NEW BIRTH
I was raised in a Christian home. We not only went to church three times a week but living by Biblical precepts was expected. My sister (Dorothy) and I were born again at the first revival that my brother J.T. preached in August 1957. I was 9 and she was 11. We were water-baptized soon thereafter. The experience of being born again opened the door to the good things that I am sharing!
BAPTIZED IN THE HOLY SPIRIT
While in Bible college, a classmate and I began to seriously study the Bible to determine if the supernatural manifestations seen in the Book of Acts were for today. After about one year of such study, along with the same type of study with my brother J.T. and another local pastor, we all concluded that they were not only possible but were expected. By this time I was pastoring a country Baptist Church. One Sunday morning, while driving to church, I experienced the infilling of the Holy Spirit and my life has never been the same!
LEARNING WHO I AM IN CHRIST
This led to an intense desire to study the Scriptures even more than before. While doing so, I discovered that disciples of Jesus have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ (Eph.1:3) and have been given everything they need to live a godly life (2 Pet.1:3-4). The message of grace and knowing who I am in Christ suddenly came alive as I studied the Word of God – the Bible.
LEARNING TO PRAY LIKE JABEZ
Somewhere along the way, I discovered a little book called The Prayer of Jabez which gave understanding of how to appropriate things that have already been given to us by the promises of God.
Jabez was a person mentioned in 1 Chronicles 4:9-10, of whom very little is said about in Scripture. Yet, he learned to pray and God answered him. I, along with many others, have prayed these four things and have seen many answers to prayer. What is the prayer? One, he prayed for God to bless him, which the Father wants to do for His children. Two, he prayed for God to extend his borders or area of ministry, which the Father also wants to do for His children. Third, he prayed for God to be with him, which disciples of Jesus know from Scripture that He always is. Fourth, he prayed he would not cause or be in pain, or trouble, very similar to what Jesus said in the model prayer in Matthew 6. When we know what the Father has provided and wants for us, our prayers get answered because we have aligned ourselves with what He wants!