When were you filled with the Holy Spirit?

[rjdudley55]

ok, so i'm the old guy here: 1978 in Wichita, Ks!! So that's 30 yrs ago. Longer than most of the folks posting here have been alive it appears!

 

[A Brother In Christ]

I know several ppl praying to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Maybe we can boost faith by talking about our experiences.

I'll go first.

In Dec. of 1993, I was at Discipleship Camp in Turner Falls, OK, praying one night after the service for about an hour.

Finally, I began to murmur some words God had given me in my spirit. Man, was I afraid it was just me. By faith, this became my new prayer language. I was 16 years old.

I love praying in tongues. Can you imagine? God praying through you? Nuts.

romans 8:27....

Being place into Christ is when the Holy Spirit and the Father started to live in my spirit..... I do not really now exactly when this happened

but does it matter

when I live the christian way of life eph 5:18 ... walking in the truth 3 jn 3-4 is a moment by moment experience

Key to doing this ...

Count by nature... dead romans 6
alive to Christ ... 1 cor 7:20-24.. next level Lordship... romans 12:1-2
Then focusing on the grace in Christ said about us... eph 1:3
when one focus on their position in Christ ... they get the power from this focus... "2 tim 2:1 impowered by the grace in Christ "

this is the fruit from the spirit.... gal 5:22-23

 

[the.Sheepdog]

I was prayed over by an AG pastor to receive but guess I was too dumb to get it. I just looked at him and said "I'm open but I wont fake it!" He kind of laughed and moved away.

Maybe y'all want to take me as a science project and pray for me?

 

[You Reign]

My story is kind of short, I was raised as a Christian, left the church and the Lord. At the start of this year I returned to the Lord and have been blessed with an amazing church. This Sunday just past, they were doing Baptisms of the Holy Spirit and water Baptisms as well, I've already been water baptized and my friend said to me once they made the announcement "are you going to do it?", pretty much straight away, I said yes and went up. I had no idea what was going to happen but I was prayed for and I said a prayer that pretty much asked the Lord to fill me with the Holy Spirit. They then started praying in tongues and told us to join in when we felt it was right, all the while I'm trying to figure out what praying in tongues is and how I do it, my mind was racing and I just couldn't do it, I felt so bad, like I couldn't properly open up to God. Anyway the next day, I was praying for the Lord to show me what I was doing wrong and then it came out, I just started praising God and thanking Him for this amazing gift. So that's how it worked for me. Hope that helps someone... Sorry for babbling.
God Bless

 

[You Reign]

My story is kind of short, I was raised as a Christian, left the church and the Lord. At the start of this year I returned to the Lord and have been blessed with an amazing church. This Sunday just past, they were doing Baptisms of the Holy Spirit and water Baptisms as well, I've already been water baptized and my friend said to me once they made the announcement "are you going to do it?", pretty much straight away, I said yes and went up. I had no idea what was going to happen but I was prayed for and I said a prayer that pretty much asked the Lord to fill me with the Holy Spirit. They then started praying in tongues and told us to join in when we felt it was right, all the while I'm trying to figure out what praying in tongues is and how I do it, my mind was racing and I just couldn't do it, I felt so bad, like I couldn't properly open up to God. Anyway the next day, I was praying for the Lord to show me what I was doing wrong and then it came out, I just started praising God and thanking Him for this amazing gift. So that's how it worked for me. Hope that helps someone... Sorry for babbling.
God Bless

 

[You Reign]

Sorry for the double post, I'm still a forum newbie

 

[quietbloke]

Thanks friends for sharing your experiences on ' When were you filled with the Holy Spirit?'
Here's my experience!
I was saved as a young lad of 14 years of age in a Pentecostal Church in the UK,after Sunday School and Bible Class in a more formal church. It was'nt long before my fellow young people were asking me if I had received the 'Baptism (infilling) of the Holy Spirit'. I knew nothing about it and said 'is'nt that something that happens when you are born again?' The answer was that the Holy Spirit indeed did come into my life when I became a Christian,but 'being filled with the Holy Spirit' is a subsequent experience that every believer is privileged to enjoy and benefit from. I searched the scriptures and saw that it is so.

'We're having a 'waiting meeting' in the church soon. Would you like us to pray for you?' I said 'yes!' We were all prayed for,but all I did was wait! I did'nt excercise my faith to believe for it. I sat there and did'nt even open my mouth to praise the LORD. Little wonder I was not filled!

We went to the General Conference and again I was invited to a 'Receiving Meeting,' where a Minister was praying for people to receive the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. I dressed up in my best suit and made sure I was there early! As the meeting started a young man rushed in and sat next to me. He was dressed in a pair of swimming trunks that were still wet from the swimming pool. When we were prayed for he started speaking in a different language and was having a great time praising the LORD. When I was prayed for, nothing happened. Looking back I can see that it was because I was too sophisticated and caught up in my respectability,for God to bless me in the same way.

A few weeks later a friend asked me if I would like to pray with him and as we did so He encouraged me to receive. We were both praying and praising and as I did so I felt the power of the Holy Spirit within me and started speaking in a language that I had never been taught. The more I was filled the more I praised and went on being filled. It made a tremendous difference to me in my worship and witness. My whole life was filled more with God. We are told in the N.T to 'keep on being filled!' So it is an ongoing experience that helps us and others.

 

[JayJay77]

Stormdancer, it's a little of both, I believe. The Holy Spirit won't force anything IMHO.

