One afternoon, two of my brothers and myself were going to a local city named Newport, to witness and give out tracts. One of the brothers named Tim would always preach, but my other brother Richard and myself just spoke to people and gave out Gospel tracts.
Before I left the house that day, I strongly felt the presence of the Lord and I really came under conviction. I very emphatically felt the Lord was impressing on me that I had to preach and it was time I did so!
I got down on my knees before the Lord and told Him I felt He was telling me to preach, but the thought of doing so really terrified me! I said, Lord – I just can’t do it!
My fear was real and I really did not want to preach anywhere, especially in the open air, in a busy city precinct. But the Lord was impressing on my heart even more that He wanted me to do it. I knew He was doing so, and I knew there could be no running away from it, like Jonah did long ago.
Then in a totally deflated way I said, Ok Lord, but if it will happen then you will have to make it happen – I don’t have the courage or the will to do it in myself!
Then I felt that the Lord wasn’t there anymore, so I finished getting ready and left the house to meet my two brothers.
We always stood on a little road island in the centre of a crossroads, in the town centre. There is no traffic during the day in the precinct, so it was safe to stand there. We used to be quite aware too, that we were actually standing in the centre of a cross.
Whenever we went out anywhere to evangelise, we always prayed together before we started and then prayed again when we were finished.
We prayed together and Tim started to preach right away. Normally he would preach for about 25-30 minutes but strangely, he only preached for about 15 minutes and then he stopped.
I had a New Testament in my pocket, so I opened it up and started reading the Bible from John chapter One.
Then, unbelievably, I found as I was reading the Word of God, that a street sermon started flowing out of me. It came so naturally and in such an incredible way that I couldn’t believe I was doing it! I felt so bold and I knew too the Lord was surely there with us and that He was leading me into what He had for so long required me to do.
I preached for about 15 minutes and then Tim preached again for another 15-20 minutes. When he stopped, I stepped forward without hesitating and boldly preached the Word again. I couldn’t believe this was actually happening to me!
We both preached three times and I just can’t describe my feelings of elation on being set free from this thing that had bound me for so long. It was as though I had been bound in fetters but then set free!! It truly was a great personal victory, because I was bound in chains regarding preaching until this day!
But this story is not over yet, because something even more remarkable was about to happen!
After we had prayed together and were about to leave, my brother Richard asked us to wait a few minutes before leaving, because he wanted to offer a tract to a lady who had been stood in the mouth of one of the exit roads listening all the time that Tim and I had been preaching.
He went up to speak to the lady and after a couple of minutes he called Tim and myself to come and listen to what the lady had told him.
Richard had offered the lady a tract and mentioned to her that he had seen her listening, all the time Tim and I had been preaching.
She told us that she didn’t need a tract as she was a committed believer in Jesus. Then to our amazement she pointed to the mouth of each of the exit roads to show us three other ladies who had been there all the time too.
She said those ladies are my friends and we have all been praying for you all, especially for you two men, during the time you have both been preaching!
This scripture came instantly to my mind, Deuteronomy 31:8 And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.
Another thing to note is that God had placed His prayer warriors in the mouth of four exit roads. We had been standing in the centre of the cross, but they were each standing on an arm of the cross!
What an awesome overwhelming feeling of love and gratitude to the Lord washed over me. I knew the Lord was telling me never to fear, no matter what situations He would ever need to put me in. His presence will always be with me. The Lord had heard me when I said, if I were ever to preach on the streets, He would have to make it happen, and this is exactly what He did!
But the other thing I find so overwhelming about this, is the fact that He revealed His Grace so convincingly to me, when we found out that these dear ladies had been praying for us all the time!
Why should we ever fear?