Seek the Giver, not the Gift.

“(7) And He said to them, ‘It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. (8) But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.’”

Growing up in the Pentecostal Holiness Church I saw many things that I could never explain other than saying – God was in that. I also saw many things that troubled my spirit. There were times I questioned what I witnessed and heard. Let me explain.

While being youth ministers in our local church, we took a group of youth to a large gathering, and our group was seeking a closer walk with God. They were hungry for Him and His presence in their lives. At one point while praying with a teen, a man I did not know came up, nudged me out of the way and began speaking to her. I remember him saying, “Just listen to me and say what I say.” Wow! My spirit troubled. I just moved around to the back of her and quietly prayed, “Lord if this is of you, please give me peace. If this is not of you, make it stop. In Jesus’ name.” The man immediately stopped speaking and moved on.

At another large gathering, I heard the most beautiful message given in a language that was so eloquent and fluid. Now I’ve always been taught that if a message is given in “tongues” in a worship setting – “oration”, there is usually or should be an interpretation given. Well, the minister at the pulpit waited, then prayed that the Lord would reveal His message and give someone the courage to interpret. We waited. The congregation was beginning to get a little antsy when someone from the other side of the large auditorium stood up and replied in a very French sounding accent – that message was meant for me, Praise the Lord and I accept Jesus.

A friend of mine once told me of an American Christian businessman who traveled to Russia and ended up on public transportation with a man who only spoke Russian. The American only spoke English. There was no interpreter there with them. Yet, the message of the gospel was spoken and received. They were somehow able to communicate enough that Jesus was made known to an unbeliever.

There have also been times in wee hours of night when my own spirit cried out with words and sounds that I did not comprehend but I felt that the Lord heard and understood. There are times when I don’t know what or how to pray but the spirit who lives inside of me converses with the Almighty God in ways that I don’t understand.

It was always a big deal to be filled with the Holy Ghost and speaking in tongues. That was the goal. You had arrived at some spiritual pinnacle if that happened. I had heard people praying quietly in their prayer language, giving orations with interpretations, and the congregational – for lack of a better word – babble. Some felt genuine, some didn’t. Not for me to judge. But for myself, I wanted more than just the language. I wanted the power that Acts 1 talked about.

I believe that the power of being filled with the Holy Spirit comes by seeking a deeper connection with the giver of the gifts. Which, by the way, there are more than just speaking in tongues. More on that later. We need to be filled with God’s holy power to get up in the morning, to go to Walmart, to drive in Atlanta traffic, or to just walk out of our door and greet the neighbors that we don’t know.

Seeking the to spend time with the Giver (God) will give you a better understanding of Him. He will give you the gifts that He feels you need at the time you need them. It may be a private prayer language so that your hurting heart can communicate with raw truth to Him. It may be to give a personal communication to another individual in words that they can understand. Hey, with today’s “slanguage” just communication with your teenager could sound like speaking in tongues! It may be to stand and give an oration or to be the interpreter for the edification of the body of Christ. Who knows? Oh right, God does! He knows you and what you are willing and capable of doing. He will stretch you for sure, but He is also a gentleman and will gently guide you.

Don’t get bogged down with the gift. Go deeper with the Giver and He will provide what you need, when you need it!

Acts 1:7-8