The Bible Truth About the Initial Evidence of the Holy Ghost | Rev. Nolan Carpenter

Be so kind to stand with me. We'll quickly go into the word of the Lord. Pastor Carpenter, what did me remind you real quick? something that slipped my mind. Uh missions offerings are due. Uh the pledges that we made a few weeks ago, they are due this Sunday. Uh so please keep those uh those pledges in mind. And uh if you miss the deadline by Sunday, um I'm sure they'll take it on the next Wednesday. All right? So just remember all your pledges uh to be turned in for missions. Uh Pastor Carpenter for the last few weeks has been on a wonderful series uh the Bible truth about repentance, the Bible truth um on baptism in Jesus' name. And tonight I'm going to attempt to continue that. Um and I want to talk to us tonight on the Bible truth of the initial evidence of the Holy Ghost. I'm so thankful tonight that the more you know about God, the more you learn about him, the sweeter it gets. Even though this was a an experience for a lot of us happened as a child, the more I learn about it, the more appreciative I am of the Holy Ghost. And uh so tonight we're going to go to Luke 3 and verse number 16. Uh Luke 3 and verse number 16. Then we'll turn to Acts chapter 2. Luke 3 and verse number 16 says John answered saying unto them all I indeed baptize you with water but one mightier than I cometh the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose. He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire. Baptize you with Holy Ghost and with fire. Acts chapter 2 verse number one. Uh and when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind. And it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them clothed in tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with other tongues as the spirit gave them utterance, the Bible truth about the initial evidence of the Holy Ghost. If you're thankful to have the Holy Ghost tonight, would you put your Bibles down and let's thank him for a few moments? Let's ask God to anoint us tonight as we dive into his word. God, I thank you, God. as a child, God, six years old, I was filled with the the sweet, precious gift of the Holy Ghost. God, a day, God, I'll never forget that day, God, that you filled me with your spirit. But God, now as a 28-year-old man, God, I am more thankful now that I have that Holy Ghost, God. That Holy Ghost has been a comforter to me, God, in in valleys, God. It's been a guide to me when I would walk in the new seasons of life. But God, it's given me power to live for you, Lord. And tonight, through the the power of your word, God, if someone doesn't have that biblical evidence, God, of the spirit that you want to be inside of them, God, I know even though it's a Wednesday night, God, I believe you can fill somebody with the gift of the Holy Ghost. God, no day, God, you're no respector of days. You're no respector of persons. God, reveal your word to us tonight in Jesus name. Someone said in Jesus name, you may be seated in the house of the Lord. I want to comment before we dive into this. I see them uh uh sitting down and let's make sure they're not sitting too close together. Uh but I want to give a big shout out to Carter and Abby that just got engaged this past weekend. And brother Weir, make sure they're not sitting too close. All right, let's we'll put that responsibility on you, Dad. And congrats to them. the the initial evidence of the Holy Ghost. It is in out west where we have the giant seoia trees. These trees that you can Google that the oldest one that scientists know of they say is around 3,225 years old. a giant seoia tree that even though it is quite large, they can live quite a long time. Typically reaching between 250 to 300 foot. However, we they know that the the tallest one is approximately 325t high. They're massive size um and and their impressive height. uh one diame diameter of the giant seoia is 30 foot in circumference and over 94 feet at the base. That is un that is unbelievable these giant seoia trees. But what's interesting about these trees is that when you would go to plant another seoia tree, something natural happens with the seoia cone. The only way naturally that the seoia cone would open and the cone would give its seed to be planted and to bring forth another giant seoia tree. The only way for it to happen naturally is for it to come in contact with fire. So fires that take place out west a lot of times obviously there is loss of life and I'm not saying that is a good thing by no stretch of the imagination but naturally for these trees something that lasts around 3,000 years scientists believe and that grow up to 325 foot high that is only something that is produced by when the the cone comes in contact with fire. There are some things that happen to us when we come in contact with spiritual fire. I'm talking about the Holy Ghost. When we come in contact when the fire of the Holy Ghost, John said that that one that I'm not even worthy to to tie his shoelaces up. One's coming mightier than I. I'm not worthy to dig just to get at his feet. He is going to baptize you with Holy Ghost and fire. I promise you tonight, once you come in contact with the fire of the Holy Ghost, it'll change your life. Things that you never thought would be made possible will be made possible not through your might, but through the Holy Ghost that's operating through you. When you come in contact with the fire, something happens. It It begins to produce something inside of you. And it only goes back to coming in contact with the fire of the Holy Ghost. Fire is a substance that God used quite frequently in the Old Testament. Fire is oftentimes a a sign of acceptance or a sign that an outward sign that you have pleased God. If you're if your sacrifice was consumed with fire, you know that uh God placed his stamp of approval upon it. We see this in Genesis 4:e number one. The Bible says that and Adam knew Eve his wife and she conceived and bare Cain and said, "I have gotten a man from the Lord." And she again bare his brother Abel and Abel was a keeper of the sheep, and Cain was a tiller of the ground. And in process of time it came to pass that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord. And Abel he had also brought the firstlings of his flock and the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering. But unto Cain and to his offering he had no respect. Cain was very wroth and his countenance his countenance fell. Cain and Abel, two brothers, brought a sacrifice to God. And the Bible gives us kind of some descriptions of that there was something that happened that everyone there knew. Cain, Abel, mom and dad, everyone knew that Abel's sacrifice was accepted and Cain's was not accepted. There was an outward sign of acceptance from the Lord. Many commentators and historians and tradition says that uh tradition says that fire from heaven came and consumed Abel's sacrifice but it did not consume Cain's sacrifice. We can even say that Cain's motives were pure and Cain's motives were correct in giving this offering something beautiful to look upon. uh but his his sacrifice simply did not have an outward or notable sign of acceptance. We see even in the the book of Leviticus that