PERSONAL TESTIMONIES OF SALVATION EXPERIENCES

By Various members of the Body of Christ

Originally posted on the Mason’s Message Board

(With corrections in spelling only)

Is anybody interested?
Posted on April 10, 2001 at 11:11:13 PM by Betty

Is anybody interested in sharing their personal experience of "salvation?" When, where, how and what frame of mind you were in. Was it so real that no one can ever make you doubt it? Has it grown with you? Changed you? I am most interested in hearing these testimonies. Please share.

Thanks, Betty

Posted on April 11, 2001 at 03:10:30 PM by Micheal Burger

Here's my experience. :)

Well Sis. Betty, I was 13 when I first stepped into a Body of Christ church under Bro. George Vawters in Phoenix, AZ in September of 1969. I went to church because my dear grandmother got to talking to me about it and it sounded fun at the time.

And I got to see some old friends that our families grew up with.

I turned 14 on the 31st of October 1970 and by then the Lord had started to work a miracle in my life. I was never a bad kid and my parents can verify that. And believe me my mother is as honest as they come and she would tell you if I wasn't hehe.

I'll never forget the day I was saved is also the very day I received the baptism of the Holy Ghost. And believe me I received the Holy Ghost by jealousy. :)

My cousin Debbie and I were real close and we were practically like brother and sister. And there wasn't anything that she or I did in life that the other one didn't want to do first you see?

And that's what tricked me into getting saved. My cousin was starting to seek after God only a couple of months before I did and I noticed she had gone down to the front and was saved one night and tried for the Holy Ghost.

I never thought much on it that night but the next service she was doing it again and I started to feel this jealous spirit come up in my inner self, not realizing that Jesus was working something in my spirit.

Then on February 22nd 1970 my cousin decided she wanted to try for the Holy Ghost again and we had these fold up chairs in the little church on Van Buren street then.

And we were singing I believe it was? "Magnify the Lord with me!" and the spirit had moved out in a tremendous way and I heard these chairs being plowed through and I turned to see her with her hands up and she was determined to get it before I was and I thought to my self, "Oh know you don't!" and I turned to this other young brother Bro. Mike Gilbert who had been saved and had the Holy Ghost in Bro. Benny Morris's church already and I said, "Bro. Mike? quick, tell me how to get the Holy Ghost?" I didn't tell him why I wanted it so fast. :)

And he told me how he got it and he and Bro. Bill Abshire knelt beside me as I began to pray, at first it was zilch, nothing, nadda! because all I could think about was Debbie getting it before me, now isn't that ridiculous and it was childish as well hehe.

Then a miracle happened and it was quick too, Bro. Bill laid his hands on my back and began to pray and it was like lighting coursing through my body, I shot backwards on my back and began to speak in an unknown tongue, I didn't know what was happening, it just hit me that fast. But the jealousy left me and all I thought about was the Lord.

And a peace came over me as I lay there and spoke in another tongue they told me it was 3 hours or better and I even nearly knocked over the pulpit hehe.

From then on my life was anew. And the next morning I woke up I was late for school and it didn't even matter. I danced and skipped and sang all the way to Carl Hayden High probably looking like a 14 year old on drugs hehe, but it didn't matter. I had the Holy Ghost and no one had to tell me different.

That is one thing I was always fearful about is when praying with someone and even though their lips may be stammering, it is best to let them tell you they got it, not for you or I to.

That is one thing that nearly ruined my cousin because they tried telling her that night that she got the Holy Ghost when she felt that she did not see?

Well anyway that's my little story Sis. Betty and I hope it was ok?

