Receiving the Holy Ghost

Why Does it Take Some People a Long Time to Receive the Holy Ghost?

By Irvin Baxter

Question: Stacy from Oklahoma called Irvin to ask, “You mentioned that it took a long time for you to get the Holy Ghost. Why do you think it took you a long time or why do you think it takes others a long time?“

 

Answer: I thought that when you receive the Holy Ghost a big pair of vice grips would come down and take a hold of your jaw and move it for you, and I also thought that if you could stop it then it must be you not God. I had a real misconception. I did not realize that the Bible said, they spake as the Spirit gave the utterance. Many times the Holy Ghost would come on me so strong that I would have stammering lips and my languages would start getting mixed up, but I was straightening it out because I thought that if I could straighten it out it wasn’t God. I actually went home from praying sometimes and my jaws would be tired because the Holy Ghost was on me, urging me to obey it but I was determined to speak English, which is what I was comfortable with. I did not realize that I was actually fighting the very thing that I was wanting. It was misconceptions that really kept me from receiving the Holy Ghost.