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The Genuine Flow
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 2010 Mel C. Montgomery. All Rights Reserved.
"Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
Used by permission. All rights reserved."
Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973,
1978, 1984 Biblica. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.
®
"Scripture quotations taken from the Amplified Bible,
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
Used by permission." (www.Lockman.org)
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The Genuine Flow
Table of Contents
Endorsements
Foreword By Dr. Ralph A. Wilkerson
Introduction
Chapters
Page
1. The Genuine Flow
8
2. Just Call Me “Mom”
15
3. The Pentecostal Fire Falls
17
4. Smith Wigglesworth—A Similar Anointing
20
5. John Osteen—A Desperate Father
34
6. Kenneth E. Hagin—A Beloved Friend
37
7. Howard Carter—A Kindred Spirit
41
8. Billye Brim—An Eyewitness of the Glory
44
9. Pat Harrison—A Vessel of the Holy Spirit
47
10. Douvena Louvus—Blessing and Trial
49
11. The Evil Spirit at Gladewater, TX
52
12. Mom’s Prayer and Impartation
55
13. Mom’s Prophecy
61
14. Entering the Spiritual House
67
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The Genuine Flow
Table of Contents
Chapters
Page
15. The Infilling of the Spirit
78
16. Walking in the Spirit
84
17. The Revelation Gifts
89
18. The Power Gifts
109
19. The Utterance Gifts
127
20. Regulation of the Gifts
140
21. Receiving Your Time of Visitation
152
22. Avoiding Personal Prophecy Pitfalls
174
23. Five-Fold Ministry and Mentoring
181
24. Angelic Visitations and Visions
186
25. Spiritual Gifts vs. Psychic Powers
194
26. Learn From the Giants
198
27. Understanding Special Manifestations
226
28. Go and Do Thou Likewise
229
29. Thy Children Shall Call Thee Blessed
230
Acknowledgements
240
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The Genuine Flow
—Endorsements—
Regarding Mel Montgomery’s book, The Genuine Flow:
Brother Mel's compilation of and respectful additions to the spiritual teachings of
the couple he knew tenderly as "Dad and Mom Goodwin" are valuable additions
to the Pentecostal testimony to life and ministry in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Mel's recounting of their close relationship with Kenneth Hagin Sr. and John
Osteen, along with their briefer encounters with Howard Carter and Smith
Wigglesworth, fills in important detail in the flowering of the mid-20th-century
Pentecostal movement and the preparation of some leaders, such as the
Goodwins, for its modulation into the Charismatic renewal of the last half of the
20th century. What Montgomery has preserved in this book, as well as at his
information-rich web site, informs and inspires and should stimulate further
investigation of manifestations of the Holy Spirit that embody God's saving reign
today.
Mark E. Roberts, Ph.D.
Director
Holy Spirit Research Center
Oral Roberts University
Tulsa, OK
The Goodwin materials are a significant part of Pentecostal history. Many
profoundly anointed men and women of God seem to “fly under the radar” in this
day of mega-ministries. Truly we cannot measure a minister’s effectiveness by
notoriety or fame. Ultimately God determines the value of our lives and
ministries. The best we can do in this life is simply measure ministers by the
legacy they leave behind.
Mel Montgomery’s work connects the Goodwin’s with ministries who have
profoundly affected this generation for the Kingdom of God. Indeed, theirs is a
rich legacy. As with his other works, The Genuine Flow projects the Gospel with
balance, humility, and purity.
Dr. Tom Bellatti
Professor of Theology
Oral Roberts University
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The Genuine Flow
—Foreword—
At a single sitting, I just finished reading, The Genuine Flow. Most
certainly, the Rev. and Mrs. J.R. Goodwin were never aware of the thousands
who were tremendously affected, and impacted by them. I have ministered with
many mentioned in this manuscript, but never has any couple been used so
mightily as a team. Jesus sent his disciples out “Two by twos” each
complementing the other’s strengths and diminishing each other’s weaknesses, if
any.
Brother Goodwin had the natural poise and polished presence of a
Philadelphia lawyer, plus the supernatural gift of the Word of Wisdom in
extraordinary measure. Mom Goodwin possessed an amazingly accurate
prophetic Word of Knowledge. Though direct and uncompromising in manner,
yet with dignity she delivered a message of insight.
Sometimes the Goodwins were sent to troubled churches. They went to
prayer and ministered to their church through the gifts of the Spirit. Soon the
church flourished and revival came. Together they filled their offices of Apostle
and Prophetess without titles.
Vividly I remember an incident that happened in one of the Morning Prayer
meetings. Mom Goodwin stopped the service saying, “Somebody here is praying
earnestly, but your mind is on something else. I don’t want to embarrass you, but
I know who that person is.” Well, I thought if she had a true Word of Knowledge,
I would wait and see if she called me out. Mom Goodwin slipped over and
whispered in my ear, “Son, is it you?” Sheepishly I had to admit that I was the
hindrance. Although I had prayed fervently, she discerned the situation.
She had read my mail! Mom Goodwin had no knowledge of my plans.
Immediately after the service, I was to go to a nearby town with my father, a lay
preacher. He was considering being a candidate for a small church.
My church, Melodyland Christian Center, became perhaps the first mega
church in Southern California. Newspapers reported that more than 17,000
regularly attended weekly in the multiple services. Hundreds were converted
every week. One year more than 5,000 were baptized. Reaching the masses of
an exploding population was a priority. The Goodwins demonstrated to us the
effectiveness of a free flowing service. The Holy Spirit can operate powerfully
and yet with dignity. You will learn valuable lessons as you pursue the legacy of
Goodwins’ lives.
Dr. Ralph A. Wilkerson
Dana Point, CA
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The Genuine Flow
—Introduction—
Again and again pastors tell me, “I preach the Word and teach the Word. I
love the Word, but I want the strong flow of the Holy Spirit also. Is there a way to
have the Holy Spirit’s gifts manifesting in my church without the ‘weird’ stuff?”
I usually ask, “Such as?”
The common reply is, “People giving ‘words from the Lord’ that never
seem to actually come to pass. Oddball manifestations that entertain people, but
never bring much transformation. People acting spooky.”
My reply, “Absolutely! The Holy Spirit is well able to manifest His gifts
without the presence of ‘weird’ stuff. In fact, I’ve noticed over the years that the
more of the ‘weird’ stuff Christians allow to manifest, the less of the ‘genuine’ flow
is actually present.”
The next question is always, “How do I have the genuine flow?”
This instruction manual is written in response to that question.
To instruct you in operating in the genuine flow of the Holy Spirit, I draw
upon three resources:
1. My relationship with Mrs. J.R. Goodwin. She and her husband operated
in all nine gifts of the Spirit prolifically for 40 years, influencing Kenneth
E. Hagin, John Osteen, Marilyn Hickey, Billye Brim, and many others.
2. Rare early Pentecostal recordings of F.F. Bosworth, Howard Carter,
Stanley Frodsham, David Du Plessis, the Rev. and Mrs. J.R. Goodwin, and
others. These were recorded decades ago and placed in storage,
reemerging only in the last few years. Most of these recordings were never
copied or released to the public before being given to me.
3. My own experience in being used by the Holy Spirit in spiritual gifts in a
sound, balanced, and biblical manner for more than 20 years.
As you apply these truths, you will begin to better discern and operate in:
The Genuine Flow
—Rev. Mel C. Montgomery
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The Genuine Flow
—Chapter One—
The Genuine Flow
And when the day of Pentecost was fully come,
they were all with one accord in one place.
And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of
a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the
house where they were sitting.
And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like
as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and
began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit
gave them utterance. . .
. . . Then they that gladly received his word
were baptized: and the same day there were added
unto them about three thousand souls.
And they continued stedfastly in the apostles'
doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of
bread, and in prayers. Acts 2:1-4, 41,42.
The working of the Holy Spirit is dynamic! It is powerful! It is life
transforming and, as we see from this passage in Acts, it eventually produces
steadfastness, sound doctrine, fellowship, communion, and prayerfulness. At
Pentecost, the manifested power of the Holy Spirit arrested the attention of
onlookers and passersby. (The gifts of the Holy Spirit still arrest the attention of
hardened sinners and casual saints). God’s manifested power, in this case
provided through speaking in tongues, cut instantly through the layers of
religious tradition and debate that had blinded so many minds to the Gospel of
Jesus Christ. Jews in Jerusalem were confronted with the power of the God
whom they professed to know, followed by a sermon by Peter explaining that this
power had come to those who believed in Jesus Christ. When he concluded his
sermon, 3,000 souls repented and accepted Christ as Savior. Hallelujah!
It is only by the Holy Spirit’s manifested power in our midst that we will
ever gain the attention of sinners, strengthen the saints, and evangelize the world.
There is no substitute for the Holy Spirit’s presence and power. The greatest
sermon ever preached by man is a dry husk unless the Holy Spirit drives home
that message with convicting power. God’s method for demonstrating the
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The Genuine Flow
validity of the Gospel message is to manifest the supernatural gifts of the Holy
Spirit. When the preaching of the Word is accompanied by the genuine flow of
the Holy Spirit, awesome things happen.
The Lord desires to manifest the gift of the working of miracles so that
supernatural breakthroughs can be received. He wants us to know that He is
concerned about our lives and is mindful of the challenges we face. Yet if we do
not seek Him for this gift, these supernatural breakthroughs will not come.
The Holy Spirit wants to heal the sick through the gifts of healings and the
gift of extraordinary faith. However, if we do not learn His ways, healings and
miracles will be few and far between.
The Lord longs to show through the operation of the gift of the word of
knowledge, that He knows all things past and present, even the darkest and most
hidden of sins, and yet His love still abides with us unconditionally.
Nevertheless, this revelation of God’s knowledge and love will not be shown to us
unless we learn how to yield to the leading of the Holy Spirit as He is inspiring
this gift.
The Lord wants to set free anyone imprisoned by drugs, alcohol, bondage,
and other oppressions of Satan’s power. Yet when He begins to reveal through
the gift of the discerning of spirits, the presence and operation of evil spirits, if we
do not yield to the manifestation of this spiritual gift, the prisoner will remain in
his prison.
God will inspire us, encourage us, and even reveal future events to us by
the gift of prophecy, if we will but believe what the Bible teaches about this gift,
and accept its operation. If we will not learn and yield, we will not be recipients
of the encouragement and strength Heaven desires us to have.
Lastly, the Lord has chosen to withhold the gift of speaking in tongues and
the gift of interpreting tongues from the beginning of time until the day of
Pentecost. These two precious gifts were presented to the Body of Christ, and are
available today. Many times, the operations of the other seven of the nine
spiritual gifts are manifested in conjunction with tongues and interpretation. If
tongues and interpretation are not welcomed, reverenced, and given the chance
to operate, oftentimes the other gifts will not activate either.
