CAN ANYBODY FORBID

Many years ago I heard a story about a farmer who had worked late and had to travel a ways to get home. The mule he was riding was as tired as the man for his head was hanging down and his ears were flopping. It was a full moon night, and the shadows were covering part of the road. As they traveled along there was a stalk of corn leaning just over the fence and the ear of corn cast a shadow looking like a giant hand reaching out. When the mule looked up and saw the shadow, he made a giant leap unseating the farmer. As the farmer got up from the ground he said to the mule: “You old fool you are afraid of what you should be full of.”

Likewise many Christians are afraid of what they should be full of!

They draw back not receiving what is called by some the baptism in the HOLY GHOST. They have all been baptized by the HOLY GHOST INTO THE BODY OF CHRIST, but they draw back from Jesus baptizing them IN the HOLY GHOST.

They try to justify their reluctance by a false interpretation of the scripture. Much of this is because of the manifestation of one of the HOLY GHOST gifts. Peter had a strong prejudice against the Gentiles, his attitude was this is a Jewish gig and Gentiles aren’t allowed. GOD overruled him and sent him on a mission to the gentiles to preach the gospel to them.

At that meeting a strange phenomenon occurred in Acts 10:44-46

“While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God.”

Paul had a similar experience when he asked some men the question; Acts 19:2, "Have you received the Holy Spirit since you believed? Whereupon they answered they said, no, we have not so much as heard whether there be a Holy Spirit.”

It didn’t take Paul long to explain it to them, and for them to be baptized by Jesus into the HOLY GHOST.

“When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. There were about twelve men in all.”

One would wonder why some Christians reject this language that GOD has provided for Christians whereby they speak from out of their spirit bypassing their mind.

They insist on speaking from their mind so they can inject a bit of their carnality in their prayers when they pray. The extreme carnality is manifested when they write out their prayer.

Jesus looked at the form some prayers were taking and said; “And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.“

When you pray, pray out of your heart instead trying to makeup some prayer that will impress GOD and the best way to do this is to pray in the language that GOD gives all who have been baptized in the HOLY GHOST by none other than Jesus himself.

This gift of the HOLY GHOST is multifaceted and those who reject it because of pride and without understanding it, are not wise.