In the Presence of the Holy Spirit

By patrick usifo

Ready to encounter the Holy Spirit with a life-changing experience? Often at church services, hearing the same messages, but lacking the miracle-working power of our Lord Jesus in your life? Wondering if the same power of the HOLY SPIRIT is available today?  Are you hungry and thirsty for more of the Holy Spirit in your life? Are you intimate in your relationship with the Holy Spirit? Do you have a scriptural basis for the Person of the Holy Spirit?  Are you seeking the same extraordinary power of the Holy Spirit to flow through you here and now? Be comforted, you can trade off your dry theology for a dynamic relationship with the Lord.  As in the day the author spectacularly encountered the Spirit of God.

He has brilliantly blended spirituality with an application "In the presence of the Holy Spirit", by investigating the manifestations of spiritual gifts. As a biblically rooted, pastorally sensitive, and well-informed introduction to some of the basics of Christian supernaturalism. Patrick has brought clarity to spiritual matters, as he edges believers towards discernment and doubters toward experiencing the Holy Spirit. Not just at church and special gatherings, but continuously. In the instances that believers are anxious to meet and experience the real and living God. People are fed up with a religion that only teaches ethics and moralizes. They want to move beyond the sterile rationalist expressions in the direction of experiencing the intimacy and immediacy that comes from the Holy Spirit. For which our generation and every generation dearly long. Realizing that real miracles of biblical magnitude can and do still happen, even in the lives of the unsure among us. In this practical book, Patrick writes the incredible biblical message of hope and transformation flowing out of a deep passion that will dramatically alter the lives of so many believers by showing the way to have an encounter with Christ Jesus. Drawing from the period when the Holy Spirit ignited his heart.  Also, he uses his divine encounters as a powerful testimony to lead those whose heart stirs them to move beyond the trappings of religion to have consistent access and experience with the Presence of God.  Also, he desires to restore to the church the true knowledge of the often neglected and authentic personality of the Holy Spirit.   And empower those who have received Christ Jesus, to discover how the Holy Spirit can become real in a very unusual way in their life.  So you can encounter the supernatural and experience God in a fresh and new way.  As you read of his narrative in a series of visions and encounters, your life can be accelerated a thousand times through, understanding the mysterious personality and works of the Holy Spirit.•His purpose for this age. •Discovering your gifts and calling in the plan of God•Experiencing the power of the Holy Spirit.

• Language: English
• Publisher: patrick usifo
• Release date: Jan 21, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393378617

Book preview

Chapter one

The Vision Stood Still.

"We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what work thou didst in their days, in the times of old.  Psalms 44:1

Open my eyes that I may see Glimpses of truth Thou hast for me; Place in my hands the wonderful key that shall unclasp and set me free.  Silently now I wait for Thee, ready, my God, Thy will to see, open my eyes, illumine me, Holy Spirit Divine!

Often, we pray and invite the Holy Spirit to show up in our meeting, but the Spirit of God is busy interceding and inviting us to present ourselves to meet with our Savior Jesus Christ. Moreover, we are asking the Spirit of Jesus to come and take control, but He wants us to draw near and let Him take control of our meetings and our life. We are waiting for the Holy Spirit, but He is waiting on us to respond to His calls. Many believers are asking Him to give them the gifts, but He is asking us to receive the free gifts that added no sorrow.

Hence, some of the most spectacular moments in my life remain frozen in my consciousness, and would not let go, simultaneously they are evenly spread out in my entire spiritual journey. These are the extraordinary and packed moments holding many of the interesting events of my life.  Often when I recall those moments, I am deeply pressed with holy passion rising up altogether in my spirit.

Looking back now, as they have factored in with the suddenness found in the most telling events in my life.  Hence, I would say those moments were the striking, nostalgic, and iconic times that have stirred up my spirit, producing an increasing surge of strength in my awareness. Sometimes, it is in the midst of these unplanned instances I have been supernaturally inspired.  At times reaching beyond my capacity, transcending my limitations with a spiritually heightened imagination and sweltering beliefs in the eternal. 

With that in mind, I would not like to stray far from any of the events in question, at the same time they are the finest ingredients mixed within the fabrics of my life. More strategically positioned, giving the added inducement and enablement to testify of the unique moment in my walk of faith.

