Ive had a longing for the baptism of the Holy Spirit since i became born again in 2013 but it seemed like it wasnt going to be as quick as i thought. This post is to share one of my kainda funny experiences i had in my ‘waiting’ period.
It all happened while I was on my STudent Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) at a bottling company in Lagos. It was at that time when fuel prices went really high and transportation was becomming unbearable. The management then asked some staff to stay at home since they had decided to run only a small section of the plant for production. IT students too were to stay back. Happily, i relaxed for the first day being a wednesday. By that wednesday evening, fuel prices had started coming down so some people went to work on thursday. By Friday, everyone had fully resumed. However, I stayed back at home saying that I was tired. My mum asked me to go but i declined. The manager of my department then called to know why i was absent but there was no reply for that as i dont know how to tell a lie that i was sick.
Monday morning came and I ran to work with my heart beating fast. It was the first working day in the month of June and as the custom was, we had a general staff prayer and brief meeting with the management before work commenced. I stood close to my supervisor and when asked to shake hands with your neighbour, i stretched out my hand to him but i was given this stern look and i quickly withdrew my hand. After the meeting, i quickly ran into the laboratory and began to do every available work i saw. I swept, cleaned the surfaces and began to mop. My fellow IT students questioned my absence and i still did not find any reasonable answer to give them. Then the door swung open. In came my supervisor.
‘Chidinma, drop that mop, pull off your labcoat, pick your bag and follow me’.
I half expected something like that. My colleagues looked at me with sad and pity eyes and I Just did as i was told. I followed him to the manager’s office but he wasnt there so i was told to wait for him. That was when the whole thing began.
I was wrong. Talking to God, i didnt even know what reasons to tell Him that made me stay away for three days from a work that I got on a platter of gold without struggling for. I began talking, begging God, pleading….I knew that the Holy Spirit helps us to pray when we dont know what to pray for and that is done through the Spirit’s language. But i had not gotten that baptism then. I needed the Spirit to pray for me as I did not want to be laid off. What would I tell my mum? She would almost skin me. So I just stood there shaking, muttering some things like I was bribing the Holy spirit to baptise me there and then and pray for me too. I was sorry for my being absent. Waiting for the manager for about thirth minuites seemed like forever. I was weak.
Finally, the manager came. After some questioning, I was told that it was the company’s custom to lay off anyone who absents himself from work for three days without due permission. It was considered that such a person doesnt want the job any longer. He said he would have sent me home to continue my holiday since I wanted to stay at home but because of my efficiency at my duty post, he would let me be. Then i was asked to write a letter of apology/undertaking stating that should i be absent in like manner again, i should be dismissed from the company. I did that and submitted it to my supervisor who still gave me the stern look and let me go back to my duty.
Thinking about the incedent some days later, I learned something from my actions:
The holy spirit cannot be bribed to baptize someone. I had almost bribed Him that day to pray for me. Infact I had almost formed it. Maybe I even did, I cant tell. So I made sure I never tried to bribe him again. I think some preachers even tend to force Him to baptize people during some baptism sessions. Ive been in those kind of meetings and it just never worked for me. I dont know why.
Well, in case youre reading and also in a ‘waiting’ period like I was, dont be too worried. And dont try to bribe or force the Holy Spirit to baptize you. He will do that at the right time. By the way, i will do another post on the day I was actually baptized finally. I pray you learn some things from that one too that might help you in receiving this precious gift.
Priceless Creatures 