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Baptism of the Holy Spirit & the A Team
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I received the baptism of the Holy Spirit when I was 14 at a youth weekend retreat my church held. I remember sitting in the pew as the speaker was preaching while a stirring began in my spirit and I could not control it. I was so excited to get up and worship and when they had an altar call I just went running. I remember we were singing and praising and I just started yelling “I want more Jesus!” over and over and then all of a sudden as if someone was pouring a bucket of something I felt filled from head to toe and my body began shaking and my words changed to tongues. I had never spoken in tongues before and I could not stop speaking this way for like an hour and my body kept uncontrollably shaking as tears streamed down my face. I felt so close to God in that moment and from there my life and how I pursued Jesus had a radical change.
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Although I grew up in Pentecostal churches and became a Christian at the age of 8, it wasn't until I was 12 years old that I first became aware of the teaching of the "The Baptism of the Holy Spirit." I was curious about this and for several months, I and my grandfather would sit together and look at Scripture and talk about it. That summer, I went to Bible Camp and there was an "ACTS CHAPTER 2" night with preaching and then an invitation to come forward to "the altar" for prayer for the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. I was super shy at that age (you probably would not have found anyone more shy than I was), but I knew that when the invitation was given that I had to go forward. It was a big camp "tabernacle" and there were a lot of people who went to the front. One of the Scriptures that was read said that if you asked God for a fish, He would not give you a stone and if you asked him for bread, He would not give you a scorpion. God knew how to give good gifts to those who asked Him. Faith was rising in my heart. I asked, "What should I do?" "Just raise your hands and start praising God," was the answer. So, that's what I did. Some time passed and I became aware that there was a move of the Spirit of God in the building and many were speaking in tongues. But nothing was happening to me. I continued praising God. More time passed…until the "tabernacle " was completely empty except for me and two little old ladies who were praying with me. It was probably after 8:30pm in the evening (or even later) and everyone else had gone to the campfire. One of the ladies said, "Sweetheart, God really does love you so much and…well…maybe this is not your night. There will be other opportunities." I answered, "I understand if you want to go. But, I am not going. I am staying right here." The two women looked at each other and realized I was very serious. So, they stayed with me. I kept praising God and they kept praying for me. Another 20 minutes or half hour passed and they repeated the same words to me and I answered the same way: "If you want to go, that's OK. But, I am not leaving. I am staying right here." So, they stayed with me and we kept praying and praising God…another 20 minutes passed and then…."SUDDENLY"…an overwhelming outpouring of the Holy Spirit came from heaven—the grace and love of God. The joy of the Lord. Tears were pouring down my face and I was speaking in another tongue with trembling hands and body. The women began to praise God, "Hallelujah!! Thank you, Jesus." For me, the sensation was like the scene with Elijah and the fire sent from heaven. My heart was awestruck, "The LORD, He is God. The LORD, He is God…"
Of course, speaking in tongues continues to be an essential and vital part of my spiritual life to the present day.
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I received the baptism of the Holy Spirit during the Charismatic Movement in the 1970s. I was working on a car and praising the Lord and I experienced such joy and peace and spontaneously I was praying and praising the Lord in tongues. The baptism in the Holy Spirit changed my life and destiny. I am convinced that being baptized with the HolySpirit has sustained me In the difficult times I have had.
Chuck O
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