"Expect a Miracle" - Part 4

I am inspired by this book by Oral Roberts. Here is part 4 of my reflections.

Dr Oral Roberts is a pioneer in the fields of television and radio ministries and is one of the best-known Christian ministers of the twentieth century. He has held more that three hundred evangelistic and healing crusades on five continents, has authored more that fifty books, and is the visionary who founded Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He has been a true leader of revival across the world.

Oral Roberts has poured out his life with an unquenchable thirst to obey God and not man in every area: “My life and my ministry are not over yet...I am healthy, enthusiastic, energetic, still believing, still working, and I won’t give up - never, never, never with everything that’s in me. I believe the best is yet to come!” (Roberts, 1995, p 387).

After a study of the book of Acts, he "saw that the only thing that would bring a revival to our church today was a repetition of Pentecost, a revival of signs and wonders, a visitation of God's power upon us through the outpouring of the Holy Ghost" (Roberts, 1952, p 68). He gave himself to the task and to obey God in every area of his life: "I could have the anointing of Jesus of Nazareth if I wanted it badly enough. I wanted it. I sought it. It was not easy. I had to give up many things and many friends...I live for one thing: for the deliverance of the lost and suffering humanity. Everything is subordinated to that cause...I cannot help it. I have seen the world's hurt. I have felt the heartbeat of lost and suffering humanity....I have to go. I have no choice. I am on fire and I can't stand still. The call of God to deliver mankind rings in my ears day and night. I must go" (Roberts, 1952, p 158). His wife, Evelyn reflects powerfully on this time: “What people don’t understand and I guess will never understand is that Oral was never a great person until he made the supreme consecration of his life in 1947 in Enid” (Roberts, 1956, p 30).

Oral Roberts became the nation's greatest soul winner, winning over 50 000 souls a year in his meetings. His ministry was powerful and the 12 500 seat “canvas cathedral” paved the way for the big tent revivals. It many instances the tent was not big enough to contain the masses who came to hear the gospel and be healed.

Eyewitness accounts of these meetings (Roberts, 1997) include: “Inside the tent you could definitely feel the presence of God...there was an expectancy in the crowd...Oral expected God to do something...and He did! We always saw hundreds of people’s lives changed and people’s bodies healed.” He gained a reputation as an eloquent and passionate speaker. His wife reflects that “he is more at home in the pulpit than he is in his own backyard. The words flow out of him until I don’t know him as my own husband. He is another man...when he is in the pulpit something comes over him and he becomes another man. His voice becomes vibrant; every word has great power” (Roberts, 1956, p 39).