American Reformation Church Prayer Journal 37
ARC Prayer Meeting
When asked, "Who do you hate the most?" Friedrich Engels, co-author with Karl Marx of the Communist Manifesto, answered with one word, "Spurgeon."
Why Spurgeon out of all the people alive during the generation of Marx and Engels. For one thing, Spurgeon was known as the “Prince of Preachers” who faithfully preached Biblical Christianity, which Communists view as their greatest competitor when it comes to the souls of citizens in nations. When Communists come to power, they always seek to force the church underground so the state can replace God in the life of its citizens.
Another possible reason is the prayer life of Spurgeon. Here is an example of Spurgeon calling upon God to send a heaven-sent revival.
“O God, send us the Holy Ghost. Give us both the breath of spiritual life and the fire of unconquerable zeal. O thou who art our God, answer us by fire, we pray thee. Answer us both by wind and fire, and then we shall see thee to be God indeed. The kingdom comes not, and the work is flagging. O, that thou wouldest send the wind and the fire! Thou wilt do this when we are all of one accord, all believing, all expecting, all prepared by prayer. Lord, bring us to this waiting state.
God send us a season of glorious disorder. O, for a sweep of the wind that will set the seas in motion, and make our ironclad brethren now lying so quietly at anchor to roll from stem to stern.
O, for fire to fall again, fire which shall affect the most stolid! O, that such fire might first sit upon the disciples, and then fall on all around!
O Spirit of God, thou art ready to work with us today even as thou didst then. Stay not, we beseech thee, but work at once. Break down every barrier that hinders the incoming of thy might! Give us now both hearts of flame and tongues of fire to preach thy reconciling word, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.”
In Spurgeon’s day as in ours, this man of God was deeply concerned about the state of affairs in his generation. He wasn’t seeing the Kingdom advancing as it should. The work of God was failing, which means God’s people had become worn out and weak. He prayed for those at ease in Zion to be disturbed, awake from slumber, and bring disorder, so God’s people will seek God’s order.
He cried out for the winds of Pentecost to blow on the church once again. He prayed for the fire to fall as in the days of Elijah when the nation of Israel was halting between two opinions. Who is the true and living God? God knows we need that wind and fire in our day brethren.
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