“But you shall receive power (ability, efficiency, and might) when the Holy Spirit has come upon you.” Acts 1:8 AMP
I was re-reading parts of the book, The Cross and the Switchblade, this morning.
This is the story of Pastor David Wilkerson who founded the Christian recovery ministry known as Teen Challenge.
David Wilkerson was a Spirit-baptized man
Since the events described in the book took place in the late 1950s and early 1960s, some today may not know the story. David Wilkerson was a young Pentecostal pastor from a pleasant, small town in Pennsylvania. After seeing pictures of teen age gang members on trial for murder in New York City, he felt God ask him to go to that area to help those young men.
He went to New York City. Despite being inept and naive at times, and without money at the front end, he established a place for addicted young men and women to receive ministry. As a result, their lives were saved.
David accomplished this solely through God’s help. He prayed. Young seminary students joined in to help him with the work. He received funds miraculously through wealthy donors.
The baptism of the Holy Spirit & Addicts
With God’s miraculous acts, young gang leaders were converted through street corner evangelism, television ministry, and eventually in meetings at the Teen Challenge Center.
But, David realized they were falling back into drug usage more than he would like. Addiction is a horrible slave master that traps the body and the mind. David came to realize that two steps beyond being taught about Christ and agreeing to be His disciple were the answer.
The thing that really helped the young people to be truly free was being taught about the Holy Spirit and receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Following these, they could live being guided by the Spirit.
The Transformation From the Holy Spirit
Here is a little about this powerful, transformative experience in David Wilkerson’s own words:
“From the beginning of Christianity, then, this baptism of the Holy Ghost has had a special significance because it marks the difference between the mission of a mere man, no matter how bold and effective, and the mission of Christ: Jesus would baptize His followers with the Holy Ghost…
It was foretold by John [the Baptist], promised by the Father and experienced at Pentecost. I’m sure you’ve noticed the vast change that took place in the apostles after this experience. Before, they had been timid and powerless men. Afterwards, they did receive that power that Christ spoke about. They healed the sick, cast out demons, raised the dead. The same men who had hidden themselves at the crucifixion went on, after this experience, to stand up to the hostile world with their message.”
Continued Sobriety After the Baptism of the Holy Spirit
What David saw, along with his seminary students, is that their teen addicts could detox and get physically free with suffering (vomiting, chills, cramps, etc.) relatively easily. Believing in Jesus would set them right for a while, but without the glorious inward change that comes from the baptism, they were not strong enough to resist temptations and triggers forever.
Next, in the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, Part II:
- More of David Wilkerson’s realization about the baptism of the Spirit
- Nicky Cruz’s preaching (Nicky was a healed addict)
- Who the Holy Spirit is, What He does
- How To Receive the Baptism of the Spirit
Blogs:
I would like to share a deeply transformative experience that occurred after I had been away from church and faith for nearly twenty years. At my great aunt’s funeral, which was nearing its end, I was sitting quietly at the back of the congregation. As I was reflecting on my own absence from faith over the years, I was unexpectedly touched by the Holy Spirit in a manner I had never anticipated or believed possible.
Suddenly, I felt a sensation like lightning striking my chest, followed by an overwhelming flood of divine unconditional love that surged through me. I can only describe it as liquid light, almost pouring over me like honey. Tears were pouring out of me like never before, feelings of pure peace and contentment and joy. It felt like my heart would explode from love if it kept growing in strength. This was so intense that my wife had to assist me to the bathroom because I was unable to feel my body and needed to completely surrender. If it had been a normal church service I would’ve been at the altar. Despite my concerns about how others might view me at the funeral, I could not resist the power of what was happening to me, I was receiving what some call the baptism of the Holy Spirit, others say he just refills you with his spirit and that you received the baptism at conversion. Either way, this was the work of God.
Once in the bathroom, lying on the floor and fully surrendering to this experience, a vision began to unfold….I was enveloped by a brilliant, golden-white light, and I saw cathedral-like windows stretching endlessly upwards into the distance…the golden white light pouring into the room. Within this light, a throne appeared covered in jewels of all kinds. Nobody was sitting on it, as I remembered Jesus said no man had seen the father but him. And to the right of the throne was a lamb gazing at me. Above the throne, three golden crowns adorned with red jewels emerged, which I later was told by the Holy Spirit was the promises and inheritance God has made to me and my family. Our crowns of life.
The next morning, the Holy Spirit instructed me to share my testimony with every church in Charlton County. I have been following this guidance, speaking to a few people at times and, at other times, addressing entire congregations. I still feel his presence daily as there are times there is a warm fuzzy fire like sensation in my chest when I need soothing or directing. Jesus referred to this as the living water springing forth from within. I have learned to pay attention to this as often it’s him getting my attention to something happening around me or guiding me.
This experience has served as a profound reminder of God’s presence and promises, despite my long absence from church and scripture. I share this testimony to highlight the transformative power of divine love and grace and to affirm that even after a significant period away from faith, God’s presence can reach us in the most unexpected and profound ways.