We need all of the Holy Spirits gifts, ministries, and operations. We
cannot do without a single one of them. We need the genuine flow of the Holy
Spirit.
There is a genuine flow of the Holy Spirit.
There are also many pale imitations.
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The Genuine Flow
“Self help” is no substitute for the convicting, cleansing, and transforming
power of the Holy Spirit. It is precisely because man cannot help himself that the
Son of God came, suffered, died, and rose again.
“Social Justice”—worthy as it may be in its own place—cannot replace the
Holy Spirit’s act of replacing a sinner’s hateful heart of stone with the tender
heart of a true Christian. The laws of man cannot change a single human heart.
Only the Creator of the heart can give a new heart that craves justice for all.
Theatrics, formulas, gimmicks, and stunts, which entertain for a moment,
will eventually leave the soul thirsty and dry. Only living water from Heaven will
quench and satisfy.
Lining up dozens of people in a service, saying, “thus saith the Lord,” and
speaking whatever pops into your head is a cheap spiritual rhinestone that
sparkles for only a moment. The priceless heavenly gem known as the Holy
Spirit’s gift of prophecy provides a splendor, fire, and brilliance that is
remembered for a lifetime.
Harold Horton, an early British Pentecostal said of the gifts of the Spirit:
The nine supernatural gifts of the Spirit are the decorations
designed by God to enhance the Glory of the Cross. They are the
only decorations permissible.
Horton also declared:
The Cross is dangerous,
it will acquit or sentence you.
The Blood is mighty,
it will cleanse, or stain you.
Fire is terrible,
it will inflame, or scorch you.
Risen power is all hallowed,
it will resurrect or slay you.
The Upper Room
will drench or drown, charm or terrify you.
The Holy Ghost
will satiate or scatter you.1
The preaching of the Blood of Jesus Christ must be accompanied by the
fire of the Holy Spirit. We need that genuine flow. It is available. God longs to
give it, but He gives it only on His terms, and in ways of His Own choosing. The
Goodwins, and leaders of that early generation of Pentecostals, along with some
Charismatic leaders in the years since then, knew the genuine flow. They differed
1
Pentecostal Pioneers Remembered, Keith Malcomson, 2008 Xulon Press, page 364.
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The Genuine Flow
on some points of doctrine. Here and there, an individual leader placed a
stronger emphasis on some minor point that others did not stress so strongly.
However, when you compare the teachings and understanding of the Goodwins
with that of Smith Wigglesworth, Howard Carter, Stanley Frodsham, F.F.
Bosworth, Kenneth Hagin, Kathryn Kuhlman, and a host of others, you find a
commonality of understanding of the working of the Holy Spirit that is, frankly,
largely unknown today. Although we Charismatics speak almost continuously
about the Holy Spirit, I find in Charismatic churches, widespread ignorance, and
a large-scale absence, of the Holy Spirit’s gifts. Talking about the gifts is a far cry
from actually having the gifts in manifestation in your midst.
Goodness! With our spiritual roots reaching back through the Charismatic
Renewal of the 1960s, and through the Healing Revival of the 1940s and 1950s, to
the Pentecostal Outpouring of the early 1900s, by now we should be firmly
established in spiritual gifts, and have them flourishing in our midst. Sadly, this
is not so. I believe the primary reason for this dearth of deep spiritual operations
is precisely because we have moved so far away from the spiritual understanding
of our forefathers in the faith. It is for the purpose of renewing our
understanding of the principles they taught and exemplified, that I have written
this book.
Although the genuine flow is largely overlooked, misunderstood, and only
occasionally seen today in great intensity, it is by no means entirely absent. I
have visited the services of Word of Faith adherents, Charismatics, and Classic
Pentecostals. Although I see numerous gimmicks and lifeless formulas scattered
in all three groups, I have also found, here and there, isolated pockets in which is
manifested the genuine flow of the Holy Spirit. Where I have found the working
of the Spirit, I have noticed that the leader’s understanding of the Holy Spirit’s
ways mirrors that which was taught by the Goodwins and by the early
Pentecostals.
Initially, I was puzzled by the fact that when I did encounter the deep
workings of the Holy Spirit, these were manifested among branches of the
Charismatic church that disagree considerably on certain points of doctrine. For
instance, most Charismatics and Classic Pentecostals, teach that when Christ
died, he went into Paradise or into Heaven for three days preceding his
resurrection. Word of Faith adherents teach that Christ died and suffered in Hell
for those three days. These are irreconcilable theological positions. However, I
believe I have witnessed the authentic moving of the Holy Spirit among some
adherents of all three groups.
This is not to imply that doctrine is irrelevant. The presentation of sound
Bible doctrine is vitally important. However, one needs to realize that the gifts of
the Holy Spirit, and indeed, all of God’s blessings, are manifestations of the grace
of God. God’s grace stirs in response to individuals who have trusted in the
finished work of Jesus Christ, and manifests among people whose hearts hunger
for Him. The working of the Holy Spirit is not dependant on perfect theology. If
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The Genuine Flow
it were, none of us would have the working of the Spirit in our midst. For
although many groups may legitimately claim that their doctrines, and all
interpretations thereof, are as close as possible to the specifics of scripture, no
individual or group has perfect understanding of God this side of Heaven. God
works with us in our limited, but ever increasing, understanding of Him.
If perfect doctrine were required in order for the Holy Spirit to work, then
no sinner could ever be saved. Few sinners have a clear understanding of all
Bible doctrines when they come to Christ. However, God is able to move upon
them in spite of their ignorance. A sinner hears the Gospel, is convicted of his
sins, and reaches out to Jesus Christ for salvation. The Holy Spirit is able to
regenerate effectively the sinner, even though the sinner’s mind is cluttered with
all kinds of false doctrines. If the Holy Spirit can work the mightiest miracle of
all, the salvation of a soul, in a theologically ignorant sinner, how much more
should He be able to move and operate among saints, even when those saints
have a flawed understanding of some Bible doctrine?
Naturally, it is best to have both sound doctrine, and the moving of the
Holy Spirit. If a church has sound doctrine without the moving of the Spirit, then
the Gospel can degenerate down into a mere philosophical exercise of mentally
assenting to points of doctrine. If a ministry has the moving of the Holy Spirit
without it being accompanied by sound preaching and teaching, then participants
will eventually wander outside of biblical boundaries. In such cases, individuals
will gradually become estranged from the genuine flow of the Holy Spirit and will
wander off into mysticism and error. We need sound doctrine and the genuine
flow of the Holy Spirit.
In the Charismatic Renewal of the 1960s and 1970s, the Holy Spirit
showed that He is able to move mightily even within the framework of varying
Christian traditions. The point I wish you to understand is this:
To have the Holy Spirit move strongly in a church does not require
the church leadership to go completely outside of their theological
point of reference. Nor do they need to embrace teachings they
believe to be unbiblical or “weird.” Instead, each church can remain
within its own cultural traditions and understanding of scripture
while experiencing a move of the Holy Spirit that is authentic,
continuing, and mighty.
The real key to getting into the genuine flow of the Holy Spirit is learning
to recognize and yield to His leading. As you develop into a better understanding
of how the Holy Spirit manifests His gifts and presence, and as you grow more
familiar with His ways, then these gifts and powerful manifestations increase and
come more frequently. To this end, it pays to listen to the “old timers” of
Pentecost.
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The Genuine Flow
In recent years, God has reintroduced to us the teachings of the early
Pentecostals by causing recordings of their sermons to reemerge around the
world. As I have listened to these recordings, I have noticed that there is a great
similarity in how these diverse individuals understood the moving of the Holy
Spirit. Some elements of these teachings are still widely taught, but are done so
only in a piecemeal manner. The full counsel of what our forefathers in the faith
understood about the gifts of the Holy Spirit has largely disappeared from current
Charismatic thought.
We need to learn from Stanley Frodsham, who helped pioneer the
Assemblies of God in Great Britain.
He ministered alongside Smith
Wigglesworth, and wrote Apostle of Faith, the first biography of this giant. We
must listen to Howard Carter, whose book, Questions and Answers on Spiritual
Gifts, electrified the Pentecostal world in the 1930s, presenting the outline for
teaching on spiritual gifts that is widely used today. Carter mentored a young
Lester Sumrall. We must consider the spiritual approach taken concerning
spiritual gifts by: F.F. Bosworth, Kathryn Kuhlman, Kenneth E. Hagin, David Du
Plessis, and others of like spiritual caliber, including my mentors, the Rev. and
Mrs. J.R. Goodwin.
The Rev. and Mrs. J.R. Goodwin were affectionately referred to, by those
who knew them, as “Brother and Sister,” or “Mom and Dad” Goodwin. The
Goodwins had sat in the meetings of Smith Wigglesworth and other early
Pentecostal leaders.
Mom and Dad Goodwin ministered together almost
constantly in all nine gifts of the Holy Spirit through 40 years of prophetic and
pastoral ministry and influenced the following individuals:
Ralph and Allene Wilkerson
Kenneth Hagin Sr.
Marilyn Hickey
Buddy and Pat Harrison
Billye Brim
John Osteen
Kenneth and Gloria Copeland
Norvel Hayes
Joe Jordan
Elizabeth Pruitt-Sloan
Ed Dufresne
Larry Huggins
These ministers believed that the Goodwins were among the best examples
they had ever seen of the genuine flow of the Holy Spirit. Kenneth Hagin stated
that in his estimation, the Goodwins had “the most Spirit-filled church,” and “the
most decent and orderly church” he had ever seen. Ralph Wilkerson, founding
pastor of the Melodyland Christian Center—where Kathryn Kuhlman, Oral
Roberts, and many major Charismatic leaders ministered in the 1960s and
1970s—said to me, “Sister Goodwin operated in the strongest manifestation of
the gift of the Word of Knowledge of any person I have ever known.”
The Goodwins believed that operating in all nine gifts of the Spirit, and
being in a state of almost constant revival, was normal, and would take place in
the ministry of any Christian that would follow the Word and obey the leading of
the Holy Spirit.
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The Genuine Flow
In the next few chapters, you will read fascinating biographical accounts of
Mom and Dad Goodwin that tell the inside story of the impact they had on wellknown ministers of recent years. Next, you will read the account of how I came to
meet and be mentored by Mom Goodwin. I will tell you of the prophecy she
spoke concerning me, that I believe is being fulfilled today by the discovery of
these early recordings. Afterward, we will examine the Goodwins’ specific
teachings on spiritual gifts, reprinted directly from their Entering the Spiritual
House Series of books long out of print. Finally, I will summarize for you the
principles taught by the Goodwins that are also reflected in the teachings of the
early Pentecostals. From our examination will emerge a template, a pattern, a
series of understandings about the moving of the Holy Spirit, that you will be able
to apply in your own life and ministry.
