As the days blossomed into weeks, the warmth and sweetness of God’s presence did not fade in Dennis’ heart, nor did it subside or disappear.
Rather, Dennis began to discern more noticeable changes that accompanied his new infilling with the Holy Spirit.
Dennis records:
- The flow of praise and thanksgiving seemed to effortlessly drip from his lips;
- His reading of Scripture seemed to be enhanced with greater revelation and meaning gained from familiar passages. Dennis writes, “the word of God literally leaped out to meet me!” He also discerned there was power embedded in the words of God;
- In his private prayer time, “there was a new openness between me and my Father in Heaven. He was there and I knew it! I prayed with assurance and confidence.” (p27)
- Even when confronted with petty and irritating ministry responsibilities, Dennis’ commitment to “not lose” this new gift he had received, spurred him to continue praying in the Spirit throughout the day. The result of his commitment to foster the presence of God within him, meant that he was refreshed;
- Dennis discerned that he was now “living at a new spiritual level” with a continuous feeling of “waves of God’s love pouring over” him;
- When called to minister in a difficult situation of loss and grief, his new-found fellowship with the Spirit was reflected in him sharing exactly the right words for the situation, just as Jesus promised his followers; and
- Dennis also shared how even his sleeping was impacted, with his dreams taking on a new spiritual dimension, and his fellowship and communion with God continuing as he slept. (p31)
It was Dennis’ enthusiasm to share what he had experienced with others that I found both inspiring and convicting.
Rather than being embarrassed about explaining his Spirit-baptism, Dennis writes
“I was wishing for someone to come into the office so I could tell them about the wonderful things that were happening.” (p29).
And instead of being awkward or cautious, the process of sharing what he had experienced left him feeling elated and happy. (p30)
This prompted Dennis to incorporate praying in the Spirit into his counselling and pastoral care practice. And, this praying was not done silently or reservedly, rather Dennis writes,
“often my counselling would end in praying for the person to accept Jesus, and to be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
Finally, the more intimate fellowship with God our Father prompted Dennis to make a deeper commitment to surrendering to God’s will in his life – and with this surrender came the security that God had accepted his offer of himself. The glorious fellowship continued to spread, as others who had experienced a similar Spirit-baptism began to meet together for prayer and praise. And the prayers of this praying community were filled with warmth and assurance of the intimacy we share with our heavenly Father.
Finally, Dennis’ friend Frank, after weeks of investigation, cautious watching, and tentative questioning, was fabulously baptised in the Holy Spirt, with a “glorious torrent of new language pouring from his lips.” To all onlookers he was totally enthralled by God.
Having found this new fellowship with God and other believers, meeting together became a priority in their lives – not out of duty, but because everyone knew that what they had received from God was more wonderful than anything else they had ever experienced before.
Prayer meetings revolved around praying for people to receive the Holy Spirit, but as the weeks went on the meetings became opportunities for fellowship and God’s love to be shared.
“Prayers were childlike and simple, conversational – talking with their heavenly Father in a few freedom – but strangely enough, far more powerful and effective than anything we had seen before.” (p39)
As I read Dennis’ account of these early weeks, I found it interesting when he wrote “the new activity of praising God was seen to be the source of power and freedom in our meeting.”
The newly formed gathering then began entering a season of exploring how to move in the gifts of the Spirit, as described by the Apostle Paul in Corinthians. There were opportunities for words in tongues to be shared and the interpretation of those words to be given – sometimes with many people receiving the same interpretation.
There was also a sharing of a word of prophecy, and a revelation that God had shared with them throughout the week. What stood out to me is that these meetings would continue until the early hours of the morning – no one was forcing them to be there – they simply wanted to keep sharing in the presence of God.
Yet the lengthy prayer and praise meetings were not what Dennis found remarkable. Rather, it was how significantly the members of these meetings began to change. A new love and concern began to be showed among them.
Yet, as I turned over the page to the next chapter, it was the realisation that Dennis made that healing was part of the package, which is why Jesus told his disciples that they would receive ‘power’ when the Holy Spirit came upon them.
Story after story of God’s healing power being manifested in the lives of members of Dennis’ congregation is listed. The explosion of believers experiencing the baptism with the Holy Spirit, brought about a plethora of healings.
It is hard to read the frequency of these healing experiences knowing the context in which we now live, more than three decades later. It is also hard to hear the commitment these newly baptised people had to prayer, remaining in God’s presence until the early parts of the morning.
While in my own ministry context we pray regularly for healing, we believe in God’s healing power as a promise of the New Covenant, we pray in faith believing that we receive, we do not experience the frequency of healings like Dennis described. Nor, do any of our prayer meetings extend to all-nighters.
It makes me ask, was this outpouring of the Spirit unique in some way?
As I consider the priority Dennis and the new Spirit-filled community that gathered, gave to prayer and worship and praise, is that the difference?
Certainly, at our church, we are not in the habit of all night prayer meetings. While we give priority to prayer, the kind of commitment to prayer and praise described by Dennis certainly has the characteristic of revival.
Even if the outpouring of spiritual renewal experienced during Dennis era had the air of revival, I asked myself whether we (those who believe in God’s healing power) could expect the same level of healings – after all, we know that our God is unchanging and he calls himself “God the Healer”?
I was also challenged by Dennis (and others) confidence to explain their ‘glow’ clearly and succinctly as due to having been ‘baptised in the Holy Spirit’.
I asked myself, am I confident in my description of why the passion for God’s kingdom and witnessing in the power of the Spirit, shines brightly through me? Do I confidently explain to people that it is because I have been immersed in the Spirit?
While I was both convicted and inspired by all that was unfolding in Dennis life, I turned the page to read further the reaction from other members of his congregation.