I Wondered Whether I Was Just Making it Up

by John Edwards

The first time someone prayed for me to be filled with the Holy Spirit—it was the week after I got saved—nothing much happened. I went back to my seat feeling a bit despondent.

Then a few months later, I was standing at an altar-call again, because I'd taken my older brother out to get saved. Then the preacher, after having led those who came forward in a prayer to receive salvation, gave another invitation: for people to come forward to be prayed for to receive the Spirit. Seeing I was already at the front, I began opening-up my heart to receive.

Pretty soon I had a sense of God's Spirit and His love being poured out on me from above. Pastor Trevor Chandler was going along the line laying hands on people—and when he laid hands on me, what I was already feeling happening inside me filled me up even more, it welled-up inside 'til it overflowed—and I spoke a new language.

“I think I’m really getting it,” I said within myself.

It felt glorious!

Jesus said:

"...If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.

He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

(But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)" - John 7:37-39

"...these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;

They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover" (Mark 16:17-18).

I immediately felt a new power to bear witness about Jesus. I saw a 'picture' in my spirit of a crowd gathered around me at high school while I preached to them. Previously I'd only witnessed to one person, and he came to church and got saved. But after being filled with the Spirit, straightaway I started witnessing everyday at school, and one by one people started coming to the Lord.

"...ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth" (Acts 1:8).

But sometimes I doubted whether I'd truly been baptised with the Holy Spirit. I guess I was expecting the initial experience to be more dramatic. And I sometimes doubted (in my head, not in my heart) whether the tongues I was speaking were real.

One day my pastor mentioned to my brother and me that when you speak in tongues you don't understand what you're saying.

"...if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful" (I Corinthians 14:14).

"...he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries" (I Corinthians 14:2).

But still, I sometimes wondered whether I was just making it up. That went on for about a year.

Until one Thursday night, I was out witnessing at a shopping centre—we used to go out witnessing every Thursday night. I was still just 13 years old or so. I approached a couple. I asked the gentleman whether he was a Christian, and he answered yes.

So then I asked him whether he'd been filled with the Holy Spirit.

"Yes—and I don't have to ask whether you have been," he answered, "I can see that you have been!"

Really? I thought.

And from that day onwards I never doubted again that I'd truly been filled with the Spirit.

And I still speak in tongues most every day.

As you do, you can feel your spirit being built up.

"He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself..." (I Corinthians 14:4).

Tongues is a valid way to declare the wonderful works of God (Acts 2:11); to magnify God (Acts 10:46); to speak mysteries(I Corinthians 14:2); to pray (I Corinthians 14:14,15); to give thanks and to bless (I Corinthians 14:16); and you can sing in tongues (I Corinthians 14:15).

You can also ask for the interpretation of tongues (see I Corinthians 14:13).

On more than one occasion while I have been speaking in tongues, others have said that they heard me in a language they understood.

“Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.

And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?

And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?

Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,

Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,

Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.

And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?

Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine” (Acts 2:6-13).

Speaking in tongues helps precipitate other manifestations of the Spirit in your life, and in meetings, such as: the word of wisdom; the word of knowledge; faith; the gifts of healing; the working of miracles; prophecy; and discerning of spirits (see I Corinthians 12:7-10).

Paul said:

"I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all..." (I Corinthians 14:18).

"I would that ye all spake with tongues..." (I Corinthians 14:5).

The gifts of the Spirit are available all the way up until Jesus comes:

"So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ" (I Corinthians 1:7).

In order to be a candidate to receive, you only have to believe:

"...these signs shall follow them that believe..." (Mark 16:17,18).

Them that believe—that's you, and me.

"...Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?

Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?

If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?" (Luke 11:9-13).

“Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost" (I Corinthians 12:3).

"Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call" (Acts 2:37-39).