I will relate one more case...a selected experience that shows God's authority and how the Spirit can speak through a person...not as a gift but as a
direct visitation from the Lord.
At that time we had experienced a small revival in our fellowship with people visiting us from all over the world...very international. It was the Lord sending them ...but never at the same time...it was like clockwork...one after the other.
In those days I was the overseer with a brother from Africa helping me as an elder.
We had a young brother staying with us at that time. One night he came knocking at my bedroom door (actually he just knocked and came straight in) It was about 1:30 am. So I got my housecoat on and went to see him in the living room. Now I was still half-asleep...and the brother was relating to me that he couldn't sleep because he had disobeyed the Spirit and needed to talk to me. Just then a huge weight descended on me...crushing me with so much weight I couldn't breathe. It felt like I was under a great weight of water...floating...and yet crushed under what felt like a ton of water. Then a voice came out of me that was NOT my own. A HUGE voice. Like a voice speaking through water....but loud. Meanwhile I couldn't even breathe. There were 4 of us there. My wife was sitting next to me on the carpet.
I can't go into particulars...but there was a rebuke from the Lord to that brother telling him what he needed to do. The brother was on his face but putting up an argument in his defense. We couldn't believe that. A few minutes later the weight lifted from me as if it had never been there. In spite of the distress I was in..I wanted that presence back!!
Later my wife said that as she touched my leg during that episode she felt an electric current go through her entire body. When she let go the electricity would slowly peter out. Then when she placed a hand on me the current would flow again.
I am relating this story to show how I believe the Lord guides His church. Like when the Holy Spirit said...separate for Me Paul and Barnabas. This wasn't a case of a spiritual gift at work....but the Holy Spirit speaking directly in real time.
I pray that this direct authority and guidance would be re-established in the church that is called by His name.
I will not speak of the exercise of the spiritual gifts which are too numerous to name. But I would like to speak of the ongoing presence of God in the light that accompanies a walk in Zion.