Legacy · Q&A
The Samaritans and the Baptism of the Holy Ghost

Question:
Hi Larry
I would like to ask you a question, in regard to the people of Samaria. When great signs & wonders were taking place though Phillip, but could not impart the Holy Spirt.Peter & John came down & layed hands on them & they received the most wonderful gift The Holy Ghost .I live in Brisbane Australia & have seen very little of any one receiving the Holy Spirt when tongues, (a language) supernaturally came out, when they were not coached. My own original experience happened long ago when I was 14 years old. My parents were strong spirit filled believers, & I didn't like going to church much, I was more interested in the world & it's pleasures. One night a paster Young came to our little church in poor area where we lived.He preached on the baptism of the Holy Spirt, half way though I was shaking uncontrollably. The paster could see God was moving so he called up those who wanted to receive, he asked if I was saved, I said no so I repented he layed hands on me & I could feel this filling of Gods love that started at my feet & moved up my body, it was the most wonderful thing! it reached my chest & I could'nt hold it in I bursted out in another language. I did'nt shut up for hours. about 15 young people were born again that night. For the next 3 months or so I loved everything I was completly changed over night ( BORN AGAIN ) Sadly I went back to the world, Dad wasn't worried he had a word from God. I was 41 when I returned, thank God for parents that pray for us .Anyway thats another story. Back to my question, where are the Peter's & the John's of our time& is there much movment that you know of ?
Thanks Larry, Thank you Jesus !
Colin.
Answer:
Greetings Colin in The Name of Jesus!
First of all, thanks much for sharing your wonderful testimony of the power of God's love and grace in your life. Those are the kinds of things that I love to hear about and find so uplifting. To see someone who is focused on the real goods of EXPERIENCING God for themselves, is a beautiful and refreshing thing to me! Your question is a very good one, and the short answer is that there are no Peters or Johns in the body of Christ today because God's people would not be able to bear them if they were here. That is not to say that there aren't true men of God. But we are living in the darkest hour in the history of God's people, and of the world for that matter, and the true move of God's Spirit is very small because the body of Christ has only allowed for it to be very small. God's dear people have been actually taught away from the experience that first put them into the body of Christ, as you described (I Cor. 12:13). The doctrines that prevail over all of the people of the Lord are against the will, truth, and power of God, howbeit in subtle form.
The only move of the power of God is through the same holy Ghost that you were filled with that night long ago, and that you were renewed in at age 41. The Spirit of God is the only connection, relationship, etc., that any of us can have with God. Everything should be focused on experiencing the vast nature of God through the Spirit, because the Spirit is the only one here in the "name" of Jesus, which is to say, in His stead (Jn. 14:26). The power of the holy Ghost is the only way any of us can hope to overcome the nature of sin and sinning, which is what is required of us by God if we hope to inherit eternal life (Acts 1:8; Rom. 6:12,13; Gal. 5:19-21; Eph. 5:3-7; Titus 2:11,12; Rev. 21:7. etc.). And the power of the holy Ghost is
what initially cleanses of from sin and gives us new birth into the kingdom of God (I Cor. 6:11; Jn. 3:5,6; I Cor. 12:13).
So when we are taught that something other than, before, or apart from the baptism of the holy Ghost is what gives us remission of sins and new birth, we are being taught away from the very power of God that actually redeems us from sin, and is able to keep us that way. "Getting Saved," "accepting the Lord," "praying the sinner's prayer," "confessing Jesus," etc. are not biblically supported; but yet these are the kinds of things that God's people have been taught universally as being the new birth experience. So what has happened is that the true new birth experience (the Spirit baptism) has been disesteemed in the hearts and minds of believers and would-be believers, because it has been relegated to a secondary, and not totally necessary experience. By disesteeming the power of God through these doctrines, and many others, we have seen the evaporation of God's power, love, and unity from the Congregation of God; and few even give it a second thought, because they are also being taught that we are living in a great
outpouring of the Spirit. Those who are dissatisfied and honestly confused about what is going on in the body of Christ, are the ones that are likely to hear God's call of "Come out of her my people," and get back to the first works of humility, honesty, repentance, faith, perseverance, and willingness to just be and stay filled with the glory of God, and be led thereby into learning how to walk in the Spirit, which is really what the simplicity of the Gospel is all about (Gal. 5:16, Col. 2:6,10).
Yes there is much "effort" on the part of God's people to be what it feels it should be, including "teaching" people how to speak in tongues, as you mentioned, which of course is erroneous. And there are many other such things as well. But God also is still allowing humble, honest, seeking hearts to experience the reality of His power and love as He always has. Colin, if you just stay with your love for the true experiences that you know in God, He will lead you in the direction that you need to go in. I would like to encourage you to thoroughly go over the many articles of truth on our website, and you're more than welcome to correspond at any time. Thanks again for writing, and may God bless you and yours in a big way!
Sincerely,
Lary



