Ye Shall Receive Power Lesson 1

Prior to His crucifixion Jesus told His disciples, that he would have to leave them and return to His Father’s house in glory. The disciples who had lived in close fellowship with Jesus were devastated by this news, and their hearts filled with great sorrow. Jesus told them not to fear as He would not leave them alone, but would send another Comforter, who would dwell with and in them. The Comforter who was to come in the place of Jesus was God the Holy Ghost.

John 14 : 15-18 * If you love me, keep my commandments. * And I will pray to the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever. * Even the Spirit of truth; whom cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye kow him: for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. * I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

John 16 : 6-8 * But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart. * Nevertheless I tell you the truth; it is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. * And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.

After his death and resurrection Jesus fellowshipped with his disciples over a period of 40 days, and proved without shadow of doubt that He was indeed the resurrected Christ.

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The last words Jesus spoke to His disciples before He was taken up into heaven were, “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the promised Holy Spirit”. After The Holy Ghost has came upon you, you shall receive power to be my witnesses.

Acts 1 : 5 * For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.

Acts 1 : 8-12 * But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. * And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. * And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; * Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

After Jesus was received up into Heaven the disciples were left powerless, and could perform no mighty works. The power to continue the works Jesus Himself performed came on the day of Pentecost when they were baptized by the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in other tongues.

Acts 2 : 1-4 * And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. * And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

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* And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. * And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

We do not see tongues of fire rest on believers today. Such a sight has never been seen since the day of Pentecost, when tongues of fire was the divinely chosen, unique method whereby the Holy Ghost signaled His arrival. The entire series of events on the day of Pentecost was unique to that special day, which was a special witness to the Jews who had rejected Jesus as the promised Messiah. Jews had gathered together in Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Pentecost having come from every nation under heaven. They were amazed and confounded when they heard the disciples, ordinary Galileans, speaking in the different languages of the countries from where the Jews had traveled. The religious Jews were ignorant of the fact that the events happening on that day was the fulfillment of Pentecost.

Acts 2 : 6-8 * Now when this was noised abroad, the multiple came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. * And they were all amazed and marveled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galileans? * And now hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?

The Jews were amazed and asked the meaning of this. Others mocked and accused the disciples of being drunken.

Acts 2 : 14-18 * But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:

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* For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. * But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel: * And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. * And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in these days of my Spirit: and they shall prophesy.

When Peter concluded his preaching under the anointing and direction of the indwelling Holy Ghost, approximately 3000 souls were converted from Judaism to Christ. The day of Pentecost was indeed a unique and special day. Afterwards Peter passed by a beggar-man who had been born lame and commanded, “In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk”. And the lame man was miraculously healed. Something had happened to transform Peter!. When Jesus was being tried mocked and scourged prior to His crucifixion this same Peter denied Jesus not once, but three times. Peter had been set free from the fear of man and had receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost; the power and anointing to do the works of Christ upon the earth. God has not changed! The Holy Ghost has not change! He is still anointing His adopted sons with Holy Ghost power and anointing to do the same works as Jesus did, when He was on earth. The tongues spoken on the Day of Pentecost were known languages. The ordinary Galileans with no special linguistic knowledge or ability were heard magnifying God in every known language under heaven. Paul described the tongues spoken on the day of Pentecost in known languages as “other tongues”.

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Acts 2 : 4 * And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

When Paul taught the Corinthians concerning the gift of tongues he spoke of “unknown tongues”, not tongues of known languages. Tongues spoken by the Corinthians and all believers who are baptized with the Holy Ghost since the day of Pentecost are “unknown tongues”.

1 Corinthians 14 : 2-4 * For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the Spirit he speaketh mysteries. * But he that prophesieth speaketh unto me to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. * He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the Chruch.

