Why Speak In Tongues -- Dr. J. Rodman Williams

Dr. J. Rodman Williams was an influential theologian in the Protestant wing of the charismatic renewal.  This article was originally published in New Covenant in 1978, but is still relevant for us today as we celebrate Pentecost in 2010!  Let’s use the Spirit’s gift to worship our Lord! This article is reprinted with permission from New Covenant magazine from 1978

Not too long after my first experience of speaking in tongues, a colleague told me: "I don't deny that such a phenomenon exists, but actually I see no reason for it, no value in it." In other words, why should one want to speak in tongues?

Behind this question, I am convinced, is a failure to comprehend the essential nature of speaking in tongues, which is transcendent praise of God. Speaking in tongues, or glossolalia, is an expression of praise which breaks through the usual limitations of a person^'s native tongue to a higher realm of praise, blessing, adoration, and thanksgiving. It goes beyond the most elevated earthly expressions, even "Hallelujahs" or ^"Hosannas.^" To put it directly: it is the praise of God in language given by the Holy Spirit.

A GIFT OF PRAISE If such transcendent praise were possible, who wouldn't want to share in it? Who wouldn't want to transcend the limits of earthly language in the high praises of God? Why speak in tongues? The answer is not far: it is the vehicle of praise par excellence for glorifying and extolling God. If there is little desire to praise God, then tongues are of little significance; but if the worship, the praise, the adoration of almighty God is the chief concern of a person's life, then tongues have unlimited value as a supernatural avenue of that transcendent praise.

The praise of God should also sound forth as fully as possible in the native speech of man. The mother tongue-whether English, French, German, or something else is so much a part of one's whole being that it is the most natural vehicle of worship. Hence there are hymns, anthems, and prayers which, whether sung litur­gically or spontaneously, declare the glory of God in the language of man. However, there comes, or may come, a moment when natural speech is left behind and one expresses the extraordinary praise of God in the language of the Spirit.

A word from personal experience may be helpful. At one time, I could see no value in the gift of tongues. Indeed, the whole matter was a bit repugnant to my sensibilities. However there came a time when all this suddenly changed.

One day, while I was saying the opening words of Psalm 103, "Bless the Lord, 0 my soul; and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the Lord, 0 my soul, and forget not all his benefits," I ex­perienced a sudden desire to praise God with "all within me," to break forth in heavenly blessing. Then came the gift of a new tongue, a spiritual language—an unexpected, even shocking event.

Though new to me, tongues is not a new phenomenon. For example, there's a long history in the church of what many have called "jubilation." To jubilate is to go be­yond ordinary speech to a form of praise that even the most expressive words cannot articulate. St. Augustine wrote about jubilation in his commentary on the Psalms: "If you cannot express your joy, jubilate: jubilation expresses your joy . . .; it cannot be a silent joy." St. Thomas Aquinas, also in a commentary on the Psalms, wrote: "Jubilation is an unspeakable joy, which one cannot keep silent; yet neither can it be expressed (in words) . . . it is beyond comprehension^" (quoted in Sounds of Wonder, by Eddie Ensley, pages 8 and 53).

Jubilation has often been experienced as transcendent joy or transcendent praise. Though jubilation may not be synonymous with glossolalia, since the emphasis is on wordless vocal praise rather than praise in a new language, the connection is quite close. Each is motivated by the same intense yearning: to express the in­expressible—thus to go beyond ordinary speech to the realm of transcendent praise.

OUR TONGUES: GIVEN TO GOD Speaking in tongues can be understood only against the background of a total yielding to God. This is not just a yielding to tongues, as is sometimes said, but a yielding to God in which everything, including the tongue, becomes the avenue of God's presence and power. The apostle Paul urges us to present our "bodies as a living sacrifice" (Romans 12:1). In other words, our total sel^ves should be completely given to God.

Surely there is no part of the body that causes more havoc than the tongue. James wrote, "The tongue is an unrighteous world among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the cycle of nature, and set on fire by hell. . . with it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse men^" (James 3:6, 9). How essential the surrender of the tongue, how urgent its purification! And how marvelous that God grants a new tongue to "bless the Lord and Father^"! But, to repeat, the basic matter is the surrender of everything to God.

LANGUAGE OF THE SPIRIT In yielding the total self—body, soul, and spirit—to God, the Spirit of God is able to take full control. This is what the Scriptures refer to as being "filled with the Holy Spirit.^" On the day of Pentecost the disciples ^"were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance" (Acts 2:4). The basic matter involved God filling them with the Holy Spirit, out of which came speech in other tongues. Their speech, so full of joy that many observers thought they were "filled with new wine," took the form of transcendent praise. Truly they were filled with new wine; but it was wine of the Spirit, not of the grape.

When the Spirit of God fills a person, the deepest level of his being, namely his spirit, has been penetrated and pervaded by the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God may have already been at work within, but this is a further visitation in which the Spirit takes inward control. This does not mean domination but freely given control, through which the Holy Spirit now functions without hindrance from the human spirit. Thus, when speech occurs, its form may not be rational but spiritual. Though spoken by man, it is a spiritual language, one which the Holy Spirit provides. The conscious mind is no longer the controlling center as in conceptual speech. Neither is the speech formed by the subconscious mind as in highly emotional ecstatic utterance. Rather, the Holy Spirit, moving upon the human spirit, brings forth utterance which is neither conceptual nor ecstatic. It is the language of the Holy Spirit spoken through the speech organs of man.

When a person is baptized in the Holy Spirit, speak­ing in tongues is a normal occurrence; normal, yet super-natural and belonging to the realm of signs and wonders. Of course there may also be rational speech in prayer, though penetrated by fresh spiritual content, since the Holy Spirit moves through all levels of the spiritual and mental. An alternation between spiritual and natural language provides mutual enrichment. But my basic point is that speaking in tongues, while miraculous, is a normal aspect of being filled with the Spirit of God.

