© 04 Colin Melbourne
The example and miracles of Smith Wigglesworth inspire us to attain Ever Increasing Faith, by following Christ as he did. When you read transcripts of his sermons, you will find they carry the same anointing as when first spoken, and the Lord still works healing miracles through them today.
Here’s an account of another miracle wrought by Smith’s faith in Christ; not of healing, but of a very practical nature: Transforming water into petrol.
Turning water into petrol is the modern equivalent of the alchemist’s dream of changing earth into gold. It’s scientifically impossible of course, but that doesn’t stop crooks and tricksters from regularly ‘discovering the secret’.
Recently, an Indian claimed to be able to change water into petrol, and convincingly demonstrated the feat in public. His aim was to obtain a lucrative contract with substantial down payment for the secrets of the process. No doubt, swiftly followed by a vanishing act.
This was his pitch: Genuine water was volunteered and tasted by onlookers to prove it was pure, he poured the water into a glass beaker, and heated it to boiling. Then stirring with a glass rod, accompanied by ad lib hocus-pocus, he removed it from the heat source, and invited experts to examine the product of his labours.
Indeed it smelt like petrol, and when a lighted match was dropped in, the beaker burst into flames, to the delight of everyone watching.
You’ve no doubt guessed the trick already. His glass rod was hollow, filled with petrol, and sealed at the tip with a plug of wax. When he stirred the boiling water, the wax melted, released the petrol, which floated on the water, and convinced the sceptics.
That is Satan’s work; deception, fraud, and trickery.
God’s way is altogether different.
The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.
Holy Bible Lk. 18:27 KJV
<< Wigglesworth Biographies: Many books have been written about this remarkable Christian, and this is an excellent one to start with. Written by Stanley Frodsham, Editor of The Pentecostal Evangel, who knew him well.
During the Second World War, Smith Wigglesworth, though in his eighties, continued his soul-winning ministry, preaching wherever the Lord led him, despite the difficulties and dangers of travelling in wartime Britain.
Petrol, like food and clothes, was strictly rationed, and allowance coupons carefully preserved. There was a thriving black market for the commodity, and ‘spivs’ around military bases made a lucrative living bribing servicemen for supplies, and selling it at inflated prices.
To restrict the practice, and verify the origin of fuels such as petrol, diesel, and paraffin, authorities dyed them according to their type, source, and location. So, if a policeman stopped somebody and discovered they were using green petrol in a red zone, they were ‘nicked’. Naturally, genuine Christians would have nothing to do with the black market, and only used their legitimate quota.
A Christian minister by the name of Harrison, who pastored a fellowship in Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, had saved his petrol ration for a very special event. He’d secured the commitment of the Apostle of Faith, Smith Wigglesworth to come and preach to his church, on condition that Harrison would pick him up from a previous preaching engagement in a neighbouring town.
All went well, until they reached the middle of Sherwood Forest, famous for the legend of Robin Hood. The two men squashed inside the tiny Morris Eight sighed as the engine juddered, spluttered, and finally stopped; out of fuel, still seventeen miles from their destination.
It was night time, with little prospect of help arriving, even if anyone had petrol to spare. What would you do? Poor Harrison must’ve been deeply embarrassed. He’d invited the world’s greatest preacher to visit his flock, yet stranded him in the middle of a dark forest slap in the middle of bomb blasted England.
What could he do? Walk to the nearest house and beg for their petrol ration, search for a distant telephone box, and call for rescue? Wait for the police or military to arrive to investigate the vehicle parked suspiciously in Sherwood Forest?
Whilst Harrison mulled over his options, unable to utter a word, Wigglesworth had already received the solution from Head Office.
“‘Av y’got any water?”
“Yes, I keep a can for topping up the radiator.”
“Put it in t’petrol tank.” ordered Wigglesworth.
Even readers with minimal mechanical knowledge will realise that this is absolutely taboo. It only takes an eggcup full of water in a car’s engine to bring it to a steaming, expensive halt: As little hooligans know well.
But when Smith Wigglesworth told people to do something; his bearing, authority, and steadfast faith, usually resulted in their speedy compliance. Harrison was not about to argue the matter. He opened the small door, and retrieved a half-gallon can of water from behind the driver’s seat, then no doubt with clenched teeth, and whispered prayers, poured the water into his car’s petrol tank.
Taking the starting handle, Harrison threaded it carefully between the chassis and the radiator to engage a notch in the crankshaft, and braced himself to crank the engine.
What a moment for him. Water inside the hot cylinders would destroy the combustion chamber, crack the valve seats, and ruin his precious vehicle. He was about to ‘murder’ his own car! Perhaps he had a Basil Fawlty moment and was relishing the prospect of mangling the brute, for embarrassing him. More likely, he felt as if in a dream, and obeyed Smith, because he trusted him.
Wigglesworth in contrast, was calm, and remained in his seat thanking God for another miracle. He’d been in this kind of situation countless times, and knew just how to overcome all obstacles.
Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Pr. 3:5-6 KJV
Wigglesworth had walked with God for decades, at a level of rapport most believers cannot begin to imagine. Smith had learned the truth of this Gospel fact:
And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.
Mtt. 21:22 KJV
Jesus promised it to his first disciples, and it holds true for his disciples today, and forever.
Harrison lunged the starting handle through half a turn with all his might. Silence. Perhaps a Rook cawed mockingly from its treetop roost. Again he spun the handle, the little Morris rocked on its leaf springs: Wigglesworth impassive: Believing. Still silence.
On the third cranking the 8hp engine burbled miraculously into life. Harrison trotted amazed into the driver’s seat, and pressed the throttle. The motor buzzed happily, and off they sped, reaching Sutton-in-Ashfield without further incident.
Wigglesworth arrived on time, where the Lord had sent him, and delivered the message of Life.
You can imagine how flabbergasted Harrison was. He above all knew it was a miracle. Owning a small workshop, he asked his mechanic to make a special scoop to withdraw some of the liquid from the car’s tank. It was pure petrol, not a trace of water. What’s more it was the correct colour for Nottinghamshire.
Jesus had not only turned water into petrol in response to Wigglesworth’s faith, but had even ensured it was the proper legal colour too!
The things which are impossible with men are possible with God. Lk. 18:27 KJV
<< Smith Wigglesworth on Faith: The kind of miracle you have just read about was common in this man’s ministry after he discovered what Bible faith really is. Would you like to learn what the Lord showed him?
© 04 Colin Melbourne