God bless
Bro. Mike

Posted on April 11, 2001 at 03:57:29 PM by Betty

Oh, Bro. Mike, I can't TELL you how that thrills my heart and how that witnesses to Christ's spirit within me. It made me think of the time daddy told us about the night he received the Holy Ghost. He, being a preacher's kid (you know) was gung ho into all kinds of meanness... or as much meanness as was available in those days. He went to a revival meeting under an old brush arbor. He said the Lord "apprehended" him and just took him out of himself and he seemed to be playing the piano keys with his tongue as he spoke in that heavenly language. What an EVENT! There was no doubt in HIS mind that he had an experience that was not of his own doing. I don't know if he ever spoke in tongues again, but he stood solid on that holy reception (conception).

Posted on April 12, 2001 at 00:20:55 AM by Betty

If you every catch me "at a loss for words," it won't be on the subject of our salvation. The river flows... and flows... and flows.

I was fifteen years old and was living in Drumright, Oklahoma. Since I wasn't sixteen yet, I was not allowed to day, but I could "associate" with friends and go to church or for walks in the park. This particular night, I was with my older brother Sherman and his girlfriend Lavina. Lavina's dad was holding a meeting in an old theater on Main Street. I was there because I wanted to be out and about. I don't remember anything that was preached or said that night, but I do remember my frame of mind as I knelt to pray at the old-fashioned alter call. I remember being totally yielded to God and just being thankful, wanting to be near Him. Suddenly, I was on my feet dancing and singing in tongues. As I danced in and around and among those theater seats, I had my arms lifted and my eyes closed, and I never touched a piece of furniture. I felt like my feet were not touching the floor. My brother told me later he didn't see how on earth I could do that. I couldn't have. That's what made it so real and so wonderful, knowing I could never have put on something like that, nor would I have wanted to. I didn't even expect anything to happen to me, so my joy ran over and over. That is one of the greatest events of my life, and it has never left me through all these years. If I did not have that witness now, I would NEVER be able to recognize Jesus as the Christ.

Like, Wanda, I'll share the birthing with you later. There can't be a birth born except a seed be planted first. Receiving the Holy Spirit into the soul is a conception of the Holy Spirit of Promise, the PEARL OF GREAT PRICE!

Posted on April 12, 2001 at 11:45:08 AM by Betty Edmondson

Being born again is a monumental event, as is receiving the Holy Spirit. It is NOT something that can be assumed. If one gave birth to a living baby, one would not "assume" a child had been born. One would KNOW. Receiving the Holy Spirit is the conception of the promised Holy Seed into the soul. This conception is accompanied by an ecstasy of the soul that causes a witness by the speaking of heavenly tongues. Just as there is a physical ecstasy when a natural child is conceived, there is also an emotional ecstasy or soul ecstasy as the soul receives that seed to nurture and gestate for its season. We have been taught to believe that just receiving that Holy Seed of promise is the ultimate. But there is an ecstasy of the Spirit when that Christ Child comes forth and the "New You." More later.

Posted on April 11, 2001 at 08:00:46 PM by Wanda

Conception......Seed of Promise.....

I was going to church before I was ever born. I remember as a child, sleeping through many long services. My sisters and I started singing publicly as soon as we could walk and talk. We had a pretty musical family. We went to different kinds of churches through our lives. My dad was an evangelist. I don't really remember much more than that until I was eleven years old. We lived in Tecumseh, Oklahoma. We went to a revival at a little United Pentecostal Church and I remember sitting there by my mother as the Evangelist gave the altar call. I will remember his words as long as I live. I have no idea what he preached about but I do remember the altar call. He said: "If there is anyone here who wants to be baptized with the Holy Ghost, please come to the altar and we will pray for you." I can still remember the thought that came into my mind in my young way of thinking and it was so simple. "I don't know what this is, this Holy Ghost, but I want it. If I don't go to the altar, that means I don't want it, so I have to go." You all may not believe this but I was a shy child (believe it or not) and that was a very hard thing for me to do that night when I walked to the altar and knelt there and asked the Lord to baptize me with His Holy Spirit.

