"More Than Just A Feeling!"

~ Bishop M. R. Taylor ~

In my 30 years of preaching The Gospel of Jesus Christ, one of the things that I've noticed in the church is that, the difference between the "old school saints" and the "new school saints" is that, when it comes to being baptized in the Holy Spirit, the saints of old stayed at the altar until they receive a "filling" but, the new saints seem to be only satisfied with just a "feeling!"

Although this may not be happening in every church, (but keep in mind that "I've been around for a while, and I've seen a lot of things in the church), apparently somewhere along the line the church has lost something vital to its identity.

Down through the years from the "Azusa Street Revival" there has seemed to be a shift in the church when it comes to understanding "The Work of the Holy Spirit" in the church from "tarrying" to "tolerable."

There is a "spirit of deception" that is lingering in the church today that is causing people to be more concerned with the rhythm and beat of the music than The Preached Word of God! This is a very dangerous trend in the church today because without a clear understanding of what "The Work of the Holy Spirit" is in the church, there can be no empowerment of the church!

People in the church today seem to more interested in having a "Holy Ghost Party" than they are in receiving the "Holy Ghost Power!" This is why most people in the church today can not stay long enough to receive what God really has for them which is, "empowerment through The Baptism of the Holy Spirit" because, when the music stops and the "feeling" is gone, so is their attention span as to what God really has for them!

BUT WHEN YOU COME TO THE ALTAR, AND YOU STAY THERE TARRYING, UNTIL YOU'VE GOT IT LIKE THE BIBLE SAYS . . .AND YOU'VE BEEN "FILLED WITH THE HOLY GHOST" . . . YOU GOT MORE THAN A FEELING THAT WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU!

AND ONCE YOU'VE GOT IT LIKE THE BIBLE SAYS, NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES THE HOLY SPIRIT COME UPON YOU FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE . . .YOU WILL NEVER FORGET THE FIRST TIME!

The salvation experience fills your heart with the Spirit of God. It is likened to a cup being filled with water, filled to the brim. the word "filled" expresses the fact that there is "no more room", the capacity has been reached.

Jesus Christ said the His disciples in John 7:38-39 that,

"He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water." (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on Him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because Jesus was not yet glorified."

Is a cupful ever described as a river? Can a cupful be a well of water "springing up into everlasting life?"

John 4:14 "But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life."

Take the cup and immerse it in a river or a well and you have a cupful being baptized. The element not only "fills" it, it surrounds, covers, overwhelms and overflows it!

THIS IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BEING "FILLED" AND JUST EXPERIENCING A "FEELING!"

"YOU CAN'T MAKE IT, IF YOU'RE STILL TRYING TO FAKE IT!"