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Preach in the Power of the Holy Spirit
After two or three weeks of the Lord's dealing with them, nearly all the children wanted to preach, even the younger ones. There was some real preaching in the power and demonstration of the Holy Spirit. Some of both the younger and older boys hardly seemed like our boys when they preached under the real unction of the Holy Spirit, not timidly and apologetically as before, but as having authority. Hell and heaven, the devil and his power, Christ, His blood, and His salvation, were no myths to these boys. They knew the Lord told them to preach, and they were given the message, "Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand." As we listened to some of these messages preached with great assurance, warning people to flee from the wrath to come and showing them the wonderful salvation in the love of Christ, our hearts rejoiced within us. When the Power of God was especially great in our midst there was some unusually miraculous preaching.
At the Chinese New Year, when the streets were filled with all classes of people out for a holiday, we Adullam people, having circulated thousands of tracts, formed a circle on the street to preach the gospel.
One of the older boys had prepared a sermon on a New Year theme. But when the preaching began, the power of God so fell that this boy suddenly began speaking in other tongues, while another person interpreted. One small boy after another preached as interpreter. As soon as the Lord was through with one interpreter he would step back and another feel the unction to preach. As soon as this one stepped into the circle he would get the interpretation. This went on for an hour or two while as many people listened as could get near enough to hear. There were some people of the type that seldom listen to the gospel who now listened most attentively as these boys spoke with an earnestness that must have seemed strange and unusual. As we came away from that service conducted by the Holy Spirit in such order and beauty, each preacher being of the Lord's appointment, each one speaking the message from Him under direct inspiration, we could but ponder in our hearts at these wonders of God. We seemed to see something of what the preaching of the church was in the beginning and what it seemed so clear the Lord wanted it to be in the end.
Not that preaching through other tongues and interpretation was in the beginning or subsequently to be the regular order of preaching, but, as I Cor. chapter 14 clearly shows, such preaching constitutes a part of the Lord's method of preaching the Gospel in the power and demonstration of the Holy Spirit.
In such preaching the mind of the speaker is entirely inactive, and before utterance he does not know what words the Spirit will speak through his lips. This is pure prophetic preaching.
In the preaching of the gospel to the nations of the earth and in the building up of believers in the church the mind of the speaker may be active and know, at least momentarily, before utterance what the Spirit will speak through him. The message may be an exposition of the Scriptures, as in the sermon by Stephen, or otherwise. Peter on various occasions "being filled with the Holy Spirit preached as the Spirit gave him utterance."
Although preaching the gospel under the direct unction of the Holy Spirit is not exactly pure prophecy, it is nevertheless, prophetic when definitely guided and directed by the Holy Spirit.
There were a few other instances of preaching with tongues and interpretation in some of the villages.
Conviction and Repentance
The Lord was the preacher on several occasions in our little street chapel. For two or three nights the youthful preachers, under the real unction of the Spirit, preached the most inspiring sermons I have ever heard from Chinese evangelists. It seemed as if those sermons would stir anyone to real repentance. God showed his love in still greater power a few nights later. When a boy in his teens was preaching with real power, his eyes suddenly closed and he began to prophesy like an Old Testament Prophet under direct inspiration of the Holy Spirit in pure prophecy. The manner of the preacher suddenly changed; the form of the Chinese sentences became rhythmic and perfect; the address changed to the first person, such as, "I am the Lord God Almighty, the one true God, who made all things, who now speaks to you through this boy." "Against me have you sinned." The penetrating words, the sense of having been ushered into the presence of God, I cannot describe. The seats of our little chapel were soon filled, while as many people as could see gathered about the door, listening in awe and wonder.
