Change Your World: Share Your Jesus Story With Heart | Chapter 4 | "Holy Spirit"

In 1995, when I was 19 years old, I felt compelled to transfer to Oral Roberts University after taking some of my basics (basic courses) at San Antonio College. I can’t say it was for some wonderful spiritual reason. In all actuality, it was because I wanted to meet a Christian young lady that I could eventually call my wife. I always wanted a family like my father and grandfathers that came before me. I heard the women to men ratio was 8 to 1. Good odds, I thought. It got so bad that I remember sitting in my 1988 red Acura Integra in the San Pedro Park parking lot, crying out to God for mercy. My prayer went something like this: “God, it’s Friday and I don’t have a date. I just want someone to go with me to dinner and a movie. That’s all God. Is that too much to ask?” Would you believe in that moment of lonely despair, God actually met me?

A thought crossed my mind: “Ted, she’s somewhere out there, so why don’t you pray for her?” The thought was probably (influenced by) there from the Disney song “Somewhere Out There” by James Ingram. Nevertheless,, I’ll give the credit to the Holy Spirit because I believe it was the voice of God. So I did just that. I began praying for my future spouse. I prayed for her salvation, (for) her safety, and for the Lord to bring her to me swiftly. As soon as I finished praying, I opened my eyes, looked at the passenger seat next to me, and lo and behold – still empty. (and—lo and behold—still empty.)But instead of my heart sinking with loneliness, I felt an indescribable peace. At last, I felt God heard my prayer and was ensuring all things worked in our favor. Well, it was another lonely evening romantically, but I’m sure I probably went to play basketball with my best friend, Jeremy Reus. (It was another lonely evening romantically, but I probably went to play basketball with my best friend, Jeremy Reus.)

Fast forward to Oral Roberts University. Now it’s the second semester of the 1994-1995 school year and I’m an Information Systems major. At school's start, I assessed the girls-to-guys ratio and, sure enough; it seemed to be about 8 to 1. I’ll never forget noticing an attractive olive-skinned young lady in one of my computer programming classes. It’s amazing how quickly my mind went to the thought, “maybe she’s the one? Her holding the door for me while we left the academic building added to my racing mind. I thought to myself, “This looks promising.” (It’s amazing how quickly my mind went to the thought, Maybe she’s the one? Her holding the door for me while we left the academic building only added to my racing thoughts. I thought to myself, This looks promising.)

Soon after our initial meeting, I studied with her and her friend. They needed help in their programming class, and that was my specialty. As our casual friendship grew, I realized it was almost the end of the semester and time for my summer break in San Antonio. I decided to ask if we could be more than friends. Like most guys, I did something stupid. ( Like most guys, I did something bold—and maybe a little foolish.) I invited her for a walk in the prayer garden. I guess we (I- change we to I in this sentence )thought we needed all the prayers we could get while exploring our options. So I asked her, “So, we’ve been friends, but I wanted to ask you,(-) is there something more here?” Unexpectedly, she kindly turned me down with the words, “No, let’s just be friends.”

My heart sank into the pit of my stomach. This was not the peace I had felt before while sitting in my car waiting for my wife to materialize out of the thin air. It was my first rejection, and I deeply regretted expressing romantic interest.

I did what you might have done. (-) I sped away in my red Acura Integra, trying to escape as fast as possible. Due to my gentle heart and love for God, all I could do was cry. I think I also called myself an idiot a time or two. Embarrassment washed over me; so I went to a little neighborhood my parents had showed me when they dropped me off for school. (It was actually)Actually, it was the neighborhood where my parents lived when I was first born. From my car, I could see the hospital where I was born, the house we lived in, and the pond where my parents used to walk me in the stroller. It felt like a dream, as if it was meant to be. About a year ago, I did the same thing in the parking lot of San Pedro Park. I cried out to God. And again, God was faithful to comfort me through the Holy Spirit. I remember surrendering my life afresh to Jesus and asking for his good will to be done in my life. A prayer meeting with overflowing tears and a powerful sense of God's presence. No tears left. I opened my eyes, and it was snowing. Coming from San Antonio, I considered that a miracle. God's sign assured me that He heard and would guide my future.

Before I finish this story and share good news, I want to reassure you that this is how the Holy Spirit works. In moments like this, we learn to hear God's voice. In the Bible, a woman named Hannah sought God for hope. She had fallen into discouragement. In fact, her prayers were coming from a place of great anguish and sorrow. Here’s her story. She, one of two wives, married a man named Elkanah. However, to her public shame, she was barren and unable to conceive a child, unlike Phinehas, her counterpart. To top it off, Phinehas would regularly taunt Hannah and make fun of her because she could not have children.