Like I said, I didn't know what it was or what it meant but there was something in me that told me that I needed this gift. I can tell you that I wanted it so much that I determined in my heart I would not leave that altar until I received it. I really didn't even know what I was praying for, I just knew that I would know it when I got it. I prayed for at least two hours and there were people around me praying. I remember my dad standing over me and praying for me. I remember the words he spoke. He said: "Lord, you said suffer the little children to come unto me, for such is the Kingdom of Heaven." This experience was not superficial or pretend. It was real. I made commitments to the Lord. I promised Him that if He would fill me with His Spirit, I would serve Him all the days of my life. I told Him that I would testify for Him and about Him every time I had the opportunity.

One of the women who were praying with me said: "Honey, why don't you come back tomorrow night and try again." Bless her heart, I know she was worn out but I said to her: "You can go home if you want to but I'm not leaving until I get the Holy Ghost!" Almost as soon as I said those words, I began to speak in other tongues. I came to my feet and there is no way that I could describe to you how I felt unless it happened to you. I spoke in tongues for a long time even on the way home after the service. It seems to me that was when my life began.

I went to school the next day and I was so excited that I just wanted to tell everybody what had happened to me. But they could not understand. They made fun of me and laughed. I was crushed because I knew that it was real and it was the greatest thing that had ever happened to me in my young life. I went home and lay my head in my Mother's lap and cried my eyes out. She comforted me and told me that sometimes you just could not cast your pearls before swine because they would just turn and rend you. That was my first lesson. But this gift had given me a boldness that I had never had before. It didn't matter after that what people said because I had made some promises to the Lord and I intended to keep them.

I became interested in the Bible and wanted to know everything about the Holy Ghost, which is what the King James Version calls it. I usually refer to it now as the Holy Spirit. My dad showed me how to use a concordance and I looked up every word in the Bible about Holy Ghost. I told anyone who would listen. I had two friends who had fathers that were Baptist pastors. I can remember sitting at their kitchen table and showing the scriptures about speaking in tongues. I really don't know what they thought but I do believe they were a little astonished at a 12-year-old girl showing them Greek and Hebrew. I wouldn't have cared if it were the president of the United States. I've never been ashamed of the Lord or of this precious gift. That is the first personal proof that I have for myself that there is a God. Of course it's not proof to anyone else but it is to me.

I will get to the "Birth" later on.....

Blessings,
Wanda

Posted on April 12, 2001 at 12:08:16 AM by Wanda

Compassion........ You can't be unborn.....

I will say with Sharon, that I don't know what I would have done, had you not taken me in and nourished me and became as a midwife while I struggled in labor to be free. I will never, as long as I live, forget those days in your home. I was so afraid when I first got there.

I remember sitting there at your kitchen table that first night and wondering if God hated me, wondering if he was going to strike me dead in judgment for "feeling" and finally getting to the place where I would have rather been dead than to live another moment in the prison of my own self.

I will never forget those days and nights that you were so kind and certainly so very patient as you tried to "get through" the walls of mind control that had been placed around my mind by Lloyd Goodwin. The fear, intimidation, condemnation and mental abuse as stripes that had been laid across my back and soul by men. I remember how I had a scripture for everything that I had been indoctrinated with and it seemed you could not win. :-) But then, with you and I facing one another in our chairs, a footstool between us, you lay the Bible down on the footstool and said: "Can we just lay this down and start all over?" I agreed and you started teaching me the basics. You didn't even know that the Holy Spirit was using you to "de-program" me. That is what makes it so much more precious. You never wavered, but your wisdom was beyond normal. It was supernatural in the sense that you were led of the Holy Spirit of God.

I will never forget on that 8th day as I was trying to nap and I saw a vision. I saw myself sitting in a jail cell and looking at the bars around me. I remember looking at the door and longing for someone to come along and open it for me. I got up and walked to that door, all the while the words to a poem forming in my mind. When I got to the door, I reached out and gave a gentle push and it swung open wide as the last words to the poem came to me. "It was open all along."

