A Supernatural Vision at the Age of 14 Leads to a Life of Ministry

As the double doors of the church entryway opened, congregation members were met with a mess or a miracle, depending on their point of view.

Disheveled, crying, and shouting preteens and teenagers were all over the sanctuary. One was dancing the dance of the Spirit between the pews with eyes closed, and many were speaking in tongues.

 A girl my age was in the middle of the sanctuary on the left side near the pew where my great grandmother always sat. She was lying prostrate on the floor with eyes closed, spinning like a top. Under the control of the Spirit, she navigated up and down the rows of pews, spinning parallel to the floor.

 I cannot explain how she did that and finally quit trying. You could never say she was spinning in her own ability. From what I saw, it was physically impossible for her to do what she did.

Parents and church members gathered in the pews at the back of the church. They sat wide-eyed and speechless. Parents had received phone calls at midnight from their sobbing children, and they desperately tried to find out what happened.

The only thing they could gather was that Jesus was at the church. I am not certain, but I think they were frightened.

With each adult who entered the sanctuary, the Presence of God decreased in intensity. It was as if part of the Spirit left every time the back door opened.

What do you do with a bunch of young people who say they saw Jesus and seemed to be having an experience with God, but you have never seen or experienced anything like that?

Who knows how to conclude a meeting where the Holy Spirit took over? Do you stand up and say, “Now let’s dismiss in prayer?” That would feel sacrilegious. How do you dismiss the Spirit of God or exit His Presence? Do you ask Him to let go of you? Or let you go home?

The details are fuzzy. But we all managed to leave and somehow got home. I don’t think one adult understood what happened to us. But it changed us forever.

 The year was 1968, and I was 14 years old when I experienced this mighty move of God. My recollection of these events is as vivid today as it was then. It was an outpouring of the Spirit, similar to the Day of Pentecost in the book of Acts.

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Acts 2:1-4 NIV

These verses from the book of Acts show how the prophecy of Joel 2:28-29 was fulfilled among an unlikely group of people in the city of Jerusalem. They were men and women from every walk of life and did not have what was considered a “proper” education in the scriptures. They were not part of an “elite” group. Nor did they hold powerful positions in the synagogue. Instead, they were fishermen, tax collectors, prostitutes, and laborers. These common people believed the testimony of Jesus. And it was upon them that the Spirit manifested in flames of fire and speaking in tongues.

 And it was upon another unlikely gathering of young people in England, Arkansas that God’s power fell in the summer of 1968 in a supernatural display of the Holy Spirit.

The anointing from that service in 1968 lingered, and I preached my first sermon a few months later at my church. It was short, and I was worried. Would adults listen to a 14-year-old preaching? I guess it didn’t matter because one of the adults responded to the salvation invitation I gave. One more person was born again into the Kingdom of God!

 While studying and preparing for my sermon that week, I told God I was nervous and worried about adults listening to 1) a child and 2) a girl. I sought the Lord for direction and help. Without a concordance and before technology allowed internet searches, the Holy Spirit graciously sent me to Jeremiah 1.

The Lord said to me, “I knew you before you were formed within your mother’s womb; before you were born I sanctified you and appointed you as my spokesman to the world.” “O Lord God,” I said, “I can’t do that! I’m far too young! I’m only a youth!”

“Don’t say that,” he replied, “for you will go wherever I send you and speak whatever I tell you to. And don’t be afraid of the people, for I, the Lord, will be with you and see you through.” Then he touched my mouth and said, “See, I have put my words in your mouth! Today your work begins, to warn the nations and the kingdoms of the world. In accord with my words spoken through your mouth I will tear down some and destroy them, and plant others, nurture them, and make them strong and great.” Jeremiah 1:4-10 TLB

 I didn’t comprehend the totality of God’s call to Jeremiah. But His Word to me through these verses was that I was called by Him. And I should not be afraid of what the adults or anyone else would think of me, a youth and only a girl.

I knew I would grow to become an adult, and my concerns about being young would pass. But I wondered if God made a mistake.

