Saved, sanctified, and Holy Ghost baptized
By GARY TOOLE
Years ago folks would stay at a service until 11:00 or 12:00 at night helping pray some poor soul through to victory. Folks would stay at that altar until they received the full blessing which is being saved, sanctified, and baptized with the Holy Ghost and fireand I'm not talking about some priest slinging a little holy water at you and saying, "In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost."

I'm talking about when the real thing gets a hold of you and I'm not talking about Coca-Cola then you are really spiritually baptized with a spiritual firethat will burn continually if you keep it kindled. Amen!

I know that this full blessing is a gift from God, but let's set the record straight for those spiritually lazy folks that think that God does it all. It is a gift, but it is an unusual one. It is one that you must seek, must really want badly, because this is a gift that God is not going to knock you down and make you take it and it isn't one you get half-heartedly. It takes more than just saying, "I believe." I do and don't. No, no as my Uncle Vick used to say.

Nowadays everyone is in such a big hurry trying to collect up a bunch more stuff that they are going to leave behind one day. Makes no sense. They want the poor preacher to take a one hour give-it- justice sermon and preach it in 20 minutes. Just give us a quickie preacher. We've got to go collect some more stuff.

I've often said that some folk need a drive-in window at the church. Everything else is fast service. Fast food. So give me my spiritual food fast. I'll have a chapter out of the Bible to go, but hold the offering please. A quickie sermon and then call us down a quickie prayer and God forbid that someone would want to pray through. We don't have time for that.

Of course, now they want the singing to go on and on; especially if it is praise and worship. They can hear themselves sing and I love singing as much as anyone and it is an important part of my ministry, but the Word says that we need the preached Word of God. The supposed-to-be anointed message from God and God don't like quickie messages. I'm sorry. The preached word in conjunction with the Holy Ghost bringing conviction is that brings souls to the Lord.

Churches everywhere have many teenagers that don't know much about the baptism of the Holy Ghost; They don't seek it, they don't know how to receive it; they don't have it and many don't really want it.

How sad! We need to preach it, teach it, and stay with them until those seeking it receive it. Can you say amen?

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