"'The Cross, the Holy Spirit Baptism, and 'Tongues'

A Christian's Power Source is THE HOLY SPIRIT. In order for that Power to flow unhindered in a person's life (and ministry, if he is a minister), that person needs to 1) place (and keep) his faith exclusively in the Blood of Christ, and 2) be baptized in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in "other tongues".

The Holy Spirit (in His fullness) is... "the Power that worketh IN us". (Eph. 3:20). HALLELUJAH! Friend, it is like we are an "electric appliance", and He is the "Electricity". When you are "plugged into" Him, YOU GOT P-O-W-E-R. YOU GOT.... "ABUNDANT LIFE" (Jhn. 10:10b) !!!! The Baptism in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in other "tongues" is definitely necessary (and right there in the Bible, btw.); However, you faith has got to stay IN THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB (Jesus Christ) CONTINUALLY for this awesome Power to flow unhindered, to lead, to guide, to enable you to be and to do all that you are MEANT to be and do! For only "the Law of the Spirit of Life 'in Christ Jesus" (indicates a faith in Him and His Blood Sacrifice on the Cross) makes us free from "the law of sin and death" (See Romans 8:1-2). Just like the law of GRAVITY, these two laws w-i-l-l operate. "Walking in the Spirit" by placing (and keeping) our faith for righteousness exclusively in "the Cross" (No, not the wooden beams, but His BLOOD SHED THERE!) keeps us "in Christ", in God's GRACE, and activates "the law of the Spirit of Life"- the moving and operation of the Holy Spirit in our life. Conversely, "walking in the flesh" by MISplacing our faith for righteousness in "our performance of do's and dont's" (whatever they may be, even if they are "good", like "the spiritual disciplines" of prayer, Bible study, fasting, etc.) keeps us in "LAW", "frustrating the grace of God" (Gal. 2:21), and activating "the law of sin and death" (which is actually "the sin nature"); The result of this is spiritual defeat and a cycle of unmitigated frustration, for Satan then has the legal means to do us hurt, and on a continual basis! Friend, there is no more miserable life on this earth than one of trying with everything in you to please God, and doing all you know to do, but yet failing Him repeatedly (sinning) and then wondering..... WHY? And what compounds the frustration even further, is if one might happen to be (although rare these days) in a "holiness" church, where "living right for God" is demanded on a regular basis from the pulpit! It would be like needing to use your car for work, using it on a daily basis, but IT HAS FLAT TIRES! And then manually inflating those tires, but then THE AIR JUST LEAKS RIGHT BACK OUT. Talk about FRUSTRATION!! And then what if your mechanic (pastor) tells you... "It's YOUR fault; You should be doing a better job of filling air into your tires!!" Now that's enough to make one realize that, "Hey, I need NEW tires!". But then the mechanic comes right back to you and angrily tells you.... "No, you should be able to use THESE tires. The day you got them, they were good, and should automatically last you a lifetime. If you cannot keep THESE filled with air, and you end up getting new tires, then you cannot fit into this church! Just keep your mouth shut about getting new tires." Well, all the other people in that "auto club" look at you, and because THEY put up with their "flat-tire cars", they expect you to ALSO, and if not, then THEY get angry at you as well. Nuts! To further extend this analogy.... our "faith exclusively in Christ and the Cross for righteousness" is like "PROPER HEAVY-DUTY TIRES WITHOUT HOLES", and "the baptism in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in other tongues" is like "THE FULNESS OF AIR IN THE TIRES". As would be obvious, one needs both, in order for that car to have what it needs to get quickly to where it needs to go! Amen?

