The Opposite of Quenching . . I remember. There was an old song we used to sing back when our churches were still small and growing. We loved it. Give me that ole time religion . . . its good enough for me. There were several verses to the song and we would sing each one with enthusiasm: It was good for Paul and Silas . . It will do when I am dying . . It will take us all to heaven. Some will remember. But there was one verse that we often saved for last and it went something like this: Makes me love everybody, makes me love everybody, makes me love everybody, its good enough for me. As we started that line, we began to turn to one another and greet one another, shaking hands and hugging each others necks. And without fail, the Holy Ghost would fall. It spread all over the house; the power of God would fall on people and they would begin to shout and dance and cry and talk in tongues. My, oh my. As a little boy growing up, I just loved it. To me, it was one of the most special times we had. Did you know, people who love each other, weep together. There is nothing like weeping and rejoicing at the same time. You see, we yielded to the Holy Ghost. The Spirit was allowed to move among us as He willed and we opened our arms to it and let the Spirit move through us to one another. Is it not true, that yielding to the Spirit, was one of the first things we were taught to do. Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. I dont know what direction some have gone in; but its not our original teaching. The idea that one person might attempt to control everything that went on in any given service, wasnt even considered. There was a lot of Holy Ghost around in those days; Im not about to say that the Spirit is not moving in many places now. The Spirit always moves when people are hungry and yield to Him. Ive watched the Spirit throughout the years, move around some people who were in the way, and bless and minister to those who needed it; in spite of. One of the first things we were taught about the Holy Ghost, was that verse: Now the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things. And He did. Because He was allowed to do so. None of us were experts; none of us were schooled in fine arts and we had not yet majored in drama and high tech services. I am a witness, that God called men and women out of the woods to preach the gospel and build churches in this country. The freedom of the Spirit was a precious thing. Why do you think people were so excited that had come out of other denominational churches where they were not taught or allowed such freedom. Beholding the many different ways the Spirit moved was one of the most precious and priceless things we had; it was awesome. It was the reason some people came, who were not even interested in church. It was the unrestricted power of God that sent people running to the altars and falling out in the Spirit; thats what changed lives; not us and not our program. Slowly, somehow, the words, take your liberty were heard; less and less. I hope I havent gotten off track here but this is what we call, the liberty to follow what the Spirit is leading you to say. I honestly believe, many of us had much more respect for the Holy Ghost in days gone by; a reverent fear or respect for getting in the way of the Holy Spirit of God. Every person who could read or have someone read to them, knew the story of two people who lied to the Holy Ghost and tried to suppress or misconstrue what the Spirit had in mind for the church of that hour. I have to close this but one more thing must be said. Having someone in leadership sitting on the platform who knew how to yield to the moving of the Holy Ghost and gave their people freedom to do the same, meant the difference between revival, and just ordinary services, without direction. Not having freedom, has cost us our true joy.
Posted on: Sat, 15 Mar 2014 09:03:44 +0000
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