OPPORTUNITY OR OBLIGATION? The question is sometimes asked: Must a person speak in tongues when he or she is baptized in the Spirit? The question, incidentally, usually expresses some fear or disquiet about the possibility. The answer is not that he must, but that he may! If a person is filled with the Holy Spirit, a new and wonderful thing can happen. The Holy Spirit will never force his way, but a new, even supernatural, possibility is now given. The Spirit, if allowed free access to the organs of speech, will bring forth a new and spiritual language.

Some people are so flooded with the reality of God's presence when they are baptized in the Spirit that they can scarcely contain themselves; thus speaking in tongues occurs quickly. Others, filled with the same Spirit, may, through fear, uncertainty, or self consciousness, hold things-in check, and thus do not immediately speak in tongues. However, the possibility is now present, and with the proper conditions and a willingness to venture forth, they will soon be speaking a new language of the Spirit.

This is not always easy. There is so much resistance to the whole matter of speaking in tongues—as being irrational, hyper-emotional, even a bit shameful—that it takes some courage for many to even contemplate it. Furthermore, when a person speaks in tongues he often burns his bridges behind him. That is, he or she may be labeled a "tongue-speaker," with all the negative associ­ations. Reputation, respect, or position may be for­feited. Therefore it is not easy for some to take the step. But what seems to be folly in the sight of men is wisdom in the eyes of God. When the gift of tongues becomes a normal part of Christian life, it is easier to recognize God^'s wisdom in presenting this gift to his children.

A RICHER LIFE In addition to the overall benefit of providing a vehicle for transcendent praise, there are several ways that speak­ing in tongues enriches the Christian life.

The gift of tongues is an audible reminder of the activity of the Holy Spirit. Whether speaking in tongues begins with only a few syllables or with a complex new language, the person who receives this gift experiences a growing sense of awe that God is present through the Holy Spirit. This new language, which the person knows he or she did not just conjure up, is a reminder of God's power and presence.

Singing in tongues adds a new dimension to cor­porate worship. The apostle Paul encourages the use of "psalms and hymns and spiritual songs" (Col. 3:16). While "psalms and hymns" doubtless refers to known and frequently used musical expressions, "spiritual songs" probably refers to songs with words and melodies spontaneously given by the Holy Spirit. The Jerusalem Bible footnote to this verse says, "These `inspired songs' could be charismatic improvisations suggested by the Spirit during liturgical assembly."

It is hard to overestimate the value of tongues in daily prayer. Some find it helpful to begin their prayer time by praying in tongues. These prayers of the Holy Spirit provide a rich background for the prayers of the mind that follow. The words of Paul are indeed true: "He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself" (1 Cor. 14:4); and the words of Jude present a continuing chal­lenge: "Beloved, build yourselves up on your most holy faith; pray in the Holy Spirit" (Jude 20).

Speaking in tongues often proves to be the door-way into a deeper experience of the other gifts of the Spirit. Since tongues are such an extraordinary avenue of prayer and praise, many persons soon find themselves moving more freely in the realm of other gifts of the Holy Spirit. It is not at all unusual to experience prophecy, healings, miracles, and other gifts of the Spirit after receiving the gift of tongues. Tongues function as the key that turns the lock of the door which leads into the whole realm of God's extraordinary workings.

The simple fact that tongues are a gift of the Holy Spirit means that the gift is not insignificant, and cer­tainly should not be despised. Since this prayer language comes from the Holy Spirit, it is a pure and holy lan­guage, regardless of the speaker's imperfection. It is, in my estimation, the noblest language this side of heaven.

How Charismatic do you want to be? -- Aimee Bacik

“I came that they might have life and have it more abundantly.”          John 10:10

  One of the five main charisms that define The Word of God is that of being charismatic – open to the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, and actively seeking all that the Spirit has for us.  Jesus promised that he came that we might have life, and have it to the full.  This means that we cannot keep the “charismatic” part of our life with him confined to our Sunday prayer meetings or other times that involve charismatic worship. 

We are called to live lives that are characterized by the power of the Holy Spirit working in and through us.  As Paul says in his first letter to the Corinthians, “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.”  (I Corinthians 4:20)  How do we live the life of the Spirit on a daily basis?  How do we live a life of power?

Pray for God’s direction - then listen!  I have always tried to pray about what God wants me to do and listen for his voice leading me.  He has spoken to me clearly in many ways throughout my life.  It was through his guidance that I was able to make major decisions in my life, such as deciding where to go to college, where to go to law school, and whether to join the community. 

While I seldom forget to pray about the big choices that I make in my life, I find that it is sometimes easy to forget that God wants to be involved in the small choices, as well.  The evangelist Benny Hinn wrote that he began each day by saying, “Good morning, Holy Spirit!”  This was his way of inviting the Holy Spirit to guide him and lead him throughout the day. 

While not all of us might feel led to say those exact words each morning, we should begin each day by giving it over to the Lord and inviting him to be in control of what we do and say.  Not only do we need to begin each day this way, but we should also continually ask the Holy Spirit for guidance as we go about caring for our families, interacting with our co-workers, doing our daily work, or even simply being with our friends or family. 

We have heard many prophecies over the past few months about the divine appointments that the Lord has for us.  However, many times we are too busy and too distracted by our daily lives to notice ways in which the Lord might be presenting us with divine appointments.  Just by taking a few minutes every hour or so to come before the Lord and ask for the wisdom and guidance of the Holy Spirit, we can become more sensitive to his leading, and allow him to work through us.  I think that we will be amazed by the ways the Lord wants to work through us, even in the small, day-to- day details of our lives.

Expect God’s grace “If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?” (Luke 11:13)  This was probably one of the first scripture verses that I can remember memorizing as a child.  It is one of the verses that is included in the Life and the Spirit Seminars that The Word of God has given over the years to many thousands of people. 

