A Short Testimony of the Power and Presence of God
Still working on the wrath of God post. Here is a true story of what God did today to demonstrate His power and presence.
Every Friday night at 6:30 PM we have a time of worship and prayer at my church. It is called Awake. I had decided during the week that I would attend tonight. But my schedule on Friday got scrambled and I found myself on the phone with a brother in Houston at 6:15 PM, when Judy called to ask me if I was going to church. “Oh, yeah. I forgot”, I said and wrapped up the phone call — we were almost finished. Then I ate dinner and got to church at about 6:50 PM.
Worship was underway. Walking in, I heard a woman singing “Holy, Holy, Holy”, sitting behind the piano. She was so short the top of her head was barely visible. Her voice was soft and high — I could hardly hear her. I thought “who is this person?” I didn’t recognize her as one of the normal worship leaders. As I worshiped, I asked God to release His power over us. And He did.
Turns out she was visiting from another city on the East Coast where she is temporarily living with her husband on a work visa. She is from a country in the Near East. She came to share her testimony about how she became a Christian, the persecution she endured, and how through her persistence and the grace of God her family also came to know Christ. It was a powerful and moving testimony.
There were 10 of us there to hear her. That was unfortunate. But the power of God fell on that place. I felt God say that from these types of small assemblies He can transform the world.
After her testimony, we prayed for her. God moved among us. There were many powerful prayers, tears, and a strong sense of His presence. Then I felt God call me to read a verse from Jeremiah, one that I had been reading and sharing with others for several weeks. It was Jeremiah 15: 19 – 21. God spoke to me and told me it was for our visitor but also a word for the Church in America. It begins with “If you repent, I will restore you that you may serve me; if you utter worthy, not worthless words, you will be my spokesman”. This translation is from the 1984 NIV.
As I was reading, our speaker was looking down at my bible, which was opened in front of her, to see where the verses were from. When I finished reading, explaining that God called me to read these verses for her but also for the Church, she said: “As I was flying down here, God showed me the same exact verses in my bible. Exactly the same. I didn’t know what they meant, but I do now.”
It is not a well-known verse. In fact, I would say it is rather obscure. So, I showed up at a prayer meeting, not knowing why I was going, and almost missing it. I met a woman I had no idea would be there. I was prompted by the Lord to read that verse, not having any idea why. And God had given her the same verse on the plane and impressed it on her heart.
She was amazed. I was amazed. We were all amazed. And that little group of believers who gathered on Friday evening to worship found themselves in the presence of Jesus, confirmed not just by our feelings, but by a real, not-to-be-denied miracle. God showed up in our midst and spoke to us — really, demonstrated to us: “Fear not, I am with you”.
A small thing? Not really! God is on the move around the world today in power. I believe that miracles like these are happening everywhere. People are entering the Kingdom of God through these types of miracles, through dreams, visions, and testimonies like the one I heard tonight. If we listen closely to His voice — especially this one “this is the way, walk in it” — we too, His Kingdom people, can experience the presence and power of God. He calls His believers “oaks of righteousness, a planting for the display of His glory“. For our encouragement, but ultimately for His glory. Tonight, among a small group of believers, God’s glory broke out and we were amazed and humbled. The invisible became visible. He is with us. What do we have to fear?
Let’s just be sure that we are with Him.
Blessings,
John