A couple of weeks ago, I did some blogging about Rees Howells. Here are the links to those posts:
Rees Howells on the Holy Spirit Rees Howells on Intercession
I had been reading Doris Ruscoe’s book, The Intercession of Rees Howells. Since then I’ve also read Norman Grubb’s book, Rees Howells: Intercessor
Serious intercessors can learn a lot from Rees Howells’ life. However, some of the ideas that he had I would not agree with. For instance, he felt that God at times asked him, in praying for sick people, to be willing to take their sickness upon himself. Rees Howells commented that God would never ask an intercessor to take someone else’s sin upon himself. He stated that only Jesus could do that, and that He did it as a finished work on the cross. My firm belief is that Jesus did a finished work for our forgiveness, healing, and deliverance. God would never ask an intercessor to take someone else’s demons upon himself so that the demonized person could be free. We would think that was a ridiculous idea. It is just as ridiculous to say that God would want an intercessor to take someone else’s sickness upon himself.
Rees Howells recounted an incident where he disobeyed God about fasting. He said he cried out for forgiveness for a long time, and finally heard God tell him that he was forgiven, but that God was going to punish him by making him pray for three hours with his hands raised the entire time. This smacks of penance and works-oriented atoning for our own sin.
Whenever we run across teaching that isn’t quite right, we need to leave the bad and embrace what is good, still esteeming men or women of God for who they are in Christ. Rees Howells didn’t always hear God perfectly, but he was still a phenomenal intercessor, who knew the Lord at a deeper level than many of us will ever get to.
Here are some of the concepts he taught:
“Before God will use you in intercession, it will cost you.”
Unless your death to self is real, you will not prevail to deliver others.
God told him, “The meaning of prayer is answer — and of all that I give you, see that you lose nothing.”
God showed him that the central place of his intercession was to come out of abiding in the Lord and getting his victories from that abiding position (John 15:7). Abiding means letting the Holy Spirit live through us the life Jesus would have lived if He were in our shoes.
He spent much time waiting on God to find out how to pray about a matter, before beginning. The Holy Spirit usually spoke to him through a Scripture verse, as he waited and read the Bible. An important part of this waiting was letting the Holy Spirit reveal areas that he needed to repent of, especially in his motives and attitudes.
There are degrees and stages of abiding. New positions of spiritual authority are gained as we deepen in our oneness with Jesus.
When God has spoken, and we are certain it is His voice we have been hearing, when doubtful thoughts later assault us, this is not necessarily our doubt. It is the enemy attacking. The point is not to give in and not to agree with the doubtful thoughts.
There were many other wonderful concepts that I learned as I read about Rees Howells’ life. I would encourage anyone who is committed to intercessory prayer to read both of these books, but particularly the Doris Ruscoe account.
Purchase at Amazon:
The Intercession of Rees Howells, by Doris M. Ruscoe
Rees Howells: Intercessor, by Norman Grubb
Out of the Fire 
Thanks for recommending this book. FIA
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I just want to let you know I appreciate your posts so much for they are confirmation of what the Holy Spirit taught me. I think that people like Rees Howells often mix between The Law and The Grace and there are so many ministers who mix them both yet God occasionally still manifest His power on their life/ministries. I think this is because sometimes they are being led by the Holy Spirit more than the other times. I believe the Holy Spirit never lead us to the Law but to the finished work of Jesus Christ that’s Grace. Pastor Joseph Prince of Singapore has strong revelation of the Grace that Apostle Paul teached especially in Galatian and Romans. Tanya
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Hello there,
I am nearly through reading Norman Grubb’s book on Rees Howells and am absolutely so affected and inspired by the book.I really feel that God is glorified and NOT Howells or man. I just wanted to mention that I read very very clearly in the book that Jesus is the only one to take sin upon himself as the ultimate Intercessor and found that to come through very clearly and I didnt see that Howells was asked to take sickness on himself…though to put himself physically with the people with consumption etc was at great risk to him..but God protected him from it….in saying that I am heavily pregnant and could have missed what you are saying or just not have heard it becasue of the clarity to me of Jesus and Jesus only taking on sin.
