Holy Spirit & CHildren

Children

It is true that children do not receive a child’s version of the Holy Spirit. They receive the same as we adults – the full anointing. We had a four year old recently who spontaneously prayed for a lady with a broken arm. Result? Complete and total healing and we have the x-rays to prove it. For some years now, in South America, 4 to 10 year old children carrying milk crates accost obviously sick or injured folk in the streets around the stadia where evangelistic events are taking place. Results? Spectacular healings before people even arrive at the stadium. Why the milk crates? To stand on, as many of the children are small and can often not even reach the injury or illness for which they are praying.

It is obvious that God uses little children – even so young as these – to bring His healing touch to maybe doubting, or maybe expectant adults. The anointing they receive as they pray is no different to the anointing which Holy Spirit gives to anybody who asks Him. There was a Sunday School in America where they had revival break out quite recently. A class of four to five year olds were learning to praise God and were told that, if they opened the door to Him, then He would come in. One four year old little girl went over to the classroom door, opened it, and said “Come on in Jesus”. An hour later, puzzled parents went seeking their children. Usually brought back to the main service, they had not appeared that particular morning. So the parents went looking for them. When they opened the door, revival had broken out in the Sunday School. Kids were laying everywhere praising God in other tongues and laughing joyfully. Jesus had accepted their invitation and He had “Come on in” to their meeting. That revival went on for about two whole years.

It is obvious we are not dealing with an isolated case here and there. We should not be even questioning that God baptises even little children in the Holy Spirit – I know of at least one three year old so baptised. We need only to ask, “Why?” Scripture gives us the answer in Jesus’ own words – “Suffer little children and bring them to me.” Jesus also said that, unless we receive God “like a child” then we will miss much of what He has for us.

A child’s faith is simple and unquestioning. A child, especially a younger one, simply accepts whatever he or she is told without question. They are information sponges and just soak up all the information we can throw at them. When they are older they start asking more awkward questions like, “why?” But when they are young they simply accept it – until it is proven to be wrong. SO when we tell them that Jesus heals people, it is simply a matter of allowing them to “test” that statement by calling for Jesus to heal. When they pray, they “know” their prayer will be answered and they never doubt.

It is only as we grow older and a bit of cynicism creeps into our belief system that we start to doubt things and question the value of prayer. It is only later in life that we ask with little or no belief that it will be done for us. Yet what does the Bible say about doubting? “But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.” James 1:6

Enough said?