Final: Advanced Understanding of Spirit...Steps to be filled with Holy Spirit

Randall Q. Lawrence
Faith Bible College
Understanding the Spirit,
Sickness & Demonic Power
Dr. Nick
12/13/2010

Final: Steps to be filled with the Holy Spirit

I wanted to take this topic because of my experience this year on Palm Sunday, March 28 in Excelsior Springs. As an RN (Registered Nurse), I noticed Elder Larry (Quinter) having problems following the church service. His color was rather pasty, had weakness, and was complaining of his chest and heart. Ellie, his wife, was very concerned. Dr. Nick was there along with Dr. Esperanza, and I believe Dr. Eva. I remember Dr. Nick instructing everyone to begin to pray in their prayer language. I did not have one, and so I prayed in English. This spirit of MI (myocardial infarction-heart attack) or another heart issue was not breaking off so Dr. Nick instructed Larry to begin to pray in his prayer tongue. It (the demonic spirit) then broke off as his normal color and breathing returned. I was amazed and realized these persons will “fight for you” when the devil and demons try to get you. After I left from Larry, I saw my friend, Peggy, being prayed over by Missionary Julie Nash and Dr. Esperanza (?) for her prayer language. I went back to be with them, and Julie looked at me looking at Peggy and realized that I desired my prayer language also. It opened up to me and Peggy both that day. I had felt impotent (in not having a prayer language) with prayer over Larry. I had discussions with Ben, my instructor in Bible Prophecy II, over prayer language—“It’s there….” was prophetic word of knowledge that he had given me. Since Palm Sunday, Peggy and I have both deepened the use of prayer language/tongues in our lives and have used it over and over.

I bring up this experience because I think it helps to have a personal experience to look at as far as guidelines for being filled with the Holy Spirit. The Book of Acts gives some guidelines, but all the experiences of a mighty move of the Holy Ghost are not all the same, but there are certain parallels to these Spirit-filled experiences. Jesus Christ had instructed the disciples to “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall opened to you:” (Matthew 7:7)

Let us use this scripture to come up with guidelines or conditions in order to be filled with the Holy Spirit. The “asking” would be the prayer and waiting on the Lord—well-illustrated in Pentecost with the disciples waiting on the promise of the Father and prophecy and instruction of Jesus (Acts 2). The “seeking” would be in seeking to be filled with the Holy Spirit and in seeking persons (ones filled with Holy Spirit, speak in tongues or prayer language, anointed of God)—Peter and John with Samaritans (Acts 8:17) and Paul with the Ephesians (Acts 19:6). The “knocking” would be conditions like inspired, Spirit-filled preaching (the Word of the Lord), laying on of hands by anointed and Spirit-filled ministers—Ananias with Paul (Acts 9:17), Paul in Ephesus. Another condition necessary for the filling of the Holy Spirit would also include deliverance (p. 42, #27 text).

I may by wrong, but I do not see a clear pattern of “1, 2, 3” or “A, B, C” steps for the “filling of the Holy Spirit”. I do see a number of conditions necessary for a move of the Holy Spirit—deliverance, unity, focus on prayer, seeking no matter what it takes. The Holy Spirit, God and Christ are very creative with their bestowal of Gifts of the Spirit. In the Book of Acts, this “filling of the Holy Spirit” came both prior and after water baptism (see Acts 10:44-48). It came with tongues and prayer language. These conditions were met with Peggy and me receiving our prayer tongues in March earlier this year.

Note: These conditions were also met with Charles Parham and Agnes Ozman for the beginning of the Pentecostal movement in 1900. The only condition that was not met was to have tongue-speaking believers praying over Ms. Ozman. She, her fellow students, and Charles Parham were all asking and praying, seeking an answer to tongues as a manifestation of baptism of the Holy Spirit, and knocking on Heaven to get an answer with prayer and not giving up. This later would lead to the Azusa Street revival through Parham and William Seymour, student under Parham in Houston, TX.