by: Jerry Germann

Recently, I have been reading the booklets titled, “Our Vision” and “Foundational Documents of the Alleluia Community.” These booklets describe the components of our lives that formed our vision even before we were a community. To mention a few, being baptized in the Holy Spirit, using the gifts of the Holy Spirit, living under the Lordship of Jesus, Alleluia, our name and the Alleluia Covenant are all parts of our vision then, and today.

All the original members were baptized in the Holy Spirit, and the gifts of the Holy Spirit were operative and instrumental in the life of Alleluia early on. Our name – Alleluia—reflects the inexpressible joy of the Holy Spirit that the Lord calls us to daily live, to let it be real to us, and to let it rub off on those we meet. Having the Holy Spirit alive and active in our lives is like carrying around in our heart a geyser that we have agreed to let erupt at His choosing and spray and rain down on others. We get wet, they get wet! God pours out Himself and things happen, loving things, miraculous things; the inexpressible joy of the Holy Spirit soaks everyone.

This is how it is with Rolland and Heidi Baker. They are missionaries living in Mozambique. Through a book called “Reckless Devotion, 365 Days into the Heart of Radical Love,” the Bakers share some of their missionary journey with God. We have been given permission to reprint 30 of these daily meditations during the Thirty Days of September.

The Bakers had been missionaries for over 25 years when the Holy Spirit was poured into their lives. They were transformed into vessels that God filled with His love; He gave them the gift of a radical love for God’s heart to inflame others with this blaze. As others receive God’s deep love, they are engulfed with God’s awesome joy and His amazing presence. God makes possible what seems to be impossible. The 30-day meditations will explain how this continues to happen to Rolland and Heidi, how it happens to others – many times, one at a time. They will share the lack of fear in their lives because Jesus is present in them. The love of God has become everything and is transformative in the lives of those they touch. As is mentioned often, the Bakers believe this is for us also. God wants to renew us and deepen our relationship with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit so that we can better be “Presence carriers” day to day.

Through the Holy Spirit, may the readings of these 30 days quicken the Baptism of the Holy Spirit in all of us so that we can be refreshed and respond to the call to be the inexpressible joy of the Holy Spirit to all we meet. God’s heart is for us to live this part of our vision daily, every day. Be filled with the Holy Spirit! Let Him fill others because of Jesus’ love in you. “And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?’ Then I said, ‘Here am I! Send me.’ And he said, ‘Go, and say to this people…’” (Isaiah 6:8-9a).