Tongues - Part 8

Tongues Part 8 How do I receive the gift of the Holy Ghost?

A person can receive the Holy Ghost before or after water baptism in the name of Jesus. Repentance, however, must come first.

“Repent” here means,  “to change one's mind for better, heartily to amend with abhorrence of one's past sins” (Thayer’s Greek Lexicon)

We come to Jesus by faith. 

"But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." - Hebrews 11:6 

By repentance, we turn our heart, mind, and life to Jesus and away from sin.

Now we can receive God’s Spirit in us.

.A good place for a person to receive the Holy Ghost is at church, when there is an “altar call”. This is a call to those that love Jesus, that want to give their life to Him, and want to receive the gift of His Spirit. 

In this atmosphere of prayer, worship, and the message of the word of God, it is easier to feel the presence of Jesus. 

When we go to the altar, we often find others who will pray with us, worshiping with us, and encouraging us as we draw closer into God’s presence.

We receive God’s Spirit when we focus our whole attention on Jesus and His love for us. By our worship and thanksgiving, we draw closer to Him and He draws closer to us. (James 4:8) 

It seems when we raise our hands in praise and worship, we are reaching out to Him. 

When we worship and talk to Him, we communicate our heart and love. 

With our mind, our heart, our hands, and our voice focused on Jesus and how much we love Him, the presence of the Lord comes upon us. We feel His love and peace. 

Sometimes there is a feeling of humility in the awesome presence of His holiness. Sometimes we have tears of thanksgiving. When we humble our self before the Lord, He lifts us up. 

To allow Jesus to fill us with His Spirit, we must allow Him to change our words, our tongue. 

This requires trust in the Lord, and letting go of pride. 

When we surrender to God, giving Him control, He fills us with His Spirit.