② The Baptism of the Holy Spirit

(I’m writing about the time I received the baptism of the Holy Spirit on my first visit to church.)

On the first day I visited the church, my friend K.I. took me to a special place where they receive personal prayer during the final prayer time. She said, “heidi has stomach problems, so let’s have them pray for you.” Without really understanding what was happening, I followed her to what they called the “throne of grace.”

At that time, the associate pastor S. came to me and said, “Will you repent of your sins and believe in Jesus as your Savior?” I didn’t fully understand, but I answered, “Y-yes.” Then she began to pray in strange, unknown words. 

She told me to say “Hallelujah” out loud over and over. I did as she said. 

Before long, my tongue began to move in a strange way, and unfamiliar words started coming out of my mouth (Ref. 1). She said to me, “You’ve received the Holy Spirit!” Of course, I didn’t know anything about the Bible at that time, so I had no idea what had just happened. I went back to my friend and said, “Hey, K-chan. She said I received the Holy Spirit. What does that mean?” She said with tears in her eyes, “I’m so happy for you, heidi.”

She was so joyful because we belong to a Pentecostal church, where receiving water baptism and  the baptism of  the  Holy Spirit (Ref.2) are considered very important.   Although I was later given an explanation, I could only respond with something like, “Oh,  I see.”

Even so, after receiving the Holy Spirit, many mysterious and wonderful things began to happen in my life.

-                                                          -- to be continued ---

Ref. 1 – Speaking in other tongues

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.(Acts 2:1-4 NIV)

Ref. 2 – The promise of the Holy Spirit

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.(Ephesians 1:13-14 NIV)

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