I will never forget the time. It was spring break of 1987. I had never been to the southern part of the United States before. Many things were new to me then. Growing up in the Pacific Northwest with a mom and dad who defended the rights of all races of people, they would never tolerate sin. What a shocker it was to see so many things in the south. That day I left New Orleans and begin to cross Lake Pontchartrain bridge which is miles long over the gulf coast. Being from Oregon I was acquainted with heavy rain, but brother, nothing like this. O my, what a torrential downpour. I was real nervous as me and and another preacher friend were making or way to his house in Pascagoula, Mississippi to pray for his ailing grandfather. My friend pushed a cassette tape into the deck in his big huge Oldsmobile. As the winds blew a comfort swept over me as I heard preaching like I have never ever heard. Who was this man aflame with a message? When every word came out of the speakers it felt as if God himself was burning out dross from my spirit man. Peace was surrounding his voice. So much was happening so fast that the storm became the least of my concerns. The preacher? Dr Ray H Hughes.
I was only 17 years old fresh in Bible School and I had already travelled with some pretty "tall cotton" ministers of my time. I had smuggled Bibles to the under ground church. I had seen miracles and healings in abundance. I had ministered in song before a stadium of more than 50,000 at age 12. So much I had done for Jesus with my siblings and my mother. But I had never heard preaching quite like this.
Want to sample a bit of what I heard?
It was truly PENTECOSTAL FIRE. Oh, I wanted that in my life. I was so hungry and so desperate for something real. Years later a pentecostal pastor had me for revival near Ridgcrest, California. He told me before he went to heaven, "David, if you just burn with the fire of the Holy Ghost, people who are dry, will come from nearly everywhere to watch you burn."
I understood what he said. More than anything I ever needed in my ministry was pentecostal fire. Many people have felt what I felt but never had the wonderful experience stay with them. Why? Because prayer is what brings the fiery edge to your life. Sin makes one so dull. Sin ruins and destroys. My life had been so stained by the guilt and the shame, the fear and inferiority as a result of sin. But O the Glory of God. O the fire of the Holy Ghost. O, His Divine presence.
There are so many television preachers today that so many people are watching. These so called preachers are what my granny called "pulpiteers". These so called preachers today are simply put, "motivational gurus". They don't speak of sin. They never call down the fire of the Holy Ghost. They never tell their huge audiences that without accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and savior that Hell is hot. They never speak of the rapturous time of the catching away of the saints. As a result, the devil has become more embolden. Adultury is rampont on almost every tv channel. Homosexuality is patted on the head and tolerated. Lies flow freely from our halls of congress. You can't but help but feel depressed after 20 minutes watchiing the news. THE DAY WE LIVE IN IS WICKED AND THE PEOPLE ARE COVERED IN GROSS DARKNESS.
But wait a minute. While the preachers write their New York Times best sellers, and ignore their Bible, there is is remnant. While the pulpiteers sell their wares of green hankies and oil and water, and cannot understand the Bible therefore watering it down with modernization, there is a remnant.
While the crowds never take the time to stop and look for a presidential candidate who lifts up the name of Jesus, there is a remnant. This remnant looks small and it looks torn. This remnant looks like it might fall apart and has been used up. But just one moment. This remnant is the church of the Lord Jesus, strong in battle, built by the Lord Jesus himself. Built to withstand the gates of hell. Built to stand against the witches and new age philosophy. Built to stand against all the powers of hell itself.
There are intercessor throughout the earth who now their God and who know how to pray in the Holy Ghost. God is raising me up for this wicked and perverse generation. God is raising others up who will move in the power of the gospel, demonstrating the power of God with signs wonders and miracles following. O Hallelujah!
The dividing line is being drawn. Which side will you be on? The side of weak knee ed, soft, saints? Will you be on the side of the powerhouse ministry? Will you keep the faith and stand strong against the compromise of the Gospel. Choose you this day who you will serve. Stand up strong against the power of the age. Don't go with the flow, stand against the powerful tide and current of universalism and atheism which is in the land today. Make a stand and pray. Make a stand and preach the uncompromising Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. I guess you could say, "I'M ON FIRE"!
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