Come, Holy Spirit, come!

Part 3, by Helen Jesze, Friday 5th June 2015

Acts 2 : 2 – 4

Today I want to give you just a few examples of the Holy Spirit’s working. When I was 19 years old I went to work in „The Pilgrim’s Bookshop“ in Guildford. In my lunch hour one day, I was reading the German edition of Evangelist T.L.Osborn’s magazine „Faith Digest“. The anointing of the Spirit fell in that little kitchen as I read of the thousands of people saved and healed on the mission field, and I said, „O Lord, I would so love to work in an organisation like that!“ Immediately, the Holy Spirit spoke to me: „You will do, and I will open the door!“

Just a few days after, a big American evangelist Tony Abram and his Canadian wife, Marge, knocked at my parents’ door. My father invited them to his church to hold a meeting and show one of Bro. Osborn’s films, as they were co-­evangelists with the ministry. Through this contact, only 3 weeks later, I was already in Birmingham, where the T.L. Osborn Evanglistic Assn. now had their Continental office, working in the German Dept.

Sometimes God takes a long time to open doors in our life. It seems we are stuck at a ‘red light’. But other times, the yellow (Get ready!) and the green (GO!) come very quickly. I have had both of these – many times! This was a quick time!

In Birmingham I went to Hockley Pentecostal Church, pastored by two ladies, Miss Reeve and Miss Fisher. These two ladies had very little education, but they were mighty in God and the church was known in England and abroad for the moving of the Holy Spirit. Whole busloads of people would come to the Saturday night services to see and experience what God was doing there. Bible colleges would bring their students for God to touch their lives. Many people would get saved, be baptised in the Holy Spirit (also small children), healed and delivered from satan’s bondage.

The Gifts of the Spirit were in evidence and in the services there were many prophecies. Rev. Brash Bonsall, the Principal of the Birmingham Bible Institute used to write them down in shorthand. Many came to pass. The church building had been bombed during the war, and the pastors bought it and built it up again. When they had been looking for a building, a prophecy had come: „Go to Ninevah, near the brook!“ That seemed very strange and some thought that was not from God! But when they looked at the old plans and records of the church, the road where it was standing used to be called Ninevah Street, right near Hockley Brook!

A friend of mine was looking for a house to buy, and she was praying for God to guide her. A prophecy came: „I am giving you a house where the grass is as high as the wall!“ That week, the estate agent showed her a house where – the grass was as high as…! That is the one she bought!

Where’s the little girl?

One Saturday night I was on the platform, playing the piano, and the hall was packed with over 200 people. There was always very enthusiastic praise and worship at Hockley. On this night a group of people were dancing in praise to the Lord at the front, including Elaine, an 8 year old girl. When the music finished, Elaine gave a message in tongues, and someone else gave the interpretation in English. A big black man pushed his way from the back of the hall, saying: “Where’s the little girl who was speaking my language? Where’s the little…?”

At first we did not know what he meant, then we realised that the language in which Elaine had given the message in tongues was Amharic – the man was from Ethiopia! That night he got saved – he had received a personal message from God! Just as in Acts 2, many of the visitors to Jerusalem heard and understood the 120 who had been filled with the Spirit, for they were speaking in their languages! I had now seen this in 1964!

In Russia!

Some people think that we would never have to learn another language, that God could always give it to us like that, but that is not the case! God does this only in certain instances. Evangelist Tommy Hicks went to Russia in the 1950’s to preach. The only interpreter he could find was a hard Communist woman. During his sermon, she spat on the ground in disgust and walked off the platform. Tommy stood there and did not know what to do. Suddenly the power of the Lord came upon him and he began to speak in tongues, in Russian! The people understood him and afterwards they wanted to speak with him, thinking he could speak their language. But he was unable to do so, for it had only been given him for this occasion.

Lighting up

Several years later, George and I were married by then and ministering at a Salvation Army Corps. We were sitting on the platform when it seemed as though one young lady was ‘lit up’, as though she was illuminated. I realised that the Holy Spirit was showing me this. I called her out and said: „The Lord shows me you want to put your life right with Him today!“ She was unsaved, and it was her first time there. That day she got saved, filled with the Spirit, and became an active member of the Corps. (The Salvation Army call their local fellowships a „ Corps.“ not a „church“).

The gun that wouldn’t go off!

There are several uses for speaking in tongues but we do not have time to go into all of them here. But I want to share the following incident with you. A mother was very sad because her son had got into drugs and criminal activities. She had not seen him for several years and did not know where he was. One night, the Spirit impressed her to urgently pray for her son. Because she did not know what was wrong, she began to pray and intercede in tongues. She kept this up for three hours, until just about 10 o’clock the burden suddenly lifted, so she began to thank the Lord for the answer.

The telephone rang. It was her son! „Mum, I’m coming home!“ Shortly after, he came in, greatly excited. „Mum“, he cried, “what were you doing just before 10 o’clock tonight?“
“I was praying in tongues for you!“ she replied. „Why?“ „I had sold some bad drugs to a dealer and tonight he came to kill me! He pointed the gun at me and kept pulling the trigger but the gun wouldn’t go off! Then he said: ‘It’s something your mother is doing and I can’t kill you!’ He threw the gun down and ran off!“

Importance of tongues

That night, the son came back to the Lord and was delivered from drugs. This shows us how important it is to obey the prompting of the Spirit, and also how important it is to speak and intercede in tongues. Although we may not know what or how to pray, when we pray in tongues the Spirit prays the perfect Will of the Father through us, and can bring many answers to prayer, which we may not receive otherwise.

These are just a few examples today. We don’t have time for more. Reach out in your life for the Holy Spirit to work in and through you. He’s waiting to do just that!

Prayer:
Thank you Father, for the power of your Holy Spirit and that He is working in my life. Teach me to work together with Him, so that your Name will be glorified and others will see your glory. In Jesus’ Name. Amen!

Helen Jesze on Ethiopian TV programme “El-Shaddai”