To grasp Hannah's situation, knowing ancient life is helpful. Society viewed a woman's barrenness as a curse and a social embarrassment. Children played a significant role in the family's economics. Children would provide help in farming and would care for their parents in their old age. Elkanah could divorce his barren wife, but he remained lovingly devoted to her. As unusual and as gracious as that was, it didn’t remedy Hannah’s feelings of disgrace. Not even her understanding husband could comfort her and give her the miracle of life.

Maybe you have similar areas of barrenness in your life. Areas where nothing seems to come to birth. Everywhere you look, you only see death and discouragement. You might feel discouraged and hopeless because of a broken relationship, abuse, financial hardship, or some secret. Well, I’ve got great news for you, my friend. The Holy Spirit can bring dead things to life. He can bring a dead beat dad back to life, he can bring a dead-end job back to life, and he can even bring wayward children back home again. With faith, turn to him in prayer and witness his power.

Hannah did this with fresh hope, expecting a different outcome. She did what I did when I was recovering from rejection, hoping for a girlfriend who would become a wonderful wife. She poured out her heart to God with deep anguish and tears. The scene was dramatic. Eli, the priest at Shiloh, thought she was drunk. Actually, she was praying, but no words were coming out of her mouth. If you haven’t experienced pain like that before, you just haven’t lived long enough yet. She assured him of her soberness and he blessed her with peace and hope that God would answer her request. There was such a dramatic shift in Hannah’s heart that immediately she was no longer sad and she ended her fast with a feast. It sounds like a positive pregnancy indication. After the couple worshipped one more time at Shiloh and then returned home, they consummated the miracle by sleeping together. The Bible says, “The Lord remembered her plea, and in due time she gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, for she said, ‘I asked the Lord for him.’” (1 Samuel 1:20)

I encourage you to read the first three chapters of 1 Samuel; the story only gets better. It wasn't just a miracle, but the birth of a prophetic lineage. Hannah fulfilled her promise of dedicating her only son Samuel to the service of God. At around three years old, she brought him to Eli, the priest, to serve in God's house after he was weaned. Long story short, Samuel grew in strength and wisdom and learned to hear the voice of God. He became a true Prophet in Israel that heard from God for the people. When the people desired a king like other nations, God appointed Saul as their first king, followed by David, who became their greatest king.

Isn’t it amazing how God can bring dead things and dead situations back to life? God will not only answer your immediate request, but also teach you to trust in him. He’s teaching you how to ask and depend on Him; rather than relying on your own strength, intellect, or resourcefulness. You see, if God is the one who takes care of your needs, then he becomes the center-piece of your story. However, if you’re able to make it through this life flying solo, then you’ll selfishly take all the credit for your success. Life was always meant for you to live in a family with your Heavenly Father, your earthly family, and your church family.

Speaking of family, on August 25, 1995, the Holy Spirit ordered my steps in the most unexpected way. There were three reasons why I left Oral Roberts University. Firstly, I wanted to save money. Secondly, I wanted to continue serving in worship ministry at Destiny Church. Lastly, I wanted to complete my information systems degree at The University of Texas at San Antonio. In all actuality, it was mainly a financial decision to save money, but in effect I was saying, “God, I trust you’ll bring my wife to me.” That was a major shift of faith in my heart. God honored my faith because on that Friday of August 25, 1995, I met my beloved wife, Anna.

Several months before, Jeremy called me with excitement that he had noticed two attractive young ladies at Destiny Church back in San Antonio. Hard to believe, but I jokingly said, “Introduce me when I’m back for the summer break.” He never mentioned the girls, and I forgot to ask, despite being back all summer. It wasn’t until that Friday evening, after we had finished playing one-on-one basketball, that he brought up the young ladies. Jeremy said, “Do you remember the King sisters I told you about?” I said, “Yea, you mean the two attractive young ladies that I’m believing don’t exist? I’ve been here all summer and haven’t seen them.”

Jeremy quickly replied, “They’re for real, and I’ll call to invite them on a date.” I said, “I bet you $5 dollars you don’t have the guts to make that call.” Well, to my surprise, Jeremy bit the bullet and set it all up. Next thing, we sat with Anna and Erica King for dinner, then saw the movie “The First Knight.” From that night on, I knew Anna was the woman of my dreams.

