When the Spirit Comes

‘Humble yourselves, therefore under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.” 
1 Peter 5:6

Duncan Campbell so used of God in the Hebrides revival wrote these words.
Here he is describing something that became common place.

‘I have seen this happen over and over again during the recent movement in the Western Isles. Suddenly an awareness of God would take hold of a community, and, under the pressure of this divine presence, men and women would fall prostrate on the ground, while their cry of distress was made the means in God’s hand, to awaken the indifferent who had sat unmoved for years under the preaching of the gospel...I have known men out in the fields, others at their weaving looms, so overcome by this sense of God that they were found prostrate on the ground….. Physical manifestations and prostrations have been a further feature. I find it somewhat difficult to explain this aspect, indeed I cannot; but this I will say, that the person who would associate this with satanic influence is coming perilously near committing the unpardonable sin. Lady Huntingdon on one occasion wrote to George Whitefield respecting cases of crying out and falling down in meetings, and advised him not to remove them from the meetings, as had been done. When this was done it seemed to bring a dampener on the meeting. She said, ‘You are making a great mistake. Don’t be wiser than God. Let them cry out; it will do a great deal more good than your preaching.’ 

Duncan Campbell, The Lewis Awakening, 1949-1953

ASK:
Spirit of the living God fall afresh on me – Break me, melt me, mould me, fill me. Spirit of the living God fall afresh on me.
This ask has a health warning!

Graham Stevens

Graham has been a church leader and pastor for over 40 years. He has served in both Baptist and evangelical churches and is now enjoying retirement where he is exploring art and going on pilgrimages. Married to Pauline he has two adult children and three grandchildren.