Benjamin Franklin was a dear friend to the great revivalist George Whitefield. A great move of the Spirit was encouraged in Pennsylvania and financed by Franklin. Whitefield was the orator and Franklin the facilitator. The Holy Spirit brought the power.
We are not called to merely preach the letter of the Word, but also minister the Spirit of the Word (2 Cor. 3:6). Unfortunately, many liberal and "modern" theologians know little about the Spirit. They therefore are fireless theologians. Omitting and neglecting God's Spirit, they have to tirelessly toil in their own strength. God however can do by His Spirit in one hour what you cannot accomplish in one-thousand hours of your labor. Prominent clergymen were so incensed by the crowds of thousands who came to hear George Whitefield preach that they attacked him and published pamphlets against him. It seems some theologians are so concerned about wildfire that they oppose any fire altogether and thereby lose what little fire they have of their own.
Whitefield wasn't moved by them and boldly carried on. Whitefield's good friend, John Wesley, saw the Holy Spirit mightily use his quiet messages as people fell to the ground as if thunderstruck.53 God mightily fought for His servants and sent the power of His Spirit to confirm their words (Ex. 14:25; Mk. 16:20; Heb. 2:4).
Though jealous clergymen may have not liked Whitefield, he found a lifelong friend in Benjamin Franklin. Franklin published Whitefield's sermons and journals. God always seems to undertake for His anointed servants to see that His Word on their lips and fire in their spirit makes it on the printed page.
Jesus said, "You shall receive power, after the Holy Spirit is come upon you; and you shall be witnesses unto me..." (Acts 1:8). Before you can do witnessing, you have to be a witness within. That is your inner life has to give witness of Christ. You have to be a minister within your heart. You have to be willing to first minister before an audience of One - God Himself.
God's Spirit will empower and ignite that passion within you to first be and to secondly do. With the power of the Spirit within and upon you, you will speak God's Word with a new authority and fire! Jesus said, "The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life" (Jn. 6:63). The fire of the Holy Spirit is most important, as it enables God's Word in your heart to pass through your lips with life and power.
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