……But yes, the hands raised for 3 hours..I believe this was law rather than from God…which I understand having tried so hard to live up to standards of the law/legalism myself before discovering the grace of Jesus…as in the first chapter in Grubb…Howells early involvement in church was being good, law abiding…….Howells humanity was always being dealt with and yes I agree that he did not always hear perfectly from God….if he did…I probably would not take notice of the book…it wouldnt be real, we must all be discerning and test what we read and hear……So inspired….glad to find this blog:)
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Isn’t it wonderful that believers like Rees Howells can continue to impact lives long after they have gone on to be with Jesus! So many people have been spurred on to greater levels of intercession by his example. His prayers live on as well — especially as we see God’s hand on Israel, and Mr. Howells and his intercessors played a huge part through prayer in the reestablishment of Israel as a nation.
I, too, was encouraged by him not being perfect in his ability to hear perfectly from the Lord. It gave me hope that God can still use me when I don’t get it completely right, too — although I strive for better accuracy day by day.
Thanks for your comment!
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Glorify God in all things!
I realized, in my reading, how much people like C.S. Lewis and Rees Howells have blessed my life, created Glory for God, in and through publishing books.
The realization that has had a significant impact for me is the fact that Rees Howells did not write any of the books about his life. The books were written by others, based largely on journals or meeting minutes.
Through extensively documenting his own life in journals and having meeting minutes, Rees Howells created a situation where God would be glorified after Rees’ death.
Do you journal?
I never used to do so…
I have difficulty remembering the incredible things God is doing in my life and those around me. Without a journal to look back on the information is lost.
Without his journals, the life of Rees Howells would have had little impact after his passing. based on his Journals, these books will have an immeasurable impact.
Praise God!
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If the finished work of Jesus included healing (assuming you mean full physical healing from all disease from salvation until death), then why do some Christians get sick? How can they catch cold or have cancer? If they aren’t healed physically completely, then are they redeemed completely? Is physical healing and redemption always related? Is the author denying that sickness can exist in a Christian? If the author cannot reconcile how Christians can be sick, then I would propose that the author believes in her faith instead of in the Jesus of the Bible. I would ask that the author examine how denying sickness is also a tenet of gnosticism.
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Submit unto God and resist the devil – many submit unto their problems and resit God
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Too many questions, and not enough understanding of what I said, or what Rees Howells said, or something! I’ll try to answer the questions the best I can:
Denying that sickness exists is Christian Science (which is not Christian at all; it is a cult). I do not subscribe to denying the existence of sickness.
In the Hebrew and Greek words for salvation, healing and deliverance are part of what salvation encompasses. I don’t have the time or space to go into it here, but there are plenty of places one can find out about such things. The early Church understood that salvation was for the spirit, soul, and body. Somewhere along the line, as the Church became weak and compromised, the full understanding of salvation was lost. That’s really too bad. We have complete faith for salvation that takes us to heaven, but we’ve lost the understanding and faith for the rest of it. Fortunately, God is bringing these truths to the forefront once again.
I have been to South America. When we prayed for people on the street corners there for healing, they got healed. Their simple faith made it easy to get them healed of anything. And I do mean anything! If they didn’t get healed, we asked into whether they had unforgiveness in their lives. Those who did not get healed in the first round usually did have unforgiveness issues. We explained to them the need to forgive, and when they repented of unforgiveness and forgave the one they were offended with, as soon as we prayed with them a second time, they got healed — visible tumors, blindness, deafness, deformed limbs, you-name-it. Why there, more than here in the U.S.? They believed and received.
There are many hindrances to healing, some of which are obvious in a person’s life, and some which are not. Unforgiveness, sin, doubt and unbelief, lack of perseverance in faith and/or prayer are all reasons some people do not get healed. No doubt there are complicated and hidden reasons sometimes that are between the person and God.
Why isn’t everyone healthy