In a moment, I will go over in detail "the baptism in the Holy Spirit", and the use of "tongues" in the believer's life. But first, I would like to digress for a moment to discuss "the Holy Bible":As a minister of the Gospel, part of ...my responsibility is to open up the scriptures to share what the HOLY BIBLE has to say about any given subject, using many scriptural references. There is a reason for this: You see, I want what I give to the people to not be MY words, but GOD'S Word; I write and preach under the premise that the Holy Bible not only CONTAINS God's Word, but that it IS God's Word, with every word being given by inspiration of God (1 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:20-21). Moreover, that it is the... "Truth" (John 17:17; 8:31-32,39-40; Psa. 119:142,151; 19:9), revealed by "the SPIRIT of Truth (the Holy Spirit) (John 14:16-17,26; 15:26; 16:13-14; 1 John 2:27) to those who are "OF the Truth" (John 18:37; 8:47; 1 John 3:19; 4:6). You see all that? Without the Bible, I am not even the servant of God and cannot give the people what they need. It also matters what VERSION of the Bible people use; It seems that nowadays the Bible comes in every flavor, including "tuti fruiti". However, what the goal needs to be- for the seeker of Truth- is to find one that comes the closest to the original Hebrew and Greek text (which was what was inspired by God.); Otherwise, what you are reading is "watered down" and "distorted". It will be like looking through a muddy lense, so that one cannot see reality clearly! The two versions that come the closest to the original are "THE KING JAMES" (KJV)version and "THE NEW AMERICAN STANDARD" (NAS) version. I personally have always preferred the KJV, tried and true, and still the best-seller of all ages, ever since it was written in the 1500's! I realize that people are suckered into buying the other translations under the theory that they can "understand" the Bible better; However, one has to realize that GOD is your TRUE Teacher, and He will make sure you understand His Truth, even if it is in "Old English". That being said, there are some good Bibles out there which take out most of the "Thee's" and "Thou's", etc., while still maintaining the integrity of the text. A good one like this is "THE EXPOSITOR'S STUDY BIBLE" from Jimmy Swaggart Ministries (web site: "www.jsm.org"). Like I say, I personally use the KJV; I use the Expositor's for deep study, but I also use a standard King James with cross-references in the center column, and love it (always have since I have been saved); Plus, I have another standard KJV that I use solely for devotions and intimacy with God, with my favorite scriptures hi-lited. LOVE it! I just said all of that, because I will be giving many scripture references for THIS subject, so you can "see for yourself" what the Bible actually says, and not just "take MY word" for it. And I want what you look up to be "accurate", and not some man's "paraphrase" of the scriptures.

Okay, now to "the baptism in the Holy Spirit":The "baptism in the Holy Spirit", in essence, is "POWER" for everyday living, and for ministry (see Acts 1:8). It opens up the supernatural to the believer in a way that just merely being saved does not. It is like the difference of a lawn-mower (representing "salvation") that is the push/non-motor kind.... vs. ..... one that is a high-powered COMMERCIAL RIDING lawn mower. (I am a landscaper, so I appreciate this analogy- lol). To be frank, there is NO COMPARISON between the two. (Which would YOU rather use to mow grass?!). Now, all of this being said, a person must not TRUST in that Baptism for righteousness, or spirituality. His faith must remain anchored in the finished Work of Christ on the CROSS (that "Blood Sacrifice"), or the "engine of that high-powered commercial lawn mower" will not run! The Holy Spirit can only legally operate in a person's life if his faith is in that correct object, and not in HIS PERFORMANCE OF WORKS. That is how a person who HAS been baptized in the Holy Spirit can still have a life that is a moral "wreck", with no victory over sin, "the world", "the flesh", and the devil! That right there is one of the most miserable, frustrating ways to live a life! (I have been there!).One's focus and emphasis and affection must remain upon JESUS - Who He IS, and what He DID. But at the same time, we need to be willing to receive by faith all that God has for us- no, not for God to love and accept us more, to be more "righteous", but FOR OUR BENEFIT, BECAUSE IT HELPS US.It is like.... your parent has a gift for his child (not visibly seen by the child), and he says "I have a gift for you; It will help you in your life; You have my Word on it; Only believe.", and then that child says "No, I don't believe in that, so I cannot take it.""If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: How much more shalll your heavenly Father give THE HOLY SPIRIT to them that ask Him?" -(Lk. 11:11-13). The word "baptism" means "immersion" into something. Let's take WATER, for instance (and no, I am not talking about "water baptism" here.). When one is "baptized" into water, the water completely surrounds him. He is basically a ..."part" of that water. That is his "environment" at that time, so-to-speak. Such is the case when one is "baptized in the Holy Spirit". At that time, the "Holy Spirit"... "becomes that person's environment". He and that person are now "one". He in essence becomes an integral part of every facet of the person's life, AS THE PERSON YIELDS HIS LIFE to Him. You see, the Holy Spirit- the third Person of the Trinity... GOD- is a "Gentleman". He will not force Himself and His Ways upon a person. He does not "DRIVE", He "LEADS", and that person still has the option, via his "free will", to not obey (or NOT obey) His Leading. At the moment of conversion, of being "saved" or "born-again" (see John 3:1-8), the Holy Spirit does indeed enter one's life. God loves and justifies that person from sin THEN just as much as if that person goes on to receive THE BAPTISM in the Holy Spirit . However....."the baptism in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in other tongues" is a SEPARATE WORK OF GRACE, a "free gift" of God, received the same way as when one gets saved: BY "FAITH". Everything we receive from God has got to be by faith. God has it set up that way!"For without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him." -(Heb. 11:6).JESUS is the One Who is "the Baptizer in the Holy Spirit" (see Matthew 3:11; Mark 1:7-8; Lk. 3:16; 24:49; Acts 1:4-5,8). After He had gone to the Cross to secure our redemption, was buried, and was resurrected, He MADE IT POSSIBLE that we might receive this wonderful "Power from on High"! HALLELUJAH!!!!!!!!!!!! This mighty Baptism was first recorded in the book of Acts. I have the following scripture passages marked in my Bibles, for personal reference, and to show to others. I encourage you all to please study them carefully, and to mark them in YOUR Bible, if you so choose: Acts 2:1-4; 4:31; 8:14-17; 10:44-47; 11:13-17; 19:2-6. Alot of folks believe that this was "done away with" after the early church and the Book of Acts, citing the "tongues shall cease" scripture (1 Corinthians 13:8). And indeed they SHALL cease, but not until they are not NEEDED, when we are all with the Lord! Until then, many have received and DO receive this mighty Baptism, including your's truly (March 15, 1985). Again, it comes by FAITH. One simply has to "believe" what the Bible clearly says, accepting It as "a little child who believes his parent". The Holy Spirit baptism wondrously opens up to the believer the ministry OF the Holy Spirit in his life. Some excellent Bible passages describing this Ministry is as follows: John 14:16-17,26; 15:26; 16:7-14.