uh Cain's offering the a grain offering would have been acceptable unto unto God. But for somehow some reason it was of blood that God consumed Abel's sacrifice with a visible sign of acceptance. fire falling from heaven. I think that's a pretty good hint that God accepted Abel's sacrifice but not Cain. We see this happen a few times, several times actually in the Old Testament. Solomon gave a a sacrifice to God in the house of the Lord. 2 Chronicles 7:1 says, "Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifice and the glory of the Lord filled the house." Another instance, not just Cain and Abel, where God would would visibly demonstrate a sign of acceptance. We see it happen with David offered a sacrifice and was accepted. How do we know it was a s accepted sacrifice? because the Lord he he built there an altar unto the Lord in uh 1st Chronicles 21 uh 26. David built there an altar unto the Lord and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings and called upon the Lord and he answered him from heaven by someone say fire upon the altar of burnt offering. We see another instance in scripture where fire fell from heaven and consumed David's sacrifice. We can look at David's life and know he is far from a perfect man. But when it comes to giving God a sacrifice and have it consumed with fire, we know that God accepted a imperfect man sacrifice with that notable fire from heaven. I don't know about you, but that does something to me. I know I am far from perfect, but if I can give God something of my life, the Bible says that he will consume my sacrifice with Holy Ghost and fire. Are you thankful to serve a type of God that we can be far from imperfect, but we give God what he desires? And the Bible says he will baptize us with Holy Ghost and and fire. Elijah is another one that would proclaim that God, the God that answers by fire, let him be God. First Kings 18:38 says, "Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice and the wood and the stones and the dust licked up all the water that was in the trench. And when all the people saw it, they fell to their face and said, "The Lord, he is the He is the God. the Lord. He is the God. I'm so thankful we serve a God who still answers by fire. I'm thankful tonight. And what's interesting about Elijah's this Elijah sacrifice that he gave was it wasn't a brand new altar. It was an old broken down altar that Elijah rebuilt. And just because somebody had to rebuild it doesn't mean that the fire wouldn't come down and consume the sacrifice. What does that tell me? Well, you can live your life and you can make mistakes. You can have dedication. You can have a life that's pleasing unto God. But let that altar be broken down. But one day, let us come back to us and build it up. And God will consume our sacrifices. Yes. Even on rebuilt altars. That makes me excited about the God that we serve tonight. Someone who has restored an altar, an altar of prayer, an altar of living for God. Whether it be your first time at the altar or maybe it's your rebuilding time of your altar, God still wants to answer your life and your sacrifice with fire. There was a visible in all three instances, there was a visible, obvious, notable, miraculous sign from heaven that it pleased the Lord. And that still happens today. If you don't know quite what I'm talking about, I'm talking about the initial evidence of the Holy Ghost. And it still happens today. Still happens today. Genesis 4 and 6. Let's finish this story off with Cain and Abel. The Lord said unto Cain, "Why thou wroth? Why are you mad, bro? Why are you Why is your countenance fallen? If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? If you just give me what I desire, you'll have the same result because God is no respector of persons. But Cain and his brother, we see in this scripture, verse number eight, Cain talked with his brother Abel. And it came to pass when they were in the field that Cain rose up against Abel, his brother, and slew him. There are are some tonight that who have not seen or received this visible notable miraculous sign from heaven as of acceptance but rather just changing ourselves to align to God's word. Oftent times people fall into the line of Cain and rather than just giving God what he wants, God wants our worship, God wants our praise. And if we give God what he wants and what he desires, that same evidence that happened on the day of Pentecost will take place. But rather than giving God, that's what God was saying to Cain. You just got to give me what I want. I know you're mad. I know it's hurt your pride, Cain. I know you try. Maybe you tried your best. Let's give him the benefit of the doubt. Let's you you you tried to give me something that I would I I would uh uh put my stamp of approval on. But all you got to do is just change. All you got to do is come on to to Abel's side. And when you come to Abel's side, your sacrifice is going you're going to have the same demonstration that Abel had as long as you're willing to give me what I desire. But some would rather try to discount, belittle, or even say that it's fake in attempts to please themselves because they haven't had that same sign of acceptance, that same outward evidence or experience that those that have had the fire of the Holy Ghost fall upon them have had done to their life. But they haven't. So they'd rather discount it and belittle it. But I want to tell us tonight, I know I'm preaching to the choir, but the Holy Ghost is real. God is still pouring it out. How do you know? Because the Bible tells me so. It says, "For the promise is unto you and to your children, to to everybody. Everybody in this county, it doesn't matter who you are, as many as the Lord our God shall call, that's who it's for." Then that old song, if I was Brother Ericson, I'd start start singing tonight. How do you know the Holy Ghost is real? I've got it. I've got it. Oh, I've got it. There's something about the Hol and I know you're laughing. You don't want me to sing tonight. All right. There's something about the Holy Ghost that I can't explain, but I got it. Do I have anybody that has it tonight? You can't explain it. I can't explain. God take I can barely speak English, let alone another language, but somehow I gave my life to God. In the midst of my worship, God came down and gave me the gift called the Holy Ghost and allowed me to speak in other tongues as the spirit gave me the utterance, the ability. And on top of that, I was six years old. It was at a chapel service. God gave me the Holy Ghost. I went to to lunch and everybody at my table gave me their cookie for dessert. Never forget it. Never forget it. I've got it. I've got it. There's something about it. I've got it. Do you want something to be opened in your life? Something that can only be accessed by the Holy Ghost fire. I'm talking about it changing your family. Talking about it changing your future tonight. You've tried religion and religion has failed you. Well, I want to tell you, we are not a religion. We are an experience that happened on the day of Pentecost two over 2,000 years ago. And I'm so thankful religions have come and they have went. But this experience remains the same. The day of Pentecost, God is