January 19, 2011

• “God was pleased to give me such power” – Whitefield | Update 1/19/11

  After a couple month hiatus, I picked up once again in rereading “George Whitefield’s Journals” (emphasis, mine).

  Saturday, April 28 [1739]. . . . About six I expounded to a thronged society of women at Fetter Lane, and at eight on St. Mary Hill. The portion of Scripture that Providence directed me to, was the nineteenth of Genesis, which was very applicable to what happened, for some wicked men came, and pressed, and broke down the door; BUT GOD WAS PLEASED TO GIVE ME SUCH POWER at the last, that they were forced into an awful silence, and I believe, they really felt the weight of God’s Word. THE FIERCENESS OF MEN SHALL TURN TO THY PRAISE, and the remainder of it shalt Thou restrain. . . .

  Sunday, April 29. . . . Being weakened by my morning’s preaching, in the afternoon I refreshed myself with a little sleep, and at five went and preached at Kennington Common, about two miles from London, where no less than thirty thousand people were supposed to be present. The wind being for me, carried the voice to the extremest part of the audience. All stood attentive, and joined in the Psalm and Lord’s Prayer most regularly. I scarce ever preached more quietly in any church. THE WORD CAME WITH POWER. The people were much affected, and expressed their love to me in many ways. All agreed it was never seen on this wise before. Oh what need have all God’s people to rejoice and give thanks! I HOPE A GOOD INROAD HAS BEEN MADE INTO THE DEVIL’S KINGDOM THIS DAY.

  A couple things impressed me here.

  1. THE POWER Whitefield received. But not only the power, but THE GOD WHO GAVE HIM THAT POWER. Yes, we have to say that George Whitefield was exceptionally talented and uniquely gifted, and yet let us not forget that Whitefield had access to the VERY SAME POWER each and every Christian has access to because we know the VERY SAME GOD.

  Not long before I’d picked up the Journals yesterday, I had been praying over a situation in which I clearly needed both God’s wisdom and power to respond to someone, for I knew in my own wisdom and power, I could do nothing to direct this person to an understanding of the living God. As I read Whitefield’s words, what a timely reminder that the God who does wonders might very well be pleased to give me such power in my communications with this person and my words might go out with His power! We have not because we ask not!

  We see the believers in the book of Acts praying for such boldness. As Christians, though we have received the Spirit in first believing, we are in need of fresh supplies for the journey, and so once again I am asking for new supplies of His Spirit, and in particular for power and wisdom, and I would ask you to be praying for me in this (and for yourself as well).

  2. THE TWO RESULTS OF GOD’S POWER:

  FOR THE BUILDING UP OF GOD’S KINGDOM AND CHRIST’S PRAISE …

  BUT GOD WAS PLEASED TO GIVE ME SUCH POWER at the last, that they were forced into an awful silence, and I believe, they really felt the weight of God’s Word.

  … AND FOR THE DEMISE OF THE DEVIL’S KINGDOM!

  I HOPE A GOOD INROAD HAS BEEN MADE INTO THE DEVIL’S KINGDOM THIS DAY.

  As we keep our eyes on God’s eternal plan of redemption and the battle we are engaged in, it causes our life’s purpose to be righted once again. It’s too easy for temptations and the cares, riches and pleasures of this life to distract us (Luke 8). We too easily forget we are God’s ambassadors here. And as we are sent out, God is ready to supply us. Let us be bold and ask our Father to supply for us all we need so we might run the race set before us so we might obtain the prize.

  * * *

  Update on church

  A while back I had mentioned I had an opportunity at our church (see my posts here and here). As of now, that’s still not developed much, and that has been frustrating to me at times, but I am trusting God’s timing in this since I know the delay is all for His greater glory:

  Isaiah 30:18 And therefore will the LORD wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the LORD is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him. 19 For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem: thou shalt weep no more: he will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry; when he shall hear it, he will answer thee.

  Only recently did I notice how wonderfully God condescended to us there in that passage. In verse 18 we see the LORD tell us He will be gracious to us. But then, knowing that we are sometimes dense and hard-hearted, He reminds us that He is not only gracious but that He is VERY gracious. Is He not to be adored for His bearing with our weaknesses in this way? He does not treat us as our sins deserve! He knows we are frail, doesn’t He? More than wonderful! What a Savior!

  I will ask you to be praying that God would lead me to women at our church who are hungering and thirsting for Him. Lord willing, I hope to ask a few of them to join me in a study of the book of John in the near future. I wrote a while ago about my desire for God to raise up sweet knots of religious friends all over His Church (that phrase “sweet knots of Christian friends” taken from Whitefield), and that is my desire not only for myself but for each of you, that you might find true and deep fellowship with believers in your own congregations and communities. We need to be encouraging one another daily (Hebrews 10) and building up each other in our most holy faith (Jude).

  Personal note

  One of my dearest Christian friends passed into glory recently, and I would appreciate your prayers for both her family and friends, as well as for myself, and in particular that this might be a wake-up call, not only to unbelievers to believers as well. I was privileged to be able to speak at her memorial service, to give her testimony that Jesus Christ was her sustenance, which is a message that so much of the church is missing at this point in time. She was my best friend to date who has died, and so I will miss the times we shared together in encouraging one another in our faith. She was one of the few people with whom I pretty much bared my whole soul, and she was a great encourager to me in my spiritual journey as well as my blogging here.

  Please let me know if there are ways I can be praying for you. I feel I’ve lost a bit of focus in the past several months with my purpose here and my blogging on my sites, so I would also appreciate your prayers for God’s clarity and God’s leading in that regard. Thank you.

  The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all.

  ~ Karen

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  Related:
  Update & prayer requests – November 1, 2010 (I want to be a happy sower)
  Thankful for UNanswered prayer
  Wait on the LORD (Psalm 27:14)
  “The Holy Spirit overpowered the man” (an agnostic’s conversion during the Welsh Revival)
  do the work of a WHAT? eee – van – gel – ist! eeek!

  • 2:36 AM
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