The manifestation of the gift of tongues is a supernatural utterance by the Holy Ghost in an unknown language, not understood by the mind of the speaker: neither is it understood by hearers. In the Spirit we speak mysteries; things hidden from natural understanding. When we speak in “unknown tongues” our spirit by the miraculous supernatural power of the Holy Ghost communicates directly with God. Another way to put it is, when we speak in tongues the Holy Ghost is supernaturally praying for us in accordance with God’s will. Only God understands the language of His Spirit. When the word of God is rightly divided it can be seen that when individuals responds to God’s grace through hearing the preaching of God’s word, or reading the scriptures and believe the testimony of the crucified resurrected Lord Jesus, their spirit is regenerated by the Holy Ghost; created in righteousness and true holiness. In other

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words our Spirit becomes born again by the indwelling Holy Ghost; we are joined unto the Lord by His indwelling Spirit. We are in Him, and He is in us, our spirit that was dead in trespass and sin is recreated with Christ’s righteousness and made perfectly holy, and can not sin. However our unregenerate flesh continues to have sinful desires because the flesh serves the law of sin. There is a constant battle between the regenerate spirit and the carnal flesh.

John 14 : 20

* At the day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.

The indwelling Holy Ghost slowly but surely leads the individual into truth. He enlightens, guides and teaches us all we need to know through the written word of the living God. The help and guidance of the Holy Spirit is the birthright of all who believe and are born again. Once born of God’s Spirit we receive power to become the sons of God. We become joint heirs with the Lord Jesus Christ, capable of doing the same supernatural miraculous works, as did Jesus when He lived on earth.

John 1 : 10-13 * He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. * He came unto his own, and his own received him not. * But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name. * Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

The new birth is a miraculous act of God’s mercy, grace and unconditional love towards sinners. We are not born gain by natural bloodline; the will of the flesh, or by the will of man. We are miraculously born again by God, though His word. All who are truly born of God’s Spirit have been given the power to

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do the same works done by Jesus; cast out devils, heal all manner of sicknesses and raise the dead. The evidence that you have the power to do the works of Christ is you will speak in unknown tongues.

John 14 : 12-14 * Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. * And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

* And if ye ask anything in my name, I will do it.

The Father is God; Jesus is God; the Holy Ghost is God. These three are all that God is; the undivided three yet the mysterious one. God the Holy Ghost dwells in us, our bodies are temples of the Holy Ghost. Jesus did not limit the working of signs and wonders to 1st century saints, or to a selected few. He said all, who have received Him have been given the power to become son’s of God, and do the works of Christ upon the earth, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

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Ye Shall Receive Power Lesson 2

The Holy Ghost in the form of a dove descended upon Jesus as He rose out of the waters of baptism, signifying that He had the power to perform the mighty supernatural works of the Holy Trinity. We His body has been indwelt with the same Holy Ghost. Jesus commissioned His body; not just the 1st century saints; His body throughout the New Testament church age which includes us in our day to go forth in His name, and give visible proof; undeniable evidence that He is indeed, the living resurrected Christ, who is the same yesterday, today and forever. On the Day of Pentecost tongues of fire descended upon the disciples, signifying that they had received power to perform the mighty supernatural works of Christ. The evidence that this had actually happened was that they spoke in other tongues. All who are born of God’s Spirit are indwelt by God the Holy Ghost. His power is in us, because He lives in us. His power in us is released when we give voice to the Holy Ghost by praying in unknown tongues, or when we pray the prayer of faith with our natural mind and language. On the Day of Pentecost all the believers; not some of them, all 120 believers were filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. The power of God was released as they yielded their voices to God the Holy Ghost who had indwelt them. Speaking in tongues in the scriptural evidence that one has been baptized with the Holy Ghost and received the power to perform miraculous works, that the Father be glorified in the Son. Eight years after Pentecost the Holy Ghost began to fill and baptize Gentiles, who believed the testimony of the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ.

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Acts 10 : 44-48 * While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them, which heard the word. * And they of the circumcision, which believed, were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. * For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, * Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? * And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.

At Ephesus, some twenty-three years after Pentecost the Holy Ghost came on them and they spoke with tongues.

Acts 19 : 1-6 * And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, * He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. * And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism. * Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. * When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. * And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them: and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.

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When Paul came to Ephesus he found twelve people there who professed faith in Jesus, as the promised Messiah. They had probably heard of the miracles performed by Jesus and believed that He was indeed the promised Messiah; but had no knowledge of the fact that Jesus had returned to glory and sent the Holy Ghost to take His place. In ignorance, but with zeal they had been baptized by full immersion into John’s baptism of repentance; they were probably baptized in the name of John. They had heard that all true followers of Christ were baptized by full immersion so they acted in faith; but out of ignorance had been baptized in the name of John. After Paul enlightened them, they came to realize that believer’s baptism signifies and seals one’s union with Jesus, that we are buried with Him in baptism. So identifying with Christ in His death, resurrection and ascension they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. The greatest of all the gifts is, of course, LOVE.