I've been held a prisoner, in a cell with man-made bars.
The load was placed upon my back, the stripes are man-made scars.
I thought it was God's own making, these prison doors, you see.
I thought it was God's own plan, Never, could I be free!

My love for Him so pure, that nothing could deter.
Passively submit to him or His mighty wrath incur!
One day I knocked up on the door to ask, "What's right or wrong?"
To my surprise, "Astonishment! It was open all along!

I remember coming off that bed, alone in your house, dancing with joy. I WAS FREE! It was like a miracle of God that delivered me and I have stayed delivered. After all, once you've been born again, how can you be unborn?

When I left your home on the 9th day, I felt new and clean and fresh. I was full of PEACE that passes all men's understanding. Thank you Lord for what you have done for us! Thank you my sister for allowing yourself to be a place of nourishment for a tired, abused and without peace and joy, sister, whom God sent to you for help in deliverance and new found resurrected life!

Shortly after returning back home, I felt like a new born babe. Everything was fresh and new and BIG! I was starting anew and I remember thinking: "Wow, I can believe anything I want to, now what do I believe?" Then began a process of growing up and learning to depend on my Heavenly Father each step of the way. There was no minister now to tell me what I was supposed to believe. There were many things that I had believed in the past that were no longer even compatible with my new birth into the Kingdom of God. I recieved another poem from the Lord. It's on the poetry page and entitled: What a Wonder!

http://www.gospelassemblyfree.com/poetry/wonder.htm

What a Wonder!

Posted on April 11, 2001 at 08:27:38 PM by Sharon

What a revival this is becoming. What a subject. Christ is our only hope no matter who we are.

When I was 15 (don't remember the year), I was in the front of a Gospel Assembly Church in Kansas City, Mo, I believe. Brother Gordon Dawkins was the pastor. I felt like that was the beginning of a new life of salvation for me. But I never actually spoke in tongues at any time in my life. But I will never forget the time I felt the HOLY GHOST come alive within me. I felt it leap like a child. I was in the presence of Lloyd Goodwin. He had just told me I was a liar. I felt the strength and power of something I cannot explain. No one could ever take that away from me. I know it is there and it is my safe place. But LG backed off from me, afraid. I could most definitely see it in his eyes. "He that is within you is greater than he that is in the world.

Sharon

Posted on April 11, 2001 at 10:39:49 PM by Deb Falter

Hi Everyone!!

Here is my experience.

I recieved that wonderful gift at the age of seven, the Holy Ghost was a gift that I wanted so badly. At this point only my father went to church, and I often went with him. I can still remember today how I felt when I went to church.

I had told my dad I wanted this Holy Ghost, he and an elderly sister whom I will never forget, prayed with me, I remember praying, and then it was like I was lost somewhere, I heard my voice but didn't recognize the language, the feeling that I had was so wonderful.

You know what, that Holy Ghost still feels as wonderful to me today as it did then. And what a wonderful help it has been to me, I can never tell anyone how much the Holy Ghost means to me.

God Bless you all.

==========================================================

Hi It is me again.

I have to tell you all this, because the Holy Ghost means so much to me.

For all of you that have read my story, you know that I was a very depressed and suicidal person.

During this time I realize now what kept me was my Holy Ghost. I also realize now what kept me through my childhood was that wonderful Holy Ghost. Things seemed so terrible sometimes, but now I look back and see my wonderful gift that God so graciously gave me, kept me.

Thank God for this beautiful gift.

God bless you all!!

Deb Falter

http://www.gospelassemblyfree.com/personal/deb1.htm

Posted on April 12, 2001 at 00:46:14 AM by Brother Norman

I was a 45 year old alcoholic who had been wandering around from religion to religion. I was taught, as a child, by the a dear Baptist grandmother about Jesus. As I grew, later I became a Roman catholic, taught by the Knights of Columbus on one of my stays in mental hospitals for suicide attempts. In all, I spent about 5 years off an on in mental hospitals. I studied Zen meditation.

