Pastor John,
I’ve been truly blessed by the music and teaching from the Spirit is the Witness* fellowship.
I do have a question about the Holy Spirit’s working in a believer. I knew I was saved at the age of 8 because the Spirit bore witness with my spirit that I was saved and heaven was my home. However, the Baptist Church did not know about the Baptism or of being filled with the Holy Spirit. All they knew was salvation. When I was 22 I entered into, I believe the third heaven where I was singing in the spirit in beautiful, perfect, pure heavenly languages at a Kathern Koleman meeting. Wow, that was back in 1972. Singing and praying in the Spirit is still in me, although to be honest I have backslidden at times. I said all this to say this, When I was saved at 8 would you agree that I was baptized into the Body of Christ by the Holy Spirit and then at the age of 22 I was baptized by Jesus in the Holy Spirit. Whether we agree or not theologically, I know from your YouTube videos that you know God is real and that you worship Him in Spirit and truth. John, I truly thank Jesus and you and the other members of the Spirit is the Witness fellowship. I’m from New Jersey, but if I ever get down your way I would love to join you in worshiping Jesus our Savior and Lord.
Sincerely in Christ
Richard
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Hi Brother Richard,
Thank you for writing. I apologize for the delay, but I just now received your good letter. It would, of course, be an honor to have you visit sometime. We love to hear from and meet our brothers and sisters in Christ, and we would do our best to make you feel at home – because you would be! We are only at home in this world when we are with each other.
As for your experiences, I would describe them this way. We all know that something must happen to a person before he receives the baptism of the Spirit. That is undeniable. But what is it? There are many wonderful and real experiences that one may have with the Lord both before and after receiving his baptism from heaven, but which of those sweet experiences is the experience of new birth?
Jesus’ disciples had many incredible experiences with the Lord while he was here, and yet, he described them as only being in the womb of what Paul would later call “the body of Christ”. He said to them, “When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour is come, but when the child is born, she no longer remembers the suffering because of joy that a man is born into the world. And so, you now have sorrow, too, but I’ll see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you” (Jn. 16:21–22). That joy came on the day of Pentecost, when they came out of the womb and were finally born of God. The day they received the baptism of the Spirit is the day they were born again.
As John said in a couple of his epistles, I would rather speak face to face about these things. Pen and ink are unable to communicate feelings as does personal conversation. Until we can do that, please read my very short booklet, After Jesus Died, which you will find here:
https://goingtojesus.com/gtj_books.html?tname=afterjesusdied
That will show you, beyond any question, that the disciples were not born again until the day of Pentecost in Acts 2.
Again, I wish we could talk face to face. But until that happens, if God wills it, I will be praying that God continues to richly bless you and yours. From all of us here, greetings and love in Christ,
Pastor John
* https://www.youtube.com/c/TheSpiritistheWitness