Music Link: https://youtu.be/T53BREgPcwI
Lyrics
Lord Almighty, we behold thee
Set our hearts and minds aright
May our troubles and our burdens
Bow before your Sovereign might
Holy One, to thee we come
In Honor and in reverence
We draw near, meet us here
And bless us with thy presence
God of wisdom, love and splendor
How we long to know your ways
Words, they fail us, grace avails us
To resound this humble praise
Holy One, to thee we come
In Honor and in reverence
As we draw near, meet us here
And bless us with thy presence
Holy One, to thee we come
In Honor and in reverence
We draw near, meet us here
And bless us with thy presence
Holy One, to thee we come
In Honor and in reverence
We draw near, meet us here
And bless us with thy presence
Written by Jess Ray Langdon, Dawn Hill, Ricky Vasquez
First, let me say that what you are about to read really happened as close to the events which I recorded on this page and as truthfully as I can remember. Nonetheless, I might not have even told the story if I hadn't felt the burden that I have and do feel to record it. But, as I point out in the text, I believe that the Lord wishes for me to write it, not for my sake, but for others, and so here it is:
You know, for the longest time, I have operated in a number of "spiritual gifts," so I feel that I have a much better understanding than many in the "body of Christ."
Over the years, I can't tell you how many times I have been in church services where there may be a small revival, and then either the visiting Evangelist or the Pastor might get in the pulpit and encourage the congregation or to hype the revival and he will announce, "Okay, now the Holy Spirit wants to 'give gifts unto man,' as the New Testament says.
"C'mon up here and 'receive,' the gift of Prophecy or the gift of 'dream interpretation,' while the anointing is here and fresh at the altar."
Well, normally, a number of new believer's will run up to the altar shouting in their flesh silently, "Here Pray for me, pray for me, let me be first."
Well, then you have to move on, but a few months later you happen to be in town again, so you visit the church. Well, before you can get to the door, you have to bypass these crowds of people who are all lined up to these various tents with signs outside, "Dream Interpretations, five dollars."
Or "Prophet so and so, let me tell you your future."
Nonetheless, I seriously can't recall in my forty years of observing the church where I have seen an altar filled with believer's leaving who have all received "gifts," distributed like candy canes at Christmas time.
When I became baptized in the Holy Spirit within a few weeks or months, I was gifted with a supernatural gifting. Nonetheless, I have always realized that God had blessed me in such a way, as he knew who I was and what I would need to remain a steady believer through those early years.
You see, he had called me to a community of families and of students at a University and I was in a completely foreign culture.
I was an anti-Social kid from the streets of Detroit. It took a few years for me to finally fit comfortably within this culture of well to do and very educated individuals.
But you see that was how my "Faith," and morals were birthed. I was alone much of the time, so I developed my Christianity not from my peers who had been raised in denominations and suburban Christianity where it was fashionable to go to church and to act as if you were a "Christian."
But you see God gave me a "gifting," which was useless on my own. For me to operate in that "gifting," which I truly loved to do and received my greatest satisfaction in life from, I had to learn and to operate it within the "body of Christ."
Do you understand what I am saying?
You see, for my voice to be amplified, for me to ascend in the "Spirit," to the spiritual realm where I could fellowship with the Lord closer, I had to be a part of a living vibrant church which worshipped God in the "Spirit."
Nonetheless, it was a long time before I was comfortable socializing with many members from a different culture than mine. Mine was of a street culture. Nonetheless, God used that because for me to continue in Christianity I had to learn what it was. In my first year or two I had devoured hundreds of charismatic books on every subject imaginable. I had read the Bible twice before my second-year walking as a Christian.
A few years later after walking as a "Holy Spirit gifted" believer, I had an opportunity to sit under Lester Sumrall for a few weeks where the man packed a lifetime of servanthood to Jesus in just fourteen tapes. I listened to those tapes a few times every year, for a long period of time.
He shared his experiences and wisdom which he had learned through fifty years of ministry on all types of godly principles and subjects packed into fourteen tapes.
Well, many times the Holy Spirit will remind me of something he taught or said when I begin to write on a particular subject. That was what the Lord did earlier tonight as I was preparing to write this paper.
