We placed our house in Omaha on the market at a time when the market was saturated with homes. Also, fall is not the best time of the year to sell a house – holidays fast approaching, weather turning cold, and kids in school. Families don’t usually buy or sell homes at that time of the year.
I wanted to set the price above the recommended price of our agent. Even with the higher price, it sold very quickly – about ten days on the market! Then Nancy’s job was eliminated. Our long-hair, blue Angolan cat, which Nancy raised from a kitten and loved very much, was very old and had to be put asleep.
So many changes were occurring so fast – too fast for Nancy! Nancy was being uprooted out of her dream home, life at the country club and a good golfer, comfortable life, and many long-time friends at our church. Her identity would be changing also, since she was highly successful, nationally respected for her professional skills in her industry, and now she would be losing her career, dream house, many friends, long-time pet, and her own view of herself. This move was difficult for her.
I was living in a motel in Minnesota, while Nancy stayed in Omaha tying up loose ends. During those two months, we couldn’t find any affordable houses for sale that we liked in Minnesota. We decided to rent while we looked at homes for sale.
Nancy also couldn’t find any available apartments! She just broke down and cried. I tried to comfort her, and I told her that the only thing that I knew to do was to pray. We knelt down on the floor and prayed together with our hands clasped together on the bedspread. We prayed for an apartment. The next morning, Nancy drove back to Omaha, while I read the newspaper and found six great units that were advertised for rent that morning!
After visiting six apartments, I picked the one that I liked, and was large enough to hold our furniture from our house in Omaha. Although Nancy was skeptical, she liked it after she saw it. We moved our belongings into the two-bedroom apartment.
At this point, I really didn’t understand why the Holy Spirit wanted us to move to Minnesota. I just knew that God knew my future better than I, and it was in my best interest just to say YES to God and joyfully go with it.
While we rented the apartment, we decided to design and build a new house in Minnesota. Nancy had cried so much and was devastated by the move, that I felt her spirit would be lifted by building a new house on a lake. But I also felt the Holy Spirit was trying to tell me not to do this, but I didn’t know why He was advising me not to build a new house. I made the mistake of ignoring the Holy Spirit. Later, it became very clear. We moved into our new house one year later in the fall of 2006.
Shortly after I was baptized in the Holy Spirit, I was encouraged to ask the Holy Spirit for anything that I wanted. I thought of Solomon and his tremendous knowledge and wisdom. So, I asked for knowledge and wisdom. I didn’t feel anything different after asking for knowledge and wisdom, and I soon forgot about it.
Then, roughly two years later, I was curious about a prayer session on Sunday mornings at a church, just a couple of blocks from our new house.The prayer session was held in a room with a few steps leading up to an altar, where about ten people were praying out loud, some in tongues, and some praying silently. I prayed, as I normally do, in English.
The air in the room seemed to be almost like a thin cloud and thick with the Holy Spirit. I started praying silently while sitting on the steps to the altar. Then, a man approached me who was praying in the Holy Bible, and the Holy Spirit drew him to Daniel 1:17b “God gave them knowledge and skill in all literature and wisdom;” and the Holy Spirit brought him to me. This man read to me the verse and told me that this verse referred to me.
This was confirmation of the Holy Spirit developing knowledge and wisdom in my response to God’s question of asking for anything that I wanted.
As I have aged, I have noticed that the Holy Spirit has given me knowledge to understand the spiritual intent of others, and, at times, the wisdom of what to say or do. One example is a woman, an educational minister and peer of mine at work, who had told some blatant, outlandish lies about me. I perceived that she had a lying spirit within her. I saw a vision of a large and strong lying spirit. I was not afraid, since the Holy Spirit protects me.
After I prayed three times to the Holy Spirit seeking guidance, my prayer partner at work came to my cubicle and started talking about this same woman, and how another guy had sued her for vicious lies and won the lawsuit. I decided not to sue her since her lies were not adversely affecting me at work. This lying spirit was ruining her relationships with others.
Do you have a relationship with the Holy Spirit? If you do, then you have someone that can help you, teach you, identify sin that you can repent from, and so much more. See what Jesus said about the Holy Spirit in John 14:16 and 26
16 “And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another [e]Helper, that He may abide with you forever— “.
26 “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.”
When I need help, I cry out to the Holy Spirit. He’s our Helper. Who do you cry out to for help? Do you try to resolve problems yourself or ask your friends? Try getting on your knees and cry out to the Holy Spirit.
When I don’t understand something in the Bible, I ask the Holy Spirit to teach me. Usually, the Holy Spirit teaches me at night, after I have laid down in bed, but before I go to sleep. The computer, tv, cell phone, etc are all shut off. It’s quiet. It’s just me and God. Then, the Holy Spirit teaches me what to say or do for the next day. I recommend that you write down at that very moment everything the Holy Spirit reveals to you.
Also, when I have been laid off at work, I asked the Holy Spirit for help. Then I start applying for jobs and the Holy Spirit will direct me which job to take through visions. It’s so helpful to know which job to take and continue your ministry for Jesus at work. Now, I don’t fear losing a job or worry about money. God helps me in all situations most of the time.
When my granddaughter was in a serious car accident in Omaha, I prayed in Des Moines to the Holy Spirit for healing. She left the hospital in Omaha within four hours after I prayed.
Even small things, such as losing house keys or car keys, I ask the Holy Spirit to help me find them. Usually, they suddenly appear before my eyes within a few hours. I don’t know if my eyes were blind to seeing them, or if they supernaturally were moved. Either way, I just thank, and am so grateful, to the Holy Spirit.
Anyway, you get the point that life is so much simpler, when you depend on and follow the Holy Spirit.
