Denied Power, Part 1

I will never forget the time when I was asked to speak to a group of Asian college students. The fact that I was not who they were expecting didn’t help what was about to become a difficult situation. 

After my first night of speaking, two pastor leaders told me that I could no longer preach out of the Bible but had to just tell emotional stories—or I would have to leave! Without delay I called my prayer partners to pray and what happened next would become one of the highlights of my life.

As I began to preach on the life of Jacob who was straight (meaning “righteous” in Hebrew) on the outside but crooked (“unrighteous”) on the inside, one of the pastors came forward, took the microphone from me and began sharing that he was a Jacob and wanted to confess before all of the students that he wasn’t a Christian. He publicly repented for his hypocrisy. Then handing me the microphone he said, “Keep preaching!” 

After about 15 minutes of preaching, five students came forward to receive Christ as their Savior. They were on their knees in front crying out to God. The pastor came back, took the microphone and said, “Keep preaching!” I continued to teach from Genesis 32 and eight more students came forward crying out to God in repentance.  

In 2 Timothy 2 we read that there are some who possess a form of godliness but deny its power. When a leader demonstrates genuine humility and possesses what he professes, the results will be powerful. There is no doubt in my mind that what occurred that evening was not in my preaching but in the public repentance of this pastor.  

It was getting late but it was just the beginning. Join me tomorrow as we read the rest of the story!