LET THE WIND BLOW!
Some years ago while pastoring in Springfield Oregon my wife worked at a Denny's on Gateway. One morning on her way to work she found the results of a tornado that had touched down in the Gateway area. It leveled trees and power poles. It took them and twisted them like a baker would twist a piece of dough for one of those wonderful pastries called, "A Twist" which I am no longer allowed to eat.
A
tornado is a violent wind that blows and totally changes and rearranges
everything that gets in its path. Just like a tornado comes and changes
everything in its path the Holy Spirit is very similar. Because when one is
placed in the pathway of the Holy Spirit you'll never be the same again. Oh you
may choose to ignore the Spirit, but you'll still never be the same. That
experience will be with you forever.
I
remember a wonderful experience that I had with the Holy Spirit when I was
seventeen. Most of you either know or have guessed that I am deeply committed
to the Pentecostal/Charismatic movement. I have always believed in the Acts 2:4
experience. "All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began
to speak in other tongues as the Holy Spirit enabled them." NIV. It was a sincere desire of my heart to
have this same experience that the Early Church had. So I began to seek after
the "Baptism of the Holy Spirit".
There
was one big catch; most of my friends at church that were receiving this
wonderful gift were falling on their backs. I told the Lord, "I am way too
cool for that" I want this gift but I'm not going to fall on my back. It
would be too un-cool (if that's a word) to fall in such a way.
Our church had special meetings with a young revivalist named, Butch Plumber.
People were falling left and right in that prayer line to receive the Baptism
that night. I was in a long line waiting for my turn to be prayed for to
receive this gift. The evangelist got closer and closer. My prayers were going
out faster and faster. "Lord I want this gift but I don't want to fall
on my back to receive it". Finally he was one person away from me and
I prayed, under my breath, "Ok Lord if you want me to fall on my back
to receive this gift I am willing". That's all it took. When he laid hands
on me I received this wonderful gift. No, I didn't fall on my back... I fell
flat on my face!
I
often look back on that night and realize that the Lord was giving me a
Prophetic message through that experience. It was very simple but profound. "If
I fail to trust Him in everything I do, I'll fall flat on my face".
So
on that most glorious night the Wind of the Holy Spirit blew across the life of
a seventeen year old and changed him forever. It was indeed a violent wind but
that should be a surprise to any of us who know the Word of God.
Matthew
11:12 says, "And from the days of John the Baptist until now the
kingdom of Heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.”
We
are so conditioned to think that violence is all bad. But often it is a good
thing. When a rushing river meets with a turbine it is an act of violence. But
the result is electricity. When a wind meets with a wind mill water is pumped
or electricity comes about. All of these are acts of violence but each one is a
good thing.
When
we encounter the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives it is like a "MIGHTY RUSHING
WIND" (Acts 2:1-4)
that brings an awesome change into our lives.
All
I can say is, "BLOW WIND OF THE SPIRIT BLOW"!!!!!!!!!! Bring
revival to the Northwest region of the United States and around the WORLD.
We al need a life changing encounter with the Holy Spirit, not just a one time
experience. The Wind of the Spirit will transform your life if you'll let Him.
Pastor Larry
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