Sermon of T. J. de Ruiter
Joël 2:28, "And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out of my Spirit on all flesh..."
Introduction
On the 7th of August 2000 my wife and I stood for the second time by the impressive Niagarafalls in Canada. The ascending vapour of the masses of falling water descended upon us as a fine rain. An enormous quantity of water falls over the edges of about 52 m. high. To give you an idea: Twelve million people could take per minute a shower in this falling water. Almost the whole population of The Netherlands could take a shower in a minute! This water falls day after day, month after month, year after year, century after century. The falls exist already for more than twelve thousand years, judging by the distance of a number of km's it receded in the rivercanyon - the corrosion and wear of the edge is about 30 cm per year.
I stood there meditating, while I looked at the falls and my thoughts turned to God, who had made this awesome, natural phenomenon possible. I realised our human limitations and smallness, compared with these falls. Some have tried to go through these falls in little boats or iron cages and some of them died. I thought about the power, the energy, the potential of this almost eternal, falling water and then worshiped God, the eternal Creator in his everlasting freshness and majesty. Then the Scripture above this message came with force to my consciousness.....
Joël 2:28, "And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out of my Spirit on all flesh..."
God wants to pour out His Spirit on humanity!
It came to my mind that the God, who could make such a gigantic fall, in which millions of people could take a shower and wash themselves, could also cause millions of people to be washed from their sins and be saved and refreshed! What an awesome realisation of God's redemptive potential! With His Word and Spirit, the way being made free by the atonement of Jesus Christ, the Almighty Creator can save millions. Oh, for a Niagarafall of the Holy Spirit upon weary, thirsty, sinful and desperate humanity! And, yes, I realized in awe, there is such a Niagarafall of the Holy Spirit - only we have to discover him, just as these falls were discovered by Europeans some centuries ago.
And, when we have, by faith in Christ, discovered the possibility of a spiritual Niagarafall, we must allow ourselves to be overpowered by Him, and allow ourselves to be cleansed and refreshed in it. It was as if had a vision: God wants to pour His Spirit upon all humanity, living on this vast planet. Let's not limit God! Let's have the prophetic faith and vision the prophet Joel had and let's be as the apostle Peter, who on the first Pentecost in Acts, quoted this old Scripture in his first sermon!
Oh, people come from everywhere to look at these falls, impressed by the grandeur and power of it, but not everybody comes to the Lord Jesus Christ, receiving His Spirit to be refreshed and empowered. But God's purpose remains, it is prophetically proclaimed as an eternal possibility that wants to become a reality!
Do not limit the Holy Spirit of God!
A third of the water is taken away above the falls for a power plant, and because of that, less water is flowing over the falls - but tourists do not notice it, for the remaining quantity is still enourmous. When I heard this it came to me that the Church might have limited the Holy Spirit of God not only by immorality or scandals, but also by the subtle influences of her fixed traditions, dogmatism and elevation of human leadership above that of the Holy Spirit. Are many churches not more like monuments - like the old European cathedrals here? They are almiost empty on Sundays and there is no spiritual life, no freshness, no salvation! People enjoy the architecture and the special mystical atmosphere in them - but there is no realisation of what God really wants to do!
This is the message: The Church will have to surrender to the leadership and power of the LORD, as exercised through His Holy Spirit - read John 14. And read Acts to see how this worked in the early Church. But the positive observation I alsom make is that there is in these days a new awareness of the plans, purposes and power of the LORD, Who is the Spirit and Who is present in the Church. There is a new awareness by many Christians that God wants to be the Leader and that He wants to pour His Spirit out on all flesh! Please, do not limit the Holy Spirit, let Him fall on you and your Church like a mighty, majestic Niagarafall! God can create a worldwide spiritual waterfall - is not this amazing?
I draw your attention to another Scripture, Isaiah 59:19, which supports the vision of a worldwide move of the Holy Spirit, "So they shall fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun; for He will come like a rushing stream, which the wind (or 'Spirit' for the Hebrew word is 'Ruach') of the LORD drives..."
May the earth soon witness, from the west till the east, and from the north to the south, the cleansing flow of the blood of Jesus Christ, cleansing from the guilt of sin. May the earth soon experience the mind- and soul cleansing and refreshing power of the Spirit of the LORD. The whole earth comes to witness the power and freshness of the Niagarafalls, but - this is my prayer - may the whole earth soon be washed in the blood of the Lamb and be empowerd and refreshed by the water of life, the Spirit of God, flowing out of our innermost being.
In closing, an invitation
Are you bound by sin? Is your soul dreary and dry? Are you desperately looking for freedom and life? I invite you now to call on the LORD, the same One, Who made these waterfalls, the same One, Who died two thousand years ago on the cross and ask Him to save you and set you free. If you have done this - perhaps even sitting at your computer, reading this message - open now also your heart for the Holy Spirit and His power. Watch out now - something very special and wonderful may be happening right now. Don't be afraid - for it is the Spirit of the LORD rushing in your innermost being. You will feel Him, sense His sweet and refreshing Presence and your soul will be filled with heavenly joy and power!
I tell you, if it were possible to take a bath in the Niagarafall - you would not forget that all your life. And if the Spirit of God falls upon you, washing you from sin, cleansing your soul and empowering you with eternal freshness and vitality - wow, you will enjoy this all your life. Amen and amen!
A Prayer
"Lord, I come to you with my fears, failures and frustrations and with my inner emptiness. I receive forgiveness of my sins and thank You for shedding your blood on the cross. I believe on You, LORD, You are the Son of God. You are alive and I open my heart for your Spirit. Overflow me with your water of life. I now receive your Spirit. I feel and know Him, He is wonderful. Thank you, Lord. Amen."
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Questions? E-mail.... Pastor T. J. de Ruiter