How many of us really believe this passage?  I do not mean just know that it is true, I mean believe it with all your heart, and be willing to stake your life on it?  Do we really believe that God is just waiting to pour his Holy Spirit down on us?  Do we live each day expecting the power of the Spirit to be manifest in our lives?  I know that I do not always find it easy to believe this.  Yet, Paul tells us that the Lord is “able to accomplish far more than all we ask or imagine by the power at work within us.”  (Ephesians 3:20) 

I believe that the Lord wants to do powerful things in and through us.  If we come before him in faith, asking for his Holy Spirit, he will hear and answer our prayer.  Jesus wants to give us the Holy Spirit more than we want to receive him.  If we come before him with open hearts, we will be filled.  Paul tells us to “strive eagerly for the greatest spiritual gifts.”  (I Corinthians 12:31)  He would not have urged us to strive after spiritual gifts if the Lord did not want us to have more gifts.  I believe that we have only just begun to see the gifts that the Lord has for us.  There is much more that he wants to give us.

Broad view of  “gifts of the Holy Spirit”  The Lord does not just have one gift for us, he has many gifts for us.  Often, however, we do not have a broad enough idea of the gifts that the Lord wants to give us.  There are many places in the Bible where gifts of the Spirit are listed.  For example, Isaiah 11:2-3 lists wisdom, understanding, counsel, strength, knowledge, and fear of the Lord.  In Romans 12:6-8 Paul lists prophecy, ministering, teaching, exhortation, generosity and acts of mercy.   In 1 Corinthians 12:28-30, Paul also lists apostles, mighty deeds, administration, healing, assistance, tongues and interpreting tongues. 

Do we limit God by our definitions of what are gifts of the Spirit?   When I was in college, I spent a great deal of time doing administrative work for University Christian Outreach.   Although I was good at the work, I did not especially like it.  Once I realized that it was a gift of the Spirit, my attitude towards doing the work totally changed.  I was able to view my work in an entirely different light.  Rather than being something that I was just good at doing, I began to view the administrative work as an opportunity to exercise a gift from God. 

I believe that the Lord has given us many of the gifts listed above, as well as many other gifts that I have not listed.  If we ask God to open up our eyes to the gifts that he has already given us, and to the many gifts he wants to give us, I believe that we will see many amazing ways in which the Lord wants to use us.

Share the life of the Spirit. God did not give us gifts of the Holy Spirit so that we could hold onto them for ourselves.  He gave us the gifts so that we could build up the body of Christ.   As Paul says, “he gave some as apostles, others as prophets, others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers, to equip the holy ones for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ….”  (Ephesians 4:11-12)  Not only are we called to share our gifts with one another, but we are called to reach out to those around us and share the good news. 

We have been given the amazing gift of abundant life in the Spirit.  We have not been given this gift because we are worthy, but we have been given this gift because we are amazingly loved by God.  This is a truth that the world is dying to know.  God is calling us to reach out and tell those around us of the good news of his love, and of the gift of his Holy Spirit.  Soon, we will have an opportunity to act on this call.  In May, The Word of God will be sponsoring and running a Life in the Spirit Seminar.  Is there someone who the Lord wants you to invite to come?  Is this something that the Lord would like you to attend so that you can be refreshed in the Spirit?

Intimacy and Mission.  In the last few months we have heard many prophesies about intimacy with God, and reaching out to evangelize those around us.  Both of these things are impossible to do without an outpouring of the Holy Spirit in our hearts and minds.  I think the question that the Lord is asking us right now is, “How foolish are you willing to be?”  Are we willing to look foolish in the eyes of the world in order to show others what it means to live life abundantly?  Are we willing to allow the power of the Holy Spirit to work in and through us in mighty ways, in ways that we have never imagined?  If we are, I believe that we will see the power of the Lord in ways that we have never seen before.

Be Filled With The Spirit

Jesus made a promise to his followers, ‘you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’ Acts 1:8  And this is exactly what happened!  On the Jewish feast of Pentecost the Holy Spirit filled Jesus’ followers and everything changed.  Their faith awoke.  They shared about Jesus boldly.  They were used to heal people.  They experienced guidance. And more… What happened back then wasn’t a one-time event to kick-start Christianity.  The Bible describes it as ‘the gift of the Father’, the gift of his own Spirit to dwell in those who are united to him through faith in Jesus.  We aren’t meant simply to believe the right things about God, but to live in intimate unity with him because he dwells within us!  Exactly HOW this all works is a great mystery, but the good news is that it DOES work!

Just some of the things the Bible tells us the Holy Spirit will do in us:

• Conform us to the image of Jesus (II Cor 3:18)
• Change our character – the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-25)
• Give us gifts to serve others and share the Gospel (I Cor 12, Rom12)
• Guide us (John 12:26)
• Empower us to worship (John 4:23)
• Unite us with other Christians (Eph 4:2-5)

Is the infilling of the Holy Spirit for you?  Yes, all those who are united to Jesus are given his Spirit.  The Bible urges us to open fully to the Father’s gift, to ‘be filled’ with the Spirit.

How can you be filled more completely with the Spirit?  It is pretty simple – ask.  Jesus said, ‘… how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those Luke 11:13)

• Ask God in faith to fill you with his Spirit
• Begin to respond to new things you experience which seem like the Spirit’s fresh action
• Seek other Christians who are trying to ‘walk in the Spirit’ for mutual support

__________________________

To learn more view our calendar and join us at an upcoming Prayer Meeting or Contact us for other opportunities

Charismatic -- Vision

Coming   Soon

Inner Healing Experience -- Betty Brice

We were attending a PRMI Dunamis Retreat. The retreat was a teaching retreat and was on praying for healing, both physical and emotional or inner. Rev. Bob Whitaker was teaching on inner healing and asked for a volunteer. I had the sense that the Lord was urging me to volunteer, so I raised my hand. Bob asked me if I wanted to face the group or sit with my back to the group. There were about 80 people attending and I knew that I would be more comfortable with my back to them. Then he asked me what I needed healing for and I explained that I wanted healing in my relationship with my mother. Even though she had died about 10 years before I still had a desire to be reconciled with her in some way. In my growing up years, I felt as though there was nothing I could do to please her and I certainly didn't experience any love from her. My brother and sisters agreed that none of us felt loved by either parent. She took good care of us, but, for the most part, my brother and sisters and I were on our own. She never asked us where we were or what we were doing. She never appeared to check up on us. It was a small town and my parents had a police whistle which they used when they wanted us home for dinner or otherwise. As a teenager and young adult, whenever I asked her for advice, she wouldn't give any to me, saying "It's your life, you have to live it." I found that very hard to deal with.

