Your Sons & Daughters Shall Prophesy - Prophetic Gifts Today In The New Testament Church

Christ's Continuing Voice in the Church

group of Zulu warriors. Because he did not speak their language, he addressed them as best he could in what he thought was English. But something other than English was coming out of his mouth, and they seemed to understand what he was saying. Taken captive to their village, Hezmalhalch continued to communicate with the people in Zulu, much to the consternation of the witch doctors, who were apparently planning to kill and cook him. For three days and nights Tom was kept in a hut near the place of assembly. Each night at midnight the drums throbbed as the witch doctors practiced their incan tations in preparation for the feast, and Tom prepared to die. But for three "Who are those tall men with you?" they demanded. "No one is with me," Tom answered in amazement. "Oh, yes, there are. Each night when we've come to kill you, you're surrounded by tall, white-robed figures with flaming swords!" Brother Tom's amazing ministry continued to the Zulu people. Until his death he was able to communicate with them in their own language with no accent, formulating English words in his mind and finding Zulu words coming spontaneously from his mouth. Thomas Hezmalhalch's was the primary effort that opened that tribe to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.7 My first experience of speaking in tongues was wonderful although, like that of many others, it did not involve interpretation. As a fourteen year old boy I had heard an uneducated preacher speak eloquently on the need for power in the Christian's life. When he gave an altar call in that small skid row mission on Stevens Street in downtown Spokane, Wash ington, I ran forward for prayer. I knew I needed the power of the Holy Spirit! The older folks present prayed for me in shifts, urging and exhorting me to "give up," "hang on," "pray through," etc. It was both serious and amusing. Finally, after an hour of intense prayer, I fell backward to the floor (whether from exhaustion or the Holy Spirit I do not know!). A deep peace settled on me and I realized the presence of the Spirit more than I had ever known. I lay on the floor quietly experiencing the wonder of God. Never having seen anyone speak in tongues before, I prayed a sim ple prayer: "Father, I know that in the Bible, people spoke in tongues when they were filled with the Spirit. And these people here think I'll speak in tongues. I believe You are filling me, so I'm going to open my mouth and speak in tongues." Suddenly a volcano exploded inside of me! I began to speak fluently and excitedly in a language I had never learned. In fact, I could not speak in English for the rest of the night. I startled the little group of people in ■ 198 days and nights he was left in the hut in safety. Finally the tribal leadership confronted him.