Establishing Spiritual Habit

Meditation gets you prepared, makes you practiced at dealing on the spiritual plane. Without my knowing it, Jesus sent me into the occult to become prepared for the baptism in the Holy Spirit. He had a demon, who also did not know that he was on a mission, influence me into Eastern philosophies and practices to prepare me to get saved. As Joe Biden would say, just think of it! Because the church offered nothing to prepare me to get practiced and attuned to dealing with spiritual exercises, He sent me into the occult. Having no spiritual leaders versed in such preparation could not stop Jesus. He'll use the Devil if He has to.

At the metaphysical bookstore in Honolulu, John paraded large colored sheets of paper in front of us spouting whatever spiritual value or meaning they represented. Mildly hypnotic. Then he led us though the relaxation of the whole body, one part at a time through the entire body. Head, crown, forehead, nose, cheeks, tongue, jaw, neck, etc. After the toes and the whole body was relaxed, He would introduce an imaginary scene, say a beach or a room. An atoll island paradise. Bright sun, warm sand, gentle breeze, blue lagoon, fragrant scents, quietly lapping waves at the water line. We'd enter the water and down we would swim to the large blue oyster with its beautiful pearl. Mentally, we were practicing being disciplined and focused. So to Bill and John I say, Thank you!!

We had many adventures like that, and eventually we were led to open our minds to an outside "ascended master" who would come in to teach us even more. I had opened my mind, and the ascended master was coming to join me. It was Jesus. I was quite excited at first, but still uneasy. Why would Jesus need my permission to join me? As "Jesus" approached, suddenly I could see into it, beyond the veil of light which was supposedly emanating from it, but was a façade. The spirit was all darkness within. Apparently the real Jesus had said, "No thank you. That is enough. I'll take over from here," and I was harvested. One sadly disillusioned demon left behind.

My mother's best friend had just had a spontaneous in-the-parking-lot physical healing, and she took me to the House of Praise where she had been saved. I intellectually accepted Jesus Christ as the Son of God "per the Bible." When it came time to receive the gift of tongues/the Holy Spirit, NOTHING HAPPENED. I was rejected, and, devestated, I sought to find out why. Here my built up habit of discipline and focus came into play. I was prepared to see and act on God's ground, in His world. Finding my sin and rebellion defined as self-lordship, I was able to cast the self-control I had exercised over my life -- GOD'S LIFE!! -- out of my mind. I found full submission. I could never in a million years have done that without the spiritual preparation I had received in the occult. It had equiped me to receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit. Nothing stymies Jesus from doing the will of God.

What does the church do to prepare candidates for the baptism in the Holy Spirit, to prepare them enter this state and to function in it? Catechism? Theological studies? Intellectual explanations? Knowing about it will never prepare you to DO it. I hope you are going to a SPIRITUAL church that teaches and practices disciplined and focused prayer, and that you meet Whom you are praying to on His ground.