By Smith Wigglesworth
I was once traveling from Belgium to England. When I landed in England, I received a request to stop at a place between Harwich and Colchester. The people there were delighted that God had sent me, and they told me of a special case they wanted me to pray for. They said, “We have a brother here who believes in the Lord, and he is paralyzed from his hips downwards. He cannot stand on his legs, and he has been in this condition for twenty years.” They took me to this man, and as I saw him there in his chair, I put the question to him, “What is the greatest desire in your heart?” He said, “Oh, if I could only receive the Holy Spirit!” I was somewhat surprised at his answer, and I laid my hands on his head and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit” (John 20:22). Instantly, the power of God fell on him, and he began breathing very heavily. He rolled off the chair, and there he lay like a bag of potatoes, utterly helpless. I like anything that God does. I like to watch God working. There he was, with his great, fat body, and his head was moving just as though it was on a swivel. Then, to our joy, he began speaking in tongues. I had my eyes on every bit of him, and as I saw the condition of his legs, I said, “Those legs can never carry that body.” Then I looked up and said, “Lord, tell me what to do.” The Holy Spirit carries out the will of Jesus Christ and the Father. If you want to know the mind of God, you must have the Holy Spirit to bring God’s latest thoughts to you and to tell you what to do. The Lord said to me, “Command him in My name to walk.” But I missed it, of course. I said to the people there, “Let’s see if we can lift him up.” But we could not lift him. It was as if he weighed a ton. I cried, “Oh, Lord, forgive me.” I repented of doing the wrong thing, and then the Lord said to me again, “Command him to walk.” I said to him, “Arise in the name of Jesus.” His legs were immediately strengthened. Did he walk? He ran all around. A month after this, he walked ten miles and back. When the power of the Holy Spirit is present, things will happen.
There is still more for us all, praise the Lord. This is only the beginning. So far, we have only touched the fringe of things. There is so much more for us if we will only yield to God.
Do you want to receive the Spirit? “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him! (Luke 11:13). I am a father, and I want to give my boys the very best. We human fathers are only finite, but our heavenly Father is infinite. There is no limit to the power and blessing He has stored up for those who love him. “Be filled with the Spirit” (Eph. 5:18).