Desperate for God’s Presence II

24 May, 2015 - 00:05 0 Views

The Sunday Mail

Mtokozisi Dube – Book Review

THIS book has all the ingredients of an all-time classic. It is the type of book that one cannot read and throw away, but a manuscript that is to be referred to everyday to sustain the believer’s zeal for God.

I have since christened this book ‘The manifesto for stirring revival’.

Paging through the book recently, I discovered that the author, Bishop Colin Nyathi has written the book inspired by his personal experiences in life as well as in his walk in ministry.

From the very onset, his aim was and is to create a hunger for God in the lives of men and women.

And my conclusion after reading this second edition of the book “Desperate for God’s Presence” is that “life is not worth living without continually experiencing the presence of the living God”.

The book is an enhanced edition whereupon the authors have built on the same principles they brought out in the initial edition some eight years ago.

He has deftly laid out his book in a way very simple to understand, the principles are easily applicable as well. While there may be numerous theories people will put forward concerning revival, Bishop Nyathi has dug into scriptures and brought out one condition that God can never resist and that is called “Desperation”.

The first four chapters of this book, co-written with Pastor Stanley Mwalili, wrap up the subject.

The book starts off with the chapter titled ‘Help! My Love Has Waxed Cold!’ which reflects on the state of many in the church in our day.

Chapter Two of the book titled ‘When God Leaves’ then touches exhaustively on how tragic it is when the Presence of God departs from one’s life or a church.

Bishop Nyathi warns believers in the book that backsliding kills and destroys its victims. He backs it up with a scripture that says “For turning away (waywardness, backsliding) of the simple will slay them and complacency (carefree living) of fools will destroy them”.

But he goes on to bring a solution in the following chapter ‘The Power of Hunger and Thirst’. He speaks of the need to get where David of old reached when he said, “My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.”

When shall I come and appear before God?” (Psalm 42:2).

The contents of this chapter will relight the fire of God in one’s life and followed properly; God will have no choice, but to invade the reader’s life.

In Chapter Four titled, “The Power of Collective Emptiness” (Brokenness), the book talks about how God will not overlook a broken or contrite heart as scripture puts it.

The rest of the book then brings out several elements that are without doubt mandatory to sustain and strengthen desperation for the presence of God. Chapter 12 lays out Seven Keys to Seeking the Lord.

He concludes it by bringing out The Benefits of Accommodating the Holy Spirit in one’s life in Chapter 16. And the one portion that stands out is that in whatever state one finds themselves in, in God’s eyes, they stand out as the right candidate for His revival.

Bishop Nyathi together with his wife Sarah are Founders of Harvest House International Churches that now has over 250 branches locally, regionally and internationally.

The ministry is now 19 years old and holds twelve services in the Bulawayo City Centre every Sunday.

 

Bishop Nyathi, an accountant by profession was previously a financial director of a large engineering company. He holds a Masters’ degree in Accounting and numerous Business Diplomas.

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