At age 45 I was in Louisiana. I had chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis of the liver when I was brought in to an emergency room of a hospital by a man from Alcoholics Anonymous. While I was lying on the gurney, I heard two doctors talking on the other side of the screen about me. One made the statement, "We can't admit him. He will be dead before we can do the paper work." I cried out, "Jesus save me." The man from AA took me to another hospital's intensive care unit. They admitted me in ICU, and the AA fellow and I prayed the rosary all night long. That's when I told God that if he would save me and deliver me from alcoholism I would serve him the rest of my life any way he want me. From that moment onward I have not had a desire for alcohol or drugs.

I began going to AA meetings and various churches every day and night for about 6 months when a man who worked with me gave me a card to the Redwood Gospel Assembly. About a month later, I went in to the church. Immediately, I felt deja vu and that I was home. I don't remember much of that first night, but the next service I was there when a preacher was preaching a good old Baptist "repent" message. He did not say anything about the Holy Ghost, and I had never heard about the baptism of the Holy Ghost. I began to go up to the altar as I had in Baptist churches before. After I had taken a few steps in the aisle, my hands went up and I began speaking in a most remarkable unknown tongue, and I knew that I had something from God.

Seven years later. I went on a bus trip with the church to a little church in a border town in Mexico. My wife and I fell in love with the people. The next year we took a vacation, driving from California to Texas in the summer. We got to Piedras Negras, Mexico to visit with the church. A pastor from Mexico City was there, also. He asked me to go to Monterrey with him to visit some people who he had heard of. They were a small house meeting of about 7 or 8 Baptists who wanted more of God. We had service with them and taught them a Bible lesson. My wife and I had to leave the next day. That next day the Holy Ghost came upon a number of them, and the first "Body" church in Mexico was established. On our way back to California we stopped for one more service in Piedras Negras. The pastor asked me to teach them on Divine Order. I had never taught anything in Spanish before. My Spanish was very limited to getting food and lodging. We prayed, and I began to teach Divine Order in Spanish for one and a half hours. When I finished, immediately there was thunder and lightening, hailstones and rain fell very heavily. I asked the wife of the pastor from Mexico City if they understood my message, She said, "They got the message." and we left to return home to California.

While we had been in Mexico we hiked up a mountain, walking all over the city. We drove back home in about 100 degree heat. It was hard on my body, but I felt no pain or tiredness.

The second Monday that I was back at my job in California I began to feel like I had indigestion. I called one of the other ministers in the church who worked in the same company, but several buildings away, to ask him to pray for me as I was going home feeling ill. He told me to stop by the company nurses office before I left. Several times in the past when either of us went home sick we prayed for each other, but never went to the nurse. I started to leave the building to go out to my car in the parking lot, then I thought to myself, the man of god told me to do something. I turned around and walked to the nurses office. When I walked into the office I had a classic myocardial infarction (massive heart attack). I know for a fact that if I would not have followed the Order of God and did what the man of god told me, I would have died in that parking lot.

Why do I love the Body of Jesus Christ? I am alive physically and spiritually because of the doctrines of the Body of Christ.

Que Dios le bendiga,
Bro Norman

P.S. If you want to know why I use my first name when most body ministers like to have their last names used. I can't see anywhere in the Bible that any minister was set above any saint. And, my last name is almost un-pronounceable (if that's a word) in Spanish or Hebrew.

Posted on April 12, 2001 at 09:15:00 AM by Dave Linder

Dear Sis Betty;

This testimony is a highlight of my experience in the Holy Ghost...one which makes me a complete believer in the power of God in MY life.

About 35 years ago, I was diagnosed with terminal cancer...given 3 to 6 months to live. At that time, I was an executive at a large company well on my way to achieving all of the natural things in life that one would care to dream. The company owners were sending me once a week (every Tuesday) for treatment...all expenses paid.

