English version of a 1997 sermon of pastor
T. J.de Ruiter to the people of God in Holland and on the whole planet
Isaiah 59:19 (NIV), "From the
west, men will fear the Name of the LORD, and from the rising of the sun,
they will revere his glory. For he will come like a pent-up flood that
the breath of the Lord drives along."
Introduction
This Bibleverse speaks to us of a worldwide, gigantic and powerful moving of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of JAHWEH. It is not so strange that Isaiah, the Jewish prophet, had a vision for a worldwide blessing, for the calling of Abraham the father of his nation, was indeed to become a blessing from JAHWEH for the whole world; Genesis 12:3.
The illustrations applied to Gods work
The illustrations used here in the text in Isaiah to describe a worldwide moving of God's Spirit upon people on the face of the earth are those of a mighty flood or river, and a storm, the 'Breath of the Lord'. These two forces of nature, represent together a powerful moving of God. The first thing I want to emphasize is that when these two natural forces, work together the results can be totally unpredictable and beyond any human control . Recent dangerous situations in The Netherlands have made us that very clear again.
We here in The Netherlands, had the idea -and we still have it- that we have our rivers, the mighty Rhine, for instance, completely under control. We laugh at the Rhine arrogantly: " Ha, Ha, you mighty Rhine, we have tamed you, we have bound you between our dykes. You flow only where we want you to flow. We have put dams and other flow-regulating devices in your bed, you can only flow as we allow you." Friends, listen, two winters with very dangerous floodings have shown that the Rhine can still show its power! But we here in The Netherlands, will not give up. We make new, ambitious plans and we say: "You, naughty Rhine, did you really think that you can endanger us again in the future? We teach you a lesson. We will make our dykes higher and stronger. Rhine, listen, you will never, never, never, never be able to flood us again!" You know, if I was 'mother Rhine' I would say, "wait you arrogant people in that small country, I will teach you that I, old Rhine, am alive and strong!" But, of course, friends there is no 'mother Rhine' or 'mother nature'! But, listen, THERE IS A GOD IN HEAVEN!
I do observe that we treat God's Spirit, the Almighty God, with His great powers, in the same way, we treat the rivers! For many have the idea about God's Spirit that He is confined to work in our churches and within our programs. If He wants to do something, He has to do that within one hour or so, as coffee and friends are waiting and other nice things we have planned. He has to work through a carefully worked out sermon and through even carefully chosen hymns, and He is not allowed to do anything that we emotionally upset people.... The Holy Spirit must not disrupt the meeting for the pastor knows what he is doing. We don't want people to start crying for mercy or because of contrition. We don't want any shouting out of pure joy. We don't want people to shake because of some emotional situation. We don't want people to fall when they are prayed for. We certainly don't want any laughter in the service, if you want to laugh do it at home before your TV. But, friends, in any move of God that brought revival there were emotional and strange scenes. It is clear from the Bible and from revival history, when God's Spirit comes with power, there will be emotional scenes, for people will feel the anguish of conviction of sin, they may even feel the future horrors of hell. Then, they may feel the wonderful sensation of being forgiven and of being cleansed from the filth of sin. Then, too, they may feel the abundance of joy to be saved. Yes, something will be happening. Then when Gods Spirit as it were breathes upon them, they may fall to the ground or shake and look and sound like being drunk...... Now, friends, listen! Stop all these manifestations -and others- and you may run the danger of stopping the Holy Spirit's dealings in people. If a child is weeping for a serious reason and you stop it, you may cause psychological damage that will hinder the person for the rest of his life. Stop a child laughing when it has a reason to laugh and again you might damage the tender heart and the developing emotional life. I tell you: When Gods Spirit is working in and on people and brings conviction of sin, gives a sense of eternal damnation and then administers faith in divine forgiveness and sets free from hurts and pains, or delivers from demonic oppression, and we restrict people in expressing what they feel or sense, then we are hindering Gods Spirit in what He wants to accomplish in those people. This is, according to my present understanding, a very important spiritual principle to consider. It is time that we rethink our whole view on what a christian gathering is, what God's Spirit is trying to in such gatherings sometimes, and how we should give Him freedom to do what he wants to do; how we should or could behave in it and what should or could be happening in it. I think that Jesus doesn't care for our formalities, He does care for people with their infirmities. I think that Jesus does not so much care for the order of our service as for the release of His Spirit's power in the service.