If there was the least commotion the Lord commanded order, speaking through that boy and saying, "Make no mistake in this matter. Listen carefully and understand. I the Lord God, have all the authority in heaven and on earth. To me every man and every demon must give account. I know all about every one of you. I know all your sins. I know how many hairs are on your head. There are fifty-six of you living in sin here tonight. Repent tonight, and I'll forgive you." For half an hour or more we verily were in the presence of a prophet, as the Lord in this way rebuked those people for idolatry, ungodliness, and all their vices, until there was no ground for hope left anywhere. Then, as in the case of the Old Testament prophets, God spake of the glories He had prepared for His people. Like a loving father he pleaded with them to repent that night. He spoke of the coming of distress upon the nations and of the destruction of this ungodly race in the day of God's wrath. All these things were repeated several times with exhortations to listen to every word as from a God who would hold every person present accountable for his own soul after that night.
When the prophecy was finished the boy sat down. There was not a move or a whisper. It seemed to me that every person must know that God was speaking. Nearly all present had come in while the boy's eyes were shut. When the Lord spoke saying there were fifty-six present bound by the devil and sin, one of the boys carefully counted those not of our own Christian boys. There were just fifty-six. [5]
Deliverance
A striking instance was that of a man from whom two demons were cast out. [6] The Lord had told the boys through prophecy and direct revelation, "Demons must obey me." They saw the Lord prove His word. Had we space to give details, we could prove beyond any other possible explanation that actual living demons were cast out of one devil-possessed man. It would take too long to give the history of this man. We had known him a number of years, and he has since been with us six months. In short, he had been, for many years, the victim of melancholy. Because he was so bound in chains of darkness that he was ready to take his own life we had kept him with us to prevent this. He was always sad. All effort to lead him to any knowledge of salvation through Christ was of no avail. His mind was blind to everything pertaining to the blood.
The Lord used three people in casting out the demons. One demon the size of a man had an awful, black appearance. Several children saw him come out. While being rebuked through the Lord's using one suddenly "filled with the Holy Spirit" for the particular occasion, the demons put up a final fight for the man of their possession. The man's hands clenched together; his eyes shut tight; his whole body became rigid and resisting.
Finally the Holy Spirit enlightened the man's heart; his body relaxed; his hands went up to God in praise.
Several children saw the demon after he came out, rushing about in great anger, seeking whom he might enter or tear. [7] All the children having rushed in from where they had just sat down to their meal, stood about with uplifted hands, thanking and praising Jesus. Among these the demon saw no opportunity, for they were all looking to Jesus whose blood covered them. The school teacher, who was not truly converted, also came in and was looking on in curiosity but was not praying. The angry demon, seeing his opportunity, seized this man and threw him to the floor with a thud. There the second demon sat upon him, so that the teacher could not rise. Several children saw this. Our gardener, who was some years ago miraculously delivered from opium, saw this too. He was suddenly filled with the Holy Spirit and cast the demon out of the room.
I saw only the two men, the one unbound and set free, the other suddenly fall beside him. I supposed the school teacher was prostrated by the Holy Spirit of God that was present in great power. I questioned him when he was able to arise as to why he wept and why he fell. He said, "I wept from sheer terror. Something awful happened. Everything became black; I saw myself about to go into a black pit at the base of a terrible mountain." When on the floor, he saw himself being bound by demon chains and about to be carried off into terrorizing darkness, but he was set free again.
The physical appearance of the man from whom demons were cast out changed at once. He testified that he had peace and joy in his heart. He was given a vision of heaven at the time he was delivered from demons. When he lay in bed in the evening thinking about the Lord he got so happy that he wondered if it was right for him to have such great joy.
References / Notes
"Now there were at Antioch in the church that was there PROPHETS and teachers." Acts 13:1.
"Knowing this first, that no prophecy of scripture is of private interpretation. For no PROPHECY ever came by the will of man: BUT MEN SPAKE FROM GOD, BEING MOVED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT." II Peter 1:21, 22.
"And these signs shall accompany them that believe. In my name shall they cast
out demons." Mark 16:17.
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"And these signs shall accompany them that believe. In my name shall they cast out demons." Mark 16:17. [ Back To Text ]