Living Truth

Unspeakable Joy

Martyn Lloyd-Jones was a Welsh medical doctor who spent most of his life preaching for Christ during the 20th Century. He had a keen interest in the Early Church and sought to renew the church in his day to true New Testament vitality. The following is a quote from his book, “Joy Unspeakable, Power and Renewal in the Holy Spirit.”

“The Christian is not meant to be a man who is just managing to hold on and is miserable and unhappy and forcing himself to do these things, dragging himself, as it were, to the house of God, as so many foolish people are saying at the present time.

What an utter denial it is of the whole New Testament, this foolish suggestion that one service a Sunday is enough, one that takes place at nine o’clock in the morning, to get rid of it, as it were, in order that you can then really go and enjoy yourselves and have real happiness in looking at the television or in rushing to the seaside or in playing golf!

But what happens when people are baptized with the Holy Spirit—as you read throughout Acts—is that they want to keep together, to get together as often as they can—they continued daily, steadfastly, talking about these things, singing together, praising God together. This was the thing that was first above everything else.”

In this book, he gives many examples from history showing that our words and our theology are not enough. We can give greater witness to the Resurrection of Christ when we fully experience the power of His Joy living within us!

My hope is that all believers in our day will also be inspired by the example of God’s working in His people in that fantastic New Testament book, The Acts of the Apostles. May we be challenged and given a greater hunger for God that He is more than willing to fill!