10 A Final Word

Smith Wigglesworth said there were two young fellows in England who saw God's power demonstrated in his meetings at his wife's mission. "We wouldn't be surprised but what God would lead you down to Wales to raise up our Lazarus," they told him.

 A Final Word

Smith Wiggles worth said there were two young fellows in England who saw God's power demonstrated in his meetings at his wife's mission. "We wouldn't be surprised but what God would lead you down to Wales to raise up our Lazarus," they told him.
They explained that Lazarus was a man who had spent his days working in a tin mine and his nights preaching. He had collapsed and become ill with tuberculosis, and for four years had been a helpless invalid, having to be fed with a spoon. Two years later the Lord spoke to Wigglesworth. Often this great man of faith would walk in the countryside. One day he climbed one of the highest mountains in Wales. He was on top, enveloped in the presence of God, when the Lord said to him, "I want you to go raise Lazarus." Wigglesworth wrote down what the Lord had said on a postcard, and mailed it to Lazarus' home. When he arrived, he was greeted at the door by a man holding the card. "Did you send this?" the man asked. "Do you think we believe in this? Here, take it!" And he threw it at Wigglesworth. Then the man called a servant and said, "Take this man and show him Lazarus." He said to Wigglesworth, "The moment you see him, you will be ready to go home." From the natural standpoint, this was true. The man was helpless. He was nothing but a mass of skin and bones —and he didn't have an ounce of faith. Wigglesworth knew when God has spoken, you don't give in. He left, but overnight rounded up seven others to stand with him in prayer. That night the Spirit of the Lord told him not to eat, so he skipped the evening meal and skipped breakfast the following morning. (He believed prayer and fasting to be a great joy.) The next day the eight of them went back to Lazarus' house. The same man let them in, and there lay that poor fellow looking like a corpse. While Smith had been fasting, God had told him what to do: "Don't pray; don't anoint him with oil; don't touch him. All eight of you gather around the bed, hold hands, and repeat the Name of Jesus." So he said, "We just stood around the bed and said, 'Jesus, Jesus, Jesus (all eight of them in unison), Jesus, Jesus!'" As they spoke, the power of God fell. Then it lifted like a cloud. They continued to hold hands and say, "Jesus, Jesus" and the power kept coming down and lifting. The sixth time it came down Lazarus said, "I've been bitter in my heart, and I know I have grieved the Spirit of God." He repented and cried out, "O God, let this be to thy glory." As he said that, the power of God went through him, healing him. Lazarus got up and dressed himself without any assistance. Then he and Smith walked downstairs singing the Doxology. Lazarus testified in an open-air meeting what God had done and many were saved. All the Spirit had said to Smith was, "Just miss two meals." That's all. Did that change God? No. God had already told him to raise up Lazarus. You see, it gave Wigglesworth a little more time to wait on God instead of eating. It made his spirit more keen, and it made him more susceptible to God's Spirit so he could be a channel. That is why there are no instructions given by the Holy Spirit through Paul or Peter or James or John to fast or not to fast. I believe this is because God wants us to learn to be led by His Spirit. That way we'll be prepared for whatever He has for us to do. Or, if the Spirit doesn't tell you to fast, set aside some time and say, "I am going to take this time to fast and wait on God and study my Bible." When should you fast? I can't tell you, and the Bible doesn't give you specific instructions. That leaves it up to the leading of the Lord. The more you study, the more you can see how dependent we are on the Spirit of God; not only the Word of God, but the Holy Spirit. No wonder Jesus said, "I'll not leave you comfortless." Another translation says "orphans." We need the help of the Holy Spirit—and we have it—in this area, as in all others.