Thus, I grew up in the rural countryside, as a young kid. I use to sit beside my parents on the family bamboo mat, hearing my father relate the ancient stories of my tribe.  These were the oral history of my ancestors passed down through the ages under a different social setting than that of today. 

As a result, I would just sit still, listening with rapt attention, while my dad relates the stories until ending with the roundup for the day. I was more interested in those stories than anything else, because they concern the dramatic exploits of my ancestors, conquering territories in the wake of the tribal wars they fought. At the same time I had hoped in the coming days, I would actually witness warriors of my ancient tribe in action.

At that tender age, I fully remembered watching out for the routine procession of the local Irish Catholic priest. I was so interested in his daily routine, at the same time wondering about the purpose of his tireless marches around my village. He was always walking in a slow procession along the unpaved streets of my town, with a clinking bell in his hand, calling out the locals to worship the true God.

I remembered waking up early in the morning, going outside the house to sit on the bare ground, waiting for the priest. Because, at every short distance, the priest would stop, making the sign of the cross, saying "In the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit, adding some unknown words that I later knew to be Latin. Out of curiosity, I use to ask my parents the meaning of those Latin words the priest kept saying. 

Besides, as a young boy, I had often wondered at the many instances of the different supernatural evil power encounters among the elders of the village.  During those times I was so afraid of going out to watch the festivals of the tribal gods.  I kept asking about the reality of those countless display I had witnessed at our local festivals by the ranks of the idol worshippers. And always I found it difficult to understand such a display of power. Due to my spiritual blindness and ignorance, I could not prove the authenticity and what was behind the display.

But the native gods my parents worshipped was all I knew at that young age was.  Because I had no idea who that great, true, and loving God was that deserves our worship and honor. Therefore, I lived carelessly in my own little world, setting my own standard of right and wrong according to my understanding. At the same time, even at that early age, I knew that there must be an absolute and unchallengeable supernatural power having tremendous authority, holding sway over all creation.

Nevertheless, what I did not know was that in spite of my ignorance, the true God, my Creator, knew me, while leaving things along the way, some natural pieces of evidence that definitely pointed back at Him. Even in the midst of those things, the true God had something different, far greater in store for me. He wanted me to hear a story, of better things that concern Him, things only known by the revelation of the Spirit of God. 

Nevertheless, the stories of those dead heroes’ I heard as a young boy did nothing to prick my heart. Indeed, the exploits of my tribal elder pale in comparison to the greatest story ever told in all history. Because history is His (our LORD} story before the dawn of creation.  In fact, I would have had nothing to write about if not for an encounter I had with the Everlasting Living God, whose story is the source of my strength. Hence, my story is like the echo of a voice crying in the wilderness. 

Furthermore, the bulk of my testimony effectively narrows down to the events at the beginning of my faith.  Because my conversion was not through the individual ministry of any of the giants of the faith as far as I can tell. Also, my conversion was not through the worldwide tele-evangelical preaching of the gospel. Second, I never heard the gospel of God preached in such a way with convincing and significant power to influence my life dispositions.

Nevertheless, my conversion did not come under the ministry of any known local pastor, teacher, and evangelist.  As today, millions can boast of conversion through the ministry of some well-known minister of the gospel. Nor was I talked into, or enticed into believing the truth of Christianity through listening to the personal testimony of any sort.

Against that backdrop, I have a true story to tell to the body of believers, as a true beacon of the good things to come. Since I am nobody, with nothing to boast of myself, but my boast is in Christ Jesus my Lord, my LORD and Christ crucified for me.

These then are the sure narratives of my testimonies detailing the dramatic and subsequent visions I had of our Lord God.  Therefore, in a quick recollection of the events that have transpired in my life. I must acknowledge the following. First, I did not grow up in a Christian environment, but in an acute pagan background with parents whose footsteps I refused to follow. I often mocked the paganism and idolatrous footsteps of my parents who were unbelievers.

