I shared my wonderful salvation and sanctification experiences on the 17th and 19th of May 1972. This all happened at the age of 29 for me, I did not KNOW ANYTHING about these amazing relationships we could have with our Abba Father. Then I was told of another even more amazing relationship, the baptism of the Holy Spirit! As the saints were praying in the upper room, “Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. And everyone present was FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT and began SPEAKING IN OTHER LANGUAGES, as the Holy Spirit GAVE THEM THIS ABILITY.” (Acts 2:2-4)
This message was preached on Saturday Evening the 20th of May, when the altar call was given I ran to pray to receive this wonderful gift a close friend was praying next to me and they received the Holy Spirit and BEGAN TO SPEAK IN A BEAUTIFUL LANGUAGE, I knew they did not know any other languages, so I listened intently to see if this was genuine, the more I listened the more envious I became to receive this as well. I went back to SEEKING AND CRYING OUT TO GOD, but nothing happened as far as the Holy Spirit was concerned.
Sunday morning and evening I was in the altar seeking and crying and even begging God to give me this gift, but NOTHING! The next weekend was Youth Convention in Yakima, I went and in the Friday night service I did more crying out to God, but STILL NOTHING. When we went back to the room, Tim and I were talking in the kitchen and Tim was explaining to me how God did miracles. Something happened to me, and I said, “Tim we cannot understand HOW GOD DOES MIRACLES He is God and He just speaks them into existence.” we then prepared to go to bed.
In the bathroom I was just staring at the wall in front of me and I said “God make my mind just like this wall, blank…” When I said that I just started speaking in tongues and on and on it went, I took a bath all the time speaking in tongues, it was so wonderful, so meaningful, I did not know what I was saying but I felt SUCH A FULLNESS. I notice as I read my bible that things made sense to me. My prayer life changed; I began to be guided by the Holy Spirit as to HOW TO PRAY. The most exciting occurrence to me was the call to preach in my life!!!
Your Personal Pastor -Bill Stockham