Sometimes God Pays the Christian a Visit. Moses and Isaiah were Old Testament examples, but there are many more recent ones. Why does God do it? Well, the reasons vary and He is sovereign after all.
Years ago, when I was experiencing bouts of sadness and depression over various concerns, I’d occasionally feel a sudden comforting reassurance. I used to joke that it was God tapping me on the shoulder, gently reminding me that He was still there, caring for me and in full control. God still does that.
However, sometimes, when God pays Christians a special visit, it can be an overwhelming experience. In these cases, they may be forever changed. One of the most recent examples I know is Paul Washer who relates one of these visits towards the end of his testimony HERE. The video is somewhat garbled at that point, but you can follow the transcript. Was God preparing Washer for his future ministry? I think so.
In his book, Joy Unspeakable – Power & Renewal in the Holy Spirit, Martyn Lloyd-Jones relates many instances of God visiting on Christians. One of these was Puritan John Flavel. Here’s a glimpse of that account:
Thus going on his way his thoughts began to swell and rise higher and higher like the waters of Ezekiel’s vision, till at last they became an overwhelming flood. Such was the intention of his mind, such the ravishing tastes of heavenly joys, and such the full assurance of his interest therein, that he utterly lost all sight and sense of the world and all the concerns thereof, and for some hours he knew no more where he was than it had been in a deep sleep on his bed. Arriving in great exhaustion at a certain spring he sat down and washed, earnestly desiring that if it was God’s pleasure that this might be his parting place from this world. Death had the most amiable face in his eyes that he ever beheld, except the face of Jesus which made it so, and he does not remember though he believed he was dying, that he ever thought of his dear wife and children or any other earthly concernment. On reaching his Inn the influence still continued, banishing sleep, still the joy of the Lord overflowed him and he seemed to be an inhabitant of the Other World. He many years after called that day one of the days of heaven, and professed that he understood more of the life of heaven by it than by all the books he ever read.
This is a remarkable experience. Note that Flavel’s experience of God pushed away everything else he would normally be concerned about, or cared for. God was all to him at that point. Also, given Flavel’s scholarship and influence, his admission in that last sentence is extraordinary!
Compare John Flavel’s experience with Washer’s comments:
And all of a sudden I just cried out: “Father…please….” Now, some of you are going to disagree with me and I don’t care, but at that moment, God came into that place in such a way that I was thrown down to the ground and I lay there in a fetal position covering my head with my arms, thinking that I had somehow either blasphemed or He was sick and tired of what I was doing – I was so afraid, I lay there, I couldn’t control my body. I don’t know how long it went. I was convinced that there were firetrucks and police and everything outside of my apartment complex because there was probably some fire coming down from heaven. Then I don’t know after how many hours but I was filled with such joy. My mouth shot open, and it’s like Proverbs and Psalms came out, and no – don’t be afraid I didn’t speak in tongues. But for hours I just went to speaking great things about God, magnificent things about God.
Now, whatever you want to say, I can tell you, my preaching on the streets, everything changed. Do I still struggle with sin? Yes. Do I carry revival around in my pocket? Absolutely not. But the presence of the living God is more real to me in this building right now, than the presence of all of you put together. And the whole thing I was wanting to tell you is that our Lord God is more than a propositional truth.
In Iain Murray’s book (Pentecost – Today?), there are several more examples such as the two above. In each of these cases, when these people experienced a visit from God, the veil was partly peeled back and the concerns of this world fled away.
O’ to have an experience like that!
Not all of us are gifted with this special visit. Yet God is still on His throne and we must place our faith in Him – come what may. This is something I need to constantly remember.
The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs – heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. Rom 8:16-18
Maranatha!
Sharing is caring!
