I am considered Pentecostal because I speak in tongues as the Lord has gifted me. When I was a boy 8-12 in the sixties, the only religious influence in my life at that time was my Methodist mother and one of her bibles. I read the four gospels and Acts and totally expected people to speak in tongues once they were saved. So it was no surprise to me that it happened to me.
Here is my testimony of being baptized with the Holy Spirit.
After many years of conviction, I repented of sin and began a new life to God by faith in Christ. I was just a babe in Christ and was home alone on my knees worshiping and praying to my Savior when this wonderful sensation began in my belly and started to whelm up and spread upwards my esophagus. It was the most pleasant feeling. As it was spreading upwards, my throat and tongue began to feel stiff, at this point I became fearful of what was happening to me and stopped worshiping. Immediately the sensation subsided and withdrew the same path it took. In my spirit these words rang out, "when you are at church ask to be baptized in the Holy Spirit".
A couple of weeks later at Church the Pastor asked for anyone needing prayer to come forward. Many people went up to the front and were prayed for by the Pastor and the Elders. As they began praying for people, without knowing a reason why, I went up to the altar too. I began to question myself why I was up there, and as the Pastor and Elders worked their way down to the end where I was standing, the words rang out in my spirit to ask to be baptized with the Holy Spirit. As the group of men moved my way from the person on my left, my Pastor stopped in front of me and kindly asked me what I needed. I was so anxious and could barely get the words out of my mouth, and then the Pastor and the Elders laid their hands on me and prayed.
The very same thing that happened when I was home alone praying began to happen again. This time it wasn't fear that stopped me from receiving but doubt. As soon as the thought of doubt, "is this really of God" shot through my mind, the inward sensation subsided the same way it did earlier when I was in fear. I became resolved to believe that which was happening to me was in fact of God. As soon as I made that resolution in myself the sensation began again, and this time I fully believed and gave myself over to worshiping God without fear.
The next thing I experienced was as if I was slowly waking up. I noticed that my arms were lifted up and my mouth was moving with noise coming out. As I became more aware of my surroundings, I realized that I was worshiping God inwardly and expressing it through my mouth. I lowered my arms and looked around to gather my bearings. I was in such a state of euphoria, and unbeknownst to me I was up there for a good while and the service had let out. Many people were still there praising God and expressing their joy for what had happened to me. As I sat down to gather myself together, those who stayed came by and expressed their joy with me. Assuming from what they were saying, but not really knowing, I asked my wife if I spoke in tongues, she laughed and answered with a resounding, yeah, did you ever!
That was many decades ago and to this day I worship God in other languages as the Spirit of God has enabled me. Back then I was just like a kid not knowing the use or the value of that which was given to me, but now because of the anointing of the Holy Spirit, I’m able to worship God with my spirit and my mind. And the gift that was given to me for edification is also used to benefit other believers in their faith and worship of God.
I’ve testified about this event so that you may know that Jesus Christ is truly the Son of God, and that God's gift of the Holy Spirit and His empowering gifts are true as recorded in the Bible.
God Bless,
Joe