If you will approach these concepts with an open mind, search the
scriptures, and apply what you learn, you too will find yourself getting more and
more into the genuine flow of the Holy Spirit.
Copies of The Genuine Flow may be ordered by
Please scroll down to review additional sample
chapters of The Genuine Flow.
14
The Genuine Flow
—Preview of Chapter Two—
Call Me “Mom”—Everyone Else Does!
I met Mom Goodwin in 1984.
She was an elderly widow, and I was
a very green and deeply disillusioned
young minister. My ministry had no
real power in it, and I was desperate
to find the genuine flow of the Holy
Spirit.
I wandered into a Charismatic
church that was hosting a live
worldwide satellite broadcast of
Kenneth Copeland’s 1984 Southwest
Believers Convention. They showed
the broadcast on a large screen in a
darkened sanctuary. As I recall it,
Kenneth Copeland finished singing
his song, and then asked the crowd,
“Is Sister Goodwin here tonight?”
There was a stir on the front row. Brother Copeland walked up to this little old
lady, kissed her on the forehead, and said, “My goodness, Sister Goodwin! With
all the wisdom and revelation you have from God, you should be up here teaching
the people, and I should be sitting down listening to you.”
To see the reverent manner in which Kenneth Copeland spoke to her
indicated to me that I was observing a true spiritual giant. I recalled that I had
read something about a “Brother and Sister Goodwin” in Kenneth E. Hagin’s
writings. Brother Hagin had pointed out the Goodwins’ ministry as being
miraculous and balanced, but his statements did not tell half the story of the
woman on the screen.
The Rev. and Mrs. J.R. Goodwin had sat in the meetings of Smith
Wigglesworth, and Raymond T. Richey, and had ministered alongside Howard
Carter and other early Pentecostal and Charismatic leaders of renown. In 1938,
the Goodwins began fellowshipping with a young pastor named Kenneth E.
Hagin. Brother Hagin learned a great deal from the Goodwins concerning
spiritual gifts and had patterned his own prophetic ministry after the flow of the
Spirit he had seen in the Goodwins. Along the way, Mom and Dad Goodwin had
deeply impacted the lives and ministries of John Osteen, Billye Brim, Norvel
Hayes, Ed Dufresne, Larry Huggins, Pat Harrison, Elizabeth Pruitt-Sloan,
Marilyn Hickey, and many others. . . (End of preview of Chapter Two).
15
The Genuine Flow
—Preview of Chapter Three—
The Pentecostal Fire Falls
Rev. and Mrs. J.R. Goodwin
Sister Goodwin was born Carmen Elvera Thacker in 1905 in San Augustine
County, Texas, the same county in which James Robert Goodwin had been born
five years previously in 1900. She was the fourth child of John Burton Thacker
and his wife Ernest Verna. Her father was a strict lay-Baptist preacher, and her
mother was a strong Christian woman who had a number of spiritual experiences
from the Lord such as visions and dreams. . .
(End of Preview of Chapter Three).
16
The Genuine Flow
—Preview of Chapter Four—
Smith Wigglesworth—A Similar Anointing
When Smith Wigglesworth was born
into this world in 1859 in Menton, Yorkshire,
England, little did the kingdom of the Devil
realize the devastating blow it had been
struck. This child born into an ordinary
family, in an ordinary town, would grow to
have an extraordinary faith in God that would
lead multitudes to a saving faith in Jesus
Christ, help countless individuals to receive
miraculous healings from God, and move
numerous people to seek a deeper walk with
the Holy Spirit.
Wigglesworth learned to read as an
adult, and never read any book in his life
except the Bible. He said, “Why should I read
books when I can read the Book of all books?” He was also a man of deep and
continuing prayer, praying usually for a few moments every 30 minutes for all his
waking hours.
A moving story is told of Wigglesworth traveling by car from one
preaching engagement to another. He was caught up in a conversation with a
minister next to him in the car. Wigglesworth’s appointed time to pray passed.
Several minutes later when he realized this, he shouted to the driver, “STOP
THIS CAR!!” The driver quickly stopped and pulled over to the side of the road.
Wigglesworth got out of the car, knelt down in the gravel, wept, and said to the
Lord, “Forgive me! Forgive Me! Forgive me!” To Wigglesworth, his twice-hourly
prayer was not a matter of legalism, but a matter of consecration he had made to
the Lord. He wanted absolutely nothing of the flesh or the world to distract his
mind from the Savior. He returned to the car, and would not engage in any
further personal conversation for the rest of the trip.
Smith Wigglesworth did not have a ministry persona that he put on for the
crowds and took off after the services. Neither did the Goodwins. Their private
walk with God was consistent with their public preaching. Nor was the power
they walked in, an overnight development. The spiritual development of the
Goodwins and Wigglesworth began early in childhood or young adulthood, and
grew into a great faith and anointing as they walked with God over the years.
In 1935, the Goodwins met Smith Wigglesworth. . . (End of Preview of
Chapter Four).
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The Genuine Flow
—Preview of Chapter Five—
John Osteen—A Desperate Father
Most Christians are familiar with
the ministry of Joel Osteen. His books
have sold in the millions. His television
program is seen around the world, and he
pastors the influential Lakewood Church
of Houston, TX. He comes from good
stock. Few people today though have
heard the account of how his parents,
John and Dodie Osteen, came into the
Charismatic experience and pioneered
Lakewood Church. It is a remarkable
story.
Up until the mid to late 1950s,
John Osteen had been a very successful
Southern Baptist pastor. Things seemed
to be going well for him both personally
and in ministry. Then his world came
crashing down when his daughter was
born with a Cerebral Palsy-like
condition. The doctors said there was absolutely no hope. Nothing could be
done. They advised the Osteens to give up on their daughter and lock her away in
an institution.
Before his daughter had been born with this heartbreaking affliction,
Osteen had never given much thought to the question of whether or not God still
healed. I heard Brother Osteen tell the story many times on his TV program. As
he faced this crisis, he turned to his ministry brethren and asked, “Does God still
heal?” As best I can recall hearing John Osteen’s account, they replied:
Absolutely not! John you have to understand this: You have had
great success in ministry, and God gave you this thorn in the flesh
in order to keep you humble. God gave your daughter this disease,
and nothing can be done about it.
[Then John Osteen sought out, and met, Mom and Dad Goodwin]. . . (End
of Preview of Chapter Five).
18
The Genuine Flow
—Preview of Chapter Six—
Kenneth E. Hagin—A Beloved Friend
Kenneth Hagin (1917 – 2003) had
a remarkable prophetic ministry that
made a major impact on the Charismatic
branch of Christianity. In his late teens,
Brother Hagin taught himself to apply the
truths he found in Mark 11:23 and 24. He
placed great emphasis on the fact that
Jesus instructed believers to confidently
trust that their prayer to God had been
answered the moment they prayed, even
before any visible change occurred. Hagin
did just that, believing he had already
received the healing of his fragile, dying
body, while he was still bedfast. In
response to Hagin’s faith in the Bible, God
instantaneously healed him.
Hagin spent the rest of his life focusing on teaching faith, as he
understood it, along with related truths. His presentation of the subject of Bible
faith came to be called the “Word of Faith Message.” His books, recordings,
videos, campmeetings, and crusades touched the lives of millions of people
around the world. He became a much beloved figure in Charismatic Christianity.
Eventually he pioneered Rhema Bible Training Center to train ministers for all
aspects of ministry, imparting to them his message of faith.
In a ministers meeting I attended in 1991, Kenneth Hagin made clear who
his primary influences were in ministry. He stated:
For the first 40 years of my ministry, whenever I had a major vision
or revelation from the Lord, I would not fully teach it or preach it
publicly until I had shared the matter with the Goodwins and asked
them to judge it and correct me if they thought I needed it.
In a letter to me dated November 28, 2001, Kenneth Hagin Sr. wrote:
Thinking about the Goodwins always brings a very warm feeling to
our hearts, as they were a tremendous blessing to me and my wife
through the years. They were a great example of how the Holy
Spirit will manifest Himself in an orderly fashion through obedient
vessels. . . (End of Preview of Chapter Six).
19
The Genuine Flow
—Preview of Chapter Seven—
Howard Carter—A Kindred Spirit
Howard Carter2 (1891-1971)
was born in Birmingham, England.
In 1909, he found Jesus Christ as his
Savior. He was baptized in the Holy
Spirit, or, as he put it, “received the
blessing,” in 1915 with the evidence
of speaking in tongues.
He began his ministry by
pastoring a small church in his
hometown of Birmingham. When
World War I broke out against
England, as a minister of the Gospel,
he did not feel that he could take up
arms against others. (Pacifism was
common among early Pentecostals).
Since England did not yet recognize
the Pentecostal faith as a legitimate
denomination
or
Christian
organization, Carter could not be
recognized as a minister for a
“conscientious
objector”
status.
Thus, Howard Carter was thrown in
prison. In prison, they shaved his
head, dressed him in rough prison
garb, and fed him bread and water. The experience was humbling and
humiliating. He remained in prison from 1916 until the end of the war in 1918.
Prison was a difficult test and trial, but rather than causing him to lose
faith in God, it drove him closer to God. During this time of solitude with only
the Bible to read, and through extended seasons of prayer, Carter believed the
Lord gave him a profound understanding of the operation of the nine gifts of the
Spirit. . . Mom Goodwin told me that Howard Carter had said of the Goodwins’
church that it was one of only two he had seen in his life that had all nine gifts of
the Spirit in full manifestation, the other church being one in Hong Kong. . .
(End of Preview of Chapter Seven).
2
Photo of Howard Carter is from the Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center, Springfield, MO.
20
The Genuine Flow
21
The Genuine Flow
—Preview of Chapter Eight—
Billye Brim—A Witness of the Glory
Dr. Billye Brim worked for
Kenneth Hagin ministries and
enjoyed
a
close
mentoring
relationship both with Brother
Hagin and with Mom and Dad
Goodwin.
In the 1970s, Billye
worked with Mom and Dad by
editing the manuscripts for their
Entering the Spiritual House Series
on the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
These books have been reprinted in
their entirety in this book.
In 1984, several years after
Dad Goodwin’s death, Sister Billye
ministered with Mom Goodwin at
Kenneth Copeland’s Southwest
Believer’s Convention. Mom gave
and acted out a message in tongues,
and Billye interpreted it and acted it
out alongside her.
