IRON SHARPENS IRON (PROVERBS 27:17)

In the late 70’s and 80’s, when believers meet each other, their mode of greeting was; how are you, brother? Have you heard about the Welsh Revival? Did you read about Evan Roberts? I saw something in ‘Herald of His coming’ that shook me. I read something about Smith Wigglesworth. Did you hear that John Hyde stained the walls of his room with the breath of his prayer? I read that Maria Woodworth Ether was approaching a place to preach and fifty miles from the place where she was, people was falling under the anointing...

        Those were the kind of things we said to each other. When you heard it, it set you ablaze. Your friend might say to you; “when I read that, I locked up myself for ten hours, I did not come out.” And you looked at him, ‘you said how many hours? I will see you later!’ you just go into the room and lock yourself up. What! What am I doing with my life? And you go on and on... I have heard of Pastor Adeboye’s experience, when he heard one preacher pray for 36 hours he went on to pray for 72 hours. You are surprised! That was how we sharpened each other in those days. We read of Charles G. Finney riding a horse through town and everyone was crying for his or her sins... We read of D.L. Moody: they said, ‘God is looking for a man to use, and he is looking for a man that will not care who takes the glory.’  D.L. Moody, a shoe maker said, ’by the grace of God, I will be that man...’ When you read that, it sets you on fire. And if you heard it from someone who read it from somewhere and shared it with you, you would be sharpened. That was how we sharpened each other.

        Today, it is different. When two pastors meet, you hear things like, ’pastor how’s the church building, Have you finished it now? I like this neck tie of yours; where did you buy it from? This wristwatch is powerful! Who helped you get this car? Can you assist me to get the car also? Your suit is powerful, is it ready-made or someone sewed it? Who is your barber? I like the way you cut your hair.’ These are the vanities believers discuss these days- things of no eternal consequence. It is very rare before you can come to the presence of a man of God and go edified. We rarely hear that a person went to see a man of God, ‘a real man of God’ and left their challenge, with his soul set on fire. Very rare!

Consider these sharpening materials;

John G. Lake’s ‘Adventure in God’

Leonard Ravenhill’s ‘why revival tarries’ and ‘Sodom had no bible’

E.M. Bound’s ‘the power of prayer’

Charles Spungeon’s ‘His power in us’

E.W. Kenyon’s ‘Two kinds of faith’

A.W. Tozer’s ‘in pursuit of God’

Oswald J. Smiths’ ‘the man God uses’

        Who is and who are the people sharpening you? Friendship is by choice and not by force, and it is not fun. So, watch the persons you call friend.

IRON SHARPENS IRON. NOTHING SHARPENS IRON LIKE IRON!!!

Written by Bro. Modepo Toluwani

and published by Bro.Wonderful Egbeleke.

Kingdom of Priests Generation Ministry.