So, anyway I wanted to write about an experience that I had a few weeks ago concerning "spiritual gifts," and I recalled when Brother Sumrall shared his story on when he received a particular "gift," from the Holy Spirit.
He shared those sermons over forty years ago, so you know, over time you forget the particulars. Anyway, I can't recall which "gift," that God had given him, but it was one of the gits of the Holy Spirit mentioned in the New Testament. The man was "gifted" in a number of gifts particularly in deliverance ministry.
I can't remember the incident, but that part isn't important either. The thing that he shared was "How he had just gone through one of his worst type of failures or disappointments in his life, yet his intention was very noble.
So, there he is explaining to our class how alone, how vulnerable that he was, how he was feeling perhaps as low as one could feel in ministry, but THEN, God dropped a Holy Spiritual "gifting," in his lap that he used for the rest of his life.
And he shared with us that this was how God gave gifts unto men. It was as sort of "honors," that one receives after doing something extraordinary for God, yet not "gloating" in victory, but in many times, suffering humbly for God in regrets.
Do you understand that in the Kingdom of God everything is backwards.
The first shall be last, the humble are those who are exalted, the lowly and the meek are the friends of God, not the proud and the boastful.
And so, I was thinking on this tonight, and I was sort of imagining how the "Gifts," of the Holy Spirit are given as sort of Merit Badges that the Boy Scouts might distribute.
If you stand up alone for God, when everyone or everything shouts, "Not to do that," then you are liable to get a "Merit Badge," to put on your vest.
If you obediently follow the directions of a 'leader,' who is simply using you for his own devices, then you can look forward to doing that for the next ten or twenty years.
I couldn't tell you the number of "Offering takers," which I have witnessed in one church, time and time again. Then ten years later, or honestly even twenty years later, as I return to that church because they have a conference or event there is the same guy giving the same spiel that he gave ten or twenty years before. The only difference is that the Crocodile tears are much more realistic each week that he displays them.
I seriously do, I believe that this is the reason why "I know that practice makes almost perfect."
Nevertheless, he can beg, borrow or steal till the cows come home, and he will never ever receive a "Merit Badge," from heaven. No, all of those men pleasers will ever receive is a "Thank you, well done thou good and consistent man pleaser."
"Here come into the joy of my million-dollar estates, for Sunday dinner, why if it wasn't for you...
You see, God only gives those out to individuals, those real "spiritual gifts," who do something sincere for the love of Jesus or mankind, and who have humble hearts obedient to God and not to man.
No, you do not get one for manipulating more funds than any other church within a thousand-mile radius.
Another thing odd to me. however, is that in many churches the "Shepherd, or benefactor," of most of the finances hardly ever makes a Sunday Offering and Tithe Plea?
I wonder why that is in so many cases.
Nevertheless, there are always many people who are so willing to do that. In fact, many times the individuals will all try to outdo each other in terms of "what will come back to the house."
You know, God's house, the local store house!
Why sometimes, I feel as if I am in Las Vegas?
You know, "Which employee can bring back the most "winnings," to the house?"
Nonetheless, my paper is on the gifts of the Holy Spirit and wasn't intended to be a teaching on the proper protocol in taking Sunday offerings.
And I write this because a man shared with me, and I want to share those secrets with the "Pure in heart," or to those who will listen to understand the true nature of God.
I know, one of the most coveted "Gifting," in which the church longs to see again is the operation of "Special Faith."
This was a gift that Smith Wigglesworth walked in and other truly remarkable men.
Well, I have only operated in it one time that I can clearly define, and this is why I am writing this paper.
You see, I cast a devil out of a man similar to the "Gadarene Demoniac" who was possessed.
Nonetheless, after I did it, the scripture that kept coming to mind was:
John 12:30
KJ21 Jesus answered and said, "This voice came not because of Me, but for your sakes.
ASV Jesus answered and said, This voice hath not come for my sake, but for your sakes.
AMP Jesus answered, "This voice has come for your sake, not for mine.
AMPC Jesus answered, This voice has not come for My sake, but for your sake.
BRG Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes.
CSB Jesus responded, "This voice came, not for me, but for you.
CEB Jesus replied, "This voice wasn't for my benefit but for yours.
CJB Yeshua answered, "This bat-kol did not come for my sake but for yours.