I watched this live satellite
broadcast, and it changed my life.
For the first time, this young Charismatic preacher was seeing the prophetic
anointing in operation. This experience impacted me so deeply that I sought out
Mom Goodwin a few days after that broadcast, and she became my mentor and
friend. I have uploaded portions of the video of that service to my website, and to
YouTube, and it has been seen by multitudes around the world. That video is
even used by a prominent Pentecostal historian in his Seminary classes to give
the students genuine examples of the gifts of diverse kinds of tongues and the
interpretation of tongues.
Sister Billye has authored numerous books, appeared many times on
television, including Kenneth Copeland’s TV program, and she still holds great
meetings around the world. Her ministry is based in Branson, MO and is called
“Prayer Mountain of the Ozarks.” People gather there from around the world to
pray and seek God. I asked Sister Billye to share some of her recollections of the
Goodwins for this book, and she graciously provided the following . .
(End of Preview of Chapter Eight).
22
The Genuine Flow
—Chapter Nine—
Buddy and Pat Harrison—Vessels of
the Holy Spirit
Buddy and Pat Harrison
Patsy (Hagin) Harrison is the daughter of Kenneth and Oretha Hagin. She
grew up in her parent’s faith-filled home. Eventually she married Buddy
Harrison and they began their married life and ministry life together. They
founded Harrison House Publishers and Faith Christian Fellowship—a ministry
credentialing organization and fellowship association. FCF International is a
worldwide ministry that has works in forty-two countries. . . .
I had the opportunity to see the Harrisons minister at a church in Wichita,
KS, back in the 1980s. The flow of the Spirit they operated in was beautiful.
Charles Goodwin has told me that the way Buddy and Pat operated in tongues
and interpretation together reminded him of his own parents’ ministry. (The
testimony Pat provides reveals why their unction was so similar to the
Goodwins). Brother Harrison is in Heaven now, but Sister Harrison continues
the ministry work they began together. Mrs. Harrison sent me the following. . .
(End of Preview of Chapter Nine).
23
The Genuine Flow
24
The Genuine Flow
—Preview of Chapter Ten—
Douvena Louvus—Blessing and Trial
Although the Goodwins walked by faith, and saw many miracles in their
ministry, they were no strangers to sorrow and tragedy. In 1947, Mom and Dad
faced the greatest pain and trial of their lives, in the loss of their only daughter
when she was 12. Charles Goodwin told me the story of his sister.
His sister’s name had been Douvena Louvus Goodwin (pronounced Duvena Love-us). She had been born in 1935. She was a pretty little blond-haired,
blue-eyed darling. Douvena loved the Lord and loved to sing. When she was
about 4 or 5 she began singing in Mom and Dad’s church. But she was always
a tiny girl for her age and was sickly all of her life, suffering from Bright’s
disease—a type of kidney disease. The only thing that could have saved her life
was a kidney transplant, and of course, transplants had not even been thought of
in those days.
In the summer of approximately her 12th year, she had a very severe
attack of the disease. Mom and Dad Goodwin took her to a hospital in
Dallas, TX. After examining her for several days, the doctors told them the
worst news a parent can hear: "There's nothing we can do. If she has any last
wishes, I would suggest you grant them.”
Having moved not too long before this to Brownwood, Texas, her final
request was to be taken back to the area of their previous home in East Texas.
Having sold their home, there was no place for them to stay. But as the Apostle
Paul had written in I Cor. 10:13, ". . . God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be
tempted above that you are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to
escape, that you may be able to bear it.” In their moment of heartache and
temptation, God made a way. . .
(End of Preview of Chapter Ten).
25
The Genuine Flow
—Preview of Chapter Eleven—
The Evil Spirit at Gladewater, TX
When wine exhibits a high level of excellence, it is often identified as
having been made “in a very good year.” This means that in the year of its
bottling, ideal amounts of sunlight, moisture, temperature, location, and expert
handling, (followed by the appropriate amount of aging), combine to produce a
wine that is praised by wine connoisseurs. Similar combinations of elements
frequently work together in the spiritual and natural realms to produce
exceptional results.
In 1950, the light of the Gospel, the watering of the Spirit, and fervent
prayer, came together in Gladewater, TX under the Goodwins’ ministry and
seasoned experience in spiritual matters. The vintage produced was a spiritual
wine of a “very good year” for the Kingdom of God, but bitter dregs for Satan.
Mom and Dad Goodwin had assumed the pastorate of the First Assembly of God
in Gladewater, Texas. Although, normally mild-mannered and soft-spoken, J.R.
Goodwin bluntly called it “the deadest church,” of which he had ever been pastor.
Then he described just how “dead” he considered the church to be. He said, “This
church was as ‘dead as a hammer.’”3
Although they had ministered in difficult situations before, the situation at
this church went beyond fruitlessness, unbelief, or the run of the mill church
problems. It seemed that the very atmosphere at First Assembly was against
them. As Dad Goodwin preached, the sermon would seem to figuratively bounce
off the back wall, and fall to the floor, having no effect on the congregation. Dad
began fasting and seeking the Lord for a breakthrough.
One day, Dad Goodwin came into the living room of the parsonage and
knelt by the divan to pray. He turned and looked out a nearby window. From the
window he could see the church. Suddenly, he was caught up in a vision in which
he viewed matters from his physical perspective at a distance, but also found
himself present in the vision, walking into the church building through the front
doors. . .
(End of Preview of Chapter Eleven).
3
All direct quotes of Dad Goodwin in this chapter come from a recording of a message Dad preached at
Kenneth Hagin’s Campmeeting in 1973, Tulsa, OK.
26
The Genuine Flow
--Preview of Chapter Twelve—
Mom’s Prayer and Impartation
The year was 1989, the end of the month of March to be exact. I had
known Mom for about five years by this time. At the end of one of our visits, as I
was preparing to take my leave of her, she called me over to her. She asked me to
kneel down by her chair (so that she didn’t have to get up). Mom laid her hands
on my head, and prayed for God to use me in spiritual gifts. It was just a short
and simple prayer. (The picture you see of Mom and I together was taken during
this visit). We said our goodbyes, and that was the last time I saw her in person,
although we spoke on the phone numerous times after this.
When I left, my emotions overcame me as I sat in my car, parked in front
of her home. I was so honored that someone of Mom Goodwin’s spiritual caliber
would lay her hands on me that tears rolled down my cheeks. I considered this a
highly honorable thing. When I could compose myself, I drove back to my
hometown of Wichita, KS. As the days passed, whenever I recalled Mom laying
her hands on me, I would say, “Thank You, Lord! Father, I believe that whatever
You have for me, was imparted when Sister Goodwin laid her hands on me.”
April, May, June, and July passed with no increase in anointing. Then on
August 1st, the impartation came. I had taken my mother out for dinner that
evening. I returned to my home and parked my car in my garage. As I stepped
up on the sidewalk outside my home, I was suddenly caught up in a vision. This
had never happened in quite this way before or since. In the vision, I found
myself standing in a desert—the kind where there are only sand dunes as far as
the eye can see.
In the vision, I turned around and
looked behind me. I could see my
footprints going off far in the
distance as though I had been
walking in a desert for a long
time. (Truly, I had been in a
spiritual desert for years). Just
then, in the vision, I heard a
tremendous roaring wind. It
sounded almost like a tornado. I
believe this was similar to the
“rushing mighty wind,” they
heard on the Day of Pentecost. . .
(End of Preview of Chapter Twelve).
27
The Genuine Flow
—Preview of Chapter Thirteen—
Mom Goodwin’s Prophecy
In the years I knew Mom Goodwin, she prophesied to me at length only
one time concerning the ministry to which God had called me. In 1989 or shortly
afterward, Mom said to me under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit,
Mel honey, many are called, [to be used in spiritual gifts] but few
are chosen [to be used in spiritual gifts]. You are chosen of God. I
know that, and I have known that ever since I first met you.
Why do you think I’ve spent so much time with you? I have people
contacting me all the time, and I don’t spend this much time with
them. But I have spent this much time with you because I knew
that God was going to give you an anointed ministry, and you
needed to know the things I could teach you so that you wouldn’t
mess yourself up.
I’ve known this ever since I first met you, but I couldn’t tell you
these things because you would have been lifted up in pride, and
you had enough of that in you when I first met you. Didn’t you?”
I replied, “Yes I did.” She continued:
Well I can tell you now: you are going to have a strong ministry, an
anointed ministry, like some of the men of old. [She paused and
added,] (Now, what that means—men of old—I do not know. But
you WILL know when it happens). You are going to have a ministry
that will bless many, many people.
I thanked her for telling me this. Because I knew of Mom’s accuracy, and
how cautious she was in prophesying, I never doubted the prophecy.
Nearly 20 years passed before this word began to be fulfilled one morning
in 2006. . .
(End of Preview of Chapter Thirteen).
28
The Genuine Flow
29
The Genuine Flow
—Preview of Chapter Fourteen—
Entering the Spiritual House
The Goodwins referred to receiving the baptism in the Holy Spirit,
speaking in tongues, and being used in spiritual gifts by a phrase they coined,
“Entering the Spiritual House.” The following twelve chapters are reprinted from
the Goodwins’ books on spiritual gifts:
"Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I
would not have you ignorant.
Ye know that ye
were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb
idols, even as ye were led. Wherefore I give you
to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit
of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man
can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy
Ghost.
Now there are diversities of gifts, but
the same Spirit.
And there are differences of
administrations, but the same Lord.
And there
are diversities of operations, but it is the same
God which worketh all in all" (I Cor. 12:1-6).
The nine gifts of the Spirit to the church, which are listed in the twelfth chapter of
I Corinthians, are manifested through those vessels by whom the Holy Spirit
chooses to work. "But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing
to every man severally as he will" (I Cor. 12:11). These gifts work when the Holy
Spirit wills to choose a vessel and to do that which He desires to do through this
vessel.
It is the Holy Spirit who works these things through vessels. We will be talking
about these "vessels" shortly, but first we want to consider the spiritual workings.
In the original manuscripts, the word "gift" does not appear. It has been
furnished by the translators with the thought of giving us a better understanding
that it is spiritual gifts, which are the basic principles of the teachings here.
However, first we are to consider spiritual matters. We are not to think of these
as being gifts that are given to us to use at will. We must first become spiritual
and our coming into Christ does this. . .
(End of Preview of Chapter Fourteen).
30
The Genuine Flow
—Preview of Chapter Fifteen—
The Infilling of the Spirit
In this chapter we will deal with two questions:
(1) Do we speak with tongues when we are filled with the Holy Spirit?
(2) Do we receive the gift of tongues when we are filled with the Holy Spirit?