Even as a grown up and married, when I was ill or things weren't going right I would find myself yearning for my mother, even though I knew that she wasn't there for me. My mother had hurt me deeply on more than one occasion and I knew that she didn't recognize it. And there were times when I felt that she used me to get back at my dad, especially when she was angry with him.

Bob started explaining to the group the procedure that he used and asked me to visualize a time in my life when I had experienced hurt and told me to ask Jesus to come into that picture. I visualized the time when I saw my youngest sister sitting on my mother's lap and I had yearned to sit there myself but I knew I couldn't because I had already been told that I was too big. I tried to see Jesus there with me, but I couldn't. When Bob asked me if Jesus was there, I said no, that all I wanted was to feel my mother's arms around me. Barbara, a member of Bob's team was sitting just to the right of me, facing me, and she leaned forward and put her arms around me. Suddenly, her arms became my mother's arms and I found myself crying on her shoulder with her hand stroking my head. I cried for a long time, while everyone, including Bob, just sat and waited. Little by little, a peace washed over me and I felt a release of something in me that had haunted me since childhood and I knew that there had been a healing in my relationship with my mother. Finally, when the crying had stopped. Bob asked the group what they had experience during this time. Had anyone else experienced healing during this time? I looked around and saw that many in the group had been crying along with me. It was also apparent that there had been additional healing of other mother/daughter and mother/son relationships. One woman came up to me afterwards and said that she hoped that her husband had experienced healing in his relationship with his mother as I had experienced healing with mine.

Barbara, who had never had a child, told me later that, as she held me, it was like she was holding a little child of her own.

Betty Brice Sept. 18, 2003

Witnessing At Work -- Dave Walton

THE BRAINI was standing outside the room that I was assigned to.  While getting instructions from the nurse, I heard the man inside the room having a heated argument with someone. When I went inside there wasn’t anybody but the patient.  He had just had a head operation.  His head was heavily wrapped.  His hands were also heavily wrapped to keep him from trying to unwrap his head. For many days he hadn’t been able to eat solid food because he couldn’t keep it down.

When I came in he began to cuss me out.  He told me to get out.  I found myself, by God’s grace, to be able to not react emotionally.  I could really see he was feeling insecure about himself.  I told him many times that I wanted to be with him.  He started talking to me.

He expressed many times how he was concerned about his wife’s love for him and how bad he felt he was acting.  I communicated to him that his behavior was what was to be expected because of the stress of the operation and the drugs.  I told him that he should not take too seriously the thoughts he had about his wife because of how hard it is to think clearly in the hospital.

He became really relaxed which helped him to keep his food down at noon.  I told him about Jesus and prayed with him to have Jesus come into his life.  His wife and his son came to see him.  He right away told his son to shake my hand because I had helped him.  I have found that hard times create opportunities for God’s love to be revealed.

We are usually able to help ourselves by speaking to ourselves what we know to be true.  When we are sick it is hard to talk to ourselves.  When we speak simple truths to those who are sick we help them to talk to themselves things that are true.

THE CROSS I was sitting with a young man named Mike who was dying of lung cancer.  He was obviously trying to find God.  I tried preaching the gospel but nothing seemed to be hitting home.  What bothered him most was what the cross had to do with anything.

I asked him if I could pray with him.  He said, “OK”.  All I said was, “Lord I ask you to heal Mike and reveal Yourself to him”.  The power of God filled the room.  I could see the Lord was doing something with him.  At one point along the way He blurted out with joy, “The cross is for me.”

After a while we were able to talk.  He said when we prayed that he felt himself falling backwards.  He decided to let go and found himself floating.  He said he saw Jesus on the cross and Jesus said, “The cross is for you.”  He now was Spirit-filled.  I heard he was bouncing around the next morning!

Extraordinary Faith -- Martha Balmer

It goes without saying that human beings have an enormous proclivity for seeking their own pleasure. We enjoy beauty and comfort and excitement through any or all of our five senses. Beyond our physical capacity, we enjoy and seek purely psychological pleasures as well, seeking things that pique interest, amusement, surprise, affection, and even fear. In our propensity toward sin, we often seek these pleasures over greater goods, we enjoy much that is evil, and at our worst we even take pleasure in the suffering of others. In view of all this, I find it wonderfully gratifying that a person can also have the God-like capacity to be delighted by the pleasure of another. I remember clearly the intense pleasure I felt when my baby laughed out loud for the first time. She had been smiling for weeks, and we played with and talked to her all the time. But one day, she was lying on the sofa and Jim leaned over her, put his hands on the cushion on either side of her and began to bounce. It was as though her smile got so big that it just started making noise. The chuckle that rose out of her belly was so amazing that we just couldn't stop bouncing her. Now that we knew what pleased her so much, it was our greatest pleasure to oblige.

It is possible to learn what pleases God and to set everything aside for the joy of pleasing him.  Ephesians 5:10 says, "Find out what pleases the Lord." He is happy to tell us. Scripture is full of clues both subtle and clear, but sometimes we just stumble upon something that delights him, and, just like a baby lets us know by her laugh, his Spirit in us responds with delight, we sense his pleasure, and the experience changes us.

The Bride's desire to please the Bridegroom In the fourth chapter of the Song of Songs, the Bridegroom spends many lines describing to the Bride what he finds beautiful in her, telling her that she has stolen his heart, that her love gives him more pleasure than wine. He likens her to a garden full of delicious fruits and fragrant spices. He describes being delighted by her and transported with love. And having heard what pleases him, the Bride responds out of an immediate and extravagant wish to give to her Bridegroom his heart's desire:

Awake, north wind, and come, south wind! Blow on my garden, that its fragrance may spread abroad. Let my lover come into his garden and taste its choice fruits.

