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NO HOCUS-POCUS
by David Wilkerson
There is no better example of Godīs moving mightily in a city than
the account told in Acts 11:20-21: "Men from Cyprus and Cyrene
went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks... telling them the
good news about the Lord Jesus. The Lordīs hand was with them,
and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord."
Such a harvest occurred that Barnabas was dispatched from
Jerusalem to check things out. "When he arrived and saw the
evidence of the grace of God, he was glad.... And a great number
of people were brought to the Lord" (verses 23-24).
Who were these men who launched such a mighty church that
it eventually surpassed the mother church in Jerusalem? We
donīt know their names. We donīt know their methodology. But
we do know a couple of things: They spread "the good news
about the Lord Jesus," and "The Lordīs hand was with them"
(verses 20-21).
This turned out to be the first truly multicultural church, with
multicultural leaders, according to Acts 13:1-Simon the Black,
some Jewish leaders, some Greeks, Manaen, the boyhood
friend of Herod (which would have made him suspect to everyone!),
and others. Yet they worked together in a powerful model of
cross-cultural unity.
The Jewish-Gentile hatred of the first century was even greater
than our racial strife of today. God met this problem head-on,
for He was building His church His way.
Racial feelings in New York City are worse now than they were
ten years ago. A harsh spirit prevails in many churches. We
desperately need the love of God to override theses tensions,
as it did in Antioch long ago.
No novel teaching is going to turn the trick. There are no trendy
shortcuts, no hocus-pocus mantras that can defeat Satan. One
man told me, "You know, you ought to think about getting a
topographical map of Brooklyn so you could figure out the
highest point in the borough. Then you could go there and pray
against the territorial spirits."
Others are saying, "The key to releasing Godīs power is to
sing through the streets of your city. Put on a march, make
banners, and declare Godīs sovereignty in a big parade." Still
others say, "Rebuke the devil, face the north, and stamp your
feet when you do it. That will bring victory."
Letīs forget the novelties. If we prevail in prayer, God will do
what only He can do. How He does things, when He does
them, and in what manner are up to Him. The name of Jesus,
the power of His blood, and the prayer of faith have not lost
their power.
-David Wilkerson.
by David Wilkerson
There is no better example of Godīs moving mightily in a city than
the account told in Acts 11:20-21: "Men from Cyprus and Cyrene
went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks... telling them the
good news about the Lord Jesus. The Lordīs hand was with them,
and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord."
Such a harvest occurred that Barnabas was dispatched from
Jerusalem to check things out. "When he arrived and saw the
evidence of the grace of God, he was glad.... And a great number
of people were brought to the Lord" (verses 23-24).
Who were these men who launched such a mighty church that
it eventually surpassed the mother church in Jerusalem? We
donīt know their names. We donīt know their methodology. But
we do know a couple of things: They spread "the good news
about the Lord Jesus," and "The Lordīs hand was with them"
(verses 20-21).
This turned out to be the first truly multicultural church, with
multicultural leaders, according to Acts 13:1-Simon the Black,
some Jewish leaders, some Greeks, Manaen, the boyhood
friend of Herod (which would have made him suspect to everyone!),
and others. Yet they worked together in a powerful model of
cross-cultural unity.
The Jewish-Gentile hatred of the first century was even greater
than our racial strife of today. God met this problem head-on,
for He was building His church His way.
Racial feelings in New York City are worse now than they were
ten years ago. A harsh spirit prevails in many churches. We
desperately need the love of God to override theses tensions,
as it did in Antioch long ago.
No novel teaching is going to turn the trick. There are no trendy
shortcuts, no hocus-pocus mantras that can defeat Satan. One
man told me, "You know, you ought to think about getting a
topographical map of Brooklyn so you could figure out the
highest point in the borough. Then you could go there and pray
against the territorial spirits."
Others are saying, "The key to releasing Godīs power is to
sing through the streets of your city. Put on a march, make
banners, and declare Godīs sovereignty in a big parade." Still
others say, "Rebuke the devil, face the north, and stamp your
feet when you do it. That will bring victory."
Letīs forget the novelties. If we prevail in prayer, God will do
what only He can do. How He does things, when He does
them, and in what manner are up to Him. The name of Jesus,
the power of His blood, and the prayer of faith have not lost
their power.
-David Wilkerson.
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