Just A Thought

 In the 60-80s God used a man named Rev. Billy Cole to do large meetings where thousands were healed and baptized with the Holy Spirit. He obviously had a gift of faith. I was in a number of meetings that Rev. Cole ministered in. One of them was a conference in TX where 500 people received the Holy Spirit, including my own son. 

He had such a reputation that whenever I was attended a meeting where he spoke I made a point of watching what he did in order to see the mighty moves of God. In one particular meeting of ministers, I was surprised when he shared his secret. He said, “I find out where God is doing a work and I show up.”  In other words, it was not about conjuring something up, it was about following the Spirit.

After watching him operate in many venues I noticed his primary method: He would almost always tell stories to connect with the audience and to build faith.  And he would often use the same stories. 

·      He spoke of the blind seeing and the lame walking

·      He told about the dead being raised

·      He described the healing of lepers

·      He shared stories about God’s protection and intervention

It was not about being eloquent or clever, it was about inspiring faith. I learned that effective ministry and faith-building is not a matter of skill or performance; it is a matter of faith. We can help others believe by simply being witnesses as to what He does.

Another way to say it is: You and I are contemporary evidence that God does what he promised thousands of years when Isaiah foretold Jesus death. He said, “Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.” - Isaiah 53:4-5

One of my favorite Bible stories is found in John chapter 9. It demonstrates how God uses people’s personal experiences to affect their friends, family, and community. It is the story of a man who was born blind. Jesus healed him and it caused quite a stir in his home town. The religious community tried to get the healed man to deny what had happened, because they did not like the success Jesus was having. As they publicly accused Jesus of being a sinner and pressured the man, he answered like this: “I don’t know whether he is a sinner,” the man replied. “But I know this: I was blind, and now I can see!” John 9:25

God is still looking for people who will find out what He is doing and become a part of it. God’s plan to change the world has always included finding people are willing to simply believe and obey. This allows God to bless and heal them. As a result, their blessed life and their faith begins to affect those around them. Is that something God you are willing for God to do in your life?

# posted by John W. Hanson @ Friday, December 05, 2025