DAY 22

MORNING

PSALM 107

Psalm 107:7 “He led them by a straight way.”

A New and Living Way

Throughout June 1739, The Holy Spirit continued to move powerfully as John Wesley preached, as he wrote in his Journal:151

Friday 15 June 1739

In the evening I went to a society at Wapping, weary in body and faint in spirit ... I begged God to direct and (I) opened the book at Hebrews 10:19, “Having therefore brethren boldness to enter into the holiest, by the blood of Jesus; by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil that is to say, his flesh, let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith; having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.”
While I was earnestly inviting all sinners to “enter into the holiest” by this “new and living way”, many of those that heard began to call upon God with strong cries and tears. Some sunk down, and there remained no strength in them; others exceedingly trembled and quaked: Some were torn with a kind of convulsive motion in every part of their bodies, and that so violently, that often five persons could not hold one of them. I have seen many hysterical and many epileptic fits but none of them were like these in many respects. I immediately prayed that God would not suffer those who were weak to be offended. But one woman was offended greatly; being sure they might help it if they would; no-one should persuade her to the contrary; and was got three or four yards when she also dropped down in as violent agony as the rest. Twenty-six of those who had been thus affected (most of whom, during the prayers which were made for them were in a moment filled with peace and joy) promised to call upon me the next day but only eighteen came; by talking closely with whom, I found reason to believe that some of them had gone home to their house justified. The rest seemed to be waiting patiently for it.

Friday 22 June 1739

While I was speaking, one before me dropped down as dead and presently a second and third. Five others sunk down in half an hour, most of whom were in violent agonies. “The pains as of hell came about them: the snares of death overtook them.” In their trouble we called upon the Lord and he gave us an answer of peace. One indeed continued an hour in strong pain; and one or more for three days. But the rest were greatly comforted in that hour and went away rejoicing and praising God.

Prayer

Direct our paths, Lord! you have opened up a new and living way into the Holy of Holies. We would follow hard after you on that narrow way, that straight way unto salvation. Rescue us from that broad way that leads unto destruction. Pour out your Holy Spirit in power and through the conviction of your Spirit-anointed word. Rend the heavens and come down, that we might be saved from hell and saved from a Christless eternity. So help us, God!

151 Wesley, J. Journal, Vol 1, 172-175, 205–206.

DAY 22

EVENING

PSALMS 108–109

Psalm 109:4 “... but I am a man of prayer.”

Wesley on Prayer

Wesley wrote about prayer in his Journal:

“ Thanksgiving is inseparable from true prayer; it is almost essentially connected with it. One who always prays is ever giving praise, whether in ease or pain, both 
for prosperity and for the greatest adversity. He blesses God for all things, looks on them 
as coming from Him, and receives them for 
His sake — not choosing nor refusing, liking or disliking anything, but only as it is agreeable or disagreeable to His perfect will.”

“The end of your praying is not to inform God, as though he knew of your wants already; but rather to inform yourselves; to fix the sense of those wants more deeply in your hearts, and the sense of your continued dependence on Him who only is able to supply all your wants. It is not so much to move God who is always more ready to give than you to ask, as to move yourselves, that you may be willing and ready to receive the good things he has prepared for you.”

“I continue to dream and pray about a revival of holiness in our day that moves forth in mission and creates authentic community in which each person can be unleashed through the empowerment of the Spirit to fulfill God’s creational intentions.”

“When therefore we pray, that the will of
 God may be done in earth as it is in Heaven, the meaning is, that all the inhabitants of the earth, even the whole race of mankind, may do the will of their Father which is in heaven, as willingly as the holy Angels; that these may do it continually, even as they without any interruption of their willing service; yea and that they may do it perfectly, — that “the God of peace, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, may make them perfect in every good work to do his will and work in them all which is well-pleasing in his sight”. In other words we pray that we and all mankind may do the whole will of God in all things; and nothing else, not the least thing but what is the holy and acceptable will of God: We pray that we may do the whole will of God as 
he willeth, in the manner that pleases him: And lastly, that we may do it because it is his will; that this may be the sole reason and ground, the whole and only motive of whatsoever we think, or whatever we speak or do.”

Prayer

Where my prayer life has been dry and routine and where I have been preoccupied with other things, draw me back to you, Lord. Teach me to pray, to see prayer as the highest part of the work entrusted to me. Cultivate in me that spiritual thirst and hunger that
 I lack. I have been dulled by the power of sin in my life. Wake me up out of my lethargy and draw me back to you, O Lord.

152 Wesley, J How To Pray: The Best of John Wesley on Prayer. http://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/4468403-how-to-pray- the-best-of-john-wesley-value-book


153 Wesley. J.Journal , Volume 1, 332.


154 Wesley, J How To Pray.

155 Wesley. J.Journal, Volume 1, 337–8