To the first question we answer an emphatic "yes"! Let us look to the scriptures
for reasons as to why we can answer this positively with such assurance. Jesus
said, "But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the
Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify
of me" (John 15:26). Then in the next chapter we read where Jesus said,
"Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for
he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak:
and he will shew you things to come" (John 16:13). Jesus said that when the
Holy Spirit comes in, He will "testify," He will "speak.”
The apostle Paul, as well as the other writers of the Bible, declared this same
truth. All that had anything to say about this experience of being baptized in the
Holy Spirit certainly agreed that all speak with tongues.
Even back in the Old Testament we see prophecies concerning speaking in
tongues. Isaiah, who talked more about the coming Messiah and the New
Testament age than perhaps any other prophet, wrote, "Whom shall he teach
knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? Them that are
weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. For precept must be upon
precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little and
there a little: For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this
people. To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to
rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear" (Isa. 28: 9-12). . .
(End of Preview of Chapter Fifteen).
31
The Genuine Flow
—Preview of Chapter Sixteen—
Walking in the Spirit
Earlier we talked about the spiritual house and the gifts of the Spirit that Paul
wrote about in the twelfth and fourteenth chapters of I Corinthians. Even though
we may mentally accept these things as scriptural, and believe that they are for
the church today, if we do not act upon them nothing will happen. We know that
faith without works is dead. If we do not have works with our faith, we can make
statements of faith all day long and that is all we'll have— statements but no
actions. But when we act on the Word in faith believing, we will find things
happening in our lives.
In verse 28 of I Corinthians 12 we read, "And God hath set some in the church,
first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts
of healing, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.” Then Paul asks the
question, "Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers
of miracles? Have all the gifts of healings? do all speak with tongues: do all
interpret?" (verses 29-30).
He then admonishes us, "But covet (desire) earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew
I unto you a more excellent way" (verse 31). The word translated "covet" here is
not the same word used elsewhere in the New Testament to mean the old carnal
nature of covetousness. Paul meant that we should desire earnestly the best
gifts, or the best operations of the Holy Spirit.
Then he said that he would show us a more excellent way, and following is the
great love chapter of the Bible: I Corinthians 13.
The mighty workings of the Holy Spirit are much more forceful when we are filled
with love. Paul was talking here about "agape" love, that it, a pure love, the love
that is imparted from a greater to a lesser, in this case imparted from God to us.
If we are not recipients of it from God, it will not manifest itself in our lives.
(End of Preview of Chapter Sixteen).
32
The Genuine Flow
—Preview of Chapter Seventeen—
The Revelation Gifts
The Word of Wisdom
In this chapter we will study the three revelation gifts among the nine gifts of the
Spirit. These gifts are: the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge, and the
discerning of spirits. This chapter will deal primarily with the gift of the word of
wisdom, although we will also need to look at all three revelation gifts in order to
get a clear understanding of the differences between them. The word of wisdom
is a word of God's wisdom given to a person to direct him and to help him understand God's mind and purpose for the future.
In upcoming chapters we will cover the three gifts of power: the gift of faith, gifts
of healings, and the working of miracles. We will also deal with the three gifts of
utterance, or the inspirational gifts, as they are sometimes called: prophecy,
divers kinds of tongues, and the interpretation of tongues.
We divide the gifts into these various categories merely to help us in our study
and understanding of them. However, many times they overlap in their use and
manifestation, as we will see later.
In the third chapter of II Kings we see an example of how these three gifts of
revelation work closely together, yet they are three separate and distinct
manifestations. All three gifts were present in the prophet Elisha's life.
(End of Preview of Chapter Seventeen).
33
The Genuine Flow
—Preview of Chapter Eighteen—
The Power Gifts
General Faith
A church without faith cannot accomplish anything for God. An individual without
faith cannot get anywhere with God. It is required of everyone to have faith. "But
without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must
believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him"
(Heb. 11:6).
A person who does not believe in God cannot be saved. He might require you to
prove to him that there is a God. However, you cannot prove this to a person
who will not accept that God exists. As long as that person does not believe
there is a God, praying for him would be in vain; talking to him would be in vain.
If you can get him to acknowledge that there must be something behind all this
marvelous and glorious design in creation, then you can possibly help him. We
do not find a design anywhere in the world without a designer. We do not find
anywhere a designer without knowledge. And knowledge is of God. Therefore, if
a person can come to this confession — "Yes, I believe there is a personal God"
— then he can be led from there into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
First he must have enough faith to come to God This is what is referred to as
"general faith.” Man can only come to God by faith. He cannot come by logic.
He cannot come by intellectual reasoning. He must come by faith.
During Christ s ministry here on earth we see many examples of this general
type of faith. Numerous people had faith in Him to believe He was the Son of
God and could perform miracles through the power of God. On several
occasions He asked them, "Do you believe that I am able to do these things?"
and they would reply, "Yea, Lord.” Then He would tell them, "Be it unto you
according to your faith."
Once a Syrophoenician woman pressed through the crowd to get to Jesus. She
was not a Jew, but a lowly Gentile woman, and the Lord's disciples tried to brush
her aside. But she was persistent. She had an urgent need. And she also had
great faith. . .
(End of Preview of Chapter Eighteen).
34
The Genuine Flow
—Chapter Nineteen—
The Utterance Gifts
The Gift of Prophecy
The gift of prophecy is a supernatural utterance inspired by God in a tongue
known to the speaker. In other words, the person is speaking in a language with
which he is familiar, yet he is speaking under the influence of the Spirit of God. It
is the same Spirit, which anoints a person to speak in tongues or to give the
interpretation for a message in tongues. The only difference is that the person
speaking uses his own language. It is not something that he speaks of his own
mind. It is something he speaks at the prompting of the Holy Spirit.
I Corinthians 14:3-4 tells us, “But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to
edification, and exhortation, and comfort . . . he that prophesieth edifieth the
church.” The purpose of this gift is to edify (to build up and strengthen), to exhort
(admonish and teach), and comfort (encourage) the body of believers. Note that
there is no mention of prediction in this scripture. The element of prediction
comes only through the office of the prophet of God and is not at all included in
the simple gift of prophecy.
Usually more than one of the gifts of the Spirit is in operation in the life of a
prophet, enabling him to tell things that he would not know otherwise. If the facts
he reveals pertain to the future, then the gift in operation would be the gift of the
word of wisdom. If the prophet’s statements relate to facts of the past or present,
then he would be exercising the gift of the word of knowledge. In any event, the
gift of prophecy is not the vehicle for prediction. It is simply for “edification, and
exhortation, and comfort.”
There are many examples in the Bible of this gift of prophecy. One in particular
is found in II Chronicles 15, and was given to Asa, king of Judah, by Azariah, the
son of Oded. Oded was evidently a prophet that ministered prediction, but
Azariah seemed to be a young man who ministered the simple gift of prophecy.
He gave words of edification, exhortation and comfort.
(End of preview of Chapter Nine).
35
The Genuine Flow
—Chapter Twenty—
Regulation of the Gifts of the Spirit
We have studied how the Holy Spirit chooses a vessel for His use, a person who
is yielded unto God, and how the Holy Spirit chooses the message which will be
brought forth through this vessel. We will look now at how these vessels should
be used and how we should conduct ourselves in the operation of the gifts of the
Spirit.
Paul was always insistent that there was a right way to handle the spiritual
operations in the church and that order in the church was of supreme
importance. “Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and
keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you” (I Cor. 11:2). He even gave
explicit instructions with regard to the matter of the way the communion service
should be conducted in the church (I Cor. 11:20-34).
It seems that the Corinthian Christians had been using the occasion of the Lord’s
Supper for a time of feasting and fellowship rather than for commemorating the
Lord’s death and resurrection. Everyone had been bringing their own meal to the
church—what we today might call a covered-dish supper—and then hurriedly
gobbling it all up without waiting to share with their brothers and sisters in Christ
who had nothing to bring to eat.
They were bringing shame to the house of God, “For in eating every one taketh
before other his own supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken” (verse
21). Therefore it was necessary for Paul to establish rules and ordinances
pertaining to the observance of the Lord’s Supper in the church.
Then he said, “And the rest will I set in order when I come” (verse 34), indicating
that there were still some things that needed to be dealt with that the church
might have order. Paul was a man who firmly believed in order in the church.
(End of Preview of Chapter Twenty).
36
The Genuine Flow
37
The Genuine Flow
—Preview of Chapter Twenty-One—
Receiving Your Time of Visitation
To explain to ministers and saints how to begin entering into the genuine
flow of the Holy Spirit, I use the example of Jesus beholding the city of Jerusalem
and weeping over it. Please look at the account with me:
Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept
over it, saying, “If you had known, even you,
especially in this your day, the things that make
for your peace! But now they are hidden from your
eyes. For days will come upon you when your
enemies will build an embankment around you,
surround you and close you in on every side, and
level you, and your children within you, to the
ground; and they will not leave in you one stone
upon another, because you did not know the time
of your visitation. Luke 19:41-44 NKJV.
The greatest event in the history of the city of Jerusalem was about to
happen. They had prayed for centuries for the Messiah to come, and he was now
observing the city, and preparing to enter. The people were about to receive a
“time of visitation” in which a prophecy about the Messiah entering Jerusalem on
the back of a donkey was to be fulfilled in mere moments. However, Jesus knew
how the citizens of Jerusalem would respond. Some would welcome him, yet
others would ignore or reject him. He wept because he knew this was the crucial
moment. God was doing something, and if it was not fully received, judgment
would be set in motion against the city and its inhabitants. True to Christ’s
prediction, Jerusalem was leveled approximately 40 years later by the Roman
Empire.
In a “time of visitation,” God is coming on the scene in some manner.
Responding to this visitation with faith, humility, and obedience, will bring the
blessing of God. Sarah, a woman of faith, was visited by the Lord, and the
visitation turned into a blessing. . .
(End of Preview of Chapter Twenty-One).
38
The Genuine Flow
--Preview of Chapter Twenty-Two—
Avoiding Personal Prophecy Pitfalls
As you study examples of personal prophecy in the Book of Acts, you may
be surprised to discover that the Apostle Paul ignored most personal prophecies
that were spoken to him. Thank God he did.
Towards the end of his life, Paul stated to the Ephesian elders,
And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto
Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall
befall me there:
Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every
city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me.
But none of these things move me. . . —Acts
20:22,23.
In what manner did the Holy Spirit “witness” to Paul in every city? Since
the account in Acts makes no mention of visions or angelic visitations, I believe
He did so by believers giving a “word” to Paul through messages in tongues, or by
prophecy. We see this take place later in Tyre:
And finding disciples, we tarried there seven
days: who said to Paul through the Spirit, that
he should not go up to Jerusalem.”—Acts 21:4.
