May 5

Growing up in a Southern Baptist church, our services were quite mild. Everyone sang the songs from the hymnal, and then quietly sat and listened to the message. No one got out of control, or raised their hands in praise, no one answered back to the preacher, other than an occasional “amen.” One time I was invited to go to church with my friend, who was a Pentecostal, boy was that an eye opener! I was struck with fear because I had never seen anything like it. There were people running up and down the isles, others speaking in tongues, and I even saw someone healed! I was young, so I didn’t know what to think about it. As an adult thinking back on that experience, I rationalized that it wasn’t real, and it certainly couldn’t be biblical! I was wrong! After studying the word of God over the years, I realized that the move of the Spirit is real; falling out is real, speaking in tongues is real, and healing is real, and it’s biblical. Don’t get me wrong, there will be fakers, and those seeking to impress others by their “spirituality,” but repentance is due from them because of their lies.

Saul had sent his messengers to capture David, and bring him in to be killed. David was hiding in a town of prophets, and when they came to get him, they fell under the control of the Spirit, and they prophesied. It happened several times, until Saul came himself, but, he fell under the Spirit too, and David was able to escape. You may say, “oh, this is Old Testament teaching,” don’t kid yourself, it's in the New Testament too. You would know these things to be true, if you read your Bible, especially when you read it with a surrendered heart. Surrender, so God will open your heart to the truth.

And he went there to Naioth in Ramah. And the Spirit of God came upon him also, and as he went he prophesied until he came to Naioth in Ramah. And he too stripped off his clothes, and he too prophesied before Samuel and lay naked all that day and all that night. Thus it is said, “Is Saul also among the prophets?” 1 Samuel 19:23-24