[KeptByTheWord]

Powerful testimony of the great grace, love and mercy of the Lord in your life! I pray the Lord continues to bless, encourage, and strengthen you, that the gospel would be shared mightily with all those you meet!

You asked about our testimony. I was raised in OP church, and at the young age of 4 years old I began to fear that the Lord would come back and I would be lost, and never see my family again. Yes, my fear was that real. I would wake in the night shivering, wondering if tonight the Lord would come, and I would not go, because I had not yet spoken in tongues. I was baptized shortly thereafter during a revival meeting our church was having. That Sunday night, when the altar call was made I remember crying out to the Lord and asking Him to let me speak in tongues so I could sleep that night. As I prayed, the evangelist came over and laid his hands on me. Instantly I began to speak in tongues. It was a powerful moment in my life, but most of all, I was thankful I could sleep that night, and not have to worry about going to hell!

The Lord has been with me ever since, despite my fearful beginning, and I am so thankful for the gift of tongues, and for the ability to pray in the Spirit.

But if there is one thing I could change, it would be the way "tongues" are taught in OP churches as a must-have to get to heaven, and a get-out-of-hell ticket concept. I remember preachers saying "you better have spoken in tongues on the day Jesus comes back". I remember thinking to myself, that if I was ever about to be in a car accident I was going to start speaking in tongues just to make sure I could go to heaven.

It is this kind of fear that perpetrates the underlying message of salvation in OP circles, but I am thankful as I grew older, and had my own children, that I was able to teach them to seek Jesus, and all these things would be added unto them. Be obedient in repentance and baptism and the Lord will add all the rest. And yes, my children are spirit filled and I praise the Lord for it!