These “words” from the Lord came through authentic Christians as they
were moved upon by the Holy Spirit. They were not prophesying under the
power of the Devil. They told him not to go to Jerusalem. Paul gave no response
to this prophecy, or other “words” given to him “in every city.” He just continued
heading towards Jerusalem. . . .
(End of Preview of Chapter Twenty-Two).
39
The Genuine Flow
—Preview of Chapter Twenty-Three—
Five-Fold Ministry and Mentoring
And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets;
and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and
teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for
the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the
body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of
the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of
God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the
stature of the fulness of Christ:—Eph. 4:11-13.
To my way of thinking, this scripture is telling us that the five-fold
ministry—consisting of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers—are
to continue “till we all come into the unity of the faith . . .” We in the Body of
Christ are far from being in “the unity of the faith.” Consequently, since there is
still a need for their work, I believe the Lord still calls, and sets in place,
individuals in the ministries of the apostle and prophet.
The apostles and prophets of the New Testament were the foundation
layers of the Christian faith. Now that the foundation has been laid, with Jesus
Christ being the chief cornerstone, I believe that the office of the apostle and
prophet continue to this day, albeit in a diminished capacity. The primary
difference between the New Testament apostles and prophets of Bible days, and
those now in our midst, is that today these individuals do not write scripture, and
their prophecies and revelations are not equivalent to scripture.
Numerous times in the last one hundred years the Pentecostal and
Charismatic movements have debated the extent to which these offices operate,
and how the Body of Christ, (including the local church), is to relate to them.
Along with many other issues, I find the opinions of Wigglesworth and other
early Pentecostals, to be enlightening. He and his generation of Pentecostal
ministers dealt, in their day, with the renewed interest in apostolic and prophetic
ministry.
Back in 1915, only a few years after the Auzsa Revival, we see the emerging
Pentecostal Church in England begin to grapple with the roles of modern apostles
and prophets. Some of their conclusions mirror what is taught today. . .
(End of Preview of Chapter Twenty-Three).
40
The Genuine Flow
—Preview of Chapter Twenty-Four—
Angelic Visitations and Visions
The Bible makes it clear that angels do exist. Contrary to what is
portrayed in popular TV shows and movies, angels are not departed human
beings. Angels are a different order of creation entirely separate from human
beings. These heavenly beings were created by God to be servants. Human
beings were created to be sons and daughters of God. We are made in God’s
image. Angels are not. I like the way Hebrews 1:14 in the Amplified Bible
describes the function of angels:
Are not the angels all ministering spirits
(servants) sent out in the service [of God for
the assistance] of those who are to inherit
salvation?
Angels are not independent spiritual agents, floating around Heaven and
earth, interfering in the affairs of men, doing whatever suits them at the moment.
They are sent out in the service of God for the assistance of believers. As human
beings, we cannot help but be fascinated by the existence of angels. However, the
Bible warns us that demons can counterfeit angelic appearances:
. . . for Satan himself masquerades as an angel
of light—II Cor. 11:14 (NIV).
Although the Lord occasionally allowed Mom Goodwin to see into the
spiritual realm and observe the working of angels, she and Dad were quite
cautious about such experiences. They judged all visions by the scriptures, and
did not fully accept any angelic vision until they were certain the experience was
consistent with scripture. Mom frequently told people about two strong angelic
experiences she was given. One occurred in the early years of her and Dad’s
marriage. They were beginning to open their hearts to the Lord, and one night,
Mom was given an experience. In the middle of the night she awoke to sense a
presence in the bedroom. She felt in her spirit that it was an angel. . .
(End of Preview of Chapter Twenty-Four).
41
The Genuine Flow
42
The Genuine Flow
—Preview of Chapter Twenty-Five—
Spiritual Gifts vs. Psychic Powers
God called Moses and sent him forth to deliver the Children of Israel from
Egyptian bondage. He also gave Moses a supernatural sign to work through the
gifts of the Holy Spirit. However, once Moses and Aaron stood before Pharaoh,
there was an interesting development:
And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron,
saying,
When Pharaoh shall speak unto you, saying, Shew a
miracle for you: then thou shalt say unto Aaron,
Take thy rod, and cast it before Pharaoh, and it
shall become a serpent.
And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and
they did so as the LORD had commanded: and Aaron
cast down his rod before Pharaoh, and before his
servants, and it became a serpent.
Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the
sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also
did in like manner with their enchantments.
For they cast down every man his rod, and they
became serpents: but Aaron's rod swallowed up
their rods—Exodus 7:8-12.
Through what we would call today “psychic powers,” the magicians of
Egypt were able to mimic the power of God that operated through Moses. We
need to be mindful of the fact that, like it or not, Satan is capable of manifesting
psychic power that closely resembles the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Back in the mid1970s, I was an eyewitness to impressive manifestations of psychic power.
When I was only a teenager, a person invited my mother and I to attend
what was then called a “spiritualist” church. This was not a Christian church. It
was a religious group of psychics that merely had Christian trappings hanging
around the edges. They believed that what they operated in were psychic powers
given them by God or by “the Great Spirit. . .”
(End of Preview of Chapter Twenty-Five).
43
The Genuine Flow
—Preview of Chapter Twenty-Six—
Learn From the Giants
I believe that one of the reasons God has preserved the rare recordings and
caused them to resurface at this time, is so that we can hear afresh the message of
the Holy Spirit and His gifts from the Early Pentecostals. As we take an objective
look at those who were strongly used of God, each life can teach us a great lesson.
Learn From the Goodwins . . .
The Goodwins were known for doing
things decently and in order. However, their
focus on doing things in a way that is balanced,
appropriate, and biblical was really just an
outgrowth of their determination to obey God.
They truly wanted His will, not their own will.
Several times prophecies were given to the
Goodwins in which the Lord stated that one
day, their names would be “known around the
world” and that they would have a far-reaching
ministry that would affect nations around the world.
Kenneth Copeland prophesied to Mom Goodwin in 1984:
. . . Those years that were spent [by you and Dad Goodwin] in
ministering before God, and ministering with God, have been of
great value to the Kingdom of God. And now, even though your
husband has come here with Me, and even though you are there
with Me, that ministry still goes on, and on, and on, and on. And as
far as eternity rolls, it will never stop, saith the Lord, because My
way is the best way, and you chose My way 48 years ago, and it is
good that you did. . .
“You chose My way . . .” Regardless of the prophecies that were spoken
concerning them, Mom and Dad always prayed and sought “God’s way,”
especially involving ministry opportunities that were presented to them. In at
least one instance, the Lord told them not to accept a wonderful opportunity.
Demos Shekarian, founder of the Full Gospel Businessmen’s Fellowship
International offered to create a TV program for Mom and Dad. . .
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The Genuine Flow
Learn From Kathryn Kuhlman . . .
Kathryn Kuhlman (1907 – 1976), was a
remarkable healing evangelist, mightily used of
God, mostly in the Charismatic Renewal. I am
told that sometimes Kathryn Kuhlman would
address her audience with tears and plead,
“Please don’t grieve the Holy Spirit! Please!
Don’t grieve Him!” She was addressing her
plea to a mostly Charismatic audience that she
could sense were not giving the Holy Spirit the
reverence He deserves. She was also known to
look over the ushers that served in her services.
If one had unshined shoes, or uncombed hair,
she would ask that he improve his appearance
or be replaced. She wanted everything in her
service to honor the presence of the Holy
Spirit, whom she referred to as her friend. . .
Learn from Howard Carter . . .
Howard Carter and Lester Sumrall in the 1930s
Howard Carter (1891-1971) was a British Pentecostal who was a
contemporary of, and friends with, Smith Wigglesworth. He learned that no
matter how uprightly you walk, somebody would eventually speak evil against
you. Some Christians, as they see you increase in spiritual operations, will
become jealous, and will mock you, or may even bear false witness against you. It
just goes with the territory. Lester Sumrall told the story of visiting Howard
Carter one time. . .
45
The Genuine Flow
Learn From Kenneth Hagin . . .
Kenneth E. Hagin (1917 – 2003) had a
long and fruitful prophetic ministry. He and
his family founded Rhema Bible Training
Center, which has sent out over 20,000
graduates who serve the Lord as pastors and in
various ministry positions on the six inhabited
continents. As a part of his “faith message,” he
continually stressed the importance of walking
in love by loving your neighbor as yourself.
Although he experienced the bumps and
bruises that we all face in ministry, at his
memorial service, people who had known
Hagin for decades testified that they could not
remember a single evil word he had spoken
against any other person. Not only did he
preach love from the pulpit, he walked in love
in his private life. . .
Learn From Stephen Jeffreys . . .
Stephen Jeffreys (1876 – 1943) was a
powerful British healing evangelist. In his youth,
he sought God and had a powerful experience in
prayer. He left the experience with a remarkable
gift of healing. Nearly overnight, his healing
meetings grew to mammoth proportions. He
ministered in services with Smith Wigglesworth,
Howard Carter, and others.
God gave him
particular success in praying for people suffering
from rheumatoid arthritis.
Lester Sumrall, who knew Jeffreys, writes:
In the middle of a service, Stephen would
jump off the platform, run to the back, curse
rheumatoid arthritis, for example, and
scream, “Come out of him.”
People said you could hear bones pop for approximately thirty feet around as the
person’s bones began to relocate. . .
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The Genuine Flow
Learn From David Du Plessis . . .
David Du Plessis (1905 – 1987), provides
us a great lesson.
Mostly forgotten today,
David Du Plessis was a man mightily used of God
to bring to pass the Charismatic Renewal. He
was born in 1905 in South Africa, saved in 1916
and filled with the Spirit in 1918. Brother David
was ordained in 1928 through the Apostolic Faith
Mission of South Africa. Then when he came to
America in the late 1940s, he transferred his
ordination to the Assemblies of God.
Early in his Christian walk, Brother Du
Plessis, like many early Pentecostals, suffered a
great deal of persecution and criticism from the
liberal denominations and the Catholic Church.
He never had any intention of ministering
outside of the Pentecostal churches he loved. However, God had a different plan
for him. In 1936, Smith Wigglesworth prophesied to David . . .
Learn From Stanley Frodsham . . .
Stanley Frodsham (1882-1969) was born in
England. He became an early leader in the Pentecostal
Outpouring of the early 1900's. For years, he was the
editor and publisher of all of the Assemblies of God
publications, earning the affectionate title of “God’s
Prophet with a Pen.” He ministered alongside and
knew early Pentecostal giants such as Smith
Wigglesworth, Howard Carter, WFP Burton, Stephen
Jeffreys, and others. Smith Wigglesworth performed
Frodsham’s wedding ceremony. Years later, Stanley
Frodsham wrote, Apostle of Faith, the first biography of
Wigglesworth.
