In traveling and ministering in churches both here in America and abroad, I am constantly amazed at the comments and compliments that I receive from pastors about the ease that they see when I preach about the Baptism in the Holy Spirit and the ensuing altar ministry. Evidently, I make it look too easy. So many pastors are amazed at the number of people who respond to the altar call and then baptized.
Let me let you in on the “secret”. Ready? It IS easy. Why? It’s because there is no pressure on me. After spending time in prayer and preparation before the service, I have the greatest opportunity to work together with the Holy Spirit through the preaching and simply teach about God’s passionate desire to give a gift to each and every believer (Luke 11:13) and how it is to the believer’s advantage to receive this gift (John 16:7).
Why is the altar ministry so successful? Because there is no pressure on me. (Do you see a trend?) After spending time in prayer and preparation before the service and then preaching, I get to watch Him tug on people’s hearts. Even in some of the most difficult, unemotional, stone-faced, seemingly lifeless congregations, when given the opportunity to receive the promise of the Father, over and over again I’ve seen large portions of the congregation respond to heaven’s invitation and be gloriously filled.
Why is this so easy? The receiving of this gift is found in God’s ability to keep His promise. In each and every altar call, I share the following verse:
“For the promise [of the Holy Spirit] is to and for you and your children …”
Acts 2:39 (The Amplified Trans.)
In the altar call, I love to ask this one simple question, “Who made this promise?” Of course, the answer is God. While preaching under the anointing of the Holy Spirit, Peter speaks for God and announces that He has a special promise for believers.
This one verse makes it so easy for believers to receive the promise of the Father. Acts 2:39 puts God’s integrity and reputation on the line. He said that the promise is for Y-O-U! And, we know that God is not a man that He should lie. (Numbers 23:19). So, every (in the original Greek rendering, the word “every” means “every”) believer (be it child, teenager, or adult) who asks to be filled with the Holy Spirit has God’s promise that they will be filled to overflowing. God is watching over His Word (Jeremiah 1:12) and waiting on the believer to ask. It’s just that simple.
Easy? You betcha. I don’t apologize. Join me. Believers are waiting on this message. And God is waiting on someone like you to be His messenger of His great promise. Simply share the promise and God will deliver what He has promised!
