"TRADITION, TRADITION" 55
more fully Paul's desire for "the fellowship of the Holy
Spirit."
Henry, Mary, Sammy, and Willie
Now, even members of my family were asking
questions. The Spirit of the Lord so permeated our home,
that my brothers and sisters began to develop a spiritual
hunger.
One by one, they came to me and began to ask
questions. They'd say, "Benny, I've been watching you.
This Jesus is real, isn't He?"
My sister Mary gave her heart to the Lord. And within
the next few months my little brother Sammy got saved.
Then came Willie.
All I could do was to shout, "Hallelujah!" It was
happening—and I had not even begun to preach.
By this time my father was nearly ready for an asylum.
Was he losing his whole family to this Jesus? He didn't
know how to handle it. But there was no question that my
mom and dad could see the transformation that had already
taken place in me, in two of my brothers, and in Mary.
When I first gave my life to the Lord, I had some
wonderful encounters with Him. But these were nothing
compared with my daily walk with the Holy Spirit. Now
the Lord really visited my room. The glory would fill that
place. Some days I'd be on my knees worshiping the Lord
for eight, nine, or ten hours straight.
The year of 1974 unleashed a never-ending flow of
God's power on my life. I'd just say "Good morning, Holy
Spirit," and it would start all over again. The glory of the
Lord stayed with me.