You have delivered me from death Psalm 56:13

• DAY 11 MORNING PSALM 56-58

• DAY 11 EVENING PSALM 59-61

Just three weeks after that significant time of outpouring of the Holy Spirit at 3am on January 1st at Fetter Lane, John Wesley writes on 21 January 1739:

“We were surprised in the evening while I was expounding in the Minories. A well-dressed middle-aged woman suddenly cried out as in the agonies of death. She continued so to do, for some time with all the signs of the sharpest anguish of spirit. When she was a little recovered I desired her to call upon me the next day. She then told me that about three years before she was under strong convictions of sin and in such terrible mind that she had no comfort in anything nor any rest day or night. That she sent for the minister of her parish and told him the distress she was in: Upon which he told her husband she was stark mad, and advised him to send for a Physician immediately. A Physician was sent for her accordingly, who ordered her to be bloodied blistered and so on. But this did not heal her wounded spirit. So that she continued much as she was before. Till the last night, He whose word she was at first found, to be “sharper than any two edged sword” gave her a faint hope, that He would undertake her cause and heal the soul which had been against him.”

….and just over 10 days after that, Wesley writes on Friday March 2 1739:

“One of the most surprising instances of his power which I ever remember to have seen was on the Tuesday following; when I visited one who was above measure enraged at this new way and zealous in opposing it. Finding arguments to be of no other effect than to inflame her more and more. I broke off the dispute, and desired we might join in prayer, which she so far consented to as to kneel down. In a few minutes she fell into an extreme agony both of body and soul; and soon after cried out with the utmost earnestness, “Now I know I am forgiven for Christ’s sake.’ Many other words she uttered to the same effect, witnessing a hope full of immortality. And from that hour, God hath set her face as a flint to declare the faith which before she persecuted.”

John Wesley starts to record in his journal how the Holy Spirit began to confirm his preaching with signs following, powerfully convicting his listeners when he preached. Wesley dramatically describes how listeners were born again by the spirt of God . Individuals went through a period of crying and deep travail, ‘as in the agonies of death’ and finally came to a place of rest with assurance of forgiveness of sin.

• Lord you suddenly poured out our spirit at Pentecost. Suddenly come again with the convicting power of your Holy Spirit that is sharper than a two-edged sword. Just as a woman travails as in the agonies of death and brings to birth, bring to birth in us a new deep move of your spirit. Liberate our nation from its bondage to death and decay. DELIVER US…. and bring us into that glorious liberation of the children of God with joy and full assurance of the forgiveness of sin.

REFERENCES

Wesley, J. Journal, 172-175