During my formative years, I attended a Christian school founded by a believer in Christ. Beyond that, in the days of my higher education, I was a die-hard skeptic. I had refused to believe in creation, the Creator, and the biblical account of creation. I remembered spending long hours in arguments leading nowhere but to more confusion

Thus, my conversion to the faith defies all explanation; in fact, it could not be otherwise, if not for the supernatural grace of God. That not of myself, but it was the grace of God in Christ Jesus that saved me.  Moreover, this is how I became a believer, a true follower and servant of the true God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It was through a direct encounter I had with the living Lord Jesus. It was my Damascene experience.

Indeed the Holy Spirit had called me to the kingdom of God by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, who had initiated it all, appearing with a strong hand.  He showed me my misery, sinfulness and led me to repentance. Thus, I had received the word in a pressing and unusual circumstance through a supernatural encounter with the person of our Lord Jesus Christ.

In addition, in the early years of my conversion and spiritual regeneration, I started out on the course to know our Lord Jesus and the person of the Holy Spirit. Hence, I immersed myself in the reading and study of the Holy Bible. All without the use of the traditional commentaries, bible help, and concordances. Later on, I included several books on my reading list, from all the divides in my determined effort to acquaint myself with the Holy Spirit. I never had cause to doubt the book, in that process our Lord afforded me His merciful grace to cover the entire book, from back to back several times. In the space of a few months, I had studied so much, propelling my understanding to a new height. 

Daily, I read the word of God, with an open heart, believing all that it says.  I found my strength and hope in the Lord, whom I believed, through the power and the might of God. Also, I knew that the Anointing I had received from the Lord would teach and guide me along the way.

Then I began to discern His person in many places of the Bible, even in the books of the Bible that were mere historical accounts. His person became akin to the morning flowers opening, blossoming to the rays of sunlight. Therefore, the Scriptures unfolded, showing Him as a Person hid among the pages. He was there all along, native to the true nature, gentle and humble, waiting to reveal and seen.

During those times I thought about the person of the Holy Spirit, then I began to shape my understanding to realign with the truth. I began to understand more than I had expected. And I came to a true bonding with the scriptures as God intended. Then I knew beyond a doubt that the promise of the Holy Spirit is for all ages, races, and denominations until our Lord comes to receive the church.

Furthermore, I had several spiritual mentors along the way. However, in no way did I allowed them or others to dictate, nor direct my spiritual experiences. Including the boundaries of my doctrinal beliefs. Always, if not scripturally proven, I resisted the urge to swallow the line, hook and sink of all I heard spoken. In fact, until I am convinced of the teachings, I would often take my stand against any doctrine.

Hence, I tested every teaching I heard, even coming from the mouth of the most respected pastors or teachers of any denomination. Just as the scripture advised, I insisted on a firm and literal interpretation of the scripture, against every wind of doctrine. My yardstick of measurement was Sola Scriptura. As the manner of the Berean, who tested all they heard, and spoken to them.  From that early time I sought after a right and thematic division of the Bible

Because I had read the word and understood, therefore, I had a genuine longing that there must be something more in my newfound faith. Knowing I had received a person, our Lord Jesus, and His spirit. Therefore, in a no small measure, I knew that I am a spiritual being, living in a physical body. More so, at that early stage, I perceived there is a need to experience things in the invisible world of God, as He has promised us things from both the divine and the earthly realms.

Moreover, from the beginning of my conversion, I had believed in the totality of the Christian worldview. That it must include a supernatural and personal experience. Because Christianity is a living faith, offered to all by the true God who has recreated believers in Christ. He had united us with the Last Adam, Jesus Christ.  Since the Last Adam is a quickening Spirit, in like manner we must be possessors of His divine nature, quickened by the Holy Spirit.

On that ground, I wanted to realize the invisible hand of the divine God manifested in me. Since our Lord has promised, there shall be a manifestation of the sons of God in the end times, I refused to settle for anything less. More than that, I wanted to know whom I have believed, more of His personality, and His present-day activities among the saints.

Whereby, our Lord favored me in understanding the riches of the grace of God from the school of personal and practical experiences. Something I could have overlooked if not for the guiding hand of our Lord our Comforter. Then, I realize that God is far from all the atheists having unsanctified debates concerning His person. Also, He cannot be found through the work of an academic and intellectual exercise, nor a theological exposition, neither in much perusal. God can only be found through a life-sustaining relationship with His Son Jesus, initiated by the Holy Spirit of