1 Corinthians 13 : 8-10 * Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. * For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. * But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

When perfection comes, when that which is perfect is come, when a new heaven and a new earth has come, and our redemption is completed and we are clothed in immortality there shall be no need for prophecies, tongues, or the gift of wisdom or knowledge. All the gifts shall cease, but love shall endure throughout eternity. When shall we enter into perfection? When the last trumpet sounds and we are TRANSLATED FROM EARTH TO GLORY AND CHANGED; the mortal body will miraculously changed into an immortal body. Then we shall enter into the fullness of our inheritance “in Christ” in the eternal perfect world. Then the gifts shall cease, they shall no longer be needed.

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The Corinthians were not unbelieving concerning the miraculous gifts of the Holy Ghost. On the contrary they were most zealous, but lacked understanding concerning the uses and control of the gifts. Paul had to write a whole chapter on the gift of tongues so that the church service could be run in an orderly fashion. The Corinthian Church were babes “in Christ”; still on milk and full of zeal, but lacking in knowledge. The scriptural use of tongues may be summarized as follows: To speak to God.

1 Corinthians 14 : 2 * For he that speaketh in unkown tongues speaketh not unto men, but unto God:

For prayer.

1 Corinthians 14 : 14 * For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.

For praise.

1 Corinthians 14 : 15 * What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.

For a sign to unbelievers.

1 Corinthians 14 : 22 * Wherefore tongues are for a sing, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not.

I was taken to a mental hospital to pray for a young man some years ago. This young man was intent on taking his life; He had taken many overdoses of drugs, cut his wrists, and even eaten rat-

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poison. He was convinced by the devil that he was no good, and would be better off dead. Satan is a liar! Laying hands on him I rebuked the demons of death and destruction seeking to take this young man into eternal damnation. Bound the demons in the all-powerful name of Jesus Christ and cast them off him. Then I began to pray in tongues. He never before heard anyone praying in unknown tongues he was amazed and asked, “What are you saying?” I told him that I was praying in the miraculous language of the Holy Ghost; the gift of tongues, and opened the Bible and read the scriptures written about the gifts of the Spirit. He said, “As you prayed in that strange language something happened to me, a power went through me, and I know that I will never again attempt to kill myself.” So praise God for the gift of tongues. Let us never underestimate the gracious gift of being able to pray in the power of the Holy Ghost. This is an example of how unknown tongues is a sign to unbelievers. I don’t believe that I would be alive today if I not been able to yield my voice and pray in the power of the Holy Ghost. When I was up in the remote mountains of the Philippines during my first visit I lived as the mountain people lived, drank water straight from the river, ate whatever they put in front of me, slept on bamboo floors, and hiked for hour after hour from mountain village to mountain village in tropical heat.

After a period of living in those conditions I became very weak and tired. I got up from my bamboo floor one morning having had very little sleep the previous night, to face a six hours hike through the mountains to our next destination. I could not go on, in fact I collapsed on to my knees, I did not even have the strength to stand far less face a six hour hike up the side of a mountain. All I can remember is being there on my knees with arms raised toward heaven. The Holy Spirit took my voice and begun to pray and intercede for me. After 30 minutes of prayer and intercession by the Holy Ghost I got up and was completely renewed and strengthened,

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and able to face the hike to the next village with joy in the power of the Holy Ghost. Indeed the Holy Spirit is our helper, enabler, comforter, guide, teacher, and even our intercessor. So let us never underestimate the gracious gift of being able to pray in unknown tongues. This is an example of how “praying in unknown tongues” releases God’s supernatural power into our situation and enables us to do that which is physically impossible.

Zechariah 4 : 6 * Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit.

Imagine what it must have been like in the church at Corinth. All those babes “in Christ” bubbling over with zealous enthusiasm, speaking in tongues all at the same time, prophesying, interpreting the tongues as the Holy Ghost manifested Himself through them, but they were disorderly and lacked knowledge of the uses and control of the gifts in a way which would edify the Church

1 Corinthians 14 : 12 *Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.

1 Corinthians 14 : 6-11 * Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine? * And even things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped? * For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle? * So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? For ye speak into the air.