Song of Songs 4:16

I can testify that once I got a little taste of the pleasure of God, I knew what the goal of my life was. I knew there was nothing I wanted more than to see him pleased always—with me or with others, it didn't matter. His delight is mine.

What pleases the Lord? Hebrews 11:6 says, "Without faith it is impossible to please God." So we know that an underlying characteristic of everything that pleases him has to be faith. If the Bride wants to please the Bridegroom, she must preeminently believe and trust him with her whole being.

So what is this faith like, which pleases the Lord? Jesus' words indicate that any quantity of faith in him is good and valid, or else he wouldn't lavishly empower faith as small as a mustard seed. But there are some examples in the Gospels that I believe illustrate a quality of faith that, for him, went beyond acceptable to thrilling.

We want the faith that gives Jesus a thrill. We want to know what makes his heart  race.

Faith that amazes Him Perhaps the example of faith that is easiest to think of was that of the Centurion in Matthew 8. In verse 10 it says"...he was astonished and said to those following him, 'I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith …"

Think about that. What does it take to astonish the Son of God? It must really take something to amaze the one who was with the Father from the beginning, through whom all things were created, who knew what was in men's hearts, and who knew from whom he came and to whom he was returning. What did it take to surprise someone like that?

If we want to exercise faith that gives the Lord extraordinary pleasure, we will do well to strive for faith that is like the centurion's. There are sermons galore on the attributes of his faith. But a characteristic that Jesus himself pointed out on the spot to everyone within earshot was simply its extraordinariness.

The faith that blesses his socks off sticks out. It takes risks that others aren't taking. It is determined and innovative enough to remove the roof tiles to get close enough to him. It climbs a tree to get a view of him over other people's heads. It cries out over the crowd noises until he hears it and stops. It even stamps its foot and insists on getting the last, blessed crumb that may have fallen from his table.

Faith that beckons his heart This kind of faith was so enjoyable to him that he was known to go out of his way to spend extra time with it. In Luke 19 we read about a short, middle-aged, publicly despised man was so eager to just catch a glimpse of Jesus that the indignity of hiking up his robes and struggling up a tree was nothing to him. The sight of Zacchaeus up in the sycamore tree stopped Jesus in his tracks. He loved it so much that it instantly decided the question of where he was to have dinner that night. He wanted to spend time with it.

Faith that refreshes Him Another example of Jesus taking extra time to bask in extraordinary faith is in the 4^th chapter of John. On the road near the village of Sychar in Samaria, weary, hot, hungry, thirsty and far from a kosher home, he sits down by a well, waiting for his disciples to return from the village with food. A woman comes to the well, and he asks her for a drink. But then he has a conversation with her that makes her not only forget to draw water but even to take her jar with her when she runs back to the village to tell everybody she just may have met the Messiah.

Now you will notice that Jesus hasn't gotten his drink. And when his disciples offer him the food they bought in town, he isn't interested in eating! What happened? Is he ill? No, he says. He has food to eat they know nothing about. Open your eyes, he says, and look—the fields are ripe with grain! When the disciples turn to see what in the world he's talking about, they see the whole village of Sychar following the woman back toward the well. Even at high noon under a blazing sun, after miles of walking on dusty roads, this stuff is better than food and water to Jesus. It refreshes him. Like someone in love, he forgets to eat. He has stumbled onto an oasis of faith, and the Samaritans of Sychar don't find it difficult to persuade him to stay and enjoy it for two extra days before he continues his journey.

If it isn't immediately apparent what was so striking about the faith of the people of Sychar, remember that in the preceding chapters of John, the Jewish people of Galilee and Jerusalem were coming to believe in him because he did miracles. When he taught them, they tended to argue with him, or at least with each other, about the validity of his teaching. But the account says nothing about Jesus performing any miracles in Sychar. Apparently, all these Samaritans needed in order to ask him to stay was the word of a disreputable woman. And then, all they needed to believe he was the Savior of the world was some personal time with him. It seems that the kind of faith he gleaned among the Jews took a lot of hard work and was often of a quality that couldn't bear any real weight (John 2:23-24), but reaping the faith of these Samaritans was pure pleasure.

Faith that pleases Him I don't have space to share all the examples in the Gospels that I've found so far of Jesus' pleasure and the faith that evoked it. But it's important to note in closing that I didn't really search for the examples, I mostly stumbled on them. Having become alert for signs of his pleasure (and having asked the Lord to show me what pleases him), I saw it in places I'd never noticed it before just while reading routinely. In these examples, I hear a personal call from the Lord to exercise

extraordinary faith that doesn't need anything but his word to stand on, risk-taking faith that doesn't care what happens next, even faith like impulsive Peter's, that blurts, "Can I walk on the water, too?"

Once, the call to extraordinary faith inspired mostly nervous musings about how hard it might be to speak the word where it isn't welcome or to pray over someone with an incurable disease. But already I feel fear losing its grip on my imagination as I abide in the perfect love of the Bridegroom, enjoying—and anticipating – the sheer pleasure of pleasing him.

Abundant Life -- Aimee Bacik

I came that they might have life and have it more abundantly.” John 10:10

One of the five main charisms that define The Word of God is that of being charismatic – open to the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, and actively seeking all that the Spirit has for us.  Jesus promised that he came that we might have life, and have it to the full.  This means that we cannot keep the “charismatic” part of our life with him confined to our Sunday prayer meetings or other times that involve charismatic worship. 

We are called to live lives that are characterized by the power of the Holy Spirit working in and through us.  As Paul says in his first letter to the Corinthians, “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.”  (I Corinthians 4:20)  How do we live the life of the Spirit on a daily basis?  How do we live a life of power?

Pray for God’s direction - then listen!  I have always tried to pray about what God wants me to do and listen for his voice leading me.  He has spoken to me clearly in many ways throughout my life.  It was through his guidance that I was able to make major decisions in my life, such as deciding where to go to college, where to go to law school, and whether to join the community. 