The role of women in society and in the church at that time was mostly a silent one as far as I had observed. If acceptance of women was happening in the American culture in the late 1960s, it hadn’t reached our small town! And then there was that scripture Paul wrote about women keeping silent in the church. I had already violated that verse!

No one in our family was a preacher, so I didn’t know who to ask about my dilemma. My dad was not a minister at that time. He was a cotton farmer, as were all our extended family. Since there wasn’t anyone to discuss this with, I was left to figure it out by myself.

Trying to Find My Place

 Our denomination allowed women to preach. However, they were generally sent as missionaries to foreign countries where they killed you and ate you for dinner! I knew God had called me, but where?

 I didn’t know any female pastors, only missionaries. One woman I knew, my grandmother’s friend, spoke at our church every once in a while. Although she was highly respected and obviously called to the ministry, I couldn’t see myself in her shoes. There was her clothing for one thing. And then there was the guitar she slung over her shoulder before she started to preach loudly.

For a teenage girl, my grandmother’s friend was a rather startling introduction to women in ministry. I could not personally identify with her or see myself ministering that way. Her style didn’t quite fit and was not what I had imagined myself to be in serving God.

As a result, I stayed with the idea of going on missions trips and eventually preaching to people as a missionary. I made multiple trips to Mexico and South America in my teens with others from my denomination.

My itinerary also included Munich, Germany during the 1972 Olympics. I was looking forward to that trip until the Spirit of God gave me a red light on going. Later, my parents and I were horrified as we watched the news reports. Terrorists had attacked and killed 11 members of the Israeli Olympic delegation.

 I learned an important lesson when that happened. Yes, your mission may seem important and witnessing for Jesus always is. But it is more important to follow the Holy Spirit’s leading and be where He wants you to be. Sometimes that means not going, even if you are called.

 In the book of Acts, Paul and his companions seemed to run into dead ends.

After the Holy Spirit had prevented them from speaking the word in the province of Asia, they traveled through the region of Phrygia and Galatia. And when they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not permit them. Acts 16:6-7

Paul later received specific direction from the Lord.

During the night, Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and pleading with him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” As soon as Paul had seen the vision, we got ready to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. Acts 16:9-10

Sometimes the most difficult thing to do is sit still and not go.

Erroneous Thinking

 Some things are now obvious to me as I look back with the knowledge of the scripture and many years of experience. Yet I see Christians wandering down the same erroneous path that I took.

 First, I never was called to be a missionary. Missions was not in my heart. The only reason I decided my calling must be missions was that I couldn’t think of anything else it could be. Through the process of elimination and based on culture and bias, I was left with the only calling my denomination deemed acceptable a foreign missionary.

I highly respect the great men and women who have this special call to the nations of the world. But it was erroneous thinking to believe I was called to that office just because I couldn’t think of anything else.

I ultimately discovered that God called me to remain in the United States to teach, preach, and write. I was called to do something that didn’t exist and couldn’t be defined in 1968.

Second, I was called before I was born, and God didn’t make a mistake. Throughout history, other women have been called to the ministry. And the Holy Spirit made a way for them to accomplish their calling despite the prejudices of their times.

 A member of my staff who was raised in the Catholic Church told me she felt God calling her one Sunday during mass. She rejected the nudging of the Holy Spirit because she was afraid it meant becoming a nun. That was the religious paradigm she lived in. In her mind, it was the only profession a call from God could possibly mean.

Denominations Shouldn’t Define Your Calling

 To allow a denomination to define your ministry is a tragedy. It often leads people with a true calling to occupy positions that are out of God’s will. Some denominations only believe in the office of a pastor and an evangelist. But what do you do if your gift and anointing are that of a teacher?

“Sister, you can teach Sunday school. We appreciate anyone who will teach the children or young people.” (These were acceptable areas for women to teach.) “Brother, you teach well. Would you take our adult Sunday school class?”

