Spirit-Filled Preaching

As I look back at my years of preaching I can only recall limited times that I felt that God really used my efforts to reach out to lost souls and discouraged saints. I think I did a good job of organizing my thoughts so people could learn what God was saying to them. I tried to speak with passion. But when you grow older you wonder about the success of your efforts. And then you stumble on Paul’s words in 1 Cor. 2:4, “My speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power.” Too much of my preaching was “persuasive words of human wisdom”. And I fear there is too much of such preaching in modern pulpits.
 
I recall Samuel anointed a young shepherd boy named David as king of Israel and the text says, “the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward.” (I Sam. 16:13) Paul recognized the importance of Spirit anointed preaching as opposed to “persuasive words of human wisdom”. “Our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction” (1 Thess. 1:5) We need to pray for God to supply us with a fresh supply of His grace and Spirit and watch God do great things.