While I seldom forget to pray about the big choices that I make in my life, I find that it is sometimes easy to forget that God wants to be involved in the small choices, as well.  The evangelist Benny Hinn wrote that he began each day by saying, “Good morning, Holy Spirit!”  This was his way of inviting the Holy Spirit to guide him and lead him throughout the day. 

While not all of us might feel led to say those exact words each morning, we should begin each day by giving it over to the Lord and inviting him to be in control of what we do and say.  Not only do we need to begin each day this way, but we should also continually ask the Holy Spirit for guidance as we go about caring for our families, interacting with our co-workers, doing our daily work, or even simply being with our friends or family. 

We have heard many prophecies over the past few months about the divine appointments that the Lord has for us.  However, many times we are too busy and too distracted by our daily lives to notice ways in which the Lord might be presenting us with divine appointments.  Just by taking a few minutes every hour or so to come before the Lord and ask for the wisdom and guidance of the Holy Spirit, we can become more sensitive to his leading, and allow him to work through us.  I think that we will be amazed by the ways the Lord wants to work through us, even in the small, day-to- day details of our lives.

Expect God’s grace “If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?” (Luke 11:13)  This was probably one of the first scripture verses that I can remember memorizing as a child.  It is one of the verses that is included in the Life and the Spirit Seminars that The Word of God has given over the years to many thousands of people. 

How many of us really believe this passage?  I do not mean just know that it is true, I mean believe it with all your heart, and be willing to stake your life on it?  Do we really believe that God is just waiting to pour his Holy Spirit down on us?  Do we live each day expecting the power of the Spirit to be manifest in our lives?  I know that I do not always find it easy to believe this.  Yet, Paul tells us that the Lord is “able to accomplish far more than all we ask or imagine by the power at work within us.”  (Ephesians 3:20) 

I believe that the Lord wants to do powerful things in and through us.  If we come before him in faith, asking for his Holy Spirit, he will hear and answer our prayer.  Jesus wants to give us the Holy Spirit more than we want to receive him.  If we come before him with open hearts, we will be filled.  Paul tells us to “strive eagerly for the greatest spiritual gifts.”  (I Corinthians 12:31)  He would not have urged us to strive after spiritual gifts if the Lord did not want us to have more gifts.  I believe that we have only just begun to see the gifts that the Lord has for us.  There is much more that he wants to give us.

Broad view of  “gifts of the Holy Spirit”  The Lord does not just have one gift for us, he has many gifts for us.  Often, however, we do not have a broad enough idea of the gifts that the Lord wants to give us.  There are many places in the Bible where gifts of the Spirit are listed.  For example, Isaiah 11:2-3 lists wisdom, understanding, counsel, strength, knowledge, and fear of the Lord.  In Romans 12:6-8 Paul lists prophecy, ministering, teaching, exhortation, generosity and acts of mercy.   In 1 Corinthians 12:28-30, Paul also lists apostles, mighty deeds, administration, healing, assistance, tongues and interpreting tongues. 

Do we limit God by our definitions of what are gifts of the Spirit?   When I was in college, I spent a great deal of time doing administrative work for University Christian Outreach.   Although I was good at the work, I did not especially like it.  Once I realized that it was a gift of the Spirit, my attitude towards doing the work totally changed.  I was able to view my work in an entirely different light.  Rather than being something that I was just good at doing, I began to view the administrative work as an opportunity to exercise a gift from God. 

I believe that the Lord has given us many of the gifts listed above, as well as many other gifts that I have not listed.  If we ask God to open up our eyes to the gifts that he has already given us, and to the many gifts he wants to give us, I believe that we will see many amazing ways in which the Lord wants to use us.

Share the life of the Spirit.  God did not give us gifts of the Holy Spirit so that we could hold onto them for ourselves.  He gave us the gifts so that we could build up the body of Christ.   As Paul says, “he gave some as apostles, others as prophets, others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers, to equip the holy ones for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ….”  (Ephesians 4:11-12)  Not only are we called to share our gifts with one another, but we are called to reach out to those around us and share the good news. 

We have been given the amazing gift of abundant life in the Spirit.  We have not been given this gift because we are worthy, but we have been given this gift because we are amazingly loved by God.  This is a truth that the world is dying to know.  God is calling us to reach out and tell those around us of the good news of his love, and of the gift of his Holy Spirit.  Soon, we will have an opportunity to act on this call.  In May, The Word of God will be sponsoring and running a Life in the Spirit Seminar.  Is there someone who the Lord wants you to invite to come?  Is this something that the Lord would like you to attend so that you can be refreshed in the Spirit?

Intimacy and Mission.  In the last few months we have heard many prophesies about intimacy with God, and reaching out to evangelize those around us.  Both of these things are impossible to do without an outpouring of the Holy Spirit in our hearts and minds.  I think the question that the Lord is asking us right now is, “How foolish are you willing to be?”  Are we willing to look foolish in the eyes of the world in order to show others what it means to live life abundantly?  Are we willing to allow the power of the Holy Spirit to work in and through us in mighty ways, in ways that we have never imagined?  If we are, I believe that we will see the power of the Lord in ways that we have never seen before

Spiritual Gifts

The Bible tells about special gifts given to Christians by the Holy Spirit. These are not for our own personal benefit but for the benefit of the whole body. "As each has received a gift, employ it for one another, as good stewards of God's grace. " (1 Pet.4:10) Every Christian is given some gift so that together we can be complete. "For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body. " (I Cor. 12:12,13) We in The Word of God have experienced the goodness of the Holy Spirit giving us gifts to serve one another and those around us.  Read on to learn more about the Spiritual Gifts and how you, too, can open up to the power of the Spirit in your life.

