Simply put, I love the Holy Spirit! I am grateful every day for His empowering presence living in me. I was first introduced to the Spirit in 1977, five years after becoming a disciple of Jesus.
The Spirit swept all across the U.S. during the Charismatic Renewal, touching us here in Central Illinois. Of course, He had been active in my life long before I met Him, but I barely knew a thing about Him. Being baptized in the Holy Spirit radically – and I mean radically – changed my life.
He made the Word come alive, showed me Jesus is a Healer, and gave me fresh confidence to pray. And now, over 37 years later, He continues to bring miraculous transformation in and through me. So much of my growth in the Spirit is due to my Vineyard family, who I discovered in 1982. The Vineyard showed me I could be filled again and again (not just one time), having a true river of living water flowing out of me at all times.
[bctt tweet=”Being baptized in the Holy Spirit radically – and I mean radically – changed my life. ~Di Leman” quote=”Being baptized in the Holy Spirit radically – and I mean radically – changed my life. ~Di Leman”]
The Vineyard equipped me to naturally, supernaturally share the Gospel and freely ask, ‘Can I pray for you right now?’ putting my trust in the Holy Spirit to bring just the right gifts needed for the person I am praying for at that moment.
The Vineyard taught me to welcome the Spirit as my Teacher, my Helper, my Comforter and my Advocate, every single day of my life. And the Vineyard gave me courage to pray unashamedly for thousands of people over the years to be filled with the Spirit, speak in an unknown language, and move in His gifts.
But, more than all of the above, the Vineyard encourages me to intimately know the triune God through the Spirit. The Spirit reveals my Abba, Father, and teaches me to worship Him in spirit and in truth. The Spirit pours deep love for Jesus into my heart and makes known His grace in my life. The Spirit prays for me when I do not know how to pray, aligning my life with the Father’s perfect will, causing all to work together for my good.
And, this precious, powerful Holy Spirit fills me every day with His nature and character, empowering me to reflect Jesus wherever I go, whatever I do. Jesus did not leave us as orphans but he has come to live permanently inside us. It baffles me that people still debate about and reject the Holy Spirit. I, for one, cannot live without Him. “Come, Holy Spirit. I love you!”