One weekend I told my wife that I desperately needed to attend services at my brother Guy's assembly (Gospel Chapel) in Chattanooga, TN. The Saturday evening and Sunday morning services were outstanding. However; at the Sunday evening service, while standing next to my brother Guy on the platform they started singing the chorus "He Touched Me". I noticed that the entire congregation was being carried away in the Spirit. I also noted that right below the ceiling that there was a blue haze over the entire church building. Suddenly; for the very first time in my life (and unfortunately the last time) I started to SING (not speak) BUT SANG in other tongues. I was told later than I sang that chorus in tongues for over 45 minutes.

After the service ended (at about midnight), we were leaving to go home. For the life of me I could not speak in English...so, I said my goodbyes by just "grunting" or in tongues. That condition lasted until the next Tuesday morning (I was not able to report to work on Monday).

When I showed up at the Clinic on Tuesday morning, a tremendous stir was generated throughout the entire building. You see; what happened, is that when I was examined they found NO TRACE of cancer at all. All my doctor could say is..."I believe your story, son"...after explaining what had taken place in Chattanooga.

I was privileged for many years to tell my testimony to many at many church services and at various management meetings.

And; I have been healthy ever since!. PRAISE THE DEAR LORD!.

Dave Linder.

Posted on April 12, 2001 at 03:44:55 PM by Anne

Betty,

I may not have all the ear marks of what a Pentecostal may count as saved or filled, however, I have had wonderful, beautiful experiences my whole life. I wanted to respond to your question but decided to do it privately so no one decides I MUST have tongues and tries to give me grief! LOL

So here it goes:

I guess the date and time of my salvation, so to speak, would be when Christ died on the cross. I was baptized as an infant. I have to tell you that I have never felt alone. I have always felt His presence and the guidance of the Holy Ghost. I remember, loving God so deeply as a child. Praising and loving Him with my whole heart.

Ever since I was very small I have had dreams and visions of remarkable things. I even woke up out of a deep sleep when I was around 6 and told my Mom that my great Uncle said to say good bye and that he loved us. The next morning, we got the call that he had died of a heart attack in his sleep. He had not been ill.

All through my teens, from the age of about twelve until about eighteen, I had a recurring dream. I remember it vividly to this day. Probably because I had it for so long and it kept me wondering for so long. The dream was brief and very real.. like a movie played over and over in my dream.

I would see a dark alley that seemed to be scary, maybe a bad part of town, then a small boy about 2 - 3 years old would appear out of the darkness. Next, a very evil feeling car would shine it's lights in the alley and begin to race toward the boy. I jumped and pulled him out of harms way. The intense feelings I had during this dream were so real. The main thing I always felt during the dream was that I was angry that no one was there for him! I looked around I thought, who in the world would let this small child wander around! Then there was this overwhelming feeling that he was mine.. not mine.. but all he had was me and I had to keep him.

Never, understood that dream for years. I would discuss it with my Mom all the time.

I guess God was preparing me for Dakota all along! Praise God! The Holy Ghost led me spiritually to be prepared and open to this child I had already loved in a dream for years!

The Holy Spirit has made me do things I have no idea why until after the fact. But, I have always listened and known that is was of God. I have always trusted and felt blessed by God. I could tell you so many more experiences.

Most recently, I told my husband, that I was so tired of the GAC stuff that I literally could not bear it. I truly felt the spirit in me crying out for it to stop. For me to quit reading all the false messages on the message board, that it was injuring the Holy Spirit in me. I asked my husband to read anything, just to open the Bible and read. The passages were so on the money and buckets of tears rolled down my face. I cried almost uncontrollably. My spirit had been fed with the right words and motivations.

I believe when I was born, I was saved because of Jesus. I believe I am filled with The Comforter and it has been in me from the beginning and I KNEW it and TRUSTED it.

I know that Pentecostals do not believe it happens this way but it has for me. I just cannot brag of a date that I did something special. I have never done anything worthy of the gifts I have been given. They are just a free gift and they are real. Praise God!