CEV Then Jesus told the crowd, "That voice spoke to help you, not me.
DARBY Jesus answered and said, Not on my account has this voice come, but on yours.
DLNT Jesus responded and said, "This voice has taken place not for My sake, but for your sakes.
DRA Jesus answered, and said: This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes.
ERV Jesus said, "That voice was for you and not for me.
EASY Jesus said, 'When this voice spoke, it was not so that it could help me. No, it spoke so that it could help you.
EHV Jesus answered, "This voice was not for my sake but for yours.
ESV Jesus answered, "This voice has come for your sake, not mine.
ESVUK Jesus answered, "This voice has come for your sake, not mine.
EXB Jesus ·said [responded], "That voice was for your sake, not mine.
GNV Jesus answered, and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes.
GW Jesus replied, "That voice wasn't for my benefit but for yours.
GNT But Jesus said to them, "It was not for my sake that this voice spoke, but for yours.
HCSB Jesus responded, "This voice came, not for Me, but for you.
ICB Jesus said, "That voice was for you, not for me.
ISV Jesus replied, "This voice is for your benefit, not for mine.
PHILLIPS Then Jesus said, "That voice came for your sake, not for mine. Now is the time for the judgment of this world to begin, and now will the spirit that rules this world be driven out. As for me, if I am lifted up from the earth I will draw all men to myself." (He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die.)
JUB Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes.
KJV Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes.
AKJV Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes.
LSB
Jesus answered and said, "This voice has not come for My sake, but for your sake.
LEB Jesus answered and said, "This voice has not happened for my sake, but for your sake.
TLB Then Jesus told them, "The voice was for your benefit, not mine.
MSG Jesus said, "The voice didn't come for me but for you. At this moment the world is in crisis. Now Satan, the ruler of this world, will be thrown out. And I, as I am lifted up from the earth, will attract everyone to me and gather them around me." He put it this way to show how he was going to be put to death.
MEV Jesus answered, "This voice came not for My sake, but for your sakes.
MOUNCE Jesus answered, · saying, "This voice was not for my benefit, · but for yours.
NOG Yeshua replied, "That voice wasn't for my benefit but for yours.
NABRE Jesus answered and said, "This voice did not come for my sake but for yours.
NASB Jesus responded and said, "This voice has not come for My sake, but for yours.
NASB1995 Jesus answered and said, "This voice has not come for My sake, but for your sakes.
NCB Jesus answered, "This voice did not come for my sake but for yours.
NCV Jesus said, "That voice was for your sake, not mine.
NET Jesus said, "This voice has not come for my benefit but for yours.
NIRV Jesus said, "This voice was for your benefit, not mine.
NIV Jesus said, "This voice was for your benefit, not mine.
NIVUK Jesus said, 'This voice was for your benefit, not mine.
NKJV Jesus answered and said, "This voice did not come because of Me, but for your sake.
NLV Jesus said, "The voice did not come for Me, but it came to be a help to you.
NLT Then Jesus told them, "The voice was for your benefit, not mine.
NMB Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes.
NRSVA Jesus answered, 'This voice has come for your sake, not for mine.
NRSVACE Jesus answered, 'This voice has come for your sake, not for mine.
NRSVCE Jesus answered, "This voice has come for your sake, not for mine.
NRSVUE Jesus answered, "This voice has come for your sake, not for mine.
NTFE "That voice came for your sake, not mine," replied Jesus.
OJB In reply, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach said, Not for my sake has this bat kol come, but for yours. [SHEMOT 19:9]
RGT Jesus answered, and said, "This Voice did not come because of Me, but for your sakes.
RSV Jesus answered, "This voice has come for your sake, not for mine.
RSVCE
Jesus answered, "This voice has come for your sake, not for mine.
TLV Yeshua responded, "This voice hasn't come for My sake, but for yours.
VOICE Jesus: The voice you hear has not spoken for My benefit, but for yours.
WEB Jesus answered, "This voice hasn't come for my sake, but for your sakes.
WE Jesus answered them, `This voice did not come for my sake, but it came for your sake.
WYC Jesus answered, and said, This voice came not for me, but for you.
YLT Jesus answered and said, `Not because of me hath this voice come, but because of you;
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So, do you get my point?
