John 7:37, 38
37
On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out,
saying, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.
38He who
believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living
water."
Today's sermon was a summary of God's working at the beginning of
the revival, 1966. (Please find the full story here, or as a pdf (English,
or German)
These verses troubled me in 1966 at Maphumulo. I did believe in
Jesus, but saw no rivers of Living waters flowing out of my life. I cried to God, that for
12 years I've been preaching day by day, and yet there are no rivers of Living waters
flowing out of my life. That Sunday I asked the congregation who of them believed on the
Lord Jesus. All answered in the affirmative. Then I read this verse to them and made my
concern clear to them. Why are there no rivers of Living water flowing out of our lives?
As we studied this verse, it became clear that we must 'believe as the Scriptures
declare'.
From then on we studied the Bible to see where our fault lies. On
a certain Saturday we had our meeting earlier than usual. Across the road from us were
gathered together the magistrate, assistant magistrate, the head of the local police and
others playing tennis, who knew me well. The assistant magistrate was an atheist. They did
not like me and blamed the missionaries for the troubles in the country.
We used to cry to the Lord as we sought His face. I was ashamed of
being heard and seen together with these black people, so I closed the windows. As I did
it, I heard God's voice clearly, 'That is fine if you want to close the windows. Then you
can carry on inside and I will remain outside'. I did not need an interpreter to
understand what God was saying to me. It was not the glass that kept Him outside, but the
pride of my heart. As I turned to start the service, I saw written in big letters in front
of me, 'God resists the proud'. That shook me. All these years I thought that Satan was
resisting me, but now I saw that God Himself was resisting me. There and then my heart
broke and I cried to God for forgiveness and deliverance from this pride.
At another time I came from work to the service and still wanted
to change, when I felt the urge to enter as I was and take the service. Immediately I had
a struggle and started to think what the people would think of me. Then I heard Paul's
words, 'If I yet want to please men, I am not a servant of Christ'. I remembered Elijah
who stood before his earthly king and said, 'God, before whom I stand'. He saw God, even
when standing before his king. Then I saw myself as if I entered into a Hindu temple, and
went to each idol, bowed and worshipped. My heart broke and once again I cried for
forgiveness to God from my sin.
After God dealt with me, then He could work and send revival. May
each of us test ourselves to see whether we believe as the scripture says.
(continued, 14 March, here)