I would now like to discuss "tongues", and what the Bible has to say about this subject:First of all, "tongues" is the physical evidence that one has BEEN baptized in the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-4; 10:44-46; 19:2-6). Secondly, "tongues" in the life/walk of the believer, as the result of the baptism in the Holy Spirit, is a "supernatural prayer language". Here are some good scriptures on that:

"Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And He that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God." -(Romans 8:26-27).

"Praying with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit..." -(Eph. 6:18).

So in other words, when we are not sure about exactly the right words to pray in English, we can pray "the perfect prayer according to God's will" when we pray in tongues. IT HELPS US. One can also speak in tongues to "build up his faith":"But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost." -(Jude 20). Did you know.... that THE APOSTLE PAUL spoke in tongues regularly? Yes: "I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all." -(1 Corinthians 14:18). Lastly, there is indeed a "gift of tongues" that is used in A CHURCH SERVICE to edify other believers. This is found in 1 Corinthians 12:7-10,30 and 1 Corinthians 14:12-13,27-28. According to these passages, "tongues" in this sense is one among other supernatural spiritual gifts to be used in that setting, of a gathering together of believers. There is "tongues" and "interpretation" of tongues, and the apostle Paul goes into lengthy detail in those chapters describing how that there should not BE tongues implemented unless they are interpreted in the common language of the people present, so that everyone may clearly understand what "God is saying". The "tongues" can either be interpreted by ANOTHER person (1 Corinthians 14:27-28), or by the one who gave the tongues (see 1 Corinthians 14:5,13). I personally have had the honor of being used in both ways (tongues and ... interpretation of tongues), since being saved and baptized in the Spirit back in 1985, at various churches. I remember the first time it happened: I was in a particular church, worship had just ended, and there was a pause of silence. I felt the tongues (and interpretation) well up in my spirit, and thought I would bust if I did not speak forth. I did NOT, for fear of man and not knowing if that was "just ME" or "of God". Later, after church, I felt real bad for not having spoken up, realizing that it WAS of God. I then apologized to Him and promised that from NOW ON I would obey the leading of His Holy Spirit, regardless of the people, the circumstance, and so forth. At that time also, I made a promise to God... that I would say whatever He wanted me to SAY, do whatever He wanted me to DO, and go wherever He wanted me to GO. He has taken my up on that, countless times, and in a variety of ways!!!!!! (Oh... my goodness! lol, I am sure I have appeared to be quite the curious creature at times to people, and have made quite a few people MAD even! ). The point is, I endeavored to keep my promise, and HAVE, because I love God and want to obey Him. I figure,.. You know something? Certain people may not understand, and think I'm weird; But certain ones did BEFORE I was saved as well, so what's the difference? It is better to please GOD in all things, and let people think what they WANT, for they will anyhow!

I hope this all has been of value to you in seeing God's will on this valuable subject. God bless!