Baptism of the Holy Spirit & the A Team

[Anna]

My experience with the Holy Spirit started in an AGC church in Eastern Ontario. My husband and I were attending a small group Bible study with 3 other couples when a lady from a Pentecostal church came to our church and to our small group. We learned about speaking in tongues, but also about prophecy, words of wisdom and knowledge and about discerning of spirits. I was overjoyed at the idea that God would still want to pour out His gifts onto us and I desperately prayed for the baptism of the Holy Spirit one night. But nothing happened. It wasn’t until a few days later, as I sat in my car, parked on the side of the road in front of the elementary school in which our church met, that I felt that I could try speaking in tongues. And it just happened that words came out of my mouth that I didn’t understand but felt like it was something good. At the next small group meeting, one of the ladies told me to make sure that the gift was for real and sure enough, at prayer time, I started speaking in tongues again. But that wasn’t all. Our prayer times became much more exciting! The Holy Spirit gave me visions, and pictures so vivid they seemed more real than real. The enemy launched a full on attack on me, and on my friends over the course of the next few years. In that time I learned to rely on the Holy on Spirit for help, strength, wisdom, and discernment. Not to say that I didn’t struggle, but God, through the Holy Spirit, brought me through all of it. Thank You Jesus for the precious gift of the Holy Spirit! Amen!

[Zach]

I had learned about the baptism through some books my grandma had given me, written by a rather forceful preacher who insisted that the manifestation could only occur in the manner he described. As I sought the baptism for months, one day a friend of mine laid hands on me and prayed. Nothing happened, but as I walked away strange syllables of another came to mind. I dared to utter them as I walked down the road, and as I did incredible joy broke out and I laughed my way down the street babbling in tongues. Later however, I successfully talked myself out the experience, believing it did not represent a full or proper measure, as it had not happened the way I had been instructed it would. I went on a foolish mission of seeking for months, including a 3000km pilgrimage, only to discover I had already received what I was after. When I rested in that, tongues became a very important part of my faith, and a marked increase in love and power were present in my life.

[Jaylen]

I only have one small experience to draw from as far as speaking in tongues. But other than that I’ve chosen to blabber around during prayer and I assume that I’m praying in tongues. It doesn’t necessarily feel fake, but it doesn’t feel incredibly real either.
I’m not sure where I stand as to whether or not tongues will be given to everyone, but I believe that it can be. Maybe sometimes it’s people’s choice as to why God hasn’t given it to them, and sometimes it’s God’s timing. But I think a lot of times certain people never end up receiving the gift for reasons that we won’t be able to confirm. Ultimately, I think God works in us just as effectively regardless of whether or not we can speak in tongues.

[Kimberly]

I personally have not been baptized in the Holy Spirit.. YET. I did not grow up Pentecostal, and so it was never really highlighted for me until recently. I have asked to be baptized by the Holy Spirit and am excited for it to happen in God’s timing.