The Samaritan believers were in a peculiar state at that time. Their position was not greatly unlike that of many to whom perhaps this same Philip had preached with like results whilst the Lord Jesus was yet on earth. Referring back to that period, we find that much the same kind of things were happening to people under the limited gospel the apostles and disciples were ministering then.
During those days not very long past people had received and believed the word of God, either from the lips of the Lord Jesus Himself or from the chosen twelve or from the other seventy He later sent forth. Consequently they had entered into the kingdom benefits which were then available to faith. It really made no difference who was preaching; miracles were wrought, demons were cast out, the sick and the diseased and the palsied were healed, people believed, repented and were baptised in water in Jesus' name.
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G.W. North (1913 - 2003)
G. W. North was born in London England in 1913. As a young man he became aware that the Lord was calling him into the work of the ministry. At timely stages the Lord placed folk in his path who were able to direct him into the truth of heart purity and a more expansive understanding of the ministry of the Holy Spirit. He held pastorates in Kent and Bradford. By the late 1960s, following a significant period of ministry in Liverpool, he began a more itinerant ministry. This led him to many parts of the world, and occupied him until well into his eighties. His powerful preaching and the unique sense of the Lord's presence, which seemed to brood over his meetings, were always intensely challenging.The true secret of his remarkable ministry stemmed from his personal communion with the Lord Jesus. To him, 'entering the holiest' was not merely a theological concept; it was a distinct spiritual reality - and the central feature of his spiritual life. It was here, in the place of worship, that his revelatory ministry found its source. He preached from understanding and conviction. He was never the echo of another, nor did he take on board the ebb and flow of various contemporary emphases. He was not a man of 'books'; he soaked himself in Scripture and allowed it to saturate his heart and mind. Truly, this is a man who has lifted up a standard for the people. Mr North went to be with the Lord on 29th April 2003, shortly after his ninetieth birthday.