Pentecost was the inaugural day of a new dispensation. In heaven, the
session and assize of the Redeemer had begun, and on earth, the Spirit
had come to reside in the Church as Vice-regent of the Lord Jesus, and
as the Plenipotentiary of God. The gift of the Spirit was the proof of
the enthronement of the mighty Mediator; it signalized His coronation
day. "Therefore, being by the right hand of God exalted, and having
received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, He hath poured
forth this, which ye now see and hear" (Acts 2:33).
The clarion call comes to us from Isaiah's prophesy: "Awake, awake; put
on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem,
the holy city:…shake thyself from the dust; arise, sit down, O
Jerusalem; loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter
of Zion." The Church is like a great giant sleeping. She is like Jonah
asleep in the storm. She is like the disciples asleep in Gethsemene.
It's always difficult to define that which is vital. It's easier to
define a corpse than to define a baby. "There's a relative finality
about a corpse, but there's an immeasurable potentiality about a baby."
It's not easy to define the true spiritual condition of the Lord's
people in every part of the world. There are many encouraging signs;
yet no leader would disagree with me when I say that we're not living
the robust, radiant, powerful life of dynamic Christianity.
If it be asked why the fire of God fell on Wales, the answer is simple: fire falls where it's likely to catch and spread. As one has said, "Wales
provided the necessary tinder." Here were thousands of believers
unknown to each other, in small towns and villages and great cities,
crying to God day after day for the fire of God to fall. This wasn't
merely a "little talk with Jesus," but daily agonizing intercession.
They had also placed the wood upon the altar and fully surrendered to
the claims of their Redeemer. They had a holy jealousy for the name of
their God and wept sorely because of the fact that Satan was being
glorified all around them. They constantly reminded God of what He had
done in the past - in 1859. "Oh, Lord, Thou are the same," they cried,
"and Thou canst do it again - even in this industrious, luxurious age."
