Kelly, Tim and Kirsten Share Their Testimonies of Being Baptized in the Holy Spirit

Whole-hearted abandonment and I received - by Kelly Haynes

At age 20 I began actively pursuing the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.  The experience was happening to my beloved friends as well as many youth group members that I was ministering to at the church I attended at the time but had not happened to me yet!! I was really sore about it and began reading every book written about the topic, studied the Scriptures fervently, stood in prayer lines, talked to my Spirit-filled friends about Him, etc.  However, none of those things played a part in the recipe for my receiving the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. 

One evening returning home after a Wednesday night church service I had to use the restroom and I was all alone with the Lord and I began telling through tears how sad I was and that I felt so left out and rejected and wondered if there was something wrong with me and as I was talking to Him I raised my hands to Heaven and told Him with an honest and pure heart that I only wanted what He wanted for me and BAM!!!!!!

I could feel His presence throughout my entire being from the top of my head to the tip of my toes. I buzzed, tingled, quivered, trembled & shook and was filled with overflowing joy & tears and began speaking in tongues immediately praising Him all the while! That was 27 years ago and I am a life forever changed because of walking & talking with the Holy Spirit every day! 

I love how personal the Lord is...He didn't want me to follow a recipe or a step-by-step process to receive more of Him; He just wanted my heart to pour out to Him, loving & seeking Him one-on-one!

Mark Virkler’s reflections: Total abandonment, the prophetic action of lifting hands to heaven, whole-heartedness and heightened emotions all played a role in Kelly’s receiving the baptism in the Holy Spirit and the gift of speaking in tongues.

I received while I was jogging - Tim Lindsay

I was really afraid of being deceived, and God led me to a crazy, "hanging from the rafters" kind of church where all sorts of manifestations were happening. God did give me a dream to tell me he wouldn't let me be deceived. I had wanted to speak in tongues for ages and had tried and had been prayed for by the movement's chief prophets a number of times but couldn't seem to get anything. 

One day I was jogging and talking to God when the words "God is good" appeared inside my chest and a phrase came out of my mouth. I could literally see the words inside my chest. So I just repeated that phrase for a while. 

I didn't get anything more for some time, but eventually I got some other words, and then finally a free flow now. I don't usually know what I'm saying, but sometimes I get a vibe for what it is about. I've noticed different tongues for different purposes, (i.e. war, praise). Sometimes I get a bit bored and ask him for a new language, which he usually gives me.

Mark Virkler’s reflections: Tim needed to overcome fear, which was accomplished through a comforting dream from God. Tim received while alone and relaxed. Reception came with a word of knowledge, seen as a picture/vision which simply appeared from flow. This vision affirmed how MUCH God LOVED him and desired to give him the Spirit. Speaking in tongues came forth as a flow from Tim’s lips, beginning slow, and enlarging as he went along.

Deliverance helped bring the breakthrough - Kirsten Himmelberg

My walk has been very different than many others.  Mark prayed for me to be filled with the Spirit and initially (after a few weeks) I was able to do some singing in tongues when I worshiped.  But I had doubts about it because the flow was difficult and I could only do it in worship.  It felt very much like Mark described in his book on the baptism that I had to cooperate and yield my mouth and speak.  I had to fight with doubt because it wasn’t easy and flowing and I had to yield, cooperate and speak (sing).

But then I did some deliverance with a splankna therapist (this uncovers areas you might not be aware you need deliverance) and following that as I was driving home I got fully filled.  It was not the warm fuzzy filling most people get.  I was yelling, screaming, roaring, crying and crying out in tongues.  It was hard core warfare!!!  It felt like I was rebuking the enemy out in tongues full volume.  This lasted about an hour. I just let it all out screaming and yelling in tongues and since then I can flow at will easily.

I have heard people describe having different languages of tongues for worship, warfare and other things.  I do experience a very different feeling when I sing in tongues in worship than when I pray in tongues.   It feels like it comes from a different place.

Mark Virkler’s reflections: Tongues did not appear initially, but came a while later. After deliverance, the flow increased greatly. Warfare tongues was a big part of God’s provision for Kirsten.

Free Booklet - How to Receive the Baptism in the Holy Spirit 
Twenty Testimonies of Being Baptized in the Holy Spirit