Tommy Bates Ministry

Oh, how we need Him; we really need Him!  One thing I know, that is the importance of the Holy Spirit in the present day church.  When I speak of church, I’m referring to the body of Christ made up of individuals who are born again.  Oh, how you and I need Him in our everyday lives, in our everyday walk, and through problems and situations that sometimes defy the mind!  The church, or the born-again believer, needs the Holy Spirit, not only on a daily basis, but on a moment by moment basis.  Like never before in history, we need the Holy Spirit in our everyday lives.  In this article, I want to talk about the person of the Holy Spirit and how He wants to change everything about your life.

First of all, the Holy Spirit is a gentleman.  He will never force His way into your life.  We must be willing to allow Him to change us.  His goal is to make us just like Jesus.  As a matter of fact, everything the Spirit of God does in your life is to cause you to look to Jesus, to give Him praise, to honor Him, and to point you in the way of Christ.

Once you have received Christ as your Savior, He begins to nudge you to go deeper into Christ.  His goal is for you to go deeper and deeper into the love of the Savior.  John, the Baptist, speaks in the Word of God concerning Jesus, “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and fire” (Matthew 3:11).  It is Jesus that will baptize you in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in other tongues.

Once you have received this great baptism in the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God begins a fresh work in you.  Before the foundations of the earth, God had a plan for every individual life.  God starts with you where you are and takes you into your destiny or the ultimate plan God has for your life.  The Holy Spirit wants to take you from point “A”  to point “B”.

And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another comforter, that He may abide with you for ever; even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither  knoweth Him: but ye know Him; for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you  (John 14:16-17).

As I began my experience with the Holy Spirit, I began talking to Him.  I have always believed there is no jealousy in the Godhead. Simply, the Holy Spirit will always lift up and lead you to worship Jesus.  The more I talked to Him, the more I fell in love with Jesus.  I said, “Holy Spirit, I thank you for loving me.  I’m so glad you have come to be with me.  Holy Spirit, you are the best friend I have ever had.”   I would talk to Him daily until I began to notice His presence becoming stronger and stronger.  There is a difference between the presence of God and His glory when it falls on you!  As I would talk to Him, His glory began to fall.  I could barely move under such ecstasy – I could have stayed there for ever. 

One particular evening as I was talking to Him, I felt His glory fall in such an unusual way.  As I was standing with my hands lifted up, all alone in my living room, I felt myself being lowered to the floor.  No one touched me; no one spoke over me; it was just me and the Spirit of God alone.  As I lay there under such glory that had fallen, He began to speak to me about things He was going to do in my life; about ministry He would bring to pass and promotion He would bring into my life.  Many of the things He told me that day are reality today!  He said things to me that healed my spirit; things that I have never been able to speak to others.  These experiences have continued for years, day by day as I would enjoy my time with the Holy Spirit.

It was in 1995 that I began to meet with the Holy Spirit on a daily basis.  Literally, I set everything else aside, making an appointment with Him at 3:30 in the afternoon.  Oh, the times we have had together; just the two of us as we enjoyed our relationship.  I could feel the power of the Holy Spirit wanting to move in my life!

There is nothing like having a relationship with God.  Whosoever will can have this same thing.  God is no respecter of persons; what He did for me, He will do for you!  Call on His name; begin to build a relationship with Him; and you, too, will enjoy His presence in your life.

Since the days when I began to talk to the Holy Spirit, my life has been changed dramatically.  Recently, He led us into full-time ministry, preaching in over 25 churches last year.  In 2003, the Holy Spirit helped me write my first book entitled, The Amazing Faith That Works.  In fact, the works of the Holy Spirit that I’ve witnessed in my personal life, in my ministry, and here at Community Pentecostal Church are far too numerous to be written here!  The dividends of the relationship are untold when we fall into God’s plan and follow the precious Spirit of God.

I want to send out a message to all.  The way up is down on your knees.  It’s all about relationship.  It’s all about talking to God through the person of the Holy Spirit.  Make your appointment today with the blessed Holy Spirit!  Your life will forever change!

Evangelist Bill Campbell