It's interesting how I prayed for a girlfriend who later became my wife, and how I met Anna on the same day of the week. This is one of many hallmark stories of faith in my life. Stories where the Holy Spirit was guiding me and leading me every step of the way. The companion song to this chapter, called “Holy Spirit”, says:

“Holy Spirit, You are welcomed here. Move in our lives, so our hearts will change. For we need to know, Your love and grace. And we want to see, Your power. So that we will know, You more. We want to know You more. We give you our lives as a living sacrifice. Of praises to Your name. Let our actions speak louder than our words. So the world will see you through them. And they will come to know the glory of the Lord. And they will serve Him all their days. And they will come to find rest in the Lord. And the world will see You through them. As Almighty God, Almighty God.”

You’ve heard it said, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” In the beginning, the Holy Spirit was hovering over the surface of the waters. In Genesis 1:2 and beyond, the Holy Spirit works to fulfill God's good will in your life and the lives you touch. Jesus exemplified this, and the early church followed suit.

It’s imperative that you understand early on as a new believer and also as a growing believer that Jesus has become your Savior, your Lord, and your example. Furthermore, as the sinless Son of God, Jesus possesses the unique qualifications to save both you and the world from sin. By saving you from hell's judgment, Jesus promises rewards in this abundant life and eternal life in heaven. Your complete devotion is owed to Jesus, your Lord. Jesus, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, reigns supreme. He rules over everything as the Creator. He has provided everything you need for living a godly life. Jesus is your example in speech and action, empowered by the Holy Spirit at his water baptism, which can also empower you. Jesus demonstrated a noticeable change when he returned to the Nazareth Synagogue, where he had grown up, after being filled with the Holy Spirit. He opened the scroll of the Prophet Isaiah and read:

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come.” (Luke 4:18-19)

The authoritative and gracious way that Jesus was now speaking amazed all of his local family and friends. They wondered, “How can this be? Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” (Luke 4:22) He was a man on a mission to set people free from sin and sickness and to bring them into the Father’s favor. This was only the stellar start of Jesus’ ministry. Within the next three years leading up to — his sacrificial death, sad burial, and glorious resurrection — Jesus performed many supernatural things to reveal the love and favor of God. Throughout the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, you can read a historically accurate account of the miracles of Jesus. In Jesus, you will witness the Holy Spirit's power, performing extraordinary miracles like healing the sick, delivering people from demons, and raising the dead. When Peter shared the good news with Cornelius's non-Jewish family, he mentioned that, “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power. Then Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.” (Acts 10:38) Later, within the same conversation, the Holy Spirit baptized this entire un-churched Gentile family, just like Jesus. They spoke in an unknown language that we learn from other accounts in the Bible is the gift of tongues. Even though Cornelius and his family hadn't been water baptized yet, they experienced being filled with the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues. Let me just say, God can do whatever he wants, whenever he wants, in whatever order he wants to do it. Jesus' ministry and the book of Acts both reflect this. After being filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus actively established the kingdom of God, or the rule and reign of God, in the hearts of believers.

Jesus fulfills his prayer to his Heavenly Father, asking for God's kingdom and will to be done on Earth as it is in Heaven. The miracles of Jesus and the early church were signs and wonders that showcased Jesus' divinity. They also symbolized God's restoration of health and eternal life lost in the Garden of Eden. To "Change Your World," you'll need all available tools. When Jesus preached entrance into the kingdom of God through faith, he also prayed for the sick and needy, believing they would be healed, and he successfully healed many. Early church leaders like Peter, Paul, and Phillip prayed for the sick and needy in faith, witnessing many healings after Jesus ascended to heaven. So my point is, if Jesus saw supernatural results, if the early church saw supernatural results, then you should expect supernatural results when you pray for yourself and others. I have heard people ask the obvious question, “What if God doesn’t heal the person I pray for?” I like the answer I heard a minister give. “What if God does heal the person?” If God heals, a Spirit-led revival could revolutionize your world.

The Bible contains supernatural stories where God honored believers' bold prayers of faith, like Hannah's prayer for a world-changing child. Follow the example of Jesus and the faithful who encountered the Holy Spirit's power. Make a list of your Holy Spirit experiences as we conclude this chapter. To help recall these divine memories, I'll provide a comprehensive list of the Holy Spirit's gifts mentioned in the Scriptures, along with references for further exploration.