Aha! Moments

Introduction

Do you want to ignite a controversy? Attempt to explain the Third Person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit. There are a multitude of divergent ideas suggested by serious scholars about how we relate to the Holy Spirit and what He is up to in this day and time. Even when the same words are used, the ideas often are quite diverse.
I have been a lawyer for 40 years before starting to write this book. Most of that time I was a trial lawyer. Communication was my stock in trade. I have been literally amazed at how differently people take the very same words. I learned relatively early in my legal career that what I felt I had clearly stated was not necessarily what was heard by the judge, opposing counsel and jury members.
For some time now, my wife Nancy and I have been teaching about our relationship with God and our participation in supernatural ministry. We start each series of discussions with the explanation of Baptism with the Holy Spirit contained in this book. After this explanation, we offer an opportunity for the class participants to ask (perhaps again) for a filling with the Holy Spirit. The participants experience greater clarity after this endeavor.
Ask Jesus to Baptize you with the Holy Spirit, afresh and anew, so that the Spirit of wisdom and revelation may bring you to a better knowledge of God – not a better knowledge of concepts and theology but rather to know God better.
The teachings in this book concerning the Holy Spirit are intended to emphasize and enhance each of our abilities to become aware of God’s presence in our lives and participate in bringing God’s compassion to His people on a consistent basis. Let us jointly search for and expect to find more and more avenues in which we experience God’s presence and His power that always accompanies His presence. Apparently, He never leaves home without it. (My apologies to American Express.)
Nancy and I were transformed by the renewing of our minds in 2008. (See Romans 12:2) One of the benefits of a renewed mind is we can know the Holy Spirit differently. Nancy and I are now convinced that:

A world in which God is not powerfully present and intimately involved in the lives of His people is a lie.

A world in which the power of God is not demonstrated on a regular basis through miracles, signs and wonders is a lie.

A world in which it is possible to pray in accordance with the will of God and nothing happens is a lie.

A world in which God is not an active, loving participant is a lie.

A world in which the Holy Spirit has withdrawn from active participation in the everyday life of believers is a lie.

We cannot expect to know and walk with the Holy Spirit if the world we perceive is a lie.
My purpose in this book is not to dogmatically establish a theology concerning our interaction with the Holy Spirit. Rather, my purpose is to present to you those aspects of the Holy Spirit which have become evident to us following our transformation.
Since 2008, we have experienced an explosion in the number of times we have been able to co-labor with God in bringing spiritual, emotional and physical healing to God’s people. Our experience changed drastically when we changed the way we believed about kingdom matters.
I do not intend to suggest that what you have been taught and believed about the Holy Spirit and Baptism with the Holy Spirit is erroneous. I will leave that to theologians. Rather, my purpose is to present those aspects of the Holy Spirit that make more sense to us today now that we know Him better. When you know Him better, He will teach you what you should retain and what you should discard from your prior teaching.
If you are experiencing “answers to prayer” with a healing ratio in excess of 75%, feel free to disregard everything in this book that presents an idea different from your doctrine. If, however, your prayers seem to be ineffectual much more often than you would like, feel free to adopt the concepts addressed in this book and see how your experience changes.
If you are a Type A personality, if you are accustomed to being one of the more capable individuals in your circle of acquaintances, if you have historically become better able to accomplish a task through practice and improved technique, I have disappointing news for you. In the context of supernatural ministry, there never comes a time when you get to do anything by yourself in your own power and gifting.
It has been a surprise to me that in this endeavor of co-laboring with God there seems to be no place for Jeffie to shine. Supernatural ministry always begins with Jesus, ends with Jesus and only Jesus occupies the middle ground. All kingdom activity is accomplished by manifestations of the Holy Spirit. Nothing is accomplished by manifestations of Jeffie. Bummer for me.
There is greater joy being a witness in the Holy Spirit’s arena than being a star in my arena. Really, no comparison!