still God is still pouring it out. If you have the Holy Ghost, would you lift your voice in this house tonight? God, I know you can fill somebody tonight. All you want, God, is for Cain to give you what you desire. God, you want their life and they'll have that demonstration that Abel had. If you believe that, would you clap your hands all across this room tonight? Amen. Those trees can withstand storms. The just strongest storms that you've ever The winds that would knock you over. Those giant seoia trees can stand the storms that would blow and the rains that would come down. All because they've come in contact with fire. I've come to tell us tonight, you can get through some storms if you have the Holy Ghost. You can get through some trying times if you have the Holy Ghost. Whether whether it be someone you need a touch of God in their life or whether you lose them to the grave. If you have the Holy Ghost, the Bible says it's a comforter. Has there been anybody here tonight that the Holy Ghost may not have answered your need, but it comfort it comforted you through the the trying time? It when you come in contact with the fire, it begins to comfort you. It's called the comforter. Now, let's get to the Bible tonight and let us offend us. Let it cut us up. And uh let's see let's see because when you start talking about the Holy Ghost and there is there is great chance of offense when you start talking about the Holy Ghost because the thought is you're telling I don't have the Holy Ghost. No, I ain't telling you anything. Okay, I I am not there there are people that are so much smarter than me in this room tonight. But we're just going to let God's word speak for itself. All right. I just want to tell us tonight all you got to do is is give God what he desires. It doesn't it's not something that you have to be mad about. It's not something you can be mad at me. That's that's fine. But if you just give God what he desires, you'll have that evidence that Abel had. Mark chapter 16 verse number 17 says, "And these signs shall follow them that believe. In my name shall they cast out devils. They shall speak with new tongues. Notice tonight it does not say it's for a select group. It's not for um those who claim to be Pentecostals. It's not for those who claim to be apostolic. Um, I've heard many times that, you know, speaking in tongues are just for you Pentecostals. Well, that's the experience of Pentecost, but it's not just for us. I hope to God that the Holy Ghost doesn't isn't just contained in these four walls. I pray every all 747 churches on William Blunt Drive, I pray God baptizes them all with the Holy Ghost. Wouldn't that be a revival that couldn't be contained? And I tell you, this church is not big enough for the Holy Ghost to be poured out on everybody in this county. I hope it stops by that church across the road. I hope it goes through our old church up the hill and baptizes them. Why? Everybody needs to come in contact with the fire of the Holy Ghost. It's not just for us. It's for everybody. If you give God what he desires, he'll baptize you with the Holy Ghost and fire. Notice it doesn't say just those fanatical in worship or the crazy ones who run the aisles on a on a Sunday night. But speaking in tongues shall follow them that believe. If you believe in Jesus Christ, speaking in tonesues is for you. If you believe that Jesus is is good and and and and Jesus is just is great and all the terms that that could be on devotionals and and and in and good books that makes us feel good. If you believe in Jesus Christ at all, you shall speak with new tongues. Don't get mad at me tonight. All right. The word of God says if you believe, you shall speak. Not if, not might, not maybe, but shall. If you believe in Jesus Christ speaking in tongues for you, not you might speak, but you shall speak in other tongues with new tongues. A lot of people like to go over to to Paul and start to try to pick apart this this experience called the Holy Ghost. And what it is and and and and and I want to say this with love tonight. And I know I'm not going to preach next Wednesday night, so you can be mad at you me all you want to. All right? But it's literally Cain and Abel. All right? We have Abel having an experience from God. And we have Cain having doesn't have an experience from God. And we have we have Abel having the the visible uh acceptance, the fire from heaven falling on Abel, but we don't have it on Cain. And all you got to do just come over to Abel's side. All right. Matter of fact, there's not even a side. It's just giving. It's acceptance unto God. It's not even a side. Just give him instead of discounting it or trying to prove it wrong. Why don't you just try it? Why don't you just try it tonight? Before you belittle it and say it's of the devil, which it's obviously not. I mean, I can list you. I mean, you got all the disciples that spoke in tongues. You've got every writer in the New Testament not only believed in one God, which is another. Every every author in the Bible believed in one God, which is another subject for another time that pastor has obviously covered so well, but every person in the New Testament had the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in other tongues. That doesn't sound like it's from Satan. Even Jesus own mama spoke in tongues on the day of Pentecost. And if Mary was a part of it, I want to be a part of it. All right? So, we see that this is a sign from heaven. Paul says this is stay focused. 1 Corinthians 12:29 are all apostles. No. Are all prophets? No. Are all teachers? And you are getting so clearly that this guy is not a teacher. So the obvious answer is no. Are all workers of miracles? No. Have all the gifts of healings? No. Do all speak with tongues? And do all interpret? No. And no. What is correct? What is correct? Obviously, the words of John about Jesus Christ baptizing you with Holy Ghost and fire and Jesus, the words of Jesus saying uh that these signs shall follow them that believe. They shall cast out devils, do all those great things. You shall speak with tongues if you believe. These both can't be true. Paul is obviously going down the list of these things of the gifts of healings. Do all speak in tongues and do all interpret? And people like to get us sn stumbled and try to discount the experience of that outward sign. But Paul and Jesus are talking about two different types of tongues. Jesus is talking about a tongue that is the initial evidence of the Holy Ghost. Now, let's go back to why do you keep on saying initial evidence of the Holy Ghost? Because it's not all about it's not all about speaking in tonesues. All right? If you're speaking in tonesues and you're still a jerk, the Holy Ghost don't have you. Okay? All right? You know, if you're speaking in tonesues, but you don't haven't developed joy, the fruits of the spirit. And that's why a lot of teaching in the the the epistles, the letters to the church are addressing the things that you should be maturing in in Christ through the Holy Ghost. That's why you don't see a lot of speaking out of tongues. Why? They already spoke in tongues. They've got the Holy Ghost. But make sure that Holy Ghost is active and developing you and making sure it's