The year was 1859 in Coleraine, Ireland. A very unusual event unfolded. In a large boy's school, one of the young men in the large single room school seemed so heavy hearted he could not do his schoolwork. The headmaster wisely discerned that the boy was under conviction. He told him to go home and pray to the Lord for mercy. He sent an older student to go with him.
The two young men never did reach the younger boy's home. They turned into an old, abandoned house where the older student led the younger in prayer. The love of God broke through, and the youngster was saved. He exclaimed joyfully, "I must go back and tell the headmaster that I am so happy now because I have the Lord Jesus in my heart."
When this young lad testified of his conversion back at school, God began working on the other young men. One by one several silently got up and left the room to go outside to the playground. The headmaster could not see the young men from his vantage point in the school room. When he moved to a different location he was overcome with emotion when he saw each of the students kneeling in prayer independent of one another. He looked at the older student he had sent with the first young man and asked if he could go out and pray with those outside. When he began to pray with the troubled young men outside, their silent prayers turned into loud wailing under conviction. So loud it could be heard by the students left inside the classroom. One by one they arose from their desks and fell to their knees under conviction.
The wails of the boys reached the girl's school just above their location. Soon the girls too were on their knees in conviction. The headmaster and headmistress were powerless to continue teaching their lessons.
We do not need to seek these type manifestations of the presence of God. We just need to seek God. He is enough. He is able to do far more than we can ever conceive. We must be careful that we do not substitute our desire for Him with desires for revival experiences. It is God we are after. When He is present among us, His work is sufficient.
In that same town of Coleraine, Ireland, God moved mightily over the whole community. Prayer meetings sprang up everywhere. It was not uncommon for people to deal with anxious sinners all night long in house after house, leading them to repentance and salvation. Ministers became exhausted. Businesses sometimes were closed temporarily due to employees falling under such conviction they could not work. During this period of revival one church reported 800 conversions. The powerful work of God could not be escaped. He permeated every part of society. Transformation took place. Crime went down. Prostitution ceased. Wrongs were amended. Court cases declined. All as a result of God manifesting His presence.
John 5:17 (NASB)
17 But He
answered them, "My Father is working until now, and I
Myself am working."
God has always worked. He is working now. We may not be able to see it. We may not even be able to feel it. When the people of God repent of sin and get serious about praying, God works. When He works among us, He is all that is needed to convict people of sin. To draw sinners to salvation. To renew a hunger for holiness. To stir the hearts of people to worship and testify.
God is always working. So is Jesus. What we need to do is to align ourselves with them and follow Their leadership. We do not need to spend our time asking for revival experiences. We just need to encounter God. To seek Him and obey Him. His presence and work are sufficient for all we need. May we never substitute seeking Him with seeking the experiences that often accompany revival. May we tune to Him and get in on what He already wants to do among His prayerful and repentant people.
- List the ways you feel God is working in your life and in your church?
- Are you seeking Him or seeking the experiences of revival?
- Describe the ways you believe is God is sufficient for the needs of society.
- Is there anything in your life that hinders God from fully working around you?
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