Celebrating Saint Patrick’s Day

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day! I always get excited when March 17th rolls around, and it is not just for the Irish soda bread I love or the delicious corned beef and boiled vegetables. Of course, I feast on these at least once during this festive time.

My excitement comes as I remember a powerful encounter I had with the Holy Spirit on March 17, 2013.

I came to know Jesus in the fall of 1996, during my first year in college. I joined InterVarsity Christian Fellowship and began reading the New Testament repeatedly. I returned home for summer and plugged into my best friend’s home church.

I learned many basics of the faith in this church and the others I would attend and serve over the years, but not much about the Holy Spirit.

It wasn’t until I was invited to attend a prayer meeting with some new friends that I was powerfully introduced to the Holy Spirit. Pastor Sam led the prayer meetings, and I was learning so much. He was gentle and loving as he introduced me to how the Holy Spirit works today.

My time praying with these dear brothers and sisters in Christ and experiencing the Holy Spirit speaking through them to encourage and strengthen me was exhilarating! I looked forward to each Tuesday morning prayer meeting with great anticipation and the time flew by when we were together.

The times were so special to me that I began keeping a journal of all the Lord was doing and all I was learning.

I had grown accustomed to many people praying quietly in their prayer language on and off during our prayer time. I did not have one, but I noticed that it was the people who did who often shared the most profound revelations from our time of prayer.

I began asking the Lord to give me this gift because I wanted to pray with more power and see the Holy Spirit flow through me to touch and bless others. I think I prayed regularly for my prayer language for around 6-9 months.

Then, on March 17, 2013, while the church was still meeting in a hotel, Pastor Sam called people to come forward for prayer and impartation. I had gone several times before, and I was usually blessed in some way.

I waited awhile, praying in my seat and worshiping before I stood in line for Pastor Sam to pray for me. He did, and it was very much like every other time, only I began to feel a warmth I had never felt before throughout my body and a sudden urge to move my lips. To my surprise, sounds I had never heard or said before began flowing from my mouth.

I can only explain it as my tongue had been loosed, and I suddenly felt compelled to continue praying in this new way. I returned to my seat so excited that I had received my prayer language, and I didn’t want to stop praying!

I had always been an intercessor, but praying in tongues allowed me to pray quietly while I was going through my day and was especially helpful when I didn’t even know how to pray for a situation.

I Cortinthians 14:4 He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. 

I felt so loved and seen by God to answer my prayer, and this was a turning point in my spiritual growth. I began noticing more answers to prayer and having dreams and visions that were clearly from God. I started a dream journal to record them.

Mark 16:17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

Perhaps, like me, you have to overcome the fear and newness of the Holy Spirit because you didn’t grow up in churches that had an intimate relationship with this member of the Godhead. I encourage you to ask God to teach you more about the Holy Spirit and ask Him for a prayer language.

Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

These days and the ones ahead require supernatural wisdom and strength in our ever-changing world. It is comforting to know we have a stable and unchanging God.

Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

May Jesus get the full reward of His suffering, and may we walk in righteousness as co-laborers in destroying the works of the devil (1 John 3:8) and extending the Kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10).

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