A Fresh Perspective
Lucy and I have been married for almost 45 years (this July) and have often had Holy Spirit events in our prayer life together that have set us in a fresh, re-directed way. We both have our personal devotional time each morning, rarely together unless we are camping in our trailer and then we can’t really escape each others thoughts and prayers/worship.
We both come from a church tradition of listening to the Holy Spirit direct, or re-direct, our lives. This has often been in a manner where He has spoken to us in a very direct way, just not audibly. Lucy would tell you that she was baptized in the Holy Spirit in the summer of 1976 when she had just endured a very difficult surgery that (she thought) would change her life for ever. She was just waiting on the Lord’s personal touch one evening and in worship began to speak in a heavenly language. She knew what it was and welcomed it with her whole heart.
My experience came about a year later (1977), right after we were married. I knew what the Baptism in the Holy Spirit was for in the early years of Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa this was quite frequently mentioned, and encouraged. I asked Lucy what her experience was and she encouraged me to go quietly into our little bedroom and pray for that wonderful experience. I laid on our little single bed with my face against the wall and asked to be Baptized with the power of the Holy Spirit The Lord gave me a single word, one I had no idea what it meant, but that word ran around my heart over and over. I asked for more and the fire hose of the Holy Spirit came running in. I’ve never been the same.
All this to say that my life has been glowing in a very directed way recently. Not really re-directed but very specifically in a fresh directed way that has given me such a joy for His blessings. We live in a very beautiful part of the Central Coast of California, Santa Maria, northern Santa Barbara county. There is no more beautiful area in the Spring when the hills are green with grass and the vineyards are budding with fresh leaves for the year. I just need to sing “How great is our God” each time we drive through. This fresh anointing is something I’m so grateful for, and it can be yours as well!
Ask the Holy Spirit to Baptize you with power from upon high. Ask Him to anoint you with a fresh gratitude for where you are and for what’s happening in your life. If you’ve never asked for the Baptism then ask Him. I know He longs to empower His beloved for worship and more powerful ministry. It’s more simple than you may think, perhaps you think it’s too simple - shouldn’t we love the Lord for making it so simple? Seek Him today, don’t put it off, He’s waiting for your call.