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* There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification. * Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me.

Paul was teaching the Corinthians that they would learn nothing if he just stood in front of them and spoke in tongues, “because he that speaks in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto man, but unto God”. No one understand what we say when we speak in tongues. To address believers in their Christian assemblies in tongues would be to speak words that have no meaning for them, and would leave the hearers ignorant of what had said. Paul explained that when addressing assemblies in tongues, an interpretation must be prayed for so that everyone can understand and be built up in the faith. Paul thanked God that he spoke with tongues more than them all. He was in no way belittling the gracious gift of tongues; he was merely explaining the proper usage of the gift.

1 Corinthians 14 : 18-20 * I thank my God I speak with tongues more than ye all: * Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue. * Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.

Paul emphasized that in the general assembly it was far better to prophesy than to speak in tongues, because when we speak in tongues no one understands us. When we speak forth a prophecy everyone understands what has been said, and the entire assembly is built up and edified.

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Paul goes on to explain, if you all speak in tongues in a disorderly manner and an unbeliever or someone with no knowledge of tongues comes into the assembly, that person will think you are all mad or crazy. If a visitor comes into the assembly and someone prophesies concerning a hidden truth about that person, the person will be convicted and worship God, and be convinced that God is in the one who prophesied.

1 Corinthians 14 : 23-25 * If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad? * But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all. * And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth.

So having sorted out the confusion Paul explains further, that we can come together for the purpose of prayer, praying with both the understanding; our natural language, and in the power of the Holy Ghost; praying in unknown tongues. In the church assembly it is perfectly fitting to praise God with the natural language and in the language of the Holy Ghost. True worshippers worship in Spirit and in truth in the proper exercising of spiritual gifts.

1 Corinthians 14 : 1-5 * Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy, * For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries. * But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.

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* He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edefieth the church. * I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.

Paul desired that all speak with tongues. On the day of Pentecost all 120 believers were filled and baptized with the Holy Ghost, evidenced by speaking in other tongues. I pray for the sick with my natural mind and language, then I pray in the power of Holy Ghost; speaking in unknown tongues; and believe that God the Holy Ghost is moving by His supernatural power; the kingdom of God is in us. Christ dwells in us by His Spirit. Both the faith and the power needful to heal the sick are released as we pray in the power of the Holy Ghost. Our tongue becomes the channel through which God’s supernatural divine power is released. We live by the faith of the Son of God.

We are anointed with the same Holy Ghost and power, as was the 1st century church. When we pray in tongues God the Holy Ghost prays through our mouths by His own miraculous power. Which is a miracle!. The enemy of the gospel of Christ hates to hear us praying in unknown tongues. Satan has sought to cause great confusion and division over speaking in unknown tongues. He wants us to pray nice repetitive religious prayers that are no threat to his kingdom. The last thing the enemy wants is for us to be praying in the power of the Holy Ghost; praying in unknown tongues, because when we pray in the power of the Holy Ghost Satan and his demons cannot understand what is being said. Only God understands the language of His Spirit. All the enemy knows is that his kingdom is under attack and that he must bow his knee. So let us defy Satan and pray in the power of the Holy Ghost. We need to understand what Paul meant when he said, “He who prophesied was greater than he who spoke in tongues”. He was not saying that one gift was greater than another;

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he was talking about the Chruch situation. It was far better to prophesy, so that the whole church could be built up and edified, than to speak in tongues. When tongues are spoken, only God understood unless there is an interpretation. So Paul was really talking about the Chruch service in which it was better to prophesy so that everyone present would understand. If Paul spoke in tongues for an hour to the congregation no one would understood a word he said; so in that context it is far better to prophesy that to speak in tongues.

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Ye Shall Receive Power Lesson 3

Jude 20 : 21 * But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost. * Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Christ unto eternal life.

How do we pray “in Holy Ghost”? Only by praying in unknown tongues! Praying in tongues is of vital importance in a crisis situation. It is no good begging God to help us in a critical situation. He has equipped us! God the Holy Ghost dwells within us. We have to draw on the ministry of the Holy Ghost and let Him minister comfort and victory to us.

1 Corinthians 14 : 2 & 4 * For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries. * He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.

