What a change it would make in a church if there were a number of men and women given over to be thus taught and led by the Spirit of God. And what a change in our meetings for worship or for work, in our churches or our assemblies and councils, if men and women regarded it as the most prominent characteristic of their relationships with each other that the Spirit of God had taught and was teaching them, hour by hour, the things of God. And what a still greater change when it was known that a majority of our ministers were Spirit-taught men who could say, God hath revealed it to us by his Spirit, which things we speak not in word which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Spirit teacheth, combining spiritual things with spiritual. And what a joy if the churches were waking up, and that in our colleges and institutions for training ministers the first object was now to help men to become true ministers of the New Covenant, ministers of the Spirit, men and women who lived their own life as taught by the Spirit in the things of God, and were therefore able to lead others into the truly spiritual life. Yes, what a change it would be.
With man it is impossible! But with God all things are possible! Oh, let us pray in faith for a revived church and a revived ministry. If there is one thing sure, it is that the Father giveth the Holy Spirit to them that ask him. You cannot doubt this. If there is one thing for which Christ is elevated on the throne for, it is that he may baptize with the Holy Spirit, and give streams of living water from everyone who believes in him. You dare not doubt this. If there is one thing God meant his church to be filled with, it is, oh listen, it is the Holy Spirit. And shall we then fear and be unbelieving? God forbid! We may, we will believe that God, in answer to the prayers of his people, will work a mighty change.
(Excerpted from The Coming Revival, by Andrew Murray , pg. 41)
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Andrew Murray (1828 - 1917)
Brother Andrew Murray was a well-known writer/preacher in South Africa who ministered amongst the Dutch Reformed churches. His writings now are widely accepted by modern evangelicals and he is published more than ever in his life-time.Some of his better known books titles are: "Abide In Christ", "Absolute Surrender," and "Humility." His burden for the body of Christ were teachings on the abiding Spirit of Christ in the believer, the life of faith with God daily, and the life of intercession and prayer in the Church.
Andrew Murray was possibly the strongest spokesman of the Philadelphian age to expound the Body's necessity to abide in Christ, like the Apostle John before him.
Murray was born into a family of four children in the then remote Graaff-Reinet region (near the Cape) of South Africa. Educated in Scotland, which was followed by theological studies in Holland, Andrew returned to his native land to work as a missionary and minister. Given the daunting task of ministering to Bloemfontein, a remote region of 50,000 square miles and 12,000 people beyond the Orange River, Murray already began to sense the need to for the "deeper Christian life".
Though successful in preaching and bringing many to Christ, Murray found many of his greatest lessons in the School of Suffering, as will all who follow in the path of obedience.
Andrew Murray was one of four children born to Pastor Andrew, Sr., and Maria Murray. He was raised in what was considered to be the most remote corner of the world - Graaff-Reinet, South Africa. Educated in Scotland and Holland, in 1848 Andrew, Jr., returned to South Africa as a missionary and minister with the Dutch Reformed Church. His first appointment was to Bloemfontein, a territory of nearly 50,000 square miles and 12,000 people.
Andrew and his brother John had been in close contact with a revival movement in Scotland, an evangelical extension of the ongoing Second Great Awakening in America. He prayed for the same sort of awakening for the church in South Africa and wrote, "My prayer is for revival, but I am held back by the increasing sense of my own unfitness for the work. I lament the awful pride and self complacency that have till now ruled my heart. O that I may be more and more a minister of the Spirit." (J. du Plessis, The Life of Andrew Murray)
In 1860, revival did come to the churches of Cape Town, South Africa, and subsequently spread to surrounding towns and villages. Even remote farms and plantations felt the impact as lives were changed. Where once the churches had not been able to find one man ready to be a leader for God, the revival raised up 50 in Murray's Cape Town parish alone. There were more conversions in one month in that parish than in the whole course of its previous history. (Leona Choy, Andrew Murray: Apostle of Abiding Love)
Greatly concerned for the spiritual guidance of new converts and renewed Christians, Andrew Murray wrote over 240 books. His writings reflect his own longing for a deeper life in Christ and his prayer that others would long for and experience that life as well.