Bible Studies
THE ELIJAH MINISTRY.
A study in Fasting and the Baptism of Fire.
Chapter 2.
SEARCH FOR THE SPIRIT.
The Pastor of the Baptist church where I was a member
asked me to keep him informed of my progress in the following
subject. This letter was written in May 1971.
Dear Pastor Nield,
Greetings in the name of Jesus. It is just after 10
o'clock Monday morning and I have already had my prayer
answered. This morning I asked the Father in the name of
Jesus to send into the shop at least one willing vessel to
whom I could minister so that, that one, would receive Jesus
as Saviour, Baptizer and Healer. This has been a regular
daily practise recently, and it is a direct result of my
search into the work of the Holy Spirit.
You will remember I started off by investigating the
claims of the Pentecostals which was that one could receive
the Baptism in/of the Holy Spirit with certain gifts
following. You asked me to let you know how I get on, and
this letter is an attempt to inform you of certain
discoveries and conclusions I have reached. You will
remember that I was led to wonder if I had actually been
baptized in the Holy Spirit when I had my Born-Again
experience in 1968. It was not until I had started my study
of the Holy Spirit that I discovered there was such an
experience to be had, and that all Christians could claim and
receive it.
I prayed to the Lord that He would either give me this
Baptism, or give me the evidence that I had already received
it. I continued with my investigations, when quite out of
the blue the Lord led me to know so much more than I was
actually looking for. I was convinced by my studies that it
was about only seventy years ago or so that the Lord started
to reveal to certain of His servants the long-lost Baptism of
the Holy Spirit. It is an established fact of history that
the general re-introduction of this gift to the church was
not, at that time, accepted by the greater part of the
church. It is now paying the penalty for this refusal - that
part of the church which then and now refuse this revelation
from the Lord remain carnal and dead. Let me hasten to say
that as A. Murray D.D. says, a carnal Christian can actually
have spiritual gifts.
Oh, how the Lord is blessing this search of mine. I
have made a truly remarkable discovery - or should I say:
the Lord has revealed it to me. What I am about to tell you
would, if Re-introduced in the church, including
Pentecostals, split them down the middle, as all truth
does. The work of God always splits human organisations, but
grants unity in the Spirit to those ready to receive. Many
people, when they become Christians, are led to believe that
all they get in the church is all that Christ has for them.
Members of a church - speaking generally - usually get what
the minister has to give them. Having discovered the Baptism
of the Holy Spirit I concluded that what church members
needed was all contained in this specific gift, as it was
offered to them in those churches which had introduced it.
It is a biblical fact that all other spiritual things
being in their right place, this gift does grant all that the
church needs - providing the church gets all what the Baptism
of the Holy Spirit contains. Speaking of the Pentecostal
branch of the Christian church only, this Baptism does confer
Power, but only in proportion to two things: the spiritual
condition one is in, and in accordance with that portion of
the Baptism that is received. Why? Because the Baptism
contains two portions. The Full and Complete Baptism from
God contains the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, and it contains
the Baptism of Fire; and you can receive the one portion
without receiving the other. This element in the Full
Baptism was not revealed to the Church at the beginning of
this century. The church has un-wittingly left aside the
Fire portion of the Baptism in the mistaken belief that the
Fire portion comes automatically with the Holy Spirit
portion.
The same things that Christians have said in the past,
and are said now, about the manifestations of the Holy
Spirit Baptism, are now being said about the manifestations
which are a consequence of the Fire Baptism. God is now, in
this last period of time, revealing to the church this other
portion of the Full Baptism, and it is His purpose to raise
up out of the church a group which will have the Power and
Spirit of Elijah. This group will, and is now doing, and
will later perform, the Elijah Ministry prior to the Lord's
return. They will have many strange powers, over the natural
elements for example.
Before and after their Baptism, members of this group do
much secret Fasting, and this brings them under a very heavy
anointing. This anointing facilitates the easier reception
of further Baptisms of Fire. They have the power to call
down God's anointing Fire on anything they write, so that any
willing child of God may receive either a touch of the Fire
while they are reading or studying the anointed literature,
or will receive a flooding of the Fire while doing so.
No doubt some Christians who happen to walk into a
church where such people hold services, would, at first,
think it all very strange. Besides primarily preaching the
gospel for Salvation, any willing members are taught how to
put their faith into action. This one little addition to a
service truly has enormous power to increase the faith of
those present. Most people who pray to the Lord for
something are actually using what I might correctly
call 'Passive Faith Action', and unless such people attain to
'Word-Faith Power', virtually nothing happens. Prayers are
more likely to get answers for such a person if we can get
him to put his faith into action by something that might even
seem silly at first - something like: "Go and wash yourself a
number of times in a dirty river", not that today any would
be asked to do just that. 2 Kings 5.
A few are like Naaman in that they suggest to God a
better way to get what they desire. They will have what they
want, but on their own terms and conditions. You will never
lose your dignity doing it God's way because God never tries
to make a fool out of those who love Him. Doing it your own
way you may retain your dignity - and a lot more besides.
