Oral Roberts passed away yesterday, and now He is in a better place. He was a man of God, a man of faith. He was used by God to bring healing to the sick. It was a different time then, than it is now. He operated and conducted services in a tent, no air conditioning. Before he began his healing ministry, he was healed of polio. You cannot minister to others in areas in which you have no knowledge, and he had "been there."
I never met the man, but I have seen his television shows. My father knew of his wife's father in North Carolina. If I recall correctly, he was an old bicycle preacher. For those who do not know, or have not heard, this meant basically that he ran the entire time he was preaching. These old preachers would preach and run around the building. It looked like they were riding a bicycle, so they were called bicycle preachers. It was a supernatural phenomenon, no man could do this is his own strength. It was the spirit of Elijah, the same spirit that gave Elijah the strength and power to outrun the Kings chariots.
Oral Roberts used a term called "Seed Faith." By Faith you would sow a seed, and you would believe God for the miracle. He started his show saying "Something good is going to happen to you today!" Faith is expectant. Faith believes all things, hopes all things, trusts all things, endures all things - for the glory of the Father. The love of God knows no boundaries, it is limitless! God is faithful!
Why was this man influential in my life? Why do I write about him now? All I can tell you is "I don't know." Sometimes there is a spirit connection that goes beyond the natural physical plane that we walk on in this earth. Sometimes the words of a man can be deposited deep within you, the words of God pours forth from his lips, and in God's timing HE brings them forth. That is seed faith! Sometimes it lies dormant within an individual for years, but God is never late. At just the right time, at just the right moment, God brings it forth. Some people call it a divine delay. Regardless of what it is called, if something is hidden deep in the recesses of your heart, God knows how to bring them forth. He knows when, He knows how, and He knows where to release them.
What have you gone through in this life, that will give you a "Ministry?" It is usually the thing that makes you the maddest. It is the thing that makes you "incensed with fire" and brings out all of your passion. Sometimes, it can be more than one thing, but usually it is one thing. If you know nothing of rape, you cannot truly understand a woman who has "been there." If you have never lost a child in death, you cannot relate to one who has "been there." God allows us to go through things so that we may have the fire to pursue it to the end. One of God's names is Jehovah Shammah - The Lord is there -- He's been there! Before all things were, there was God. Nothing surprises Him.
Oral Roberts was not a perfect man, but he was a man of God and called by God. We can all find fault. It is easy to judge when one sits on the sidelines, but when you are in the game it is entirely different. The people who would criticize Oral Roberts do not have a clue. I salute Oral Roberts and his accomplishments, but all the glory, honor, and praise go to Jesus. Yet, at the same time, we are the hands and feet of God at His footstool. We are the lips of God. "Who will hear unless there is a preacher?" Oral Roberts was a preacher and I believe he was a good one. He carried with him a spirit of excellence. I pray that there will be a healing in the church at this hour of his departure. There will be a release in the spirit, and I pray that I will receive from the Lord and from his (Oral Roberts') spirit. May the parabolic blessing of the Lord shine forth in this hour! "Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven." Let the radiance of Thy presence come as a typhoon of the spirit, in waves, in multiplied waves of refreshing. "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints." Oral Roberts was a Saint!
No comments:
Post a Comment