making you grow because you've come in contact with the fire. It's initial sign Jesus is talking about when you speak in other tongues. Paul is talking about both are correct. Do I do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? No and no. But do everybody speak in tonesues. Does everybody speak in tongues that believe? Absolutely yes. We are talking about two different types of tongues. Paul says not everybody speaks with tongues. Not everybody interprets. Obviously not. But every believer shall speak in tonesues. Jesus is talking about initial evidence of the Holy Ghost. And Paul is talking about when God speaks through someone using the gifts of tongues and interpretation. I am a witness to this. I spoke in tonesues for the first time when I was six years old, but I have never spoke in tongues and someone interpreted what I was saying. Two different types of tongues. We have the initial sign of the Holy Ghost and we have the gifts of tongues and interpretation that Paul is talking about. Acts 2 and1 tells us a little about this. It says when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in with one accord in one place. And we know the who there is. We can go back and we see that it's talking about Peter, James, John, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James the son of Alfus, Simon, uh, the Zealots, Judas the brother of James, these all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication with the women, Mary the mother of Jesus, with all his brethren. And if that's the experience that hit those folks, that's an experience that I want in my life. Suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire. And it sat upon each of them. And they were all Everybody say all. All filled with the Holy Ghost. I thought Paul said, "Do all speak in tongues?" No. Do all interpret? No. Well, we're we're talking about two different things because everybody in the upper room that day, all of them, everybody say all, all spoke with tongues as the spirit gave them utterance or the ability. They began to speak with other tongues as the spirit gave them utterance. This this tongues thing sounds like it's it's it's pretty serious. of everybody in the upper room. Here, God is establishing his church with the outpouring of the Holy Ghost. Paul is addressing the gifts of tongues and interpretation that are to edify the church. Now don't get these two confused because one is establishing and the Paul also says in another another chapter that if it really does if you speak in tonesues out loud in church and what Paul is addressing when he's writing to the Corinthians is instead of preaching you'd have one person stand up and start speaking in tonesues and they would be talking to old Peter Bruce over here and he starts up how weird would that be if he just started talking in tonesues of me. All right we try to communicate like that. That's not how it works. And so with this Corinthian church had a problem with abusing speaking in tongues. So Paul is addressing the gift of tongues, not the initial sign of the Holy Ghost. And that's don't get those confused of establishing and edifying. Before I edify a house, I have to establish a foundation. Before I go, in Flannry picks out everything in Homegoods to edify our home. I got to first make sure we have a house established. Does that make sense? I've got to have the Holy Ghost active. Now, some of us we can't edify. I've never spoke in tongues and someone interpreted. I don't have the the gift of edifying the church through that realm, but I can speak in tonesues. I I've got the gift of the Holy Ghost. And I hope this is this is making sense for someone. This is to two totally two totally different things. There's a difference between establishing yourself in the spirit and having someone edify the church with speaking in tongues and interpretation. It's edifying and establishing. Tonight, my main goal is to make sure everybody is established in the Holy Ghost that has that initial evidence of the Holy Ghost that's active. When I first spoke in tongues, it established God in my heart. Now, when I speak in tonesues, Jude 1 and 20 says, "But ye, beloved, building up yourself on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost." What does this tell me when I pray? And brother Marshall, I don't have the words to adequately describe how much I need God. God's given us another tongue that goes beyond the initial sign of the Holy Ghost. And it's something we can just pray in the Holy Ghost. There's been situations in our lives, Flannry and I's life, in my family's life, we don't have the words to say to God of how bad we feel and how how we need God to move. But God gives us a gift called the Holy Ghost that we can begin to speak. It's words that cannot be uttered. I don't have the vocabulary to tell God how much I need him, but I can begin to pray in the spirit, building ourselves on our most holy faith, and my spirit is uplifted and speaks to God. We have three different tongues. And if if I can recommend some if I'm not making sense because Paul says, "Are all teachers?" And the obvious answer is no. And you're seeing that firsthand right now. If I'm not making sense to you, there's a sermon by Pastor Carpenter and it's called the three different types of tongues. It explains this so beautifully that we have the initial sign of the Holy Ghost. We have the gifts of tongues. Then we have a tongue that we can speak to God that edifies oursel. It builds oursel up on our most holy faith. Jude talks about this. But there is an initial sign of the Holy Ghost that you will speak with tongues. Verse 14 in Acts chapter 2 says, "And Peter standing up with the 11 lifted up his voice and said unh unto them, Ye men of old of Judea and ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you and hearken to my words. For these are not drunken as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day." But this is that what's he referring to? He's refer referring to the experience that he's got 119 people before him and they're speaking in tongues. He's saying this is that that was spoken of by the prophet Joel and it shall come to pass. This is what Joel said, in the last days, sayeth God, I'll pour out my spirit among all flesh. Your sons, your daughters shall prophesy. Your young men shall see visions. Your old men shall dream dreams. and on my servants and my handmmaids I will pour out uh uh I will pour out in those days of my spirit and they shall prophesy. Peter goes on to say this in verse number 33. I want us to notice this. Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted having received the father the promise of the Holy Ghost. He had shed forth this. Now notice this. He's talking about the Holy Ghost. He says it's which ye now see and hear. Everybody say see. Now say hear. The Holy Ghost is something you can see and it's something that is heard. The Bible says it's a visible sign. But not only is it a visible sign, but it's an audible sign as well. Holy Ghost is something you can see, something you can hear. There's a noise that comes when you receive the Holy Ghost. something visible and something audible takes place when one receives the promise of the father and other scripture puts it the promise of the holy ghost Luke uh 3 and16 uh it tells us it it uses that word baptize baptize we love this we love this word baptiso uh that is full immersion full immersion what do you mean what do you mean Nolan when you say that it's a visible sign all we know it's an audible sign we know that you will hear them speak with tongues. What do you What do you mean? It's a visible sign as well. Well, the same word for water baptism, baptiso, is the same word for spirit baptism. Baptiso. What's that? What you're using all these fancy words? Well, it's full immersion. All right. And it would be the audacity for me to come when everybody's gone and tell us that you just have to be sprinkled of the Holy Ghost. That's not biblical. It's a full immersion of the Holy Ghost. Mean it's a fullbody experience. When they received the gift of the Holy Ghost on the day of Pentecost, Pastor Ericson did an amazing job Sunday night preaching about this. They were drunk. Now, Flannry and I were were somewhere the other day and our waiter was so nice. He says he's coming to church Sunday night. I hope to see him here. Uh but he he he was so nice to us and around the corner he started speaking this language. I didn't know. Okay. He started speaking, you know, what was it? Spanish. That's terrible. I should know that. That's crazy. Sorry. Thought it was some like not that Spanish is not cool. I didn't I thought it was just like some lost language. I've never heard it before. Well, he when he came to the table, I I I didn't say, "Hey, bro. You're drunk working?" No. Just because he was speaking a different language didn't doesn't mean he was drunk. And obviously in the the book of Acts, we have a a tongues being spoken, but we have a visible sign of their drunkenness. And I know a lot of people a lot of people I just want to help somebody out that you're trying to receive the Holy Ghost just being like this. What you're wanting is to be sprinkled with the Holy Ghost. It's the best way I can put it. And I tell you, it is a fullbody experience. It might start in your hands, your feet. Why? Why do you do this in church? Why do you pick up one foot and put it back down? The Holy Ghost is on my in my body. I I can't explain it. Why do you act crazy? The Holy Ghost is a full immersion of my body. There is a vis. You're going to hear me speak in tongues, but you're also going to see us have the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost upon us. It's a visible. It's It's visible and it's it's audible. It's a full immersion. And I want to tell someone tonight, if you've been seeking for the Holy Ghost, I I I I want to tell you that God's not a liar. It's a promise. It's a promise. And and I don't care how many years it's been that you've sought the Holy Ghost. That doesn't mean that God is a liar. Ask Abraham and Sarah about the promise and how long it takes for the promise to come to pass. Did the promise come to pass? Absolutely. Did it take years? Absolutely. So, I want to tell you, if you are seeking for the Holy Ghost, it's a promise. And God wants you to have it more than you want it, God wants to be inside of your life more than you want the Holy Ghost to be in your life. It is a promise. Let's make sure tonight that when we when we're praying to realize that's why we act crazy. It is a full immersion. Baptiso is a full immersion of the spirit. baptized not only in water fully buried but full immersion of the spirit as well. Salvation Acts 2 and38 tells us it's two steps of man and one step of God. Two steps that you can do repentance and baptism in Jesus' name and then one step from God which tells us no one can teach you how to speak in tonesues. You cannot speak fast enough to start speaking in tongues. Just because people say it doesn't mean it's true. They are trying to discount the evidence on the sacrifice that you will give to God. It's not speaking gibberish. It's not just beginning to to to stumble over words and you stumble. No, no, no. That's not how it happens. How it happens is I begin to worship God. I don't beg my way through the Holy Ghost. I worship my way through the Holy Ghost. And God promised me if I believe I shall speak with new tongues just like they did on the day of Pentecost. Man, I feel him on this Wednesday night that it's a promise for me if I believe in him. Now we go to Acts chapter 8. Let's see some experiences beyond the day of Pentecost because you hear that it's just for the day of Pentecost, which is not true. Acts 8:14. Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John. I love this passage of scripture. Who when they were come down prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Ghost. I like how Luke puts this verse 16. For as yet he was fallen upon none of them. only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Luke draws it and says baptism of water and baptism of of spirit are not the same thing. A lot of people believe uh and it's just it's good good kind respectful people that believe when you're baptized that you receive the spirit of God. And if that was true then this scripture would be false and a liar. Luke says that I had they had to sin for they had to sin for Peter and they had to sin for John because we've got a group of people who have been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, but they've not had that evidence of the Holy Ghost, which I've come to tell somebody this and encourage you tonight. If you've been baptized but not received the gift of the Holy Ghost yet, you're not alone. Ain't that awesome? You're not alone. You're not a weirdo. You're not an oddball. It's not a lack of faith. I mean, these folks are are are a few maybe a few months, I don't know, from the day of Pentecost. They get baptized, but they haven't received the Holy Ghost. So, they're not the same thing. Luke tells us this. Luke knew that that that something would happen. Being baptized in water is not the same as receiving the Holy Ghost. They were two separate events. And when Paul, when Peter and John came and laid their hands on them, verse 17, they received the Holy Ghost. Remember, it's something visible. It's something audible. And Simon, when he saw that laying on of the apostles hands, the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, saying, "Give me also this power that all that on whomsoever I lay my hands upon, he may receive the Holy Ghost." Simon knew there was an experience. It was something visible. It was not just this gentle, I've received him into my heart. That's what happens. But what's in my heart, Bible says, is going to come out of my mouth. The heart is is a window or the mouth is a window into the heart. And so when they received him in their heart, something came out of their out of their mouth. And Simon offered money. And we see that he's not offering money for the the gift that they received. The Bible says, brother Steppp, that he's offering the he's wanting the gift uh another scripture tells us that it's on the the gift of the laying of the hands of the presetry. He he's wanting the gifts of laying on of hands of something happened. He's not wanting the gift that they received because they didn't receive a gift. They received the evidence of the Holy Ghost. They