"Doused!"

Stepping Out in RED Shoes

- Day 85 -

Yikes!  My newly saved friends got 
doused in the Holy Ghost tonight! 

I brought them to hear the preacher that speaks into my life.  Before the service started, I warned them,  

"Fasten your seat belts, you're in for a ride!"  

That was good advice.

The service was amazing.  The visiting, Holy Ghost preaching, Spirit filled, evangelist started his 4 week series on The Charges of Paul,  the Apostle.   Tonight's message was taken from 2 Timothy 4  where Paul declares, 

"I have fought the good fight.

I have finished the race.

I have kept the faith."

His message to the Body of Christ was about fighting the good fight and finishing the race -- no matter what comes your way or what mistakes you make.  It was powerful!  He sited example after example of great men and women of God and all the obstacles that came their way -- yet they pushed through to the end for God!  Even the Apostle Paul came face to face, time and time again, with many hardships -- but he kept going until he finished what God had called him to do.   Needless to say, we all -- my friends included -- left charged and determined to live differently -- to not sit around passively waiting for Christ to take us home, but instead to live on fire for God and change the world! 

But that wasn't all!  Like a good evangelist, the preacher stirred up the crowd.  He pushed them beyond their comfort zone.  He shook them up a bit and provoked them in the Holy Ghost.  Between the pastor relentlessly calling to the crowd to "Praise Jesus More!"  to the evangelist boldly exhorting those in attendance  to speak out in other tongues -- Yeah, I'd say the atmosphere got stirred.  It may have been uncomfortable for some, but by the end of the night, many who's spiritual motors hadn't been revved up in ages, were once again roaring loudly.  

One time, years ago, I went with a friend to purchase a vintage car from a widow.  Her husband had kept his prize possession in the garage, covered up, where it sat dormant for years.  Now she wanted to sell it.  What a beauty it was!  Only thing...  when he put the key in the ignition, nothing happened.  He knew, from experience, exactly what needed to be done.  Over and over again, he pumped the accelerator and turned the key -- staying with it until finally it turned over.  After letting it run a while, he took it out for a ride.  Before we knew it, it was it's old self again -- a functioning masterpiece on the road.  SOLD!

In the same way, there was a full house of born again believers tonight, who had come out, hungry to receive what the LORD had for them.  Many had been baptized in the Holy Spirit years ago, but for whatever reason, their spiritual tongue had been sitting in the garage of their mouths, unused for ages.  Does it still work?  It does now!  Hallelujah!

So the challenge now is to let the Holy Ghost have His way in my friends' lives.   The temptation is always to worry that they don't quite get it, or that they get freaked out, or that they turn and walk away.  I remember a friend telling me years ago...

"Don't get in the way of what the Holy Spirit is doing.  Keep your mouth shut.  Don't get into apologizing.  Leave it alone!  Let the Holy Spirit do His work.  This is between Him and them.  It has nothing to do with you.  Stay out of it, lest you rob them of the greatest blessing of their life!"

Tonight, I find myself reminiscing about my own youthful experiences with the Holy Ghost.   As cautious as I sometimes want to be with others, being on the other side was an entirely different experience.  The word,  "ADVENTURE"  comes to mind.  The Holy Spirit is an adventure.  He's wonderfully exciting and daring. 

 Hanging with Him is like 

skydiving,  parasailing and storm chasing 

-- a little scary and a lot of fun!  

All that said, I've been walking with Him for 31 years now.  He's my best friend and I wouldn't have it any other way!  Oh my... what if someone had robbed me of that priceless blessing?  Needless to say, the last 31 years would have been boring, unexciting and uneventful.  It is the Holy Spirit who brings abundance to the Christian's life -- to the maximum degree, no less!  

More!  I want more!  More of Him!

So tonight, I'm backing off -- in my RED shoes -- 
and letting the Holy Spirit have His way in my friends' lives.

Gail