I believe that God had me perform the miracle of "Special Faith," so everyone could hear it, therefore I put up all fifty or so versions of the Bible. That way no one can say, "Well, I didn't get it?"
Nonetheless, I was headed to my clinic where I visit with my Primary Care Physician. The bus passed the strip mall and then this demonic gets on the bus with a little Hispanic woman maybe in her fifties. I was seated in the seat directly behind those that face sideways and are maybe eight feet from the driver. Well, she sat across from my seats, and was followed by the demoniac who was standing and sitting directly behind the lady.
Well, I knew he was Possessed and as normally happens I will sort of prepare what to say in case the thing starts getting violent.
In this case, however, a direction came to mind, like a "voice" of only a nine-word phrase. But it was as if it was buried right there in my throat just ready to come out.
In other words, it was just a phrase that I knew that I would have to command in case he was to get violent.
Well, she got off the bus a stop before my doctor and I waited till she got off first in case the "guy went off his nut."
Well, it was a stop away from my clinic, but I needed to swing by the Mexican bakery, as I was an hour early to my appointment.
I decided to skip the bakery, however and to just go to the clinic. When I got to the clinic, I signed in and headed toward their section of offices. Well, they keep a board outside the office which gives you an idea of the progression of the doctor you are seeing that day. He was an hour behind and I was already an hour early.
So, I go back to the registration explained the situation and asked if they thought that it would be alright for me to go to the bakery? The lady said, "No problem, so I went next door."
As I was headed out the door, there was the crazy guy, just as he was acting in the bus, but the Hospital Security guys were outside keeping him from coming into the building. One of them was on the phone and I believe that the EMS truck was also there. So, meanwhile this guy is walking back and forth approaching each one individually repeating the same sentences. "I think I am having a heart attack; I need help."
"Ohh ohh my body hurts so bad...and a few others. Nonetheless, he was a huge guy and acting completely crazy and seemed as if he could go violent at any moment.
Well, I continued on to the bakery.
I went in the bakery and bought some Danish for coffee the next day and a couple of small kolaches with a cheese and jalapeño filling in them. So, as I got back to the clinic, the Demoniac is outside, with the security guards, and the EMS.
In front of the clinic, however, there are like six or eight benches all lined up side by side with a two-foot separation between them. Toward the north end, close to the second bench, there is a wide-open aisle that is empty that leads into the clinic. There are two huge doors one on each side and a porch.
Well, I sat down maybe four benches from the porch and was eating my Kolaches and being entertained by all the events.
The demoniac is in the EMS truck and the two guys are trying to talk the guy to sit down, so they can take him wherever they were taking him. Nonetheless, the guy is a huge guy, and he kept ranting and raving the same stuff that he was saying outside the bus earlier, just nonsense.
Things like, "I am having a heart attack, I need someone to help me, I can't breathe, help, I need help." On and on he was spouting the same phrases which were nonsense and all the time shuffling back and forth, left and right.
Well, our laws are so crazy, so I am assuming because this guy didn't give them permission, they weren't about to tackle him in the truck or outside. Neither were the Security Guards, nor the first two police that had arrived and were now "like for ten minutes" all waiting and watching for what this "nutcase," was going to do. Before it was over there was a second Police Car, but I'm not sure if there were one police officer to a car or two because there were a lot of posts in my sight of where they were all gathered.
Nonetheless, this thing had gone on for quite a while and nothing was being done. The man was walking on that side of the porch, then the other side. He was screaming at the EMS guys, then he was screaming at the officers, and each time telling them that he thought he was having a heart attack. It was "F" this and "F" that and he just kept raving. Then he started to walk beyond the porch area and maybe another ten feet.
Well, meanwhile, I am eating my Kolaches, slowly devouring each one, as this bakery makes the greatest Pastry Breads, I have even written about it before. Nevertheless, the man starts walking toward my bench. And all the time, right there in my throat were the words, or what was like a "voice," which I just knew was going to cast that devil out of the man, if I were to release them.
This is why I say that I operated in "Special Faith." It was because I knew that I knew that if I were to release that "Voice," or those words, the man was going to be delivered.
So, as he is approaching my bench, I was telling the Lord, "Lord, I can't just scream this out unless I feel the release from you. Otherwise, if I lose that "Faith," which is going to empower those words, I am going to look like the biggest fool in Texas.
