This is how you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit

Podcast: Download (Duration: 7:05 — 6.5MB)

“And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” Acts 2:38-39

On July 25, 1980, my life changed profoundly. At that time, a powerful revival was taking place among the young people in Tokmak, Kyrgyzstan. Many young people repented of their sinful lives and were baptized with the Holy Spirit. They then led new and holy lives. My older siblings regularly told me about the work of the Holy Spirit during youth group meetings. These testimonies were so compelling that my friends and I also wanted to experience baptism with the Holy Spirit. So, ten of us, aged 11 to 13, met privately at someone's house and organized a prayer meeting. Our goal was to ask our Heavenly Father for baptism with the Holy Spirit.

In our simplicity, we opened the prayer service. And then it happened: a power of God came upon us, and four friends and I were baptized. For the first time, we spoke in tongues. Our young hearts were filled with great joy. After the prayer, we fell into each other's arms, hugged and embraced one another, and praised God for this miracle. At the same time, a sense of holiness washed over us. Each of us knew what we now had to correct in our lives: return what we had stolen, ask our parents for forgiveness for our disobedience, and bring many a lie to light.

That evening, the aforementioned verse truly resonated with me for the first time. Now I, too, was one of the chosen people baptized with the Holy Spirit. This promise, spoken of by the Apostle Peter, was fulfilled and confirmed in my life. From that day forward, I, too, was a part of this great miracle of God.

When I think about this verse today, three things are important to me:

Through baptism I have become part of this promise.
This promise is not an empty word – no, it is still valid today.
The promise also applies to the future, to my children and their children.

At the end of 1988, my family and I moved to Germany. In August 1991, I began working with the youth group in the Speyer church. The Speyer church was still in its early stages, and at that time we had two youth groups with up to 40 children each. During my time as a youth group leader, my heartfelt desire was, and still is, to introduce the children to the Holy Spirit. Two events in particular have stayed with me:

I remember my first youth group. We came together for prayer with 33 children. It was a simple prayer meeting, and we prayed for one another. And then it happened: unexpectedly, the power of God came upon us, and nine children were baptized with the Holy Spirit and praised God in tongues. As the youth group leader, my heart was filled with great joy and gratitude, because I knew that these children, too, had now become part of the promise and that this promise continued to hold true.

In 2011, our church organized a youth group retreat in France. The children spent the whole day exploring the biblical message. In the evening, more brothers joined them for prayer. And it happened again: unexpectedly, the power of God came upon hundreds of children, and 12 children were baptized with the Holy Spirit. In my heart, I thought again of the verse: “For the promise is for you and your children” (Acts 2:39) .

I was particularly struck by the radical transformation many children underwent. Disobedient children became obedient after baptism, lazy children became helpful, and shy children became self-confident, ready to continue their journey with Jesus. Children baptized in the Spirit act more cautiously in life; they recognize sin sooner and distance themselves from it earlier than unbaptized children.

Finally, I would like to address the parents and children with a wish:

Dear parents , explain to your children the meaning and importance of the Holy Spirit in our lives and share your own experiences with the Holy Spirit. Encourage your children to attend prayer services and to be baptized with the Holy Spirit.

Dear members of the youth group , if you have been baptized, then cherish this gift. This secret is revealed to only a small group, and even fewer have experienced it.

And today, when I hear that someone has been baptized, I am always reminded of the three truths:

I am part of the promise,
The promise still holds true today.
and it will continue to apply in the future.

Johann Fast
Municipality of Speyer