I hope you will enjoy this man's life testimony as I have. I was greatly moved first by the opposition he encountered from the church, then from the bravery God gave him to endure it. Even when blessed with the presence of God, as described below, man's opinions can send the most faithful saint into hiding. This man spent entire days in prayer and fasting before his meetings, keeping his priorities intact and his worldly feelings and desires at bay.
Taken from the book,Charles Finney by Basil Miller ( I checked this book out at the local library)
As dusk darkened his law office and the Judge bid him good night, Charles was Spirit-driven into the back room to pray. Few records of conversions and Spirit-baptisms equal the experience he was about to go through on wings of joy as he entered the rear room. Let's go into that inner sanctuary through his own description: "There was...no light in the room; nevertheless it appeared to me as if it were perfectly light. As I went in and shut the door....it seemed as if I met the Lord Jesus Christ face to face...as I would see any other man. He said nothing, but looked at me in such a manner as to break me right down at His feet...it seemed to me a reality that He stood before me and I fell down at His feet and pouted out my soul to him. I wept like a child ...I bathed His feet with my tears."
This state continued for some time yet Mr.Finney could recollect nothing he said, but when he broke the interview, as he calls it, and returned to the inner office the fire had long since burned down. Nor was the sur-charging of his soul with a mighty baptism completed. He goes on to describe the after-effects of meeting Christ face to face:
"But as I turned and was about to take a seat by the fire I received a mighty baptism of the Holy Ghost. Without expecting it... the holy Spirit descended upon me in a manner that seemed to go through me body and soul. I could feel the impression like a wave of electricity going through and through me.Indeed it seemed to come in waves and waves of liquid love...like the very breath of God...it seemed to me like immense wings.
"No words can express the wonderful love that was shed abroad in my heart . I wept aloud with joy and love; and ... I bellowed out the unutterable gushing of my heart. These waves came over me and over me and over me one after the other until I recollect I cried out,' I shall die if these waves continue to pass over me...Lord, I cannot bear any more.'"
Yet he was calm, for he says, " I had no fear of death."
In this mental state the doctrine of justification by faith as a present experience was taught him of God. "I could now see and understand what was meant by the passage, "Being justified by faith, we have peace with God...' I could see that the moment I believed while up in the woods all sense of condemnation had entirely dropped out of my mind; and from that moment I could not feel a sense of quilt or condemnation...I felt justified by faith...I was in a state in which I did not sin. My heart was so full of love that it ran over."
Notice that Mary Magdalene was the first one He shows Himself too. Let us all pray for the encounter that Mary had with Jesus that enabled her to be faithful and believe even when all seemed lost to hell. She was witness and participant to the power that transforms and deliverers, that could not be taken from her!
Look at this passage in Mark.
(paraphrased by me)
Mark 16
V9 He first appears to Mary Magdalene, from whom He had cast out seven demons.
V10 She reports to the disciples, they are still mourning and weeping.
V11 They refuse to believe!
V12 He then appears in a different form to them as they are walking.
V13 They report to the others and they do not believe them either.
V14 He appears to them, the eleven, and reproaches them for their unbelief and hardness of heart.
V15 He tells them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation."
V16 He who has believed and been baptized shall be saved.
V17 "And these signs will accompanied those who have believed; in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues;
V18 they will pick up serpents and if they drink any deadly poison , it shall not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick and they will recover."
This man, Charles Finney, left his career as a lawyer and started preaching immediately. Spent his days praying and preaching. There are many of us who are called, and in position, but have not yet died to self or taken up the commission. But when we do, and I believe it will be soon, we will see the signs and wonders that Jesus has promised to those who believe and are baptized.
Please lift up Derick Domae, missionary to Japan, and the team there. They have chosen to heed the commission. They are in the midst of devastation, but they carry the promise of God. Let's pray the power of God will overtake them as they share the gospel with these desperate people. Also, pray that their physical body would be divinely protected. God has opened wide the window of opportunity for the Gospel to be heard in Japan, and these missionaries that are there have been chosen for such a time as this! Pray Holy Fire will rest on them!
Never give up! Never give in!
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