I could not touch anything made by man, and I could not even walk down the regular road to the camp; I said that I had to go the back way, so as to not see anyone before I went up onto the platform. That is how profound an experience that was."

 

_____________

Will be posting more testimonies as the Lord leads and as time allows...

 

 

Edited by Follow The Lamb
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Sis. Annie, wife of Zac Poonen:

 

"Up until my wedding, I had been very active in God’s work in college and in the hospital. But now, I was just sitting at home (a home that was not even mine), without much money and having a small child to look after. I became very discouraged and started drifting away from the Lord in my mind. I did not do anything wrong externally. I still went to the church meetings. But I was miserable inside. I knew that God had led me to marry Zac. But I wondered why we were suffering like this. I did not feel like praying, or even reading the Bible. In addition, our baby was keeping me awake at night and I was constantly tired.

 

At this time of utter discouragement, a sister whom I had never met before, came to our home. She asked me if we could pray together. I agreed and took her to my bedroom and we prayed together. The freshness in her prayer challenged me. It made me long for such a freshness in my own life. That sister then suggested that I go to her house next time for prayer. So the next time, I took my baby and went to her home. We both knelt down on the floor and prayed while my baby was sleeping between us. I prayed saying, “Lord something has happened in my life. At one time I was so close to you, but now I have gone so far away from You. Please have mercy on me and bring me back to You.”

 

Then the Lord began to show me how I had wrong attitudes in my heart against some people. My father and I had become distant from each other. My husband’s parents were very good to me, but I was not happy in their home. The Lord opened my eyes and showed me that the problem was not with others but with me. So I started crying and said, “Lord, forgive me. I am such a rotten sinner. Outwardly people think I am good. But I am full of bitterness inside.”

 

Suddenly I felt God touching my heart. I felt like a little child in His arms. He picked me up and my tears stopped. He filled my heart with joy and peace once again. As I started to praise and thank God, I found myself speaking in a new language. I was surprised. My church background was “Brethren” – and I did not believe in the gift of speaking in tongues. I wondered what was happening to me. I didn’t want to be praying in that strange language. So I started praying in English again. But it was a struggle now to pray in English. I found it easier to pray in the new language God had given me. I just poured out my heart to the Lord and praised God in this new language. I felt in my spirit as if I was no longer on earth.

 

There was such a great joy and peace in my heart. I came back home and told my husband what had happened. And in the coming days, he saw a real change in my life. A new freshness had come into my life. I felt as if the dry barren desert in my heart had suddenly turned fresh and green! That joy and peace has never left me since that day.

 

As a family, we have faced many trials from people who have opposed us. But none of those things have ever drawn me away from my relationship with the Lord. After our fourth child was born, I was suddenly struck down with rheumatoid arthritis and had to be in bed almost all the time. Even then the Lord kept my heart full of joy and peace – and after one month He healed me miraculously.

 

The Lord started a church in our home in August 1975. After that, we faced a lot of opposition from other Christians in India. We also struggled to meet our family’s needs. But in all those situations, God stood by me and strengthened me and answered prayer. I came to know Him more and more intimately as my Father.

 

God then opened my eyes to the great truths of the New Covenant that He had established in Christ. He showed me that He had given me the power of the Holy Spirit so that I would not live for myself anymore, but only for Him. I saw that God wanted to change me into the likeness of Jesus – and He began to change me slowly. He taught me patience and helped me to overcome my anger and filled my heart with love for people."

 

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Wonderful thread--thank you for starting it! Another in the same vein is A.W. Tozer. 

http://www.sermonindex.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=22632&forum=34

 

I began my Christian walk in a Southern Baptist church. Thus, I was fearful of asking

for God to baptize me with the Holy Spirit. However, I did pursue God, and as a result,

He led my husband and me to a Pentecostal church. While there, we received the Spirit baptism.

 

Presently, we are careful to avoid most of the television so-called evangelists, who preach

a gospel of wealth. Instead, we selectively note those who are both Spirit-filled and biblical.

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A great book is a book called Power of Pentecost by John R Rice.

https://www.amazon.com/Power-Pentecost-John-R-Rice/dp/B001JLEX8Y

Amazingly, it's a book written by the original publisher of the Sword of the Lord -- a fundamental baptist paper, and its eye-opening how the power of God and the baptism of the Spirit has been lost over the years.  

Inside the last chapter is a list of testimonies -- very eye opening!

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6 hours ago, George said:

A great book is a book called Power of Pentecost by John R Rice.

https://www.amazon.com/Power-Pentecost-John-R-Rice/dp/B001JLEX8Y

Amazingly, it's a book written by the original publisher of the Sword of the Lord -- a fundamental baptist paper, and its eye-opening how the power of God and the baptism of the Spirit has been lost over the years.  

Inside the last chapter is a list of testimonies -- very eye opening!

Sounds terrific--I added it to my wish list.

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Thank you Traveler and Lolly for what you shared from your own walk with the Lord. Praise God for His faithfulness!

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11 hours ago, George said:

A great book is a book called Power of Pentecost by John R Rice.

https://www.amazon.com/Power-Pentecost-John-R-Rice/dp/B001JLEX8Y

Amazingly, it's a book written by the original publisher of the Sword of the Lord -- a fundamental baptist paper, and its eye-opening how the power of God and the baptism of the Spirit has been lost over the years.  

Inside the last chapter is a list of testimonies -- very eye opening!

 

Thank you!