To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. I Cor 12:7

Here are a few of the spiritual gifts mentioned in the Bible: Preaching:      Understand, explain, and apply God's Word in the Bible to the lives of listeners. Tongues:      Express praise and worship to God in an unknown language. Singing in the Spirit:      Spontaneous worship in song led by the Holy Spirit. Prophecy:      Receive and communicate God's truth for His people through an anointed proclamation. Words of Knowledge:      Receive and share revealed knowledge that was not otherwise known. Healing:      Restore health to an individual in the physical, emotional or spiritual realms through a direct act of God. Giving:      Contribute money and material resources to the work of the Lord with cheerfulness and liberality. Helping:      Attach spiritual value to the accomplishment of practical and necessary tasks that support the Body of Christ. Faith:      Test God's will and act on it with an unwavering belief in His ability. Evangelism:      Share the Gospel with people in such a way that they respond and become followers of Jesus Christ.  

All these are inspired by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each oneindividually as he wills. I Cor 12:11

  You too can experience a full life in the Spirit. The Holy Spirit is given to all who give their lives to Christ, and each believer is given gifts so they can serve the Body of Christ. If you want to find out more about the Holy Spirit and spiritual gifts, go to the Library, come to a Prayer Meeting, or Contact Us to find out about upcoming seminars on the Holy Spirit.

Carol Kean -- Newsletter Testimony, June 2006

“What eye has not see and ear has not heard, and what has not entered the human heart, what God has prepared for those who love him”                       1 Cor 2:9

When Phil asked if I would write something for the newsletter about what the Lord has been doing in my life I said “Sure, I’d be glad to.” Every time I tried to begin I was stopped dead in my tracks. I can’t do this! It hit me this weekend that what was wrong is that it is not my story at all. The story belongs to God and the faith community.

This is a love story between an individual and a people of faith. God has revealed himself intimately and powerfully through the gracious mediation of individuals, through The Word of God community, Renewal Ministries and Christ the King Parish - and I am blown away!

Can I pray with you? Have you ever thought about the fact that an offer to pray with someone might just change their whole life? Last Fall I joyfully returned to fulltime status as a student at Sacred Heart Major Seminary after a long siege of serious illness. After the first week one of my classes was moved to a newly renovated classroom equipped for videotaping.  The chemicals given off by the carpeting and the adhesive were inflaming my lungs and I struggled to breathe.

Dr. Peter Williamson, my professor for Johannine literature, asked if I would like to pray for healing. As Peter prayed over me, all of the things that had been burdening my heart were lifted off in one great act of mercy and forgiveness. Part of the prayer was about how much Jesus loves me and wants to heal me. I couldn’t quite grasp it. “Maybe everyone else, but not me. I am not a saint but a sinner.” The spiritual healing was so amazing that at the time I was not aware of anything else.

Going back in my journal I wrote:

I walked out of the seminary with a marvelous sense of lightness and literally the breath of God. I have not struggled to breathe this afternoon. I am drawn deeper into relationship with Christ and the unfolding mystery of what God has designed for my life. I am humbled in the face of God’s revelation.

I couldn’t wait for the next class period to come so that I could report back the good news of the healing miracle! “The most amazing thing has happened! I can breathe - but the chemicals in the room are still making my lungs burn.” Peter again offered to pray for healing and immediately the burning in my lungs ceased and has not returned. In the next journal entry I wrote:

I am filled with such peace and joy, awash in the quenching water of life. This sacred space, this holy ground is food for the journey. I revel in the delight of the Lord and know beyond any doubt that I am being led - where and to what I do not know but what God begins he always blesses.

I have never experienced such powerful prayer. I am healing at many levels and I am reduced to silence in the face of awe.

I am home About a month later during prayer for healing I was baptized in the Spirit and my life took a radical turn in the Lord. I asked Peter what kind of a faith community sustained the kind of faith and power of healing that he possessed. He told me about Christ the King parish and The Word of God community.

When I attended the first Mass at Christ the King my only response afterward was “I am home.” Here was a faith community whose worship was in harmony with their living faith.

Welcome to the family The next great event was an invitation to come to a Word of God prayer meeting. So many expectations of who God is and how God is had already been transformed and here came another one! I remember how amazing it was to be welcomed into the community with such incredible warmth and love, sight unseen, just because I am a daughter of the Lord! Marsha looked out for me as a sister (and she still does).

The whole community is a reflection of the Father’s love for his bride and the worship and praise slowly began to transform my life. The faith of the community is so confident and joyful in the Lord that the intimate relationship that began with the first healing prayer took on a new shape with an outward movement. In those early weeks all I seemed to be able to say was “I had no idea! I really had no idea!” The Bridegroom’s love for his bride is astonishing!

Letting God be God What God began in September he has deepened without letting up. God continues to reveal himself and manifest his glory without any merit on my part. The formerly shy and quiet woman of old, through God’s outpouring of love, will now sit beside a perfect stranger waiting for an oil change or a passenger on an airplane and start talking about Jesus.

What I have discovered through the love of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit is that lives are transformed before our very eyes when we let God be God. Recently on a trip to Colorado I prayed with my Aunt that the Holy Spirit would lift a heavy burden from her and give her wisdom and peace. The answer was immediate and profound. While in Colorado I received a call from a friend of my mother’s that a long time acquaintance suffered a mishap during surgery and that they were on the way to the hospital to take him off life support. When I hung up the phone I immediately prayed to the Lord who knows all and can heal all that if it be God’s will “Lord you can turn this situation all around. Show your glory Lord!” Two days later she called back to say that when they got to the hospital, her father sat up and asked what everyone was doing there! 

In the powerful words of Nathan Mitchell:

If you hope to become part of God’s reign, you must let yourself be overtaken, knocked breathless, by a Presence, a Reality you can neither invent nor control. In a word, you have to open your life to the holy violence of conversion - a tumultuous experience that is liable to leave you feeling drenched and exhausted, as though the seas had seized, swallowed and spat you back alive on the shore. Newborn and salted, you sense that nothing looks the same, nothing can ever be the same.

(The Kingdom of Justice Modern Liturgy Oct. 1991): 8)

Giving is the key The living water that Jesus promised continues to gush up to eternal life. Through The Word of God community I have learned that the only way to keep from drowning in the gushing water of grace is to keep giving it away. The faster you give, the faster it comes. I have learned is that when we ask God for more (more grace, more courage, more abundance, more intimacy, etc.) that God’s “more” is far more than we can even imagine. Just when I think that I should not come before the Lord pleading for his intercession one more time, he surprises me with himself.

