A Holy Spirit Gathering

I was recently invited to speak at a small gathering in which I shared the story of my Baptism of the Holy Spirit. Some of those listening have also had an experience with the Holy Spirit. One lady was healed from stage 3 cancer who only had six months to live. The Holy Spirit came upon her, and healed her. 20 years on, there she was, standing in great health sharing this story with us. There was also a man who virtually told the whole of his life story of how the Holy Spirit had been instrumental in every stage of his life.

With all the testimonies filling the whole place, faith began to rise. I felt the presence of the Holy Spirit so strongly that I was impressed in my heart to get everyone to their feet to pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit. We prayed for the Holy Spirit to fall:

• on all peoples on earth, especially on non-Christians, and people of other faiths, so that they may know the one and only, true, living God.

• on Christians who have not been baptised in the Holy Spirit, so that God may finally become real to them, and that their Christianity would then come alive!

• on anyone in the gathering who have not been baptised in the Holy Spirit. I urged people to ask for it, since the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is for all believers.

The prayers started. Many individuals were praying softly as I led the main prayer. After I finished praying, another person prayed out loud, then another, then another. The atmosphere was just electric!

In the midst of everyone's prayers, I heard a "Holy Spirit" song in my head. I wanted to sing it so badly, but was afraid to disturb everyone. But God must have wanted this song sung because suddenly the guy next to me started singing it, and so with great smiles (after receiving such a confirmation from God), I began to join him in singing it, and before long the whole gathering were singing it. The atmosphere just got more, and more amazing! The presence of the Holy Spirit was permeating the room.

A Challenging Situation

As the song was being sung and people continued to pray, a woman not far from me suddenly began to manifest. She was stuttering, and was shaking all over. At first I thought that she was experiencing the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, but then I became uneasy. There was something that wasn't quite right about it. She looked rather tormented, which the Holy Spirit would never do. Still unsure, I left her alone as I continued to pray, and she continued to manifest.

Her manifestation began to increase, and before long, it became too uncomfortable to watch and to hear (as she started to let out a little scream). I then felt the urgency to ask the Holy Spirit, "Holy Spirit, is that you or is that an evil spirit?" I was listening intently for His answer, when suddenly a man in the corner of the room started to pray out loud, "Lord, some of us need deliverance today". Immediately, I knew that was the Holy Spirit answering my question! It was an evil spirit at work in that woman!

As I looked over, the woman fell down on her knees, still shaking and stuttering. There was a stool conveniently placed next to her, and so I went over and sat down on it. I placed one hand on her back, and I held her hand with the other, and I began to pray over her. In my prayers, I asked the Holy Spirit in my heart, "Holy Spirit what should I do now? What is the name of the evil spirit that is bothering her? And how can I cast it out without causing a scene?". This woman was held in high regard by the gathering, and so I didn't want to ruin her reputation by casting an evil spirit out of her publicly.

The Holy Spirit at Work

As I continued to pray, I listened out for the Holy Spirit's answer. I thought to myself, how was the Holy Spirit going to answer me and deal with this situation? I have cast out evil spirits before, but I often had to speak loudly, or even shout! Then I heard the Holy Spirit spoke to me:

• Firstly, He said that evil spirits respond only to authority that comes in the Name of Jesus. Such an authority would not require shouting, but a whisper could do the job just as well.

• Secondly, He said that Jesus Christ had won back all authority that the devil had taken from Adam and Eve^[1], so the devil has no authority anymore. And since I am in Christ, a daughter of God, Jesus has given me that authority^[2]. All I needed to do was to use it!

After hearing all this, I felt my faith and authority begin to rise up strong inside me; all the while continuing to listen to what else the Holy Spirit was instructing me to do.

• Then, out of the blue I heard the Holy Spirit spoke part of a scripture "Love casts out Fear, Love casts out Fear!"^[3].

Immediately, I knew from this scripture that not only has the Holy Spirit given me the name of the evil spirit, which was "the spirit of Fear", but also how to deal with it - which was with Love and Authority.

So as I held her hand, I saw just how much God loved this woman, she was a daughter of God (just as I was) and He longed to set her free. In love, and with my daughtership authority, I quietly recited the part scripture that has just been given me, "Love casts out Fear, Love casts out Fear - in Jesus' name!" I repeated this only twice when her stuttering suddenly stopped, and her body began to calm. Tears were running down her cheeks, but her ordeal was now over. It was quick and effortless, and not a single soul knew what had happened, not even her, except the Holy Spirit and me.

The gathering sang their final song, praising how great our God is - and as the whole session came to an end, I heard the Lord say to me to tell everyone, "You are all my sons and daughters, with whom I am well pleased". Everyone rejoiced in hallelujahs! As they parted, they were saying to one another how they had felt, and enjoyed the presence of the Holy Spirit. In my heart, I knew exactly what they meant as I, too, had felt Him so powerfully myself.

A New Revelation

I went home buzzing -- I had never felt the presence of the Holy Spirit like that, nor worked with the Holy Spirit in such a way! I shared the story with my husband Rob who was also present in the gathering. He, too, had felt uneasy about the woman, and had thought that it was not a Holy Spirit baptism, but an evil spirit manifesting itself -- this was my confirmation that my thinking at the time had been correct.

As we discussed the whole thing, Rob then said something very interesting to me. He said that what happened tonight was just like how Jesus dealt with evil spirits. In one of the stories in the Bible, Jesus was said to have driven out an evil spirit with just a word.

Matthew 8:16

...and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick.

Then it suddenly hit home to me that -- Jesus is the Son of God -- each time He ministered, He was not only working with the Holy Spirit, but He was also using His Sonship authority!! That was why the evil spirits feared Him: they knew who He was, and the authority that He carried.

Luke 4:41

Moreover, demons came out of many people, shouting, ‘You are the Son of God!’ But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew he was the Messiah.

Mark 1:27

The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, “What is this? A new teaching—and with authority! He even gives orders to impure spirits and they obey him.”

As I panned my focus back on us, being children of God, another scripture jumped alive to me:

Roman 8:17

Now if we are children, then we are heirs -- heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

In other words, as sons and daughters of God (because of Christ), we are heirs of God -- and therefore we have the right to God's inheritance -- one of which is authority over the enemy. Authority is an inheritance! The "Orphan vs Sonship" chart states that sonship releases inheritance!

Closing

As I learn more and more on how to live out my daughtership in God, I am so much more aware now of the power, and authority that come with that status. I had somehow known this before (that head knowledge again), but I didn't realise just what could happen if at any time I exercise that daughtership authority alongside the Holy Spirit (which has now become a heart revelation). And so, I shall go forth with boldness, and confidence more than ever before (with that song "Ghostbusters" now playing in my head :)).

But I know that walking in the daughtership of God must be made intentionally, on purpose. I have to keep watch over my steps. This is because it is so easy to slip back to operating in the spirit of an orphan, especially when the enemy throws something completely unexpected, which we all know he does so often.

Praise be to God my Papa, to my Lord Jesus Christ, and my friend the Holy Spirit, who are always ready at any given moment to partner up with us, His sons and daughters, to help those in need.

Scriptures

[1] Matthew 28:18

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

[2] Luke 10:19

I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.

[3] 1 John 4:18

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. (New King James Version)

© Elma Larsen. All rights reserved.