In the churches of our generation, it is not uncommon to hear ministers speak lightly of the miracles of Christ and suggest the lack of need for anything supernatural. Spiritualists have made use of the word manifestation and frightened some people sufficiently to cause them to have no association with the word.
But manifestation simply means something on display, shown plainly, revealed, uncovered, made visible, and which provides evidence for proof. Spiritual manifestations have been with us from the beginning; the devil may have his own characteristic activities, but this does not mean that the Lord has ceased to manifest Himself in ways of His choosing. The Almighty still shows us His glory, from time to time, in ways that are acceptable to Him. Angels have not ceased to exist simply because some people have said that they have not seen one.
Divine manifestations are real to those who have been favoured with an experience of the same. In Christ Manifested, John Fletcher presents a sound scriptural thesis on his firm opinion that the Lord Jesus Christ seeks to manifest Himself to all born-again believers, in this life.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Born in Switzerland in 1729, and educated in that country, John Fletcher showed a zeal for the things of God from his earliest years. Straight after his ordination in March 1757, this likeable young man—not yet thirty years of age—offered himself to John Wesley as an itinerant colleague for three busy years. Then, deciding that the time had come for him to minister from the base of a settled pastorate, he selected little Madeley as his future home. For twenty-five years, from 1760, Fletcher laboured here. He did not cease to preach against the very things that were daily joys for the parishioners in Madeley: drunkenness, orgies, bull-baiting, and general immorality! Within two years, Madeley had changed perceptively!
Throughout the whole of the ministerial life of John Fletcher, he knew remarkable spiritual power in preaching; there is little doubt that he was anointed with divine unction and spoke in the demonstration of the Holy Spirit. Sometimes his preaching would contain prophetic utterances of apostolic quality. On one occasion he turned aside from his message to foretell—with great accuracy—the French Revolution; this long-drawn-out terror did not begin to take place until four years after his death.
His death in 1785, at the age of 55, was untimely and premature; he had lived like a flame of fire but had burned out more quickly than was expected. Believers of today would suffer no loss if they had the same charity, graciousness, and clarity of thought that were the daily companions of the Reverend John Fletcher.
But manifestation simply means something on display, shown plainly, revealed, uncovered, made visible, and which provides evidence for proof. Spiritual manifestations have been with us from the beginning; the devil may have his own characteristic activities, but this does not mean that the Lord has ceased to manifest Himself in ways of His choosing. The Almighty still shows us His glory, from time to time, in ways that are acceptable to Him. Angels have not ceased to exist simply because some people have said that they have not seen one.
Divine manifestations are real to those who have been favoured with an experience of the same. In Christ Manifested, John Fletcher presents a sound scriptural thesis on his firm opinion that the Lord Jesus Christ seeks to manifest Himself to all born-again believers, in this life.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Born in Switzerland in 1729, and educated in that country, John Fletcher showed a zeal for the things of God from his earliest years. Straight after his ordination in March 1757, this likeable young man—not yet thirty years of age—offered himself to John Wesley as an itinerant colleague for three busy years. Then, deciding that the time had come for him to minister from the base of a settled pastorate, he selected little Madeley as his future home. For twenty-five years, from 1760, Fletcher laboured here. He did not cease to preach against the very things that were daily joys for the parishioners in Madeley: drunkenness, orgies, bull-baiting, and general immorality! Within two years, Madeley had changed perceptively!
Throughout the whole of the ministerial life of John Fletcher, he knew remarkable spiritual power in preaching; there is little doubt that he was anointed with divine unction and spoke in the demonstration of the Holy Spirit. Sometimes his preaching would contain prophetic utterances of apostolic quality. On one occasion he turned aside from his message to foretell—with great accuracy—the French Revolution; this long-drawn-out terror did not begin to take place until four years after his death.
His death in 1785, at the age of 55, was untimely and premature; he had lived like a flame of fire but had burned out more quickly than was expected. Believers of today would suffer no loss if they had the same charity, graciousness, and clarity of thought that were the daily companions of the Reverend John Fletcher.
