Archives at Zinester: [Morning by Morning] Romans 8: 16. Morning by Morning. Religion

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Good morning! We're dwelling on this great verse for several of our meditations, because it's so filled with hope. Here it is again:

16The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,

People really get this verse only during revivals, and as they do, that spreads the revival. I've tasted just a bit of it, and know from so many reports that I am to hope for much more. Lloyd-Jones recounts several people experiencing the witness of the Holy Spirit in their Spirit, and I want to pass some of these testimonies on to you, in the hope they will stir your heart, as they do mine, to ask for more of this in our day.

A loving Puritan man named Tom Goodwin wrote of this experience in the 17th century:

There is a light that cometh and overpowereth a man's soul and assureth him that God is his and he is God's, It is a light beyond the light of ordinary faith, . . .the next thing to heaven; you have no more, you can have no more, till you come thither. It is faith elevated up and raised over its ordinary rate, it is electing love of God brought home to the soul.

Sorta good, don't you think? here's another account, this one from the great George Whitfield in 1740

Mr. Gilbert Tennent preached first and I then began to pray, and gave an exhortation. In about six minutes one cried out, "He is come! He is come!" and could scarce sustain the manifestation of Jesus to his soul. The eager crying of others for the like favor obliged me to stop, and I prayed over them as I saw their agonies and distress increase. At length we sang a hymn and then reired to the house, where the man that received Christ continued praising and speaking of Him till near midnight. My own soul was so full that I reitred and wept before the Lord under a deep sense of my own vileness and the sovereignty and greatness of God's everlasting love. Most of the people spent the remainder of the night in prayer and praises. It wsas a night much to be remembered.

You see it can come in many ways. This time it was in a small prayer meeting. Sometimes the witness of the Spirit comes individually. Here is an account about Howell Harris, a Welshman who was active as a Methodist, in, I think, the late 18th and 19th century. He was converted in a church service and knew his sins were forgiven. Months later he stopped to pray in a church in Llangesty and while there alone the warmth of God's love for him overcame him. Here his heart was cleansed from all idols (think of what that must be like!) and he describes this:

Love fell in showers on my soul so that I could scarce contain and control myself. I knew no fear and had no doubt whatsoever as to my salvation.

This happened on June 18th, 1735. Eleven years later, working in London and participating in the great revival of those days, he wrote this in his journal:

London: a day to me memorable. This day eleven years ago I was sealed to the day of redemption.

Come Holy Spirit! Shower such a witness of love on us that we know and act in the warmth of your light. How weakly we minister without this! How powerfully God's glory will go forth with this! Come, Holy Spirit. Have at me.