Mensajes de fe predicados por el Evangelista Smith Wigglesworth
He sentido la urgente necesidad de traducir al español algunos de los escritos de hombres de Dios, que fueron altamente usados por Dios en épocas pasadas, y que nos pueden servir de estímulo para que también nosotros seamos imitadores de aquellos que por la fe y la paciencia heredan las promesas. No hay generación que no necesite de la generación que pasó. Cometemos un grave error, si buscando la última revelación, ignoramos el hecho de que no hay nada nuevo bajo el sol.
Algo que me inquieta es ver como esta generación que habla tanto de fe y poder, no parece que está avanzando lo suficiente para hacer las obras de Dios. ¡Que Dios nos libre de lo que yo llamo un “intelectualismo de fe” que carece de poder y de santidad! La prueba de la fe, no es en lo que se dice, sino en lo que se hace. Jesús preguntó si habría fe en la tierra cuando Él regrese a la tierra.
En este libro encontrarás a un hombre que sabía lo que era fe, y operó en ella, no para hacerse famoso ni para hacerse rico; sino para ayudar al enfermo y al cautivo. Lo que más me impacta de la vida y el ministerio de este hombre es la compasión que sentía por el impotente y el necesitado. Considero que en estos mensajes podemos descubrir el espíritu de Smith Wigglesworth. Por muchos años mi vida ha sido bendecida y nutrida con el ministerio de este hombre de Dios. Como sé que hay tan poco en español de este hombre, me di a la tarea de traducir estos mensajes mientras estaba en una jornada de ayuno de 21 días al principio del 2005.
Quiero darte algunas palabras de advertencia acerca de los mensajes que vas a leer. Aparentemente se ven sencillos, pero no lo son. Hay muchas joyas de revelación escondidas entre línea y línea. Recuerda que esto no es un libro, sino una colección de sermones. Smith Wigglesworth era un humilde plomero, a quien Dios llamó para usarlo sobrenaturalmente para su gloria. Su estilo de hablar el inglés es muy diferente y difícil de traducir. Tuve que decidir entre traducir con estilo o traducir su espíritu. Me decidí por lo último. Habrá expresiones que no te sonarán bien, pero eso fue exactamente lo que él dijo.
Tampoco uses este libro para establecer doctrinas. Wigglesworth no era un teólogo ni un maestro, él era un evangelista de sanidades y milagros. Recuerda que él vivió en la primera mitad del siglo 20. No puedo dejar de admirar el hecho de que estuviera tan adelantado en revelación de lo que es la fe y la vida en el Espíritu. Ese es el premio de un hombre que nunca leyó otro libro en su vida, y nunca permitía que entrara a su casa ni una copia del periódico.
Te garantizo que hay mucho que aprender de este general de la fe. Tu fe nunca será igual si lees con un corazón abierto.
En el amor de Cristo
Nahum Rosario
Traductor y Editor del libro.
Chicago, IL USA
Febrero de 2005k
Smith Wigglesworth (1859 - 1947)
Smith Wigglesworth, often referred to as ‘the Apostle of Faith,’ was one of the pioneers of the Pentecostal revival that occurred a century ago. Without human refinement and education he was able to tap into the infinite resources of God to bring divine grace to multitudes.Thousands came to Christian faith in his meetings, hundreds were healed of serious illnesses and diseases as supernatural signs followed his ministry. A deep intimacy with his heavenly Father and an unquestioning faith in God’s Word brought spectacular results and provided an example for all true believers of the Gospel.
Smith Wigglesworth is considered one of the most influential evangelists in the early history of Pentecostalism and is also credited with helping give the movement a large religious audience.
Nominally a Methodist, he became a born again Christian at age eight. His grandmother was a devout Methodist; his parents, John and Martha, were not practicing Christians although they took young Smith to Methodist and Anglican churches on regular occasions. He was confirmed by a Bishop in the Church of England, baptized by immersion in the Baptist Church and had the grounding in Bible teaching in the Plymouth Brethren while learning the plumbing trade as an apprentice from a man in the Brethren movement.
Wigglesworth believed that healing came through faith, and he was flexible about the methods he employed. When he was forbidden to lay hands on audience members by the authorities in Sweden, he preached for a "corporate healing", by which people laid hands on themselves. He also practiced anointing with oil, and the distribution of prayer handkerchiefs (one of which was sent to King George V). Wigglesworth sometimes attributed ill-health to demons.
Reportedly, David du Plessis recounted that Wigglesworth prophesied over him that God would pour out his Spirit on the established churches, and that David du Plessis would be greatly involved in it. Later du Plessis was very much involved in the Charismatic movement.
Wigglesworth continued to minister up until the time of his death on March 12, 1947.
Smith Wigglesworth was born to a very poor family. At the age of six he had to go to work. As a consequence, he never learned to read well until he was an adult. Later he claimed he never read anything but the Bible. He became a plumber by trade.
As a minister, Wigglesworth was hardly known outside of his hometown until 1907. In 1907, he received the baptism in the Holy Ghost, which changed his life forever. It was then, at the age of 48, that God moved Wigglesworth from a small relatively unknown ministry to conducting powerful meetings throughout the world, stirring the faith of thousands to receive healing and salvation. Wigglesworth would usually conclude a sermon by praying for the sick; regardless of what text he had ministered.
Smith Wigglesworth's ministry centered on salvation for the unconverted, healing for the sick, and a call to believers to be baptized in the Holy Ghost. He was filled with God - with love, compassion, and faith.
Wigglesworth said, "To hunger and thirst after righteousness is when nothing in the world can fascinate us so much as being near to God."
On March 12, 1947, Smith Wigglesworth, in perfect health, closed his eyes and slipped into eternity, at the age of 87.
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