I wanted this to be the first article on our official website and here is why. About seventeen years ago, in 2005, the Lord called me for ministry. I started my journey with so much excitement, joy and a real sense of His anointing upon me. I felt fearless, ready for anything it was going to take to be His noble instrument. I didn't care about any other reward. He was my reward, my inheritance, as I used to say. An overwhelming sense of His presence made it easy for me to serve Him with passion.

I knew I was going to be tested, that my sense of calling was going to be submitted under a heat of trials and hardships. In the last 15years, I have been shaken to the core. Sometimes a cloud of doubts about my calling would overtake me. At the same time, I have been blessed with moments of refreshment and renewal. And all along, I learnt to treasure the sense of God’s presence more than anything.

A doubting priest became a powerful revivalist

John Wesley was an Anglican priest who lacked assurance of salvation for many years. He performed well his religious duties but knew nothing about peace of justification. One day he was challenged by a Moravian leader, August Spangenber who asked him: “Do you know Jesus Christ?” Wesley replied with hesitation: “I know He is the Savior of the World”. That sounded a too general statement and August was not satisfied. Then he insisted “do you know he has saved you?” The question was so penetrating that he was left deeply shaken.

He had previously met disciples of the famous count Zinzedorf who had challenged him by their exuberant joy. He watched them exhibiting assurance and stability in the midst of the most dangerous situation. He was convinced they had something he didn’t have : An authentic sense that His sins were forgiven and that he was justified. Shortly after this experience with the personal assistant of Count Zinzedorf, the Lord graciously granted him all of these blessings. Suddenly, his ministry started flourishing. His sense of God’s presence became even more acute as He was powerfully used in what is now historically known as the “ First Great Awakening”. This evangelical revival had a great impact on British culture and evangelicalism in wide.

The last words of a mature pioneer

He then served the Lord for more than sixty years. Let’s hear a witness who was at his death bed.

“…some of those who were most used to hear our dear father’s dying voice would be able to interpret his meaning; but though he strove to speak we were still unsuccessful finding the meaning. We could not understand what he said. He paused a little, and then with all the remaining strength he had, cried out, ‘The best of all is, God is with us”; and then, as if to assert the faithfulness of our promise-keeping Jehovah and comfort the hearts of his weeping friends, lifting up his dying arm in token of victory and raising his feeble voice with a holy triumph not to be expressed, again repeated the heart-reviving words, “The best of all is, God is with us!” (The Journal of John Wesley, ed., Percy Livingstone Parker, (Chicago, IL: Moody Press), 419

Wesley wanted to leave them with the most important heritage: the sense of God’s presence. He went to heaven in March 2, 1791, when he was 88 old. But His work continued for centuries. Until now. For the Lord who has been with Wesley, stayed with his successors.

The last words of a mature Apostle

Paul was beheaded around 68 AD under the cruel roman emperor Nero. We don’t neither know details of his death nor the very last words he spoke . But we know that 2Timothy was his last epistle. And in a few lines, we can see him contemplating the hour of his execution with anticipation” For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near” 2Timothy 4:6

As he looked back in the past, there was so much grief: people like Demas had left him in ministry to seek the world’s fame and pleasure. Some others were sovereignly sent by God in different places and he sometimes felt so lonely. But worse, Christians living in Rome didn’t seem to offer him emotional support during his appealing before the justice. (V.10-17). Paul was not indifferent to all these hurts and disappointments from friends. He certainly had a human heart. However, his hope in the Presence of God has never been this much stronger. These words may be considered as the last words of his epistle.

“The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” (v.18)

The best of all

As Little Flock Ministries enter a new season, I wanted this article to be encouraging for all the people whom the Lord has called to walk with us and those whom the Lord will call later. I also intend to encourage whoever the Lord has called and who seems to be loosing the sense of His presence.

This is more precious than anything in ministry. Serving God is hard. Amidst of uncertainties, doubts, fears threats, hurts and delusions, the one thing a minister can cling to, is the promise of God’s presence, powerfully and experientially sealed in his heart. That God is with us is the best of all.