Although Brother Frodsham was closely associated with
the birth and early years of the Assemblies of God, he eventually left that
denomination. One of his reasons for leaving was . . .
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The Genuine Flow
Learn From William Seymour . . .
William J. Seymour (1870 – 1922)
was the son of former slaves. He lived in
a time of great racial prejudice in the
United States. When he heard of Charles
Parham’s teachings on the baptism in the
Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking
in tongues, he desired to attend Parham’s
bible school in Houston, TX. However,
Texas had segregation laws in force at the
time. It was illegal for Caucasians to mix
company with African Americans.
Seymour could have let this stop him, but
he and Parham found a way around the
segregation law. Parham left a door or
window of his classroom open, and
Seymour sat outside, drinking in the rich
truths . . .
Learn From F. F. Bosworth . . .
Fred Francis Bosworth, (1877 – 1958)
was one of the foundation stones of the
modern Pentecostal movement. Born again
as a teenager, Bosworth was struck
down with TB and was given up to die. He
was healed, and was later filled with the Spirit
in a meeting held by Charles Parham.
Bosworth soon began ministering as a
traveling evangelist. In 1909 he and his wife
moved to Dallas, Texas and later founded the
First Assembly of God church in that city.
Multitudes were saved, healed, and filled with
the Spirit in this church over the next number
of years.
In August of 1911, he accepted an invitation to
come preach to both whites and blacks in
Hearne, Texas (which was, as the rest of the
South, racially segregated). He preached to both groups in a brush arbor
meeting. . .
48
The Genuine Flow
Learn From Lester Sumrall . . .
Lester Sumrall (1913 – 1996)
was a powerhouse for God. He was
healed of tuberculosis at the age of
17, and at the same time, God gave
him a vision of a river of blood. The
Lord showed Sumrall a multitude of
people walking down the pathway of
life, careless about the things of God,
and falling off into the abyss. He told
Brother Sumrall, “Their blood is on
your hands!
I will hold you
accountable for them unless you
preach My Gospel and warn them.”
He accepted the call of God, and set
out to preach around the world when
he was only 17.
In the next few years, he met Howard Carter, Smith Wigglesworth, Stanley
Frodsham, Harold Horton, and other early Pentecostal giants that became his
mentors. He traveled the world with Howard Carter . . .
Learn From C. H. Mason . . .
Charles H. Mason (1866 – 1961) was the child of
former slaves. In 1895, he met and became friends with
Charles Price Jones, a fellow Baptist holiness preacher.
They ministered together for several years, emphasizing
the message of holiness. In 1897 they founded the
Church of God in Christ, which was to eventually evolve
into a denomination.
In 1906, Mason, in seeking a deeper sanctifying
experience with God, visited the Pentecostal outpouring
that was occurring at William Seymour’s Azusa Street
Mission in Los Angeles, CA. At Azusa, Mason received
the baptism in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of
speaking in tongues. Charles Mason returned in the
power of the Holy Spirit. As with William Seymour and
Charles Parham a few years before this, and John
Osteen nearly fifty years later, Mason returned with the
expectation that the “home folks” would be glad for his new experience. Instead,
he found—as did Seymour, Parham, and later, Osteen . . .
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The Genuine Flow
Learn from Oral Roberts . . .
Oral Roberts (1918 - 2009) was a
remarkable healing evangelist who came
to prominence during the Healing
Revival of the 1940s and 1950s.
His ministry shared many
similarities with his contemporary
healing evangelists.
They preached
boldly.
He preached boldly.
They
worked hard. He worked hard. They
wrote books and many developed TV
programs. Roberts wrote books and had
a TV program. They had special projects
such as A. A. Allen’s “Miracle Valley,”
and Oral Roberts founded Oral Roberts
University and the City of Faith hospital.
. . . There is an interesting “inside
story,” I would like to share with you at
this point that will demonstrate some
important spiritual truths. In July of
2006, the Lord gave me one of the
strongest spiritual experiences of my life in a vision that involved Oral, Evelyn,
and Richard Roberts. . .
Learn to Avoid the “Branham Syndrome”
William Branham (1909 –1965) was an
inspiring and tragic figure. An angel appeared to
Brother Branham in a vision when he was young
and afterward, the Holy Spirit began using him
mightily in the revelation gifts and to heal the sick.
Countless times when individuals were brought
before him for prayer, he would know by the gift of
the word of knowledge, the person’s name and
address, and he would tell them what their
medical problems were. He was at the forefront of
the Healing Revival for many years. Several
individuals who were healed in Branham’s
meetings have shared their wonderful testimonies
with me. Kenneth Hagin, Oral Roberts, F.F. Bosworth, T.L. Osborn, and many
other prominent Spirit-filled ministers of the time were very moved by the power
of God that was evident in Branham’s ministry. . .
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The Genuine Flow
Learn From WFP Burton . . .
British Pentecostal William Fredrick
Padwick (WFP) Burton (1886 – 1971) was
truly an apostle. Born again in 1905, and
filled with the Spirit in 1910, he eventually
teamed up with James Salter (Smith
Wigglesworth’s son-in-law) to found a mighty
missionary work in the Belgian Congo that
raised up over 2,000 native churches. Burton
was well known to the early Pentecostals, and
ministered in conventions with Smith
Wigglesworth, Howard Carter, and others.
Towards the end of his life, Burton was
sitting next to Leslie Wigglesworth in the
audience of a crusade being held in the City
Hall at Cape Town, South Africa.
The
speaker noticed Burton and addressed the
crowd. An account of the meeting reads:
The evangelist rose. “This evening, dear
friends, I see we have a most distinguished visitor with us,” he said, “an intrepid
explorer-missionary from Central Africa. . .
Learn from T.L. and Daisy Osborn . . .
The Rev. Daisy Osborn
(1924 – 1995) and her husband,
Dr. T.L. Osborn (1923 - ), had
great healing and salvation
crusades around the world for
decades. Brother Osborn was
born-again
at
12,
began
preaching at 15, married Daisy
at 18, and they set off as
missionaries together to India
in their 20s.
Daisy and T.L. returned from
India broken-hearted . . .
(End of Preview of Chapter
Twenty-Six).
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52
The Genuine Flow
—Preview of Chapter Twenty-Seven—
Understanding Special Manifestations
The Holy Spirit sometimes moves in, what are to us, unusual ways. I will
refer to these as “special manifestations.” Ministering healing to an individual
through the laying on of hands, or by anointing with oil, are what I would call
“ordinary” measures. To spit on the ground, make mud from the dirt, smear the
mixture on a blind man’s eyes, and tell him to go wash in a particular pool, is
outside of the ordinary. Cases such as these, along with Falling in the Spirit, and
Laughing in the Spirit, are what I would call “special manifestations” of the Holy
Spirit’s power. Special manifestations are beautiful, and produce great fruit, if
kept in perspective. However, Christians tend to over emphasize special
manifestations, with some even believing that unless these unusual
manifestations are present, it is a sign that God is not working. Such is not the
case. Allow me to give some context concerning the spiritual manifestation
known as Falling in the Spirit.
Falling in the Spirit is nothing new.
Although in the scriptures we see
examples of people falling in the presence
of the Lord, we have no example of
individual after individual Falling in the
Spirit when Jesus, Paul, or any of the
Apostles laid hands on them. When you
study the Healing Revival of the 1940s
and 1950s, multitudes were healed, but
very few ever Fell. In the Goodwins’ 40
years of powerful ministry, only a handful
of people fell.
Falling in the Spirit, of course, did
not originate with Benny Hinn, Kathryn
Kuhlman, or the Charismatic Renewal.
We find Falling in the Spirit occurring in a
widespread manner in the First Great
Awakening (1730s – 1740s), and in the
Second Great Awakening (1790 – 1840).
Among those ministers who had a great
deal of Falling in their services was John
Wesley, the founder of Methodism. . .
(End of Preview of Chapter Twenty-Seven).
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The Genuine Flow
—Preview Of Chapter Twenty-Nine—
Thy Children Shall Call Thee Blessed
Proverbs 31:28 speaks of the characteristics of a virtuous woman, and of
the spiritual fruit that will accompany her:
Her children shall rise up and call her blessed…
The Goodwins imparted their spiritual virtues into the lives of many
individuals who came to consider themselves “spiritual children” of Mom and
Dad Goodwin. Below are comments from several ministers and close Goodwin
associates, who describe the blessings they received through the ministry of Mom
and Dad Goodwin.
Marilyn Hickey:
Marilyn Hickey has been a
beloved figure in Charismatic circles
since the 1970s. She and her husband
Wallace
founded
Orchard
Road
Christian Center church in Denver, CO.
Truly a whole book could be written of
all her accomplishments in ministry,
and still not tell the whole story. She
has ministered by radio, TV, and in
crusades around the world. I’ve always
appreciated the practical nature of her
teachings, and her continuing emphasis
on winning souls, and pointing people towards faith in Jesus Christ.
Dear Brother Mel,
The Rev. and Mrs. J. R. Goodwin came into our lives when we were in our
mid-30s. They . . .
Pastors Wallace and Marilyn Hickey
Founding Pastors of Orchard Road Christian Center
Denver, Colorado
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Dr. Ed Dufresne:
Dr. Ed and Nancy Dufresne have
had a substantial pastoral and prophetic
ministry for a number of years. Ed is a
Rhema graduate. For many years I have
admired, and continue to be blessed, by
the consistency and balance of Brother
Ed’s prophetic ministry.
Ed and Nancy flow together
beautifully in giving messages in tongues
and interpretation.
His books and
teachings are quite insightful. When he
flows in the Spirit in meetings, people are
blessed, refreshed, and inspired. He has
spoken at numerous large conventions and
campmeetings, and has appeared as a
guest on many Christian TV programs. He
and Nancy pastor World Harvest Church
of Murrieta, CA.
Dear Brother Mel,
Throughout my 45 years of ministry I have been stirred and inspired
by the many stories of supernatural manifestations and spiritual
happenings that occurred through this remarkable couple, Dad &
Mom Goodwin. I came into personal contact with a dynamic
spiritual operation through Mom Goodwin . . .
