[The Baptism of the Holy Spirit's] purpose is to fit us for Christian service as witnesses for Christ. It gives personal courage, boldness and faith in witnessing for God and testifying to men. It gives love for souls and holy tact and wisdom to win them. It gives effectiveness to our message and convicts the world through us of sin, righteousness and judgment. It not only works in the preacher, giving unction and power to his message, but works distinctly in the heart of the hearer, producing divine impression, conviction, persuasion, faith, and salvation. It equips us for our special ministries as evangelists, teachers, rulers, comforters, pastors, helpers. It gives wisdom for the emergencies which we are called to meet. It gives special faith for particular needs and exigencies and accompanies the workers with such special gifts of the Spirit, whether in healing the sick, or even sometimes miraculous answers to prayer as God sees best fit to bear witness to His Word and His worker. It is especially manifest in the ministry of intercession and becomes the spirit of intense prevailing prayer. Sometimes it is manifest in ecstatic tongues of praise and special messages of prophetic appropriateness in testimony, warning, comfort or encouragement. It is the spirit of revival coming down, not only upon individuals, but upon multitudes in mighty floods of Pentecostal blessing and leading men and women to cry, 'What must we do to be saved?; this blessed power is the heritage of the New Testament church. It is ours for the asking and receiving. It is the only power that can give energy, fervor, efficiency and glory to our work.
-- A.B. Simpson, founder of The Christian and Missionary Alliance
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