The most powerful experience I had with Jesus and one that I will always return to in my mind as life changing is the first time I experienced the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
I was un-educated in the ways of ‘church’ and had only just become a christian.
In April 2011 I was 6 months old in the Lord and attending a beautiful church where I became a christian. I was now regularly attending our Youth group (even though I was a little bit over the age limit to attend, I had permission because of my hunger). In April our Youth ministry annually attend a conference called ‘Intensifire’ which was a holy ghost conference for Youth and Young Adults. I didn’t even know what the Holy ghost was, I just knew that they sometimes said this name from the stage on a Sunday morning. So I wasn’t sure what it would look like apart from what my friends said “Chloe! You’ll love it! ITS AWESOME”
The first night at this conference I lined up early to get the best seats in the house and now at a youth conferences everyone is hyped on sugar and adrenaline, so as soon as they opened the doors, there is no such thing as church etiquette. We RUN. After pushing by every short legged person I met and saving the second front row in the auditorium the lights went down and worship started. I found myself reading the screens majority of the set because I had no idea what the lyrics were. I had never heard their songs before, but during worship I knew I felt such an energy in the room that would not be denied.
When the guest speaker got up, I don’t remember necessarily what he spoke about but I do remember he was very passionate and enthusiastic about what he was saying and I liked it! At the end of his message he said “If you are ready to give God your everything, I don’t want to you to care about anyone else and their opinions, I want you to run down the front here and cry out to God” and without any hesitation I sprinted to the front and cried my heart out to God (giving him my voice until it sounded like an old man) and all.
As more and more people where running up the front the preacher started to pray for people and placed his hand upon their heads. I was focused on Jesus and as the wailing for the Lord from the congregation grew louder I felt a trembling start to happen in me that I didn’t have a grid for. Just before his hand came upon my head I felt a huge bolt of power rush through my whole body, head to toes that it lifted me 6 feet off the ground with my feet above my head and threw me back about 2 rows of chairs. ‘Thump’ I hit the ground and start shaking uncontrollably! Arms, Legs, Torso, Head flinging everywhere and an eruption of a weird language coming out of my mouth (the gift of tongues, Acts 2.4) I couldn’t control. While all this commotion was going on I felt myself starting to feel spiritually nauseous. (as I said I had no grid for this, but this was what was happening) I started to make this convulsing movements and a vomiting sound (praise God with no actual vomit) but I did feel something coming out of me! It was like there was something yucky deep in my stomach that was about to be puked out! All the old sin and demons attached to that dead version of Chloe were coming out. I guess the Lord thought now was a good time for them to go!
After about 20 mins of this spiritual episode, I got up stumbling around as if I was very intoxicated! This was the BEST THING EVER and I wanted it AGAIN! So during this conference at the end of each sermon the preacher would call forward groups of people “if you’re a pastors come forward we are going to pray for a fresh touch for the pastors” I told myself, I feel called to be a pastor, YES that’s me and I ran forward! They called out “If your in the men’s ministry come forward” I would yell, I LOVE and support the MENS MINISTRY and I ran forward! “If you’re an Asian or Aboriginal come forward for prayer” I would say, I love Asians and Aboriginal’s and I went forward! I was so hungry and excited for the Holy Spirit I would do or go wherever to get it!
The end of the conference and to this day, I have further discovered the Holy Spirit to be my friend, comforter, power and guide! He is the best thing ever and VERY MUCH available and living today! I encourage you if you haven’t discovered the Holy Spirit or been baptized in him. Ask him to come and I promise you, you will not regret it!
Wild Hearts 