In a church of Fire-Baptised Christians you may be asked
to catch a paper dart, or a rubber ball, when it is thrown
towards you. This paper dart or ball will have some
specific scriptures written on it relating to what it is you
are requesting from Jesus. When the person moves into action
to retrieve the dart or the ball, they are told that Jesus
will touch them. They are not told 'Jesus MIGHT touch you
and remove your problem'. The open praise that goes up to
Jesus must be seen to be believed when a portion of the Fire
falls on these people for the solving of their spiritual and
physical problems. We know how to get people to release
their little faith and build it up to something bigger, all
for the Glory of God through what Jesus demonstrates he is
able and willing to do for us.
About a year ago the Lord sent a nonentity of a man into
the shop to buy a pair of shoes. I had no intention on my
mind to witness to him. He had a sort of Mona-Lisa smile on
his face all the time. He bought a pair of the cheapest
shoes we had, 14/11, (about 75p or $1.38),
and on handing him back his change from
a one pound note, I spontaneously remarked: "Do you know
Jesus?" His face lit up, and he took a small, crumpled up,
New Testament out of his pocket, and told me of his love for
Jesus. He was a scruffy-looking bloke, and he was not very
articulate. I truly thank my God for sending that man into
the shop, and for giving me the discernment to recognise this
man for what he in fact was. I saw that he was much nearer
to Jesus than I was, and I decided I was not going to let
this man get away from me before I had found the secret of
his holiness. I immediately invited him out to the back
parlour-work-shop to have a cup of tea. I told him he was to
feel free to call in at any time to talk about the things of
God and about Jesus. I soon discovered that he was starving
for spiritual companionship. He took me up on my offer and
came in quite often. He would sit in the workshop with me
and talk for hours - sometimes six solid hours - about the
things of Jesus and the Gospel.
I must confess that I did become a little over-burdened,
but I was sure the finger of God was on him. I came to learn
from another source that he had had four miracles worked on
his body by God after a serious accident on a building site.
He had fallen down through the scaffolding. After about six
months, which would be about December 1970, he moved away
from Fulham, and I lost track of him. He suddenly returned
to the shop one day and invited me to a church meeting over
in Crystal Palace Road a few days hence. On the day of the
meeting, Colin Greenwood - the London City Missionary - came
into the shop. I invited him to come with me, not mentioning
anything what-so-ever about the man from whom I got the
invitation, and not knowing anything about the church, and
he immediately said: "Ken, we're going to get a blessing."
Colin and I went to that meeting, and due to the
preaching, which was backed up by scripture and the witness
of the Holy Spirit within both of us, we both, without any
effort on our part started fasting secretly to the Lord. We
decided to go to the next meeting one week later, and had to
move right to the back of the very large room to get a seat.
After preaching the Word, and some witnessing having been
given, the Evangelist, Franklin Hall, who was ministering
there with his wife, Helen Hall,
asked all those to stand up who wanted more of Jesus, and
receive the Fire Baptism. Both Colin and I stood up without
waiting for anybody else to do so - but, so also did a crowd
of other people. We were told to put our faith into action
by raising our hands and shouting Hallelujah and continue to
praise Jesus and we would receive. A tremendous shout went
up from the crowd and also from Colin and I. Did the Fire
fall! I swear to you there were those present who saw it.
Colin and I did not see the Tongues of Fire, but many
witnessed that they had.
Since the time that I received this wonderful Baptism I
have had warm, glowing, pulsating Heat on various parts of my
body. It pulsates with varying degrees of Heat, and is never
uncomfortable. Although it ebbs and flows over various parts
of the body, from being 'hardly discernible' to 'very hot',
it never leaves the crown of my head, Praise Jesus. When I
begin to witness, whether by word of mouth or in writing, it
comes in greater intensity on various parts of my body. This
is the effect of the Fire which comes from Jesus upon me. I
praise the Lord in the wonder and the glory of it all.
At that second meeting, while we were standing up
receiving this blessing from the Lord, the Evangelist looked
through the crowd towards Colin and I. He pointed towards us
and said: "If you two Fast you will receive the Gift of
Impartation." Although he did not say this to anybody else
during the meeting, neither of us felt we were anything
special. We were already Fasting and received the Gift
immediately, and, as with Fasting, we kept it strictly to
ourselves. I was eventually called to preach at that church.
I believe that the Father will not be displeased if we
experiment - that is, reach out with any Gift He has given
us. Plainly the whole revelation is not given at once, and,
providing the area of 'experimentation' comes within the
orbit of God's Will for that time, if we step out in faith,
I'm sure God will answer. It is abundantly clear to me from
scripture that it is not God's Will for His children to have
the works of the devil on their souls or their bodies.