And this is why, my brothers and sisters, I had trouble even beginning to write to you and share my experiences. When I realized that it is all about God and you, about how you have reflected God to me and the might and power of your presence in my life, THEN my eyes were opened and my heart was able to pour itself forward in praise and honor of the one who loves us beyond his own life. And all that I can offer you is thanks, simply and humbly - thanks. Praise be to God on high!”

“I will extol you, O Lord, for you have drawn me up, ...

O Lord my God, I cried to you for help, and you have healed me.

O Lord, you brought up my soul from Sheol,

restored me to life from among those who gone down to the Pit.

...You have turned my mourning into dancing;

you have taken off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,

so that my soul may praise you and not be silent.

O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever.” 

                  Psalm 30

Grace abounds! The Spirit of God has blown into my life with such a mighty force that I need the community, which knows that it is all about God, and nothing about us. It is so crystal clear that it is God being God in God’s way. And how marvelous to have an avenue for genuine, unadulterated, unabashed praise of God! Thank you for your continued welcoming and encouragement.

God is calling me forth in powerful ways and I try to remember that he wants me to simply stand before him in faith and trust and confidence. It takes a community to raise each of us to holiness. I thank God for you in my life and the life I have been given through you in the Lord.     

Finally Opening to Jesus

By Betty B. The telephone rang late one evening. It was our neighbor saying that they had found a house and were putting their house up for sale. They wanted us to know before the "For Sale" sign went up. I felt awful but what could I say. I thanked her for letting us know. The neighborhood was changing. Over the past year or so, one by one the "For Sale" signs had gone up and our neighbors had sold their homes and moved out. With each family leaving, I felt worse and worse. The last call left me feeling bereft and devastated. These were my friends and I knew that we wouldn't have much contact anymore.

The next day, I realized that I was feeling abandoned, without a friend in the world. My self-esteem was zilch and I considered suicide but knew that it was not an option. I yearned for God. But God seemed far away. I knew I had to do something. So I did the only thing I could think of to do. Aloud, alone in our living room, I said, "Okay God. I'm giving my life to you" and called around until I found some volunteer work to do.  Over the next several years I volunteered for Child and Family Services and later for the Homemaker Service which was actually a part of Child and Family Services. Over a number of years I tried to do what I thought God wanted me to do. I also became more active in our church.

Finally, my work with the Homemaker Service came to an end. Soon my church asked me to be on the Hunger Task Force that was being organized to educate our congregation to the realities of hunger in the world and to find ways to help alleviate it. My worldview at that time was "Yes, we need to help feed the world's hungry people, but only after we feed ours first." I went to the first meeting where I expressed these thoughts. One evening, between the first and second meeting, I suddenly was seeing, as through a porthole, a rice field with people in conical hats working in it and I knew with my whole being that I was seeing the world through God's eyes and that everyone was entitled to their fair share. My worldview had changed 180 degrees. I wanted to change the world, starting with my family. I wanted to feed them rice and beans, but of course they rebelled.

Then I had the worst month of my entire life, or so it seemed. I was not one to see the pastor about my troubles, but I kept having to go talk with him.  One day he asked me how come I was so involved in the world. I knew he was right but at the same time, I suddenly realized that that when I had given my life to God, it was just my outside-the-home life.  My home life was in chaos. At that point, I gave God my home life as well, and everything changed. Suddenly, the Bible, which hadn't made sense to me, suddenly opened up and became the most fascinating book in the world. I spent hours reading it and praying. I soon began to hear God loud and clear and I knew that my life had changed forever.

Still, I spent several years seeking people who knew "my language," as I thought of it. I met some wonderful spirit-filled people and enjoyed their friendship. Then I discovered some young people in my church that spoke "my language." They were part of the The Word of God community, and some wonderful friendships and relationships developed with these young people and their friends. One day we were invited to a dinner put on by The Word of God. It resulted in our becoming part of the community.

One Sunday, several years after becoming part of the community, we were at a prayer meeting at Pioneer High School. The group was singing a rousing chorus of the "Battle Hymn of the Republic." Suddenly I found myself crying out to God that I didn't want to be left behind. I was hearing God tell me that my salvation was in danger. I didn't know why. I asked around but nobody seemed to know either. I thought that maybe I should learn more about Jesus.  I tried reading the Gospels with this in mind but nothing happened.

Several months went by. Then my husband and I went to a denominational conference at Messiah College in Grantham, PA.  At one of the seminars, the pastor was telling how he was an illegitimate child, and I found myself sobbing and I couldn't seem to stop. Finally, a couple of people put their hands on me and I knew they were praying and I was finally able to stop sobbing. It was a very embarrassing experience. I talked with the pastor afterwards but he wasn't able to help.

Later, that summer, the Methodists were having their Aldersgate Conference in Kalamazoo, MI. The Rev. Francis McNutt (a former Catholic priest who had a healing ministry) and his wife were to be there and I wanted to hear them. So my daughter and I made arrangements to go on Saturday. We both enjoyed the conference but nothing spectacular happened. That evening, on the way home, I suddenly realized that the Lord was telling me that I was like an illegitimate child. I still didn't know why but decided I had better talk with our pastor. On the following Monday, I went in to see our pastor and told him my story. He listened carefully and then said that John 1:12-13 had come to mind—"But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God; who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God." RSV

I finally knew that God was saying that I had never received Christ, though I knew I was filled with the Holy Spirit, and heard God speak, sometimes loud and clear. My pastor did not offer to pray with me. I went home knowing that if l was to receive Jesus, He would have to do it Himself because I didn't know how.

That afternoon, the sun was shining so warm and bright, I walked into my living room and suddenly realized that Jesus was coming up my walk. I couldn't see Him but I knew He was there. He came to the door and knocked and I opened the door and invited Him in. That is the story of how I finally received Christ into my heart.