The greatest day of life for me was the day I received what is known as the baptism of the Holy Spirit with evidence of speaking in tongues. I had been “saved for sure” for less than a year at that point, although I would say I was unable to pinpoint the exact time of my salvation. My parents took me to church as a young man every Sunday and I knew the routine of profession of faith, and in fact had made the profession numerous times, but there seemed to be an authenticity about it that came in my late 30’s. I began to pursue God with a passion to know Him, and He responded with what I later came to understand as assignments designed to teach me about Him. I began to attend a small charismatic church where I became reacquainted with a friend from high school who I asked to disciple me in the things of God. Very early in the process, in a time of prayer one night, I received the baptism of the Holy Spirit with evidence of speaking in tongues. I would say that up until that moment I was skeptical that there existed such an event, but in an instant I was transformed not into someone who believed in the event, but into someone who absolutely knew that it was from God himself and it was at once real, powerful, and authentic. That night began a journey of God himself developing me in the things of God that will continue until I depart the earth. It was and will remain the greatest moment of my life.
God began immediately to develop me in His Word, and I understood that, after all, the Word of God is who He is. Further, I understood that His Word contained the revelation of who He is and the revelation of His covenant with man, and that those things could only be understood as I pursued an understanding of His Word. As I said previously, God responded to my pursuit of Him with assignments to people and places that were designed to develop me in Him, always based on the Word of God. As I began to grasp who God intended that I would be and the things I was intended to possess, I saw that God’s Word was actually a series of exceeding great and precious promises that I would become a partaker of the divine nature (2 Pe 1:4), and that His Word also set forth tools and weapons designed to secure those promises. I could become as proficient or developed in the use of those tools and weapons as I desired, and that my ability to possess those promises was entirely dependent upon how proficient I became in the application and use of those tools and weapons. I purposed in my heart that I would learn everything I could so I could become all that God intended me to be and I could possess all that God intended I would possess.
To that end I know that God desires all of his people to have a working knowledge of His Word and to become proficient in the use of it. My assignment was to present the tools and weapons from the Word in a systematic manner designed to help people become proficient. Luke 13:6–9. He spake also this parable A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down why cumbereth it the ground? And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shall cut it down. As Christians we are to bear much fruit but that is not always the case. The picture from this parable is one of diligent commitment for a season in order to develop your ability to bear fruit. I know that if a person does this, the guaranteed reward is the bearing of fruit, not just to witness to others, but to possess the exceeding great and precious promises that will make you a partaker of the divine nature. I challenge you to use the material on this site to systematically study each of the tools and weapons taught. It will change your life, your witness and the person you are. This material is available free of charge for all who desire it. The material is a work in progress, evolving, growing and changing but still available for anyone who wishes to access it. You are free to accept or reject any part you like and measure it anyway you like. My assignment was to make it available free of charge to as many people as possible. I release my faith with yours that this word shall not return void, but shall accomplish what God pleased, and shall prosper in the thing whereto it was sent (from Is 55:11). May God bless you as you study this material.