I mean, this is the clinic where I have been coming for over five years. I did not want to look as a lunatic in front of all of these workers because it would be remembered forever.
Well, so I was praying, "Lord, if he comes within close range of that bench next to mine, I will release them, because I will know that it's your will. Otherwise, if he remains back two benches, I'm not going to do it.
So, as he was approaching, he almost got to where I would respond, but then he all of a sudden turned around and was walking back.
Well, as he was approaching, I could feel my "Faith," growing, yet when he turned around, it was as if a disappointment hit me, and I knew that I didn't want to shrink back if he were to get within close range again.
So, I was literally praying, "God let him come within my boundaries, so I can cast that thing out."
Well, he almost got back to the porch, but then he turned around again and started moving toward me.
Well, now you have to understand what I am saying here. I have done similar things as this before, but I never had felt that kind of confidence of "Faith," in my throat as I was feeling that day.
Anyway, this guy starts walking toward my bench again, and he got almost close enough to where I told the Lord my boundaries were.
Nonetheless, I didn't care anymore at that point, and I just let it fly, with a voice that is always amplified when in ministry, I shouted, "COME OUT OF HIM, IN THE NAME OF JESUS."
And then I just stopped and relaxed and took a bite out of my Kolache, as if I hadn't a care in the world.
You see, I just knew that that devil or devils had left the man.
He then started walking back to the porch as if he was in his right mind. A Black woman somewhere on the porch yells out, "Praise Jesus, thank you Jesus."
Well, like I said, I had been visiting that clinic for over five years, and I knew all three Security Guards by sight, and I am sure that they all knew me. Also, they knew that I was always a very quiet guy and very polite.
Nevertheless, my voice can sometimes scare the "Be Jebus," out of a lot of people when ministering. (Is that the right word, can I say that?)
But all of a sudden, I see one of the hospital Security guards, run around a Pillar and he was headed straight for me. So, as I am watching the man make the turn, I look at him as I said, "without a care in the world and completely content with a mouthful of the most delicious bakery dough in my mouth, sort of questioning him with my eyes, "Is there a fire or something going on, why are you running?"
Well, he just stops dead and slowly turns around and heads back to the porch with the EMS and the Houston Police Officers.
He realized that there was no gang fight or no one violent, no one attacking this crazy guy or injured by the guy, just some old Outpatient that we have seen around the clinic for a few years. Just sitting there devouring a cheese and jalapeno Kolache, as if it was a piece of Rich Deep Chocolate Wedding Cake or something?
Meanwhile, I hear this young man, speaking very timidly "I think that I am having a heart attack, can you help me?"
Well, the guy's demeanor had changed, and he was just docile, and they led him to the truck and within a minute the EMS pulls out, then the two Houston Police cars pull out, and the Security Guards were back at their desk with a huge woman cop standing over it talking with them. Well, as I entered the building having just finished two of the finest pastries in Houston, I immediately turned the corner to use the rest room, before I got to their desk.
Then as I came out from the Men's Room, I walked past their Security Desk without giving any of them a glance and headed back toward the Nurse's station.
No one questioned me or acted as if anything was strange. Just a typical day in the neighborhood, I guess.
Well, I get to the Nurse's station they take me in to get my blood pressure and vitals. Meanwhile, as I returned to wait in the waiting room for a room to open the internet goes down and the electricity went out.
So, right then they walk me to an empty room, but there were no lights and the computer was down.
Eventually, I just talked with a nurse who more or less gave me permission to leave since the computers were down. Nonetheless, they were all wonderful to me, as I believe one of the nurses was the black woman who said, "Praise Jesus," while outside.
So anyway, that is my story of using the gift of "Special Faith."
Was I given it as a permanent gifting?
Will I one day have an experience like Smith Wigglesworth and raise the dead?
Only time will tell.
Nevertheless, what I want you to know, was that just a day or two before, I made a decision to do something courageous for God.
I decided that I am going to make a stand for God and that no matter what it costs me, I am not going to continue to live in a hypocritical manner.
So, do you want those "Gifts," which Jesus led captivity captive to give us?
Then don't be like the hypocrites who believe that everything that Christ did was for them!
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