The Power of the Holy Spirit is exercised through us by
the manifestation of His Glorious spiritual gifts, and
powerful preaching is also a spiritual gift. There is a
great difference between Power and Blessing. Of course, all
blessings from God give power in varying degrees; you cannot
separate the two. Some gifts are given for blessing and some
are given for power. The primary purpose of the Full Baptism
of the Holy Spirit is to Clothe one with Power, and having
the gift of tongues is not the sign that one has received
this Clothing of Power, as some claim. If it can be claimed
as a sign of anything, then it can be claimed to be a sign
(not the only one), that one has been filled internally with
the Holy Spirit, or that one has had a filling of the Holy
Spirit. Filling goes on the inside, being Clothed is for the
outside.
I have a witness of a sailor who walked through fire
after receiving the Baptism of Fire, while 15 of his
work-mates were burnt to death in the accident he was also in
(swamped and flooded with lit aviation fuel in an enclosed
aircraft hanger on an aircraft carrier), and he witnesses
that he did not at that time have the Gift of Tongues. This
sailor, in the Power of the Baptism of Fire he received on
that ship, did some utterly unbelievable things in Jesus'
name, including getting some of the crew saved.
Our form of worship patently restricts the Holy Spirit
operating among us. One man preaches, and usually only one
man prays. If that church doesn't accept the manifestations
of the Spirit as being for today, and neither of these two
have any gifts of the Spirit, there will, almost certainly,
not be any manifestation of the Spirit in that church. A
Church usually gets what it expects, and the people are
actually being robbed of the ministry of the Holy Spirit
among them. The usual service, due to non-application of
scriptural recommendations, actually minimises the Holy
Spirit manifesting Himself. I believe the Spirit is present
and willing, but unable to work. My study of the bible leads
me to believe that one should expect the miraculous at
various church services, and then the people will know, both
in their hearts, and by actual demonstration, that Jesus is
present among them - and so will the unbeliever who may be
present, and thereby be converted. I admit that many have a
zeal for the Lord, but in part in many cases it is not
according to accurate knowledge. There are those who, when
your intention is to point them to a better - that is, a more
scriptural - way, say that ones words are criticism, without
making reference to the factor of whether the criticism is
constructive or destructive.
Plainly, before you can reconstruct, one has to break
down. And the thing that has to be broken down is the
'Traditions and the patterns of men.' One of the great
contributory factors of the deadness of many churches is the
traditional form of worship. I have seen at least one person
whom I know has received the Baptism of the Spirit with
attending manifestations actually grasp his lips so as to
quench the Spirit. He has done this not out of fear, but out
of a regard to a sense of not causing a 'disturbance' in the
church! Let me add that this person has the gift of
'Interpretation of tongues' also, so on scriptural grounds it
would have been in order for him to speak out, if the
manifestation had been tongues. The spirit of the saints is
under the control of the saints in mature Christians, so I
conclude this brother did the correct thing. To have
somebody suddenly burst out in tongues in one of our services
would be to 'Thrust the Spirit' on a congregation in a manner
for which they had in no way been prepared, and a disturbance
would most certainly have resulted.
Do I glory in the failure of the church to influence the
masses? That will never happen. Do I glory in seeing the
children of God running before the enemy? That cannot
happen.
A week has passed since I left off this letter at the
last paragraph.
(Next two paragraphs left out).
I have evidence, scriptural, documented and personal
which points to the strange fact that God answers more
readily the 'Fasting Prayer.' For those who know that this
is a fact, the reason is also very easy to discern - Fasting
and Prayer gets rid of a multitude of adverse things
including unbelief - and increases faith unbelievably. I
make bold to suggest that any church which introduces the
Full Baptism of the Holy Spirit, and recommends its members
to Fast along with their prayers, will see amazing results.
I KNOW that Jesus is calling His Bride to Fast. The results
of a consecrated Fast to the Lord are utterly beyond the
conception and imagination of the average Christian. I had
been in the church for three years before I discovered
Fasting, and both for myself and Colin the results have been
revolutionary.
If you understand my meaning I consider myself fortunate
in that I was not brought up as a Christian, for I can come
to the study of the bible without any pre-conceived ideas.
It is now the end of June, 1971, and I have been
investigating this subject since last February. When I look
back I am astonished at what the Holy Spirit has been pleased
to make known to me. I was utterly unaware just a few months
ago that what I now possess as objective knowledge ever
existed here and now.
I find it utterly incredible that these things are in
the world, and are so little known, not among heathens, but
among the children of God! The sun cannot shine without we
know it, but, God can be doing Mighty Works in the house next
door, and we not know a thing about it!!
Pastor Nield, as we have discussed these things in the
shop, you know I have kept them to myself. I have told you
of them because first you asked me to do so, and Colin and I
considered it right to do so. You are no fool. You know it
is not for the purpose of advertising myself. You yourself
know that I am not a 'forward' person, and I would remind you
of your own statement in the shop, when you stated that if I
push myself forward so as to make myself known in the church,
you were sure I would be elected to the position of an Elder.
The thought was never entertained by me on the grounds that I
considered myself deficient in those spiritual requisites an
Elder should possess.
Looking forward to further discussions around the Word.
I wish to remain your servant, and also the Lord's.
Signed: K.J. O'Reilly.
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