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Fire in our hearts - Jesus Army

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FIRE IN OUR HEARTS<br />

CITY ON A HILL<br />

know<strong>in</strong>g that <strong>in</strong> suffer<strong>in</strong>g we shall f<strong>in</strong>d meek and softened<br />

<strong>hearts</strong>. “No weapon that is fashioned aga<strong>in</strong>st you shall prosper”’<br />

(Is 54:17, RSV).<br />

In the midst of such trial we sensed God’s purposes. At the<br />

July church week <strong>in</strong> Northampton we received a word of<br />

prophecy: ‘I have raised up this people <strong>in</strong> this nation at this<br />

time, to bear witness to my holy name. Rejoice <strong>in</strong> the opposition<br />

of Satan! Conquer with the blood of the Lamb, b<strong>in</strong>d<strong>in</strong>g<br />

him <strong>in</strong> my name and liv<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> the righteousness of my Spirit!<br />

Rejoice <strong>in</strong> y<strong>our</strong> heritage. Hold fast what you have that no<br />

man take y<strong>our</strong> crown!’<br />

The moral empt<strong>in</strong>ess so evident <strong>in</strong> the nation was creat<strong>in</strong>g<br />

a hunger for the gospel. Before the Evangelical Awaken<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong><br />

the eighteenth century, it was poverty and desperation that<br />

ploughed and prepared the country for revival. Now the time<br />

of the poor and needy had come aga<strong>in</strong>, and God was rais<strong>in</strong>g<br />

up his people ‘for such a time as this’ to reap the harvest.<br />

Noel read out a letter from Mick ‘Temperate’ <strong>in</strong> which he<br />

expressed his weep<strong>in</strong>g heart for the unreached thousands of<br />

Birm<strong>in</strong>gham. Compassion grew amongst us, and <strong>our</strong> focus<br />

began to shift towards the <strong>in</strong>ner cities. These needy, ‘forgotten<br />

people’ would respond to the love and equality that we<br />

offered.<br />

Amidst the opposition, God rem<strong>in</strong>ded us of the w<strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g<br />

power of brotherhood. We were proud of what God had done,<br />

and were grateful for such clarity, devotion, and unity. Indeed<br />

with 600 <strong>in</strong> residence and 70 leaders, we had established<br />

what was probably the largest Christian community <strong>in</strong><br />

Europe. Our bus<strong>in</strong>esses were expand<strong>in</strong>g and there was an<br />

advance <strong>in</strong> evangelism.<br />

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