Dr. Ed Dufresne
World Harvest Church
Murrieta, CA
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The Genuine Flow
Rev. Elizabeth Pruitt-Sloan
Rev. Elizabeth Pruitt-Sloan grew up in
Aimee Semple McPherson’s Church, while
her mother attended Sister McPherson’s
Bible College. When she was only a few days
old, Aimee prophesied over Elizabeth that
she would be “an end-times prophetess unto
the Lord.” Elizabeth sat in the meetings of
the great healing evangelists during the
Healing Revival, and graduated in the
Charter class of Rhema Bible Training
Center. She had a close spiritual mentoring
relationship with Kenneth and Oretha Hagin,
and also with Mom Goodwin.
Sister
Elizabeth is the founder and President of
Helping Inspire Ministries, a ministry
fellowship and credentialing organization.
As a part of her Apostolic calling, she
focuses on demonstrating the moving of the
Spirit in her monthly Holy Spirit meetings,
and pouring her wealth of ministry
experience into up and coming ministers
through her ministry association.
“Mama and Papa Goodwin” is how the Goodwins were introduced
to us in the Charter class of Rhema in 1975 . . .
Rev. Elizabeth Pruitt-Sloan
President
Helping Inspire Ministries
Broken Arrow, OK.
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The Genuine Flow
Dr. Charles Goodwin:
Charles Goodwin grew up
not only seeing the miracles at his
parents’ church, but also observing
his parents’ ministry in spiritual
operations in the home, and in
many
confidential
situations.
When it came time for him to fulfill
the ministry call the Lord had given
him, Charles went back to school
and earned a doctorate.
Dr. Charles Goodwin was a
cofounder of “The Original Word
Ministries
(Publishers),
Inc.”
Charles authored and published two New Testament Greek grammars (with
accompanying videos). From 1992 – 2007, Dr. Goodwin taught New Testament
Greek at Luther Rice Seminary and University. He remains proud of his parents’
ministry, and is equally comfortable ministering in both Charismatic and NonCharismatic churches. Charles and his wife Shirley have borne great and lasting
fruit for the Kingdom of God. I have learned as much from Charles about sound
doctrine as I learned from his mother about the Spirit of God.
The title Mel has given to the chapter, “Thy Children Shall Call
Thee Blessed,” perfectly and literally describes how I feel about my
parents, their ministry, and the legacy they left. In addition to this
book . . .
Dr. Charles Goodwin
Original Word Publishers
Flowery Branch, GA
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Dr. Larry Huggins
Larry Huggins, DD, is a Minister of
the Spirit and the Word, an author, and an
Ambassador for Christ. He and his wife,
Loretta, serve the International Christian
Community through their Washington, D.C.
based ministry, the Commonwealth of
Christ.
Mom and Pop Goodwin changed my
life. . . It was during my season at
Kenneth Hagin Ministries and FCF
that I became acquainted with the
Goodwins.
Brother
Hagin
considered Pop Goodwin to be his
best friend, and he held the
Goodwin’s ministry in the highest regard. That’s when I fell in love
with the Goodwin’s and their ministry. . .
Dr. Larry Huggins
The Commonwealth of Christ
Washington, DC
www.kingsembassy.com
Rev. Joe Jordan
Joe Jordan served as the praise and
worship leader for the Goodwins’ church, and
since then has itinerated, ministering in signs
and wonders for many years.
The Goodwins' deeply impacted my
life and ministry. I was mentored by
them for 10 years and it shaped my
ministry entirely. By their teaching and
world-class example . . .
Rev. Joe Jordan
Joe Jordan Ministries
Shawnee, KS.
www.joejordanconferences.com
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The Genuine Flow
Grace Gruver:
Grace Gruver’s parents were
members of the pastoral staff for many
years at the Goodwins’ last church, First
Assembly of God in Pasadena, TX.
Grace also lived with Mom Goodwin in
Tulsa, OK in Mom’s final years. She is a
respected and beloved member of the
Goodwin extended spiritual family.
Sister Grace also came into spiritual
operations
under
the
Goodwin’s
ministry, and flows beautifully in the
things of the Spirit.
The following comments are from
Joe Jordan’s book about the Goodwins
entitled, A Tribute to Spiritual
Excellence, which is published and
available through Billye Brim Ministries.
(Joe’s book contains a number of
testimonies about Mom and Dad, and I
encourage you to get it).
Grace’s comments provide a firsthand account of Mom in her final years,
when she and Grace lived together.
It is a great honor to write and express my thoughts and reflections
about the impact that the Rev. and Mrs. J.R. Goodwin’s ministry
has had on my life. I affectionately called them Nona and Papa as
they were just like biological grandparents (as well as pastors) to
me. I endeavor to live my life obeying the same godly principles
they lived and taught.
My father had known and loved the Goodwins for a number of
years before I was born. .
In Nona's home, the gifts of the Spirit operated prolifically.
Pastors, evangelists and Bible students came almost
continuously for spiritual counseling. . .
Grace Gruver
(End of Preview of Chapter Twenty-Nine).
59
The Genuine Flow
—Acknowledgements—
I wish to express my heartfelt gratitude to:
Dr. Charles Goodwin, for his generosity in allowing me to make available
to the world his parents’ audios, videos, and books. Additionally, his patient
answers to my questions have brought me into a better understanding of sound
doctrine, and his encouragement has also been very meaningful to me.
Rev. Don and Beverly Davis, for the passion of their vision, and countless
hours of labor, in pursuing and preserving the Goodwin recordings. Don and
Beverly are two of the most remarkable ministers I’ve ever met.
No less important in preserving the Goodwin legacy, and to whom I also
extend my thanks, are: Grace Gruver and the Gruver family, Rev. Marvin Hazel,
the Hagin family, Kenneth Copeland and KCM, Rev. Joe Jordan, and Rev. Ron
and Carolyn Smith.
I extend a special “thank you” to Dr. Billye Brim, to Rev. Pat Harrison, and
to my ministry partners. Observing Sister Billye and Mom ministering together
in tongues and interpretation of tongues via a live satellite broadcast of Kenneth
Copeland’s 1984 meeting, changed my life and ministry forever. Rev. Pat
Harrison’s early support of this book helped make this a reality. Thank you also,
ministry partners, for your faithful support.
I greatly appreciate Dr. Ralph A. Wilkerson’s kindness in writing a
Foreword for us, and for his input on the manuscript. God bless Pastor Kenneth
W. Hagin for his advice and encouragement. I am grateful also for those
ministers who contributed comments or endorsements for this book, whom I
have not mentioned elsewhere: Pastors Marilyn and Wallace Hickey, Dr. Ed
Dufresne, Dr. Larry Huggins, Mrs. Dodie Osteen, Dr. Mark Roberts, and Dr. Tom
Bellatti.
For their longstanding support: Mrs. Christine Wilson—my mother, Mrs.
Kathy Nixon—my sister, Robert Braden—our family patriarch, Rev. Elizabeth
Pruitt-Sloan—President of Helping Inspire Ministries, Mrs. Judy Sharp—
longtime prayer partner, Elder Jean Short—a wise and beloved counselor, Dr.
Ann Allman—a source of great encouragement, Rev. Robert Rabel—my spiritual
father, Pastor Mike Burns—a friend, Pastor Kelvin Easter—a dear brother, Gil
Howard-Browne—a man whose heart is similar to my own, and Pastor Larry
Bjorklund—one of the first to believe in my ministry. Also for the prayers and
encouragement of Mrs. Debra Snodgrass—Miss America 1968. With Miss
America praying for you, how can you possibly go wrong? :)
Lastly, but most important of all, thank you Holy Spirit for sending to us
Mom and Dad Goodwin, and allowing us to receive from You through them.
60
The Genuine Flow
—About the Author—
The ministry of author, pastor,
innovator, and Pentecostal historian, Rev.
Mel C. Montgomery is the fulfillment of a
prophecy given by Sister Goodwin.
She and her late husband, the Rev.
J.R. Goodwin, were lifelong friends with
Kenneth Hagin.
They mentored John
Osteen, Billye Brim, Elizabeth Pruitt-Sloan,
Brother Mel, and other leaders.
Mel
Montgomery built his prophetic ministry on
the truths he learned from the Goodwins.
Toward the end of her life, Sister
Goodwin laid her hands on Mel, prayed for
God to use him in spiritual gifts, and
prophesied that Mel would have “an anointed
ministry, like some of the men of old.”
Eventually this prophecy began to come to
pass as people from around the world
entrusted him with rare early Pentecostal recordings by “the men of old,” such as:
Howard Carter, F.F. Bosworth, David Du Plessis, and others. Most of these
recordings had never been copied or released to the public before being given to
him. Mel serves as the Copyright Agent for all Goodwin books and recordings.
He has made these audios and many others available on his website,
www.brothermel.com.
Brother Mel has authored four e-books including, The Highest Form of
Spiritual Warfare. Mel’s website, www.brothermel.com, has been accessed over
2 million times by people in more than 150 countries. His podcast, Voices of the
Faith Giants in which he interviews major Christian leaders, is heard around the
world.
Mel ministers in local churches and in ministers meetings. He serves as
the Director of Public Relations for Helping Inspire Ministries—a ministry
association and fellowship.
Rev. Mel Montgomery may be contacted via his website and by e-mail at:
e-mail: [email protected]
61
The Genuine Flow
Please scroll down to view the back cover of Mel
Montgomery’s new book, The Genuine Flow.
62
The Genuine Flow
Back Cover of Book:
There is a genuine flow
of the Holy Spirit!
. . . and many worthless imitations.
The following ministers deemed
the unique prophetic ministry of
the Rev. and Mrs. J.R. Goodwin, to
be among the most powerful and
balanced they had ever seen:
Mel Montgomery learned about spiritual gifts and prophetic
ministry from the Goodwins, who were mentors to Kenneth Hagin,
John Osteen, Billye Brim, Pat Harrison, and many others.
Eventually, Brother Mel was entrusted with rare early Pentecostal
recordings, most of which had never before been copied or
released to the public. These recordings were by: Howard Carter,
Stanley Frodsham, F.F. Bosworth, and other faith giants of
yesteryear.
Kenneth E. Hagin
Howard Carter

Billye Brim
Pat Harrison

Mel discovered that the deep truths of the Holy Spirit, as taught by
the Goodwins and the early Pentecostal giants, had been largely
obscured in our day. In The Genuine Flow, Mel presents the
teachings of the early Pentecostals, combined with his own
experiences in ministry, to help you better discern and operate in
the genuine flow of the Holy Spirit.
Brother Mel ministers in local churches and in ministers meetings.
Mel’s website, www.brothermel.com, has been accessed over 2
million times by people downloading his teachings and recordings
in more than 150 countries. His podcast, “Voices of the Faith
Giants,” is heard around the world.
63
Ed Dufresne
Marilyn Hickey
The Genuine Flow
For more information about the ministry of Mel
Montgomery please visit:
www.brothermel.com
64

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