RJDuddley, I was a year old in 1978! Lol! So, filled ever since?

the.Sheepdog, don't worry. Preachers aren't perfect. You know, just because someone isn't filled with the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues doesn't make them a better candidate for heaven. Just be you. That's who God created anyhow. Good post.

You Reign, apology NOT accepted! Loved to hear your babble! Good testimony.

Quietbloke, good to see you! Sweet word. So, do you wear swimming trunks to church now? Lol!

God is awesome! You guys rock!

 

[the.Sheepdog]

Thanks JayJay. I think I was maybe too proud or bound up or worried about not knowing what to do or what was expected of me. I seem to always require information way ahead of what I really need. Something from my background I think. First born of an abusive alcoholic I guess. Im older now and accept that I dont have to know everything. I still hope for that filling one day!

 

[You Reign]

no JayJay, YOU rock!

 

[the.Sheepdog]

no JayJay, YOU rock!

he is quite Nice isnt he? What he said!

 

[rjdudley55]

Over and over, dude! Sometimes more than others, but, continually in the stream!

 

[peacechild4]

To all who have not received.. this gift is for you!!

All things whatsoeveer you ask in prayer.. believing you shall receive!! Mathew 21:22

As I read through even one of the posts..

The line from the song of Amazing Grace came to me..

The hour you first you believed!!

Brothers and Sisters.. just believe and you will receive!! Halleujah.. Glory to God!!!!

 

[peacechild4]

I don't actually know when in my SPIRIT I started to understand.. because that is all it is.. our understanding needs enlightning.. God has already given us every spiritual gift in the heavenlies when we are in the light as He is in the light!!

One day while praying at home.. privately.. out loud as I love too and prefer to pray.. I just started to speak in tongues..

But you know I truly do see that it is when I believed that all the fullness of God started to be mine!!

I remember reading the simplest of scriptures.. if one can call them simple..

John 3:16
For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son.. that whoever believes on him.. shall not perish but have everlasting life..

I had read that and knew that off by heart.. but yet it was word believed that struck me.. stuck out and I realised I had known about God for many years.. but I hadn't believed it because I wasn't living from the knowledge of what God actually said.. The Spirit of God is confirming that to me now.. bringing to my mind.. my people perish for lack of knowledge..

Also the words eternal life.. you know.. eternal isn't time based.. It doesn't start just because we believe.. it is another realm and when we believe we step into that realm.. we are truly born again!!

I didn't move in that realm of faith or understanding as some I knew did.. I wasn't excited about God or wanting to share my faith.. or could say I really felt God or had the joy of the LORD.. etc

But when I just started to see.. that it wasn't about me doing anything.. it was about me having faith in God and who HE was and then living it out.. That is when I was actually being a believer.. I wanted to search for HIM and learn about HIM.. and I suddenly couldn't get enough of HIM and who He was.. The door suddenly swung open.. and I saw the light and I wanted too and did step in to have fellowship with GOD!!

THEN.. I became aware of who GOD is and saw that He was truth and goodness and life and health and so much more... and my heart opened up.. and my eyes saw and my ears heard... and it has not stopped since..

I wasn't just being filled by Gods Holy Spirit I was in the light and it is penetrating my whole being but only if I stay in the light does this happen..

I truly believe that the signs now follow me as I stay in the light as He is in the light.. My understanding is being enlightened.. not by me doing anything so special.. but just believing and having faith in GOD!!

 

[peacechild4]

The tongues experience.. LOL.. from a long winded aussie.. LOL..

Was simply amazing.. I was baptised at home and just during a quiet normal prayer time.. as I wrote.. and for a day and a half only hours after it first happened..
I was praying loudly.. LOL.. every twenty minutes or so.. but it was intense and when the feeling came on me I had to do so..

I had to literally go into my room and shut the door.. my kids would have freaked.. I was shaking violently.. and it was literally pouring out of me from deep inside.. I was crying.. praising.. prostrate and I had never ever prayed that way before.. It would have been embarrasing for others to see me like this but I didn't care.. I just had to pray this way.. nothing.. nothing.. nothing I had ever seen or felt was like this and it has never happened that way again since..

I truly don't know what happened even to this day.. but it was out of this world.. At the time anytime if I picked up a bible and saw the word JESUS or blood or God.. in the pages I was back in my room.. Crying.. praising.. tongues pouring out of me and shaking.. I don't know what my children were doing in those few days but it just happened for that time and even through the night in my sleep I had to get up and go somewhere quietly and let it out to God..
I know one of my daughters heard me praying like that and was scared.. LOL.. but they are used to hearing it now.. I pray in tongues around the house sometimes..

GOD gave this to me and I feel so privelleged.. amongst many who did not believe which gives me goose bumps.. also my church did not move in this and still do not openly talk about it ((YET)).. My pastor whom I told although listening.. well he just hasn't got their yet!!

Since this happened.. I have heard of quite a few who now do from our church.. so the SPIRIT of God is moving Halleujah.. and my 10 year old son has spoken in tongues too.. not so very long ago although he is still very skeptical about it saying he faked it.. but you know he didn't because I know he really really spoke in tongues and my hubby who is not yet a believer heard it too and said.. OH no.. another fanatic in the family.. Praise the LORD!!

 

[You Reign]

Hurrah for long winded aussies.

 

[JayJay77]

peacechild, thanks for the encouragements! I love hearing testimonies.

Revelation 12:11, "They overcame [the accuser] by the blood of the Lamb and by the WORD of their TESTIMONY!"

 

[JayJay77]

Again, just keeping this at the top of the list. Somebody else, share on!

 

[everhopeful]

January 7, 1993.