Those were my exact sentiments over thirty years ago when as a university student I began my walk with the Lord. I wanted to be all that the Lord wanted me to be, but I was extremely leery of that "Holy Spirit stuff."

I was concerned that if I surrendered to this "feeling" or this "experience," I would somehow lose control and start doing weird things. Sadly, I had reason to think like that. I did see people who acted as if they were totally out of control. They justified their fleshly exuberance by saying, "The Spirit came on me and I couldn’t help myself."

I have since learned that not only is that not Biblically the case, it is actually true that when the Holy Spirit is moving in the midst of the Lord’s people, things being done "decently and in order," (to borrow Paul’s words) should be the norm.

So I ask my question again, "Who needs this Pentecostal stuff?" The answer is, "We all do." Anyone who is serious about living an effective Christian life in times like these must be filled with the Holy Spirit and be equipped with the power that only He can give. Perhaps the most compelling reason of all is the fact that Jesus commands us to be filled.

To say, "I will follow Jesus and do what He says," yet refuse to consider the baptism in the Holy Spirit, is to deny the Lord you claim to serve. I for one am hungry for the authentic manifestation of the Holy Spirit in our midst. Do you suppose that if we become obedient and seek to be baptized with the Holy Spirit, that Jesus would use the occasion to embarrass us?

I for one am willing to do what He says and trust that if He says we need to be filled, that is the end of the discussion. Amen?

Pastor Jim
February 8, 2009