didn't receive the gift of tongues. What they received was the evidence of the Holy Ghost, which was speaking in other tongues. And what I'm trying to just passionately tell us that people try to discount our experience by saying that's a gift that's just for a certain select few. It's two two totally different things. Is the gift of the is the gift of tongues just for a select few? Yes. Paul obviously says that. But we're talking about the initial sign of the Holy Ghost which is something completely different. This encourages us tonight. If you if you've been baptized, you don't yet have the Holy Ghost. You're not alone. There's people in the Bible that had the same experience. Those ones that You can't tell me that when they got baptized the first time, they didn't try to pray for the Holy Ghost. You can't tell me they didn't. So, it tells us tonight that if you've tried to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost time and time again, don't get discouraged. They didn't discount the experience. They didn't start to think, "Well, I tried it and it's not real." No, they knew that the Holy Ghost was for them. And Peter and John laying their hands upon them, they received the gift of the Holy Ghost. And there was a visible there was a visible sign. Simon Saul, man, this there's something crazy that happens. Let's go to Acts 10 verse number one. There was a certain man in Cesaria called Cornelius, a a centurion of the band called the Italian band. A devout man. And listen to this. And this is a a message that I could scream to the in in love to the people of Blunt County. Blunt County is God's very best people. We're thankful to be in a county that they're not some crazy trying to force laws down our throat of uh of trying to break down your family and all those things. We have God-fearing officials. We have God-fearing police officers. And I'm so thankful for that. We've have and it's it's the custom, you know, Sundays everybody goes to church, you know, we go to the same restaurant about every Sunday afternoon and and they'll ask me, they'll say, "How'd your preacher do?" I'm say, "He did awesome, but he's coming here." If you want to ask him how he did here in a few moments, everybody goes to church. And this is such this man named Cornelius is a man from Blunt County. He's devout. He gives to God. He prays. He He fears God. The Bible says in verse number two, he fears God with all of his house. He prays to God always. But just because you pray and just because you give and just because you try to live a dedicated house like pastors been preaching on Sunday morning doesn't mean you have the Holy Ghost. And this is something I could just so lovingly tell the people that are God-fearing in our county that God has an experience for you beyond your giving. God has a a sign an outward sign for you beyond your prayers. and and and Cornelius will go down that he begin to God be to speak to him and they're saying, you know, one could say to God, God, I I pray I I I tried to give you this sacrifice, but I've not been accepted. I've not had that outward evidence of of of your you're you're pleased in what you hear and what you see and what I give to you. That's not the attitude Cornelius had. Cornelius was spoken to by God. that one named Simon whose surname was Peter would come uh would come and talk to him. Cornelius, a devout man, one who feared God, tried to lead his family, teach his kids right, he gave and he prayed. The Bible still has an audible visible sign for a man named Cornelius. If Cornelius doesn't need the Holy Ghost, there's no reason to call on Peter. If Cornelius, if the prayers were good enough, there would be no need to call upon Peter. And Peter comes and then Peter opened his mouth verse 34 and said of a truth, I perceive that God is no respector of persons. He goes on and how God verse number 38, God had anointed Jesus of Nazareth, the Holy Ghost with power, who went out about doing good healing. And then let's go on uh uh uh verse number 40 uh let's go to 43. To give to him give all the prophets witness that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. Cornelius a devout man loved God gave to good causes. While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished as many as came with Peter because that on the Gentiles were also poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. How' they know that they had the gift of the Holy Ghost? Would somebody say the first word in verse number 46? For they heard them speak with tongues and magnified God. How do I know I've got the Holy Ghost? because I've heard myself speak in tongues as the spirit has given me the ability. It falls on the righteous. And if you're unrighteous, the Holy Ghost is for you. You can pray to God all your life, but I want to tell you, the Holy Ghost is for you. You may not be walking in the fullness of who God is, but I want to tell you tonight, the Holy Ghost is for you. So when you look to the good people of Blunt County, and I know we're not this way. We don't look down on them. All I see is a Cornelius come walking through. Somebody trying pulling in to a church that doesn't believe the fullness of who God is and that he's one. I don't I don't shame my head at them. I say, "Hey, there's them Corneliuses, good devout people that are trying their best to live for God, but God has something more for them. It's called baptism in Jesus' name and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost. Brother Peter, how do you know they receive the gift of the Holy Ghost? For I heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Could you clap your hands all across this house tonight? Thank you, Lord. I'll hang my spiritual walk with God on that first word in verse number 46. Four. How do I know they've got the Holy Ghost? Four. They've heard them speak with tongues. That little 5-year-old kid that was running around one moment and squaling the altar the next. How do you know that boy's got the Holy Ghost? I heard him speak in tongues. That's what the Bible That's what the Bible says. Then, of course, the religious were mad about the Gentiles receiving the Holy Ghost. the next chapter and they're want to know how how in the world how in the world did uh uh you know that the Gentiles, those dirty folks, how how do you know how do you know they got the Holy Ghost? And Peter tells them, well, Acts 11 verse number 15, I was preaching to them. They weren't offended at me. They didn't give me all the reasons that they're devout. They didn't give me all the reasons that they prayed and that should be good enough. They didn't they didn't have their countenance fallen like Cain. They were just in the seat of Abel that whatever God wants me to give him, I'll give him. And as I begin to preach to him, preach to them, the Holy Ghost fell on them as on us at the beginning. How do you know they got the Holy Ghost? Because they spoke in tongues like us in the beginning. Acts chapter 19 verse number one. And it came to pass that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coast came to Ephesus finding certain disciples, good folks that are living for the for God to the best of their knowledge, walking in an old doctrine. He said unto them, "Have