Back to the scripture. It is the 'Breath of the Lord' that will drive this river on and on and on. The word in Hebrew translated as 'breath' is, of course 'RUACH', air, wind, breath. From the beginning of time man has recognised the mysterious presence and movings of the Creator-God. They saw His influences, the results of His powers. They felt His unseen presence with them and worshipped Him. Sometimes He came gentle and sometimes with impressive forcefulness. So it is not surprising that God's Spirit is described as a breath, wind or storm. In our text God's Spirit comes with great power and drives the river on. We have heard this year of hurricanes that lifted roofs from houses, lifted cars, some new, and threw them down, not nicely and softly, but with brutal force. There you are, your new car, total loss! Some people were caught in the storm and turned around with enormous speed, till they did not know where they were.
Reading Acts 2:2....
I think that many have not read Acts chapter two too well, even many pentecostal people! It says that there came a sound as of a mighy rushing wind. The NIV translation of Acts 2:2, "Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven..." Some may want and need a 'gentle breeze', but, friends, believe me please, in these days of increasing sin our nations need, we need, a mighty, violent storm that will drive on the river of God, so that powers of uncleanness, wickedness, human pride, self-exaltation against God will be broken and washed away, that moral codes of holiness will be exalted and faith in the atonement of Jesus Christ will cleanse from guilt. Of course, the wind represents the invisible presence and workings of God above us. The river is the visible and tangible workings of God with us.
A prophecy for Holland
Listen, people of Holland! I do not predict or prophesy a dyke-break and flooding of the Rhine, but I do prophesy a flooding of the Spirit of the Lord! This will be a flood, that will not bring destruction or decay and death, but it will bring freedom, healing, joy, life! For He will come like a mighty river! Hallelujah! And.... when the Spirit of the Lord comes as a violent wind and a mighty river, don't stop Him this time!
No earthly force, but the power of the Spirit of God!
The prophet Isaiah foresaw a worldwide powerful and effective move of God and His Spirit so that Gods name would be honored and praised from east to west and from south to north. It is the preaching of the Gospel that will bring about the praises of God out of the hearts of saved, set free and sanctified men and women, boys and girls. This preaching and ministry is not be enforced upon people with earthly, worldly power -it must be deeply regretted that the church has tried to convert people with brutal force and with physical threats, if the message was not believed and obeyed. The use of earthly force by spreading the faith has been one of the biggest and most tragic mistakes of the Church, let's repent of that in this time of renewal and let's see to it that it will not happen in our day and age! Yes, the power, which Isaiah referred to that will bring about a worldwide praise-chorus to the living Creator, is the peaceful, joyful love-message of the Gospel-proclamation. Which is confirmed and effectuated by the fantastic powers of the Holy Spirit! Hallelujah!
To you personally....
There is, perhaps in your life, bondage to sin and uncleanness in thinking and passions. Let God's Spirit cleanse you with power. Believe, first of all, in the forgiveness of sins, Jesus died, so that you can stand righteous before God, just as if you had never sinned! It is the Spirit that cleanses from the power of sin and delivers from all sinful, even demonic oppression! Yes, believe on Jesus now and surrender yourself to Him. Welcome His Spirit and let Him take possession of you.
In closing......
Addressing the christians in all nations, I urge each and everyone, to pray for a worldwide powerful movement of God's Spirit. The only power that can change our nations back to the holy standards of God, back to righteious morals, back to the only way of life, that the Bible teaches, is the power of the Spirit of God as He takes the Word as a flaming sword, piercing deep in the hearts of sinners!. Friends, when that happens then Isaiah's prophetic vision is being fulfilled: "From the west, men will fear the Name of the LORD, and from the rising of the sun, they will revere his glory." "Lord, let your Ruach blow, let your River flow!" Amen.
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Questions? E-mail.... Questions? E-mail.... Pastor T. J. de Ruiter