THE OLD WOMAN WITH THE NEW WINE

A couple of years ago God placed a good brother in my path by the name of Roy who also goes my the moniker "Reb." Of all that I have met on my journey of late, God has used this man to teach me the things of God. Every so often we will visit on the phone and this morning I grin as I remember my friend relaying this experience to me. A few months ago, with much prodding I finally enticed Roy to write this story out for others to enjoy.

Jack


Greetings Folks,

Here is a true story of something that happened to me about twenty six years ago. I was about 25 years old, a young Pentecostal man very fired up about the Lord. Man, I was something. Very, very sincere, full of God's Spirit but also full of many other things that I thought were evidences of God's Spirit, if you know what I mean? Well, there was an old "shut in" sister from the church I attended that I was told loved to have visitors. She was 91 years old and her name was Dora Casteel. She had been one of the early members of the church I attended and I had never met her as she had not been in good enough health to physically attend the church for years. So, I was told that she might like a visit.

It was a weekday afternoon and I parked on the street next to her basement apartment. When she answered the door, I saw a little frail woman that did look every bit of ninety years old. She ushered me into her small living room and we small talked about the church and the things of the Lord. After about fifteen minutes she said that we should have a word of prayer together. I agreed and we bowed our heads and I began to lead prayer for this dear old saint. My "leading of prayer" lasted about two seconds and then the power that was coming out of her completely filled the room. What came out of her was the voice of a little old lady but somehow it was filled with such power that I couldn't speak except to quietly, reverently "amen" every word she said. I don't remember exactly what she said but she was invoking a blessing over me........and the Father was listening to every word she said- I was quite aware of that. I was setting across from her chair on the edge of her couch physically but inwardly I was on my belly on the floor in overpowered respect for that One which spoke out of her.

I don't know how long she prayed. I think it was only a minute or so. I got up off the couch and I think my mouth was hanging open as she "dismissed" me from her presence....Uh, she looked a lot different now then she did before we prayed. Before we prayed I saw a frail little old saintly lady. After we prayed I knew I was looking at someone that stood in the very presence of the Most High on a regular basis and I was in awe of His Spirit in her.

Well, as I made my way back up the street to my car I realized I was stoned. What I mean was I was so high in the Holy Spirit I was inebriated, "drunk" on the good wine of the Spirit. It was as strong as anything I had yet experienced in the Lord. Not like the artificial high one gets on drugs/alcohol of this world. This was pure like the hundred and twenty on the day of Pentecost that was accused of being drunk......I was stoned.

I got in the car and drove away but because this was the good wine of the Spirit I was perfectly able to drive. However, I had this grin on my face that almost hurt.....I couldn't get it to go away. When I got down to an intersection in town that I had to stop at a red light at I held a can of pop that I had open there in the car up in front of my face pretending to take a drink for the full sixty seconds of the light because I was concerned the people in the cross walk in front of the car would think I was some crazy man or stoned on the wrong stuff because of that grin on my face......it was actually making my ears hurt a little.

But, the Lord had taught me a number of valuable lessons that day.....

Isn't God good?

Your friend,
REB