Edify; to build up and promote spiritual growth. Whenever you fell discouraged, depressed or in despair, take authority over the oppressing spirits in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and pray in the Holy Ghost. Let God the Holy Ghost who dwells within fight the battle for you. One of the ministries of the Holy Ghost is to edify the individual, build us up, fight the battle for us, and promote spiritual growth. The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God, to the pulling down of strongholds.

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2 Corinthians 10 : 4-6 * (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds;) * Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. * And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

We are in a spiritual battle; therefore our weapons must be spiritual weapons. The word of God is our sword. We have been given the power of attorney to use the Name of Jesus Christ to execute power over the works of darkness. We have God the Holy Ghost abiding within us, who releases His power and anointing into the situation, as we give voice to God praying in unknown tongues. The Holy Ghost is our comforter not our afflictor. He wants to “build us up”, and fights our battles for us. However He can only do this when we allow Him to be our intercessor. God the Holy Ghost is our comforter, our guide, our teacher and intercessor. Pray in unknown tongues, no doubt, no wavering; pray in faith, knowing that God in you is praying through you, and for you! As you yield to the ministry of the Holy Ghost He will enable you to walk in the victory that the Father be glorified in the Lord Jesus Christ. If you doubt your tongues you will offend the Holy Ghost, and He will refuse to work with you demonstrating His supernatural power. Only FAITH pleases God! When we pray in tongues our minds are unfruitful, we do not understand what we are saying. Because the carnal mind does not understand this unknown language, the carnal mind rejects tongues. Nevertheless we must not allow either the natural carnal mind or the devil to stop us praying in unknown tongues. It must be a matter of faith, knowing that our spirit which has been regenerated by the Holy Ghost, is praying in the power of God the Holy Ghost releasing His power into the situation, to work on our behalf.

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Paul received revelation knowledge directly from God, because he “spoke in tongues more than them all”. To walk in power and demonstration of the Holy Ghost, we must spend time praying in the language of the Holy Ghost. There are some who teach to the effect. “If you don’t speak in tongues, you can’t be saved”. Such teaching is biblically incorrect, and causes one to walk away from the gospel of grace through faith alone, back into a false gospel of works, what you have to do in order to be saved. Paul said, “I wish that ye all spoke in tongues”. I believe that the gift of tongues is available to every born again believer, but it has to be desired and received by faith. God has no favorites and He does not take bribes. Every gift given by God must be received by faith. Righteousness is the free gift of God, but who can believe they are accepted by God as righteous, when sin is still present with them. Physical healing is the free gift of God, but who can believe they are healed when symptoms and pain assailing them. Prosperity is the free gift of God, but who can believe they are prospering when funds are at an all time low. Eternal life is the free gift of God, but who can believe that they will live forever when people are dying daily. Who can believe that speaking in unknown tongues; speaking in a language your brain does not understand, can release the supernatural miraculous power of Almighty God into your situation. We have all; that is, all who have been born again, been commanded to obey the Great Commission; preach the gospel, baptize converts by full immersion, cast out devils, speak in tongues, lay hands on the sick “and they shall recover”.

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Read Acts 2:1-3, the entrance of the Holy Ghost was heard as “the sound of a mighty rushing wind”. The Jews came out into the streets to find out what was happening. They were all amazed and said, “What is the meaning of this?”

Acts 2 : 12 * And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?

The Holy Ghost was not only heard on the Day of Pentecost, He was seen. Tongues of fire were seen to rest on all who were gathered in the upper room. When we are born again the Holy Ghost comes in us to abide with us forever. We are sealed with the Holy Ghost until the day of redemption. The Holy Ghost is our passport home to glory, regardless of whether one can speak in tongues. Speaking in tongues is not evidence of being born again. Speaking in tongues is evidence that the individual has been given supernatural power, to work the works of Christ.

Luke 24 : 49 * And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.

Jesus said, “The Holy Ghost will come upon you and you will be endued with spiritual power from on high”. Endued; to be clothed with supernatural power; like putting on a coat. When we are born again the Holy Ghost comes in us to abide forever. He also comes upon us and clothes us with supernatural power, which enables us to fulfill the great commission. The evidence that you have been endued with power is, that you speak in unknown tongues. This experience is known as “the baptism of the Holy Ghost”. A person can be born again but not truly desire the second blessing. The baptism of the Holy Ghost is given to those who honestly desire to be used of God, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

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