“The reason the world is not seeing Jesus is because people are not filled with Jesus.” – Smith Wigglesworth. Although he made that statement 90 years ago, it is the same reason the world is not seeing Jesus today. He was a man filled with Jesus and his life’s mission was to fill others with Jesus. Before he could accomplish such though, he had to get the devil out of them! So trapped by the devil were many, they were one step away from death. Some of them did die, but because he was filled with Jesus he was able to bring them back to life again. Wigglesworth knew it is appointed for man to die once….. Hebrews 9:27, but he also knew it was not their appointed time.
Wigglesworth did not accept the common acceptance that the power gifts of God the Holy Spirit ceased to operate with the completion of the New Testament. He believed no time limits were placed upon, Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons Matthew 10:8 and other like Scriptures. He believed every word of the Bible to be timeless, from the opening verse of Genesis to the closing verse of Revelation. To him, All Scripture is given by inspiration of God 2 Timothy 3:16, meant exactly that – All Scripture. And by the time he finished preaching the word to the people of his day, they believed it too! There were others like him, of course, before and after, but they were and are few and far between.
Important Note: This post is not an attack on Christians who believe the power gifts of the Holy Spirit did cease with the completion of the New Testament. Neither am I suggesting for one moment that the devil is anywhere near them, let alone in them. Holy Christians, filled with Jesus, give good arguments from Scripture as to why they believe the power gifts have ceased. Based on my own salvation and healing experiences, however, I respectfully do not agree with their teaching. To agree would mean I would have to be open to the possibility that it was the “ministry” of the devil I experienced. That would not only be wrong, but it would also devalue the Lord Jesus in every way. Besides, it was the devil who got thrown out that evening!
Why do Christians filled with Jesus disagree with each other here? I don’t know, but it is one way of demonstrating that we are to still care for one another, that there should be no schism in the body 1 Corinthians 12:25. Too, no schism is the grand way of ensuring that the world sees Jesus, in spite of our differences. It is a grand way of demonstrating the truth, Though I speak with the tongues …., but have not love, ….though I have the gift of prophecy …..and though I have all faith ….but have not love …..though I give by body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing 1 Corinthians 13:1-3. The world hasn’t got any love; it’s crying out for an authentic demonstration of love.
Certainly the world sees some here and there filled with Jesus, but that’s the extent of it. Too often, when the world’s people look at Christians they see them the same as themselves – same pleasures, same pressures, same worries, same fears. If sickness comes, rather than seek God first, they seek the same doctors, same pharmacists, pop the same pills for the same reliefs and the same cures! Where’s this Jesus you brag about in your churches? they ask themselves. They don’t see Jesus, they see religious people and they say to themselves, “No thanks, not for me!” And we wonder why. The late David Wilkerson said of such people, “There’s nothing more pathetic than the flesh trying to be holy.”
Christians not filled with Jesus do not, Walk (live) in the (Holy) Spirit Galatians 5:16. They try their uttermost best to do so in the church gathering, but away from that environment the works of the flesh can be guaranteed in some way to declare their hand, especially, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions and dissensions Galatians 5:20. With such people, the common mantra, “Christians are not perfect, just forgiven,” can also be guaranteed to come gushing forth from someone – a very religious someone too, at that point! Wigglesworth despised the works of the flesh rising up in Christians. He rightly saw these as the works of the devil, the same works Jesus came to destroy 1 John 3:8.
Wigglesworth was not judgmental or self-righteous, but because such works, if not seen for what they are, will sooner or later put Christians in sick beds. The works of the flesh are sin and the wages of sin is death Romans 6:23. Sickness and disease are part of the wages. This doesn’t apply to all sickness and disease, because not all of it is as a result of sin. But regardless, sickness and disease, that’s what he went after. His life’s desire was to see God’s people set free, walking in wholeness, walking in the light of the Lord with great liberty, walking in righteousness, holiness and victory, because firstly, there’s no other way for a Christian to be filled with Jesus, and secondly, there’s no other way for the world to see Jesus.
As in other nations, here in Australia, we have an “epidemic” of wife-bashers – wives, de factos and girlfriends being maimed and murdered. Other than creating more laws, the police, the State and Federal Governments don’t know how to deal with it. Protest placard-carrying marches “Stop domestic violence” “No More” “No more violence against women” are not solving the problem. And no wonder, these men are devil-possessed. No policeman, judge or politician has jurisdiction over the devil, that’s the domain of Christians, filled with Jesus. Because of who we are in Jesus and who He is in us we are the only people qualified to deal with it. That is why it is important that once we get the devil out of us, we allow no room for him to get back in Ephesians 4:27.
All violent people are devil-possessed and they’re everywhere among us today. Rapists, terrorists, drug addicts – one never knows when he or she might come across one and have to take authority over the spirit driving him – murder, violence, rape, terror. God has given us the power to deal with them; we’d better know how to deal with them! The word of God, the name of Jesus and the blood of Jesus are our weapons. Satan bows to those where he bows to nothing else! If the person possessed by the devil gets released from him and turns to Jesus, as did the devil-possessed man in the country of the Gadarenes Mark 5:1-20, then all glory to God. But if not, at least he will turn and run; that’s the nature of cowards.
The world desperately needs to see Jesus, the healer. Again, that’s where Christians filled with Jesus come into their own. There are plenty of “faith-healers” and other charlatans out there, but where are God’s people? I know where some of them are; they’re on their knees in prayer waiting for their leaders to teach and encourage them how to do it. If that’s you, the chances are you’ll be waiting a long time. Quit waiting, just go and do it. Whether the sickness is spiritual, mental or physical, anoint the sick one on the forehead with oil; tell him/her it is symbolic of the Holy Spirit, lay your hands on and proclaim healing in the name of Jesus. Devils are certain to be there somewhere too, so cast them out while you’re at it!
Don’t look for instant healing – God may do it instantly or He may not. Divine healing doesn’t always mean miraculous healing. Satan would love to have us sight-focused; Jesus wants us faith-focused! For we walk by faith, not by sight 2 Corinthians 5:7. Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen Hebrews 11:1. Satan will tell you you don’t have that kind of faith. Well firstly, he’s a liar and secondly, whatever faith we need for this work we receive from Jesus in any case. If there is a delay in healing, use the opportunity to encourage the sick person to get closer to the Lord through daily prayer and the reading of Scripture, so that they too can get filled with Jesus.
It doesn’t believe it but the world desperately needs to see Jesus, the Redeemer. And God’s preferred way of showing Him as such is through the personal testimonies of those redeemed. Only Christians filled with Jesus are willing to stand and testify. The more there are the greater the witness to the world. Time is running out, however. This may be the generation to witness the return of Jesus, the Judge. What a dreadful day that will be for the unredeemed; a day of shock, horror and shame. The gospel of redemption must be proclaimed while the grace of God still exists. The good news: Perhaps someone reading this post was once filled with Jesus but the church frowned upon you. Go from that church; ask Jesus to fill you again and lay hold of this: You have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things 1 John 2:20.