Friday, April 24, 2009

A. My computer got infected with a virus so I have been without for a while. I read your forward to me on the Holy Spirit and it is a good read. Again, I struggle with that as I have seen it so abused and while I realize and know that when I see it happening I cannot get it out of my mind. I have a couple Living Word questions in that regard. Do you have times in service where people speak in tongues? Other than a prayer meeting are there times where it is specified to seek the baptism? I ask because we did it kind of stragely at Full. I haven't seen anyone come to the altar for prayer in the middle of worship service a LWCC. Is there only a specific time for that? I want to know and understand but it does get difficult after 30+years of chaos if you know what I mean. ANyway just curious and maybe you have some reading material in your collection for me to read in regard too this that could help me out. I am curious


Me. Yeah, I wondered what had happened to you. 

Send me your address and I can send something to you.

You guess correctly, we do it differently at LWCC. It's not looked at as such a huge unscalable mountain, but just another gift to receive, like salvation. You don't "tarry" for salvation - you ask and you receive. Same with the baptism.

At the last new member's class I saw about 35 -40 people all come forward after the teaching, all get prayed for and about 98% of them get the baptism and speak with other tongues. That was, btw, awesome!

So as soon as people come forward for salvation or rededication and then they leave the sanctuary and go over to the Chapel for more follow-up, we routinely have them ask the Lord for the baptism right then.


A. I just remember being up there for what seemed like hours and people yelling at me and shaking me and moving my jaw and stuff. I think you can actually bring an evil spirit into play there if you aren't careful and causing an emotional state that is so overwhelming you do have manifestations. What do you think about that? I would not say always but I believe it is possible if we are not cautious.

Me. After thinking about it for a while I would say that I don't think that could happen. I don't think anyone could get possessed by a devil while they're sincerely seeking the Lord.
What could happen is that the devil could lie someone into believing it though.
What do you think?

A. In my experience though there was enough distracting things going on that I think I forgot why I was there and I can tell you details of probably 10 different people at that time. All of a sudden my 'seeking sincerely' wasn't there. I was told I spoke in tongues and had that infilling but I don't know if I did or not. Perhaps that distracting is from the devil and opens the door for him. Maybe not at that moment but later when the momen t is passed. I guess I always heard so many different stories of some who were seeking that for years and couldn't get there and then others it was simple and the first time. That is where I think when we pray with someone seeking the gift of the Baptism we have to try to be careful not to distract that person or possibly 'cheapen' their experience. What do you think?


Me. Like I say it's a whole different paradigm as taught at LWCC. Which I believe is more Scriptural.

The baptism in the Spirit is a gift (and I can think of 2 scripture references off the top of my head that verify that, tho I can't give you ch & vs w/o looking them up). You don't tarry for, and wait for, and seek for a gift. A gift is given to you and you receive it. Just like salvation.

If you asked, then I think you did get it and probably did speak in tongues. Jesus said "Ask & you WILL receive". I only got just a word or two in tongues even though I was blessed with a huge spontaneous baptism of the Spirit. I had only been saved a few days and knew literally nothing about it. But I knew I had been touched by God so I just believed  what the brethren were telling me about the baptism and about tongues. So I kept practicing those few words and eventually got more and more.

Yes, I'm sure the devil swooped right in on your confusion, doubt, and , let's face it, disgust with everyone manhandling you and screaming and spitting in your face (such strange things are done in the name of the Lord) and got you focussed on that and robbed you of the genuine experience you would have had if you had simply been led to receive the Gift.


I say you've got it right now and when you have some time go get in your closet and by faith speak a few words that your rational mind is going to tell you is nonsense but ignore that voice, concemtrate on the Lord and let Him loose you.

Love you bro

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