We were having the last prayer, and I was praying, somebody suddenly fell on his face before me, as though he had been bitten by a scorpion. Then one after another, people were seen falling to the ground crying out for mercy. I saw with my own eyes, people throwing dust into their faces, beating their chests, and pulling on their hair. After three hours of this, the elders came beseeching me to stop it. I said, “I didn’t start it… ask God to stop it”.
We saw hundreds come under conviction by the Spirit, confessing their sins and be saved. We would stay for three to five weeks in each place having cottage meetings, Bible studies, and going out in processions selling gospels. But when I would return to those places after a few months, I would find to my great disappointment that a very small number were really going on with the Lord-the majority of them had gone back. For some time I left others to carry on the work, even though people were sadly backsliding.
But God began to show me that as evangelists, we are not only responsible for their conversion, but also for their growth. Are they not our children, and if so, must we not be prepared to shepherd them? I had to acknowledge that I had failed them and that I was to blame. These people were truly born-again and naturally they would look to us for guidance. We were responsible to lead them on and bring them into maturity and into the plan of God. I saw this truth very clearly from Ephesians 4.11-14. According to this scripture, it is a duty of apostles, prophets, evangelists and teachers to see that new converts are properly cared for and brought into maturity.
Today’s calendar’s Bible verse:
“I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness”. Isaiah 41:10.
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