Asking God to search our hearts and reveal any personal hindrances.
There is but one word that can express our experiences during these days, and that is “wonderful!” What has happened? Nothing more than God has promised from the beginning—when the Holy Spirit is poured out, He will convict the world of sin. The church in Changte has been baptized by the Holy Spirit and cleansed.
Mr. Goforth’s addresses were earnest Gospel talks, straight home to the heart. On Monday morning, his text was from Revelation 3:15, “I know thy works that thou art neither cold nor hot.” . . . An opportunity was then given for prayer, and thereupon ensued such a scene as never before had I seen, nor again do I expect to see. A man started to pray, but had not said more than half a dozen words when another, then another joined in, and in a moment the whole company was crying aloud to God. Oh, the intensity of feeling, all the pent up emotions of a lifetime seemed to be poured forth at that time! All the sin of the past was staring them in the face, and they were crying in anguish to God for mercy.
Nothing in my mind can more fitly describe the scene than to compare it to the suddenness and violence of a thunderstorm. It starts with the patter of a few heavy drops, then comes the downpour. While it lasts, how terrible it is! So it was here with this storm of prayer. It started with the one or two. Then came the burst from many hearts. There was no restraining it, and no at-tempt to do so.
Some were praying for help to confess their sins, and to allow nothing to be unconfessed. Some could only sob, “Oh God, forgive me! Oh God, forgive me!” Some were imploring the Holy Spirit not to leave them.
As the days passed, there was added confidence in tone, due to the increasing knowledge of the power of prayer. As men and women came under the power of the Spirit, confessed their sins, and received new sense of pardon, peace, and power, their desire to see others receive a similar blessing was especially manifested in their recourse to prayer, and their entire reliance on the Holy Spirit to confer that blessing.
Sometimes one who had wandered far away from God came back to Him publicly, confessing his sin, and asking for the prayers of the people. At once, as if with one heart and voice, all would respond. Again, the cry of a son or daughter for a father or mother’s salvation, the appeal of an anxious one for prayers for relatives, . . . each brought its response in a volume of prayer by the congregation.
Looking back on that time now and recalling the great number of definite petitions presented and definite answers already received, one cannot but praise God for all His goodness and all His wonderful works to the children of men. Oh, the glory of it! We saw one after another of those we had been praying for going forward . . .
See how many times this week you can ask yourself, “What would Jesus do?” about:
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