Where Is The Power Of God?
Evan Roberts was a 25 year old man living in Wales at the turn of the 20th century. His homeland of Wales was known as the land of revival. God had graciously visited Wales in revival many times. He had heard how powerfully God had moved in his country in the previous generation. But as he looked around him and saw how little an impact the churches were having on his nation he asked, “Where is the power of God? Why is there no power?” It was these questions that motivated him to begin seeking God for His power. In October 1904 a revival began in his home church that swept across Wales . By 1906 over 150,000 people had been saved and added to the churches. The entire moral climate of the society was drastically changed The Welsh revival of 1904-06 is one of the greatest moves of God in church history.
Could God do it again? Is it possible for us to see a mighty move of God’s Spirit in revival resulting in multitudes of people coming to Christ? We serve the same God Evan Roberts served. Yes, we can see revival today in our lives, our churches, our communities and our nation. The first step to seeing such a move of God is when concerned believers start asking the same question Evan Roberts asked. “Where is the power of God?”
The only history book we have in the New Testament of the early church is the book of Acts. The record God put there for us is not a record of what the church was to be for the time of the apostles only but rather a record of what the church is to be for all time until Jesus returns. When you read the book of Acts you cannot help but notice the frequency of God’s power being manifested. The power of God was everywhere! I’m convinced that God wants our churches today to see the manifestations of His power just as it was manifested in the early church. If we are not seeing such power, and we are not, then it should cause us to ask, “Where is the power of God?”
One of the great problems in the modern evangelical church is our fear of the supernatural. We have convinced ourselves that decorum is sacred and is not to be interrupted by...anything! We are so afraid of wild fire that we do not seek Holy Spirit fire! History shows that many who prayed for revival rejected it when it came. Why? It wasn’t what they thought it would be. It wasn’t what they thought it should be. The result of such fear is churches that are missing the presence and power of God. We’ve been so long without God’s manifest power that we have gotten used to not having it. We’ve begun to trust in other things like our ability to form good programs and use creative marketing plans. The sad truth is that the Holy Spirit could leave the average church and things would continue on the same. Where is the power of God?
We will never have God’s presence and power among us apart from prayer that flows from humility and brokenness. I still believe 2 Chronicles 7:14 is just as valid today as it was when God spoke it to Solomon. The question is, how many followers of Jesus Christ are believing what it promises and doing what it sets forth?
“If My people, who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”
Only the Holy Spirit can wake us out of our spiritual sleep. Only the Spirit of God can diffuse the spiritual fog the church is engulfed in. Only the light and truth of God can lead us to where He is. God is shaking...stirring...speaking to His people and there are signs that many are beginning to wake up! We need more Christians to join the awakened and begin asking the all important question. “Where is the power of God?”
Pastor Dan
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