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Martyn Lloyd-Jones speaking on the life of Howell Harris, a leading preacher in the 1700's Welsh Revival:

 

"What I would emphasize particularly is that Harris was already converted, had already received forgiveness of sins, and he knew that he had it, and had been dancing in joy. But it was now just over three weeks later that he received this crucial experience which turned him into a flaming evangelist. What was it? This is how he describes what happened as he was there sitting in the tower and reading and praying:

'Suddenly I felt my heart melting within me like wax before a fire, and love to God for my Saviour. I felt also not only love and peace, but a longing to die and to be with Christ. Then there came a cry into my soul within that I had never known before - Abba, Father! I could do nothing but call God my Father. I knew that I was His child, and He loved me and was listening to me. My mind was satisfied and I cried out, Now I am satisfied! Give me strength and I will follow Thee through water and fire'.

...If you read extracts from his diaries you will find that this is his constant emphasis, this to him was the turning-point, the crucial event that made him an evangelist, it is essential to an understanding of Revival. We can further demonstrate this by showing that he had several repetitions of this, refers to it, and reminds himself of it, or the date brings it back to him, he also had similar experiences...

Another extract from his diary says, 'In private society till two in the morning like a drunken man. Could say nothing but glory, glory, for a long time. Who can write all the Lord did here?'

In 1747, 'God came down as He used in Wales and our hearts did burn within us'...

May 1749, 'The Lord came, overpowering me with love like a mighty, torrent that I could not withstand or reason against or doubt'...

This is the only explanation of this man. This is what created within him a compassion for the lost. This is what urged him to go out and to tell the people about their condition and do something about them. His concern for the lost and the perishing was the consuming passion of his soul. I would make this comment at this point. Is not that always the crucial test which we must apply to those who claim to have received the baptism of the Spirit? The crucial test is the concern for souls, compassion for the lost. That was the great characteristic of our Lord. He saw the people as 'sheep without a shepherd'. He 'had compassion upon them'; and the man who is filled with the Spirit in this way is like his Lord.

It does not lead to an inward looking, self-indulgent, church movement that turns in on itself and spends its time reciting and even boasting at times of experiences. It always leads to this concern for others. There have been movements in the church claiming great things for themselves, as there are certain similar movements at this present time, but they have had to admit that the evangelistic concern has not been prominent among them. The baptism of or with the Spirit, however, shows itself primarily by giving its recipients a great evangelistic concern. That is not to deny the great value of experiences; but I would suggest in the light of this history that this deep concern for the lost is the most prominent and chief characteristic of such an experience.

Another matter that must be emphasized..is that Harris always stressed the importance of new experiences, fresh experiences. He reprobated the kind of person who was always talking about an experience he had had many years before, but who never seemed to have had it again. Even in his 'dying testimony', as it is called, he says 'that we are not to speak of what we have had from the Lord, but what we have now afresh from Him'. This was of great concern to him. This great vital experience could be repeated, and if it was not being repeated, and people had to live on the memory of a first experience, he thought they were in a sad state, and he would reprimand them for that..."

 

The full sermon transcript can be read here: 

http://www.sermonindex.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=12642&forum=40

Edited by Follow The Lamb
added link to the full sermon transcript
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John Hames: "There is vouchsafed to those who are filled with the Holy Spirit a peculiar, special self-control and divine equanimity of mind which is wholly foreign to the natural man...

The writer has stood by a beloved Christian woman in the grip of sciatic rheumatism of an extreme form, when the sufferer said: “It seems as if a red-hot gimlet was boring into me along the whole line of the nerve. I can not help tears coming to my eyes from the excruciating pain, but I never was so happy in God and never felt such keeping grace in my life.” 

Another instance was given by a minister of his mother: “I wish you could see my mother. To give you some idea of what a monument of grace she is, I would state that in early life she was spoiled by training. She had one of the worst and most ungovernable tempers I ever knew. For years past she has been wholly confined to her bed from nervous prostration. During the early part of this period it did seem that nobody could take care of her, or endure her continued manifestations of irritability, impatience, fretfulness, and furious anger. 

Right there she became fully convinced that through grace and the baptism of the Spirit, she could have perfect rest, quietude and self-control. She set her whole heart upon attaining that state. Such was her fervency of spirit, and earnestness in prayer, that her friends thought she would become deranged, and urged her to cease seeking and prayer. ‘I die in the effort,’ was her reply, ‘or I obtain what I know to be in reserve for me.’ 

At length the baptism came gently upon her. From that hour there has not been the slightest indication of even the remains of that temper. Her quietude and assurance have been absolute, and her sweetness of Spirit ‘as ointment poured forth.’ It is no trouble to any one now, but a privilege to all, to care for her. Many come even from long distances, to listen to her divine discourse. 

From the hour of her baptism to that of her death, that ineffable sweetness of temper was never for a moment interrupted. I witnessed the closing scene. She died of cholera, and in the greatest conceivable agony. Yet such patience, serenity of hope, and such quiet waiting for the coming of the Lord, I hardly before deemed possible. ‘My son,’ she would say, ‘nature has had a hard struggle; but it will soon be over, and I shall enter into the rest that remains for the people of God.’" 

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I know all Christians receive the spirit of God at the time of salvation.  When they trust christ and believe in him. But I did have something happen to me after I was already saved. I was praising God out loud by myself. And I was one. When I lifted my arms up to God in praise. I felt like oil on top of my head but it filled my body all the way to my feet. And I felt the.most joy and a feeling oh love enter into my heart. I started to praise him and words came out of my mouth I did not understand. It was not English. This lasted about 30 seconds. 

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