Understanding the AnointingVery glibly, I said, "Acts 2:4 says, And they were all filled
with the Holy Ghost, and began to ... ' Oh, I see it. I see it! I see
it! '... and BEGAN TO SPEAK WITH OTHER TONGUES, as the
Spirit gave them utterance.' "
The same Spirit I was born of and became acquainted with
on the bed of sickness taught me about divine healing and the
baptism of the Holy Spirit. The same Spirit led me, for the
unction abides in me.
Receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit is receiving the
same Spirit. It's a deeper dimension. It's entering into the fullness
of what God has for us.
So walking down the street in my hometown, I immediately
said, "I'm going down to the Full Gospel pastor's house and
receive the Holy Spirit right now." (That's pretty good for a
Baptist boy pastor.)
It was the custom among Full Gospel people in those days to
have tarrying services to be filled with the Holy Spirit. I think
it's fine to wait on God, but don't tarry to be filled with the Holy
Spirit. Get filled first and then tarry. I think that's one place
we've missed it. We ought to have tarrying meetings—waiting
meetings.
When I told the pastor, "I came down here to receive the
Holy Spirit," the first thing he said was, "Wait."
I said, "It won't take me long to receive." If you've heard my
story, you know it wasn't eight minutes until I was talking in
tongues.
I prayed, "Lord, I came down here to be filled with the Holy
Spirit. I know I have the Holy Spirit in me in the New Birth."
I quoted to the Lord what the Scripture said in Acts 2:38.
Then I said, "Lord, I received my salvation—my New Birth—by
faith. I received my healing by faith. Now I receive this
experience by faith. I want to declare by faith that I am filled
with the Holy Spirit. Glory to God, I have it. And now I expect
to speak with tongues. Hallelujah!"