God Bless,
Anne

P.S. I have never written so specifically about these events in my life as I am typing I am literally shaking.

Posted on April 13, 2001 at 11:59:03 AM by Theresa Ellison

Thank you so much for sharing that! Your experiences with God and the Holy Spirit always bless and encourage J.R. and I. It is very obvious when reading your post and talking with you that you have had just as real and true experiences in the Holy Ghost as the others who have contributed to this discussion.

Many Pentecostals make the Holy Spirit and the gift of tongues to be one and the same thing. I believe that is wrong. The gift of tongues is one MANIFESTATION of the Spirit, as is the gift of wisdom, (of which you possess a whole lot) faith, prophecy, miracles, etc... see I Corinthians 12. Diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. To say that every believer has to have the gift of tongues seems to be contrary to the Word of God. See verse 30. Do all have the gift of wisdom? Do all work miracles? Do all have the gift of healing? Do all speak in tongues? No. No. No. No. No!

In their day, the Corinthians were having the same problem Pentecostals, and some Christians as a whole, have in our day...Trying to determine who has the best gift. So, in the last verse of chapter 12 Paul introduces the "Love Chapter" of the Bible. Though someone may have all wisdom, faith, prophecy - and if someone speaks with the tongues of men AND of angels, and doesn't have the love of God - they are nothing.

The Bible says that the FRUIT (evidence / proof of life) of the Holy Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance. If the Holy Spirit is in you - you will have those fruits.

I am not taking away from the experience of speaking in tongues. It has happened to me and, since it is one manifestation of the Spirit, it is nothing but encouraging, strengthening and wonderful. But, I have had many other experiences in the Holy Ghost when I didn't speak in tongues, that have encouraged me and strengthened me as much, if not more.

What I am saying is that salvation is not dependant on speaking in tongues, but rather on the Holy Spirit. And while the manifestations of the Spirit are awesome, wonderful, and something to be desired - the fruits of the Spirit are a necessity, a must for believers. For without the fruits of the Spirit, the love of God - you are nothing.

Like Anne said, Salvation is by grace through faith in Christ. That is the best gift.

Thanks for inspiring me, Anne!
Theresa

Posted on April 12, 2001 at 06:47:00 PM by Laura Pedigo

This is my story of receiving the Sweet Holy Ghost. I was eight years old and , we were living in Owasso, Okla. and going to Tulsa Assembly with Bro Angelo Sr. I was sitting in church on my dad's lap and he told me about accepting Jesus into my heart as my savior. I went to the altar and accepted him. in the next few months we moved to LA, Ca. to Bro Cornelius Mears. The services had been about receiving the Holy Ghost. And I kept trying. During this time of my life, I had a extreme speech problem. I would say my name, Laura and most people would think I said , Gloria. Any way, I never could talk in tongues, I felt it, but I could not speak it. Then after the Friday night service, a dear older new yorker sister, told me , that I could speak in tongues, and could do it right!! Pretty strong to say to an eight year with a speech problem. The next day was Saturday, I can remember sitting in my dad's chair upside down, and talking to the Lord, I telling him, how much I wanted the Holy Ghost, then I promised I would try to speak in Tongues, no matter how bad I would be at speaking in tongues. The next day was Sunday, at the night service, I received the Holy Ghost, let me tell you, people, I spoke in tongues, in the service, in car on the way home, in my bed going to sleep and in my dreams.
I was lost in present of the Sweet Holy Ghost!!!

Posted on April 13, 2001 at 00:30:46 AM by ///////

Laura,
Thank you for sharing that. Sunday is my 27th spiritual birthday. It is a blessing to hear other testimonials. It's only gotten more wonderful every year. I look back at myself years ago and am thankful for how far the Holy Ghost can take ones life. I just won't even allow myself to think of what my life would be with out it.

