July 31 – Revival Fires Through Charles Finney
Charles Finney was born on August 29, 1792 and at the age of 26 joined a law office in Adams, New York. He heard no gospel in his young life. When he was working in the law office, he attended the church services and prayer meetings and observed the Christians’ lives, and noticed that their prayers were not answered and boldly told them so! Later on October 10, 1821, when he was alone in the woods outside the village, he experienced the presence of Jesus mightily on his life. That evening, back in his office he had a vision where he fell at Jesus’ feet weeping. He then received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The very next day, Finney started preaching! When Finney rose to give his testimony, people were gripped by the power of the Holy Spirit. Every time Finney spoke or prayed, people’s hearts would be gripped and a mighty spiritual awakening would spring forth.
Finney spent hours in prayer, often going to the woods to be alone with God and he also started fasting along with his prayers. He encouraged the young people to set aside three times a day of special prayer times, sunrise, noon and sunset.
In those days, people became so convicted of sin that they could not sleep at night until they made their peace with God. At one time, three men were cursing the revival and drinking the whole day and then one of them fell down dead! All over North America, a great awakening arose and thousands upon thousands were convicted of sin and turned to the Lord. Sometimes after 15 minutes of preaching, people would cry for mercy, falling from their seats. In the middle of the revival, the Oneida Presbytery started complaining about the revival vexed that wherever he went, people were speaking about the revival and it was driving him mad! In one of his meetings, he made a violent speech against the revival. The next morning, the minister was found dead in his bed in the hotel he was staying in!
Charles Finney is considered one of the greatest evangelists since Paul by many people as this revival moved people to a genuine hunger for God and transformed their lives to a deeper walk with Christ. Charles Finney led the second awakening in the United States, where perhaps a million came to Christ. Wherever the revival was, people felt the overwhelming presence of God. Some people collapsed from conviction during the services, others weeping and calling to God.
One time, Finney received a call from a town in Rome and during the meeting, the people started to weep and sigh. Finney tried to keep the meeting as unemotional as possible and told them to go home quietly, which they obeyed, but on the way home, while walking on the streets at night, many were sobbing. Such was the power and conviction of the Holy Spirit.
At one time, the sheriff of Utica 20 miles away from the town came there for some business and started mocking and laughing at the revival. When he was one mile out of Rome, he suddenly was gripped by the presence of God, which was a frightening experience with a powerful presence around him. When he arrived at his work place, he found all the people overwhelmed by God’s presence. He was still under the presence of God and found himself weeping. Embarrassed at his own weeping, he wanted to hide and would run to the window, weeping silently. He later got converted!
The revival fires spread to Ireland in 1857, Scotland and many other countries of the world where meetings were held. Great weeping, repenting, worshiping and adoring Christ sprung forth everywhere. Work was stopped because the Shekinah glory would dwell in a town and in this holy atmosphere, no one could work. Under Evan Roberts in Wales, a great mighty awakening spread. Meetings were held in barns, houses, kitchens, and everyone was singing and worshipping the Lord. In Ireland it is said that the voices of singing could be heard resounding all over the hills from their cottages and the “hills were alive with the sound of music” and people started loving, worshiping and following Jesus as never before.
Rita
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