When England was at her lowest moral and spiritual ebb and darkness and death covered the land, John Wesley arrived like an atomic bomb and struck at the very heart of the spiritual wickedness and evil that prevailed over the nation.  The ministry of John Wesley to England did what the Bible book of Acts records what happened in the Roman Empire through the church.  I believe there is one verse in the book of Acts (4:33) that describes what brought about this dramatic change: And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all.

Great power and great grace was upon them all.  It is this great grace and great power we so desperately need to come upon our community and our country for there to be the same change that will bring better days. John and Charles Wesley had this great grace and great power upon their message and their ministry that brought such wonderful change to England.  It was like the sun rose again after a long night of darkness upon the United Kingdom.  My prayer is that God will have a John Wesley somewhere now that He is preparing in Canada that will cause a new day to dawn for us.  

God always brings intervention to the dark, evil plots of Satan that foils his plans and brings light and truth when it seems there is no hope left.  I truly feel like we are living in a dark time like that in Canada. It seems everyone is following an agenda of evil whether it is politicians, the media, other institutions across our country.  It seems we are in a giant whirlpool that is sucking everyone in and most do not even know it or care.  I think that is what it was like in England in the 18^th century.  The social state of the nation was deplorable.  Crime was rampant and the slave trade was booming.  England made more millions off the slave trade than probably any nation on earth.  However, the ministry and message of John Wesley eventually helped to bring an end to it.  His message touched the life of William Wilberforce, who was a significant person in bringing an end to the slave shipping industry in England.  This wretched business ended in England with no bloodshed, unlike in America where the slave trade ended with a bloody civil war where 620,000 soldiers on both sides died. There was a revival of the Christian religion that took place in America during this same time but it did not commence soon enough to avoid the bloodshed of the civil war.  Satan does not like to give up his territory easily and if he can cause wars it is part of his evil agenda.  I believe the Russia/Ukraine war is a demonically inspired war.  Remember, Satan operates with an agenda. It is told here:  I [Jesus Christ] am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.  The thief [Satan] cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I [Jesus Christ] am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly (John 10:9:10).

Do you see the contrast in the above verses?  Christ is the door to salvation.  As the Great Shepherd, He offers sustaining green pasture. Satan comes as a thief to steal everything good in a life. To kill and destroy is his objective and he does not care how he does it. The human race belongs to God as a very special aspect of God’s creation and every person Satan can destroy is his stab at God.  Note that Christ comes to give people an abundant life.  I have been a Christian for over 40 years and can testify that the life he offers is truly abundant and full.  Furthermore, I have become acquainted with people all over the world who are evidence that the Christian life is the best life in the world.  The question I will ask you, dear reader, is: have you entered into the abundant life of salvation and fulfillment called the Christian life? John Wesley experienced it, then went on and touched the lives of hundreds of thousands of British people with the ministry of great grace and great power.  The English people looked to their leaders and the conditions of their society and saw there was no hope.  John Wesley caused them to look up, not down.  When you start looking up, looking up to Jesus Christ and into his amazing book things will change for you, for your family and for our country.  

John Wesley preached against slavery, against the liquor trade, against corrupt elections and corrupt leaders.  He preached against the abuse in prisons.  He called the prisons “nurseries of all manner of wickedness.” He and his brother Charles taught England to sing again.  Charles wrote hundreds of hymns that were sung throughout England.  The Wesleys’ ministry touched John Newton, who owned a slave trade ship.  After his conversion he wrote the song “Amazing Grace.”  The first verse: Amazing grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me! I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see. The song is his testimony and expresses what happened when great grace and great power touched his wicked life.  He abandoned his slave and liquor trading ship enterprise and gave his life to serve the Kingdom from above.  His entire life was surrendered to living and serving God, like that of John Wesley. 

One of Charles Wesley songs from the same era expresses great grace and great power to those who receive it:

And can it be that I should gain
An interest in the Saviours blood?
Died he for me, who caused his pain?
For me, who him to death pursued? 
Amazing love! How can it be
That Thou, my God shouldst die for me?

Long my imprisoned spirit lay
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;
Thine eyes diffused a quickening ray, 
I woke; the dungeon flamed with light; 
My chains fell off, my heart was free, 
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee,

These were the type of hymns and teaching that permeated the British Empire and really saved it from certain destruction.  It has been claimed by historians that the ministry of John Wesley saved England from a revolution.  Peace and salvation came to the land instead of bloodshed when great grace and great power flooded the land like a tsunami.    

I see so many similarities to where England was in the 18^th century to where we are today in Canada.  Conservative Christians in Canada look at the conditions of today and it seems there is no hope on the horizon.  A politician will not save us.  Someday Jesus Christ himself will come and usher in a new millennium of blessing but, until then, we have to look to him for help.  We need another visit from above of great grace and great power to change our direction.  I want to remind you all that it starts with YOU!  Have you ever known a time in your life where your heart was strangely warmed with the love and power of God?  Religion is not going to be enough. You need the Holy Spirit to empower and infuse your soul with new life from above.    

Please call us if you have questions.  If you would like to join our Live Stream services go to www.pabaptist.ca   If you want your very own Bible to study, we will give you one for free along with some good study material.  Contact us on the web site. 

The content of this article is solely the personal opinions of the writer and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Prince Albert Shopper.