you received the Holy Ghost since ye believed?" Right there tells me just because I believe in God doesn't mean I have the Holy Ghost. And I know you could be angry at me, people, great people of Blunt County. You could be mad at this redneck preacher, but this is what the Bible says. You got to speak in tongues. The spirit gives you the ability. Just because I believe, when I believe in Jesus Christ as my personal savior, I automatically have the Holy Ghost Holy Ghost come upon my life and in my heart. That's not that's not here in the scripture. But if you believe, it's a good step. This the the old psalmist says, you know, don't stop believing. You know, that's a it's a really good start. You know what what is this? It's gibberish if you don't believe. You know, it's it's it's not you've just gotten wet in water if you don't believe. You know, this is a great start. And we see, have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed? And they said unto him, we have not so whether much heard there be any Holy Ghost. And he said unto them, "Unto then uh unto what then were you baptized?" And they said, "Unto John's baptism." Then Paul says, "John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people that one should believe on him, that they should believe on him which should come after him that is on Christ Jesus." And when they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them and they spake with tongues. If you're if you're living a repented life, you're doing well. But the Holy Ghost is for you. These men had devoted their lives unto John's baptism, which was a baptism of repentance. Just because we're trying to abstain from sin doesn't mean we have the Holy Ghost. God doesn't just want us to live a life from of trying our best to abstain from sin from sin. God gives us something far greater than that. He gives us a spirit that we can have the power over sin. That's the Holy Ghost. If you try to live your life just repenting, you are going to live a miserable life because you're going to come to an altar of repentance time and time again, feeling, you know, uh feeling that you're not doing it good enough, that you keep failing. But God wants to give you an overcoming spirit called the Holy Ghost. And that's what happened to these disciples, good devout people. And the question I keep asking my mind is why was Abel's sacrifice accepted and Cain's was rejected? And we see obviously we know the the preaching point is blood. God accepts blood sacrifices, which is true. That is so true. Leviticus tells us that Cain's offering would be a type of of offering given to God for another different instances. It can't cover sin, but it can be given unto God. But here's the reason I believe that Cain's offering was not accepted, but Abel's was. Hebrews 11 and4 by faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice. By faith, by faith, Abel offered up something to God. And God put his stamp of approval upon that with a visible, notable, miraculous sign from heaven, which tells me I'm not going to beg my way through the Holy Ghost. I want to have faith that God is going to fill me with the Holy Ghost. And tonight you're not going to beg your way through it. And some of you thought, man, you saw me on that front pew. Like, man, we're getting out by 8:30. Psyche. Not even close. All right. You're going be wishing pastor was back. You're like, he's done good. He's got us out at 8:40 and then his son comes and it's 9:10 and we're still here. Um, you're not going to beg your way through the Holy Ghost. I love how some of you were just like, it's not 9:10. 8:52. Sorry. I'll save you the crick in your neck from looking back there. You're not going to beg your way through the Holy Ghost. You're going to worship your way through the Holy Ghost. And it is something that God has for every single person. Here's what it takes. And this is what I'll this is what I'll end with tonight. It takes having faith in God, believing in God. Jesus says, "These signs shall follow them that believe. All those things they shall speak with new tongues." Faith takes three things. It takes the belief. You got to have I have faith that God's a healer. Why do I have faith God's a healer? Well, because I believe the word of God. God says he he's a healer. He's the same yesterday, today, forever more. By his stripes, we are healed. That's why I have faith. Uh that's why I believe. I have faith in the Holy Ghost because I have faith in God that he'll give me the Holy Ghost because I believe that this promise is for me. Now, it's not good enough to just believe and stop there. There's got to be some action. Faith without works is it's dead being alone. There's got to be a step beyond faith where fa I believe it so much that I'm willing to act upon knowing that God wants to give me the Holy Ghost. Now the next part and and they did this in scripture when they begin to preach to them. We know Peter preached to them that you're the ones who crucified him and that finger is pointing their nose. They didn't get offended at Peter the preacher, but it stirred their emotions when the Bible says they were pricricked in their heart. And so the second thing I would tell us to when we're praying for the Holy Ghost, number one, you got to believe you need it. That's what the disciples, that's why they didn't have the Holy Ghost. Those disciples that were baptized under John's baptism, they knew they got to know they they need it. But then a step beyond, you got to let your emotions out. And I've heard the thing, I'm not the emotional type. You're emotional about something. You're emotional. I promise you, if something happened in your life, you would show emotions. Whether it's your favorite team win, You're emotional. My Cubs fans in the house and that's and the Sanders family, they were huge Cardinals fan. You You're telling me those Cubs fans, they didn't win for 700 years. All right. They finally won the World Series. You ain't telling me they didn't get emotional? You're a liar. That's what you are. You're a liar. All right. So, so you have the ability to show emotions, but you just maybe not be emotional about God. I guess that that's really you're just we're just telling on ourselves that I'm not the emotional type for God. I I remember one one one man that received the Holy Ghost. He was a precious man, actually a pastor's son-in-law, pastor came to me. He said, "He has such a hard time receiving the Holy Ghost." And I remember he was devout. He prayed. He served in the church, but he could not receive the Holy Ghost. He began to pray, and I he knew he needed it. I knew he needed it. Everybody knew he needed it. And but he wasn't getting it. But there was no emotions involved. There was nothing like it was it was just a sprinkling. Let's go back to Baptiso. It was just a sprink sprinkled of the Holy Ghost. It's a full body experience. It involves everything from inward to outward. It might get in your hands and they begin to shake. But I told him, I said, "Buddy," I said, "What are you emotional about God for?" For me, I said, "I, you know, I've not been brought out of sin. you know, I I I have, but I I wasn't on, you know, putting needles in my arms. I can't thank God necessarily that