A lack of Bible understanding relegates the office of teacher to a secondary function rather than a divine appointment by God. (And God forbid if you are called to be a prophet in those denominations!)

The apostle Paul instructed the church at Ephesus that these appointments, callings, and offices are gifts to the body of Christ:

And [His gifts to the church were varied and] He Himself appointed some as apostles [special messengers, representatives], some as prophets [who speak a new message from God to the people], some as evangelists [who spread the good news of salvation], and some as pastors and teachers [to shepherd and guide and instruct]. Ephesians 4:11 AMP

 How I wish I had read this scripture with the revelation of the Holy Spirit and understanding. The idea that God could use me to speak as an anointed teacher, write books, and prophesy never occurred to me. I could have saved myself and others a lot of grief!

I will never forget my grandmother’s tears when I announced I had committed my life to be a missionary. And I was willing to die for my faith even if they killed me and ate me!

 I think God honored my commitment to Him and of being willing to die. However, the dying part was not a revelation to my spirit. I was just willing to do whatever God wanted me to do.

Commitment to God and the Call

The concept of commitment is not taught much today. Nor is the prayer, “Not my will, but Your will be done.” I hear Bible students (and ministers) announce that God called them to be a prophet. It sometimes sounds as though they think that office has the most power and honor. It appears that they chose it for themselves. Paul told the church at Corinth that a calling is an appointment given by God.

And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, and those with gifts of healing, helping, administration, and various tongues. 1 Corinthians 12:28

 If God has called you, He will anoint you with the gifts and graces required to stand in that office. You may start out teaching Sunday school. When your anointing and gifts become obvious, your promotion will come from the Lord (see Ps. 75:6-7).

First Corinthians 12:28 lists other appointments that Paul did not mention in his letter to the Ephesians. They include gifts of healing, helping, administration, and various tongues. These are powerful gifts to the body of Christ and are needed for the full authority of the Church to become known. But these appointments are not usually emphasized within the church in general, i.e., in denominational, charismatic, Pentecostal, and other churches.

What are you called to? For the Church of Jesus Christ to function in the power of the Spirit, the entire body must be in the position they are called to. But if you don’t know those positions exist, how will you be able to step into them?

 Everyone who believes in Jesus is called and has a purpose and position in the body, whether they recognize it or not. Unfortunately, if a position is not emphasized and doesn’t have a lot of bells and whistles, Christians don’t believe their role is important.

 People say things like, “I like to decorate, but the church doesn’t need that.” “The only thing I am good at is social media. I can’t help.” “I don’t like to talk to people. I’m only good with numbers and accounting.” Well? Don’t you think the body of Christ needs these functions?

When God Calls

Our excuses can be endless. I thought I had a valid concern. In 1968, the church world as a whole (and society to an extent) did not accept or welcome women in ministry. But when God calls, there are only two ways to answer: yes or no. He is not asking a multiple-choice question.

Are you going to do what God told you to do or what the church world and society say is acceptable? Pushing against powerful tribal forces and opinions is not easy. Every day, we are told about our limitations, whether verbally or implied.

Those forces were at work during Jesus’ time. Aside from religious and military oppression, classes of people were oppressed, including slaves and women. It was into this mix of society that Jesus declared:

The Spirit of the Lord is on Me, because He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. Luke 4:18-19

Jesus proclaimed release from oppression. And the light of God in Him revealed a new concept for living free from all oppression.

Galatians 3:28 says, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” When I discovered this verse, I was without excuse.

Unfortunately, it didn’t seem as though the rest of the church had read it!

 What was Paul talking about? He was referring to our spirit and our equality in the Holy Spirit. The forces and opinions of the physical world do not prevent us from functioning and accomplishing equally in the realm of the spirit and the Kingdom of God.

If we believe we are accomplishing anything in our ability, we are already on the wrong track and headed in the wrong direction. The works of God are accomplished by the Spirit. We may speak the Word, but the Holy Spirit activates and energizes that Word to bring about the result. Our responsibility is to speak and do what God says and leave the results to Him.