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That this outpouring of the Holy Spirit is from God can be clearly seen in that it exactly fulfills the prophecies in the Bible that foretell what results will follow outpourings of the Holy Spirit. We mention some of these results. One of these that was to accompany the work of the Holy Spirit and that was first manifest among us was a clear assurance of Salvation.
Through visions or other workings of the Holy Spirit, sin and the lost condition of each one was made so real that every ground of hope was banished unless the Lord in undeserved mercy would answer prayer for the lost and save him. Then the Holy Spirit made the wonderful salvation and grace of God as real as had been the lost condition. One after another soon came through to a clear "I know" experience of salvation. This made such a transformation in the lives and testimony of the Adullam family that there was no mistaking that the Home was made up of many who were born again. [1]
The whole atmosphere of the place was changed. The joy unspeakable and full of glory came in until it bubbled over. As the boys were at their work in opening ground for a garden, they praised the Lord so much that some of the boys in the neighborhood mocking them said, "Praise the Lord," whenever they met our boys. When one boy went into a store to buy nails, before he realized it he said, "Hallelujah! I want some nails." The tribes boy has had a wonderful experience from the start. One day on his way to work he danced down the street in the joy of the Holy Spirit, praising the Lord somewhat like the style of Billy Bray. Being cleansed from sin and born again of the Holy Spirit and still seeking more and more of the Lord, the children were carried into these deeper things of God until over twenty of the Adullam people spoke in other tongues as people did on the day of Pentecost; as they did when the Holy Spirit was poured forth at the House of Cornelius; as they did when they received the fullness of the Spirit at Ephesus; as the apostle Paul did; and as the Samaritan Christians undoubtedly did when they received the Holy Spirit in mysterious power and manifestation, so striking and wonderful that Simon wanted to buy it.
Although most of these Adullam people had never seen any such demonstrations, having been taught to seek the Lord for the Holy Spirit, they were not only rewarded with a great "joy unspeakable and full of glory" in their own hearts, but they got the "I know" satisfaction about the baptism of the Holy Spirit. They know they received it the same way the New Testament saints did in the beginning, as shown by the only five recorded passages of scripture just mentioned which tell how the apostles and first disciples received the Holy Spirit and what they did when they were fully immersed, or baptized, in the supernatural Spirit. [2]
These Chinese boys and girls were saved by the same Lord and baptized with the same Holy Spirit in the same way as the first disciples, for like them, they not only spoke with other tongues but also prophesied as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Prophecy and Revelation
No one present at the time has ever doubted that the Lord spoke to us by direct inspiration in the first days of the outpouring of the Spirit when He spoke through one of the smallest and humblest of the children. There was something about the voice, the penetrating power of those words, a heart-gripping power that cannot be described. We had never heard such a gripping voice from God in any sermon in all our days. We all knew we were hearing directly from the Lord. Quite a number of the Adullam people later spoke in prophecy, insomuch that we marvelled more and more at the miracles that were taking place as the Lord spoke the wonderful things of God, revealing His plans and purposes in picking the outcast "nothings" of the earth, who were recent beggar boys, to make them the mouthpieces of the living God, speaking through them by direct inspiration, edifying and building up this little group of simple blood-washed believers so recently saved out of hopeless physical and spiritual despair.
Another most striking result of the work of the Holy Spirit was the way in which, according to the Word, He fulfilled the promise that when He, the Comforter, came, He would take of the things of Christ to show to His disciples and would show them "things to come." [3]
It seemed most wonderful how the Spirit revealed to these simple believers, who had only heard of the Bible for a few months, the things of Christ, His salvation, and the things of the future by visions of the unseen worlds.
Many of these visions were given to several at the same time. Nearly all of the visions were seen by quite a number of persons. In many cases the children came to ask if the Bible said anything about certain things they had seen in vision. [4]
The visions, seen by even some of the smallest children six years of age, as well as by the older boys, were seen while they were under the Power of the Holy Spirit, not as a dream but as real life.
Some of the visions seen were: Christ tied to a post and scourged; Christ bleeding on the cross while scoffers looked on; the body of Christ taken from the cross, carried to the tomb, placed in the tomb, and the tomb closed; an angel opening the tomb and Christ's resurrection; His appearance to the women, to the disciples by the sea, and to those in the upper room; the ascension of Christ and the descent of the two angels; heaven; detailed visions inside the New Jerusalem in heaven; angels; the redeemed; hell; the condition of the lost in hell; demons; the devil; the great tribulation and things pertaining to saints and to the subjects of the beast during that time; the battle of Armageddon; the binding and imprisonment of Satan in the pit; the binding of the Anti-Christ; the devil cast out of heaven; the Great Supper of God and birds eating flesh of kings and captains of the earth; the coming of Christ with his angels; the sun and moon changed; heaven quake and earth quake and destruction that attended the coming of Christ; the resurrection of the righteous; the marriage supper of the Lamb in Paradise; detailed views of our mansions in heaven and other heavenly scenes.
This work of the Holy Spirit through visions, as well as in the heart, created such a great interest in Bible Study that even the smaller children wanted to know if they could not stop studying "earthly books" and study the Bible only.
Since the unseen world became so real, it is no wonder that there was a change in the life of prayer and praise.
While not all the Adullam people spoke in other tongues, all except those who were too dull of mind to understand much of anything were anointed and filled with the Holy Spirit in a much greater measure than ever before, so that Adullam was often lifted up to heavenly places in Christ to joyfully praise and worship the King. Although there were times when a person almost wondered if these heavenly citizens would come "down to earth" again, there was no need to fear. This anyone would have seen who could have been in one prayer meeting where boy after boy in real intercessory prayer pleaded with God for the lost, praying that God would use us all as real warriors for Him in this battle of righteousness. The experiences already related have made prayer more than a formality. All know now that our foes are spiritual hosts of wickedness in heavenly places.
References / Notes
"Ye received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit
himself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God." Rom.
8:15, 16. "Hereby we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he hath
given us of his Spirit." I John 4:13. "He that believeth on the Son of God hath
the witness in him." Gal. 4:6.
[ Back To Text ]
"While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all them that heard the word, and they of the circumcision were amazed, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Spirit: For they heard them SPEAK WITH TONGUES and magnify God." Acts 10:44-46.
"Paul having passed through the upper country came to Ephesus and found certain disciples and when Paul had laid his hands upon them the Holy Spirit came on them; and they SPAKE WITH TONGUES AND PROPHESIED. And they were in all about twelve men." Acts 19:1, 6, 7.
"Now when the apostles that were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John. They laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit. Now when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Spirit was given he offered them money saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay my hands, he may receive the Holy Spirit." Acts 8 :14, 17-19.
"And Ananias departed and entered into the house, and laying hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, who appeared unto thee in the way which thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mayest receive thy sight, and be FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT." Acts 9:17, 18.
Having been "filled with the Holy Spirit" Paul said, "I thank God, I SPEAK WITH TONGUES MORE THAN YOU ALL." I Cor 14:18.
"Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to the whole creation . . . and these signs shall accompany them that believe . . . In my name they shall cast out demons: THEY SHALL SPEAK WITH NEW TONGUES." Mark 16:17. [ Back To Text ]