God's mercy draw me off a bar stool. I said, but man, I can thank God that I've had I didn't have to pray and fast for the revelation of who God is. I had my parents just hand me that precious gift. I said, when I begin to think about that, it makes me emotional. I said, man, what in your life do you get emotional about God gave you this? And if it had not been for God, you wouldn't had this. And he said, "Ma'am, my family. My family. I thank God." And you can see the tears come. My wife is a holy woman. My kid, God gave me a kid. And that just makes me emotional. I said, "Well," I said, "Right now, you know, you need the Holy Ghost. Pray through your emotions knowing that God gave you a family." And I and if I'm lying, folks, I'm dying. That boy lifted up his hands. I'm not. And I promise you, I'm not making fun of how God spoke to him. Just giving us an example. He lifted up his hands. He said, "God, I want to thank you for my wife. I want to thank you." And he started speaking in tongues. All right. What happened is emotions got involved. My emotions when I begin to think of all the goodness of Jesus and all that he's done for me. If that don't do something to you, your emotional meter is broke, your gas tank is leaking, you you you got to check yourself because there's a wreck coming. When I think of all that God's done for me, it just gets me excited. It gets me emotional that God would pick me out of everybody to give me the most precious gift called the Holy Ghost. Would if you would would you stand all across this house. And in this closing prayer tonight, I want you to think about something that makes you emotional about God. If you know you need the gift of the Holy Ghost, it involves the most unruly member of your body. And no wonder when I have that powerful gift that God takes the most unruly member of my body and it brings it into suggest uh uh suggestion and and and allows me to speak in other tongues as the spirit gives me the ability. So right now I want us to think about what God's done in our life. And I want you to begin to lift your hands and give your emotions to God. You know you need the Holy Ghost but let that Holy Ghost come out from your heart right now out of your mouth. You just need to tell God how good he is, how great he is. Begin to thank him for the mercy of God in your life. If you can't get emotional about that, something is wrong. Because God loved you so much that he died for you. If that don't make you emotional, there is something wrong. That the God of all eternity and the God of all heaven would come down and think of you upon the cross. I feel the Holy Ghost in this room. I feel the Holy Ghost. How do I know the Holy Ghost is here? I feel him. But it's a fullbody experience. It might be in my hands and that's good. But let that thing get in your tongue tonight and allow God to take take that the most unruly member of your body. Come on, weary saint of God. Maybe you need to exercise that second type of tongue, building yourself upon your most precious faith, your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost. Mama, you've tried to pray about certain situations, but your words are inadequate. Go ahead and pray in tongues and allow your spirit to communicate with God beyond your intellectual understanding belong beyond what you can comprehend. Begin to pray in the Holy Ghost. I tell you, the gift of the Holy Ghost is for everybody in Blunt County. It's for every Cornelius that gives to God. It's for every person who prays. It's for every person who faithfully goes to church. And I don't care if there's apostolic on their name or not. It's for devout people. The Holy Ghost is for every single person. The promise is unto you and to your children. It's unto your children. All that all that are a far off, those people you think that could never receive the Holy Ghost, the Holy Ghost is for them. as many as the Lord our God shall call. One last time, let's lift our hands. And if you got the Holy Ghost, begin to speak it out. If you've got the Holy Ghost, if you'd feel comfortable lifting up your voice, for they heard them speak with tongues. That's it, church. That's it. Let that that beautiful language that God gave you on that day you received the Holy Ghost. Let that language come out of your mouth right now. I want to tell you tonight, devout person, God's got the Holy Ghost for you. God wants to give you the gift of the Holy Ghost. God's got an evidence of something that's inside of you to come out of your heart and out of your mouth. Riv uh living waters shall flow from your belly. The Bible says it's going to start in your innermost being, but it's not going to stay there. It's going to come out of your mouth, and waters are going to flow. The Bible says that you shall speak in tongues as the spirit gave you the utterance. And if you're hearing in your mind right now, I'm about to look foolish. I promise you, Satan is fighting you from the greatest thing that you will ever receive. Matter of fact, I'll go as far as to say this. If you hear it in your mind tonight, you're about to make a fool of yourself. You're about to look foolish. I promise you, you are on the brink of receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost. Satan don't want you to have that overcoming power. Satan don't want to want you to have the same spirit that raised Christ Jesus from the dead working in you and alive in you. Come on. I know I went after 9:00, but can we push just a moment? We're going to be pushed just a moment. If you see somebody next to you that they're praying and they're not speaking in tongues, would you help me pray for them right now? Come on. The Holy Ghost is for you tonight. It's the missing piece in your life. the Holy Ghost. It's a God-given void that God wants to fill you with the Holy Ghost. You've tried your best to fill it with things that are not supposed to be there. You thought different people would fill it. You thought better jobs would fill it. You thought a different mate would fill it. But I've come to tell you tonight that is a void that God gave you for him to dwell in your life, for the Holy Ghost to dwell. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Oh, I thank you tonight. I thank you tonight, God. I thank you tonight for the Holy Ghost. God, when I cannot understand what I need to say to you, I can pray in the Holy Ghost. God, it's a promise. And God, if you were speaking to Cain once again, you'd say the same things. Why is your countenance fallen? If you want to be accepted, just give me what I desire. And I desire your life, I desire your voice to be raised to me. And I promise you, just like your brother, I promise just like the person sitting next to you on the pew that is speaking in that heavenly language, I will give you that same experience if you become a Cornelius. and realize God has given you a lot of things, but there's one thing that God wants to give you more, and that's the Holy Ghost. In Jesus name we pray. Come on, one last time, let's thank him for what we felt in this room right now. I thank you today, God. I thank you today. Someone say in Jesus name, thank you so much for being here tonight. God bless you. We'll see you Sunday morning at 10 o'clock.