It's been a rocky road at times but the Lord is faithful. Hail to the king of kings. The Lord of Lords and the precious Lamb of God. Just a poor sinner like me with the most precious gift EVER! EEEEVVVVEEEERRRR! Glory!! GLORY!!!!! AMEN!!!!!!!! A song: I wouldn't take nothing for my journey now. I'm going to make it to heaven some how, even thou the devil tries to turn me around. He's offered everything that's got a name all the wealth I want and worldly fame. Oh, I couldn't and I wouldn't take nothing for my journey now.

Posted on April 18, 2001 at 00:19:34 AM by Sadie

Oh, for a thousand tongues to sing
Praises unto Thee,
Oh, for a thousand hands to raise,
In honor to the King!

Posted on April 22, 2001 at 12:28:01 AM by Renee'

Well, while cruising down through the board, I came across Sis. Laura's experience of when she received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. It reminded me of my own and I'd like to share it with you guys, if I may.

I guess there's a little bit of background info that is necessary, first. My paternal grandparents and great-grandparents came into the church in Birmingham in the 1950s (I think). They had 3 daughters and one son (my father), and all but one of my aunts received the Holy Spirit. I can't even imagine it, but my dad was in church and active until he was about 17 and shortly thereafter, he went into the Marines and to Vietnam. I was born in 1968. I was raised by my maternal grandmother from birth and she's always been everything to me - my father is an alcoholic and my mother committed suicide when I was 2 1/2. I saw my dad and his side of the family but I wasn't real close to any of them except for a couple of cousins close to my age. My grandmother raised me in the Southern Baptist church and I went to its adjacent school through the 4th grade. I didn't know there was anything but the Baptists and those horrible Catholics that worshipped Mary (rather, that's what I thought at that time).

My grandmother had a serious knee problem and was facing a total knee replacement early in the summer of 1978 (this is when I was getting ready to enter 5th grade). I had an aunt (my dad's twin sister) and cousins that lived in Tampa and they offered to let me come down and stay the summer. I went to church with them - everybody's a quiet, reserved Baptist, right? WRONG!! It liked to have scared me half to death! People were screaming and running around, muttering gibberish that I didn't understand - and one sister had the nerve to ask me if I wanted to come down front! Well, just what did she think she was doing? I guess you can just imagine what a terrified 9-year old was thinking at that time. Anyway, I became accustomed to it and actually got to liking this way of worship, even sitting on the pews for 3-4 hours 4 times a week.

I remember the duration of my visit was coming to an end and I still had not received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. I was so upset and was afraid I'd never get to go to that church again - I just knew my grandmother wouldn't let me. Anyway, the last Sunday night I was there (it was toward the end of August), it finally happened. I remember that the whole assembly was down front praying with me and trying to help me get through. Bro. & Sis. Johnson were there at that time - she came off the piano, along with the rest of the music department, and they didn't stop until I was through. Funny thing is, though, no one could hear me. I had prayed so long and was so tired that my voice had given out completely. Sis. Johnson said she'd never seen anyone 'mouth in tongues' before. I guess it counted, though. Unfortunately, I don't have the exact date, and I could just kick myself for not having thought about it at the time.

When I got home, I wasn't about to tell my grandmother (the one I lived with) what happened, but I mysteriously wanted to start wearing dresses to school and asked if I could go to church with my other grandparents the next weekend. You can't imagine the joy and shock I felt. They were coming to pick me up for church Saturday night, which started at 7:45. I was so excited that I was completely ready by 2:00. Keep in mind that this is still the mind of a just-turned 10-year old. Thankfully she allowed me the freedom to choose and to continue going, even though this church was so radically different from her own beliefs.

I won't bore you with the rest of my life, but I will say that the Lord has blessed me with many talents (including musical and mathematical) I wouldn't have had otherwise. Unfortunately, circumstances are preventing me from using them in the way I would like to or should, but maybe one day....

Thanks for listening....er, reading. I'd love to hear more stories of others' experiences (including yours, Slasher). Love y'all!

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