Archive: Great Expectations

By Sandi Kirk

A young man walked slowly along a cobblestone pathway toward Oxford. As he walked, his heart burned within him, for he was reading Jonathan Edward’s absorbing narrative of revival in America.[1]

The whole town of Northampton “seemed to be filled with the presence of God,” wrote Edwards. Beer taverns closed down; the church was flooded with new converts; and even young people talked continuously of the dying love of Jesus Christ. Like a spreading flame, the power of the Holy Spirit had come and was sweeping through New England with the fires of revival.[2]

A brisk autumn wind whipped through the young man’s coat as he walked; golden leaves tumbled across his feet. But he was unaware, so rapt was he in the wonder of revival. The fires of his own faith had been kindled at a place called Aldersgate, but now those fires were being fanned into flame as he read of revival in America.

That young man, of course, was John Wesley.

As Wesley read the heart-stirring words of Jonathan Edwards, he thought to himself, “A revival in North America? If God is one God, then surely He will bless this people as well.”[3]

From that moment on, says Dr. Robert G. Tuttle, John Wesley began to expect revival. Less than three months later it happened. In his own journal, Wesley writes:

“About three in the morning as we were continuing instant in prayer, the power of God came mightily upon us, insomuch that many cried out for exceeding joy, and many fell to the ground. As soon as we were recovered a little from that awe and amazement at the presence of His majesty, we broke out with one voice, ‘We praise Thee, O God; we acknowledge Thee to be the Lord.’”[4]

Now, at last, the revival had come. This would be a revival that would sweep like a wildfire through all of England, becoming one of the greatest outpourings of God’s Spirit since Pentecost.

What has happened to us?

This is our Methodist heritage. John Wesley was a man who lifted up the message of salvation through the Cross of Jesus Christ and prayed down the power of the Holy Spirit.

But what has happened to us today? Why are we no longer seeing such powerful demonstrations of the Holy Spirit in our church? One of our bishops has suggested that the United Methodist Church is like a great, beached whale, languishing on the shores of extinction.

Then why don’t we get back in the water? Why don’t we plunge back into the great ocean of God’s Spirit? Why don’t we boldly pray for a deluge of the Holy Spirit that will bring us back into the waters of revival where the great beached whale may come alive again?

We need a fresh visitation of the Holy Spirit in the church today.

We saw it coming

We’ve heard such admonitions many times before. But does revival sound too idealistic now? Have we lost all real hope of ever experiencing the fresh touch of the Holy Spirit?

Let me share how we saw revival come to a women’s group at St. Luke’s UM Church in Lubbock, Texas.

It all started in a weekly women’s meeting; we didn’t study the Holy Spirit. We studied the Crucifixion, the Resurrection, the Ascension, and the exaltation of Jesus Christ. But in every meeting we asked the Holy Spirit to come and open our eyes to help us see Jesus more clearly.

Week by week we were aware that as we were beholding Christ, the Holy Spirit was coming upon us. Gently, almost imperceptibly He came. We knew that as we were looking at Jesus, the Holy Spirit was coming, for as Charles Spurgeon has said, “There is Life in a look at the Lamb.”[5]

All this time my husband, R.L., who is pastor of the church, and I knelt every night by our bedside and earnestly asked God to send the power of His Holy Spirit to our people.

Then it happened

Women had gathered for a retreat. It was 11:45 a.m. One of the speakers had just completed a beautiful message, mentioning our need to repent of unbelief. The leader led the group in a prayer of repentance over unbelief and invited the Holy Spirit to come. Then we waited.

Suddenly, like a soft summer breeze, the Holy Spirit came. He had been with us before, but not like this. We knew He dwelled in our hearts, but this was different. This was something more. It was power from on high. It was streams of divine glory. It was the breath of God blowing in gentle majesty into our midst. Every woman there knew she was standing in the holy presence of God.

Yet there was no emotionalism. There was no loud singing or clapping. We had simply repented, asked Him to come, and waited. In the holy stillness of complete silence He came. Each of us knew it was an awesome visitation from God.

Tears flowed. Hard hearts softened. Women who had longed to know God personally knew they had met Him face to face. Those who had yearned to be filled with the Holy Spirit were undeniably filled. Those with hidden sins were broken in deep, cleansing repentance. Guilt and sin melted away like morning dew in the rising sun, as hearts were cleansed and filled and set aflame for Jesus Christ.

One woman who had for years hidden the agony of two abortions, while under the Holy Spirit’s conviction, confessed her sin to one of the leaders. She cried tears of deep remorse as she repented before God and received His complete forgiveness. With her heart cleansed, she asked Jesus to fill her with His Holy Spirit—and He did, beautifully. Now everywhere she goes, people remark about what a radiant Christian she has become.

This was only a taste of a spiritual outpouring. We barely got our toes wet in the waters of revival. But it was a start, and we all knew we would never be the same.

Have we welcomed the Holy Spirit?

It all began as we invited the Holy Spirit to come. In the process we learned something vitally important about the Holy Spirit: He only comes when He is wanted. He is a Gentleman. He waits to be welcomed.

But have we truly made the Holy Spirit feel welcome in the United Methodist Church today? Have we invited Him into our church services, our Sunday school classes, our Bible studies? Or have we been afraid?

If so, have we grieved Him away with our fear?

If we have grieved Him from the church, then perhaps true repentance could be the gateway to a mighty outpouring of the Holy Spirit—a prelude to revival.

Interestingly, the Holy Spirit didn’t come to our women’s group until we sincerely repented of our unbelief, which is the real root of fear. Perhaps we need to humble ourselves at the foot of the Cross and tell God we are sorry. If we would deeply repent of our fear and unbelief and welcome Him back to our church, I believe He would come in a powerful new visitation.

Let’s give the United Methodist Church “back to God!”

In a time of thickening spiritual darkness in England, John Wesley lifted his voice and thundered: “Enemy beware! If I could find 30 men totally committed to Jesus Christ…I would give England back to God!”[6]

In a time of increasing darkness in Methodism today, can we not say the same: “Enemy beware!” We have many more than 30 men and women totally committed to Jesus Christ. Let’s return to our Wesleyan roots; let’s invite the Holy Spirit to come—and let’s give the Methodist Church “back to God!”

Sandi Kirk is a freelance writer from Lubbock, Texas.

[1] John Wesley, The Works of John Wesley (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1872), p. 160.

[2] Jonathan Edwards, “A Faithful Narrative of the Surprising Work of God in the Conversion of Many Hundreds of Souls…,” The Works of Jonathan Edwards (Edinburgh: Banner of Truth Trust, 1834), Vol. I, pp. 347-349.

[3] Robert G. Tuttle, John Wesley, His Life and Theology (Orlando, Florida: University of the Air, 1941), p. 214.

[4] Wesley, Works, p.170.

[5] Charles H. Spurgeon, “On the Cross After Death,” Spurgeon’s Expository Encyclopedia (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1988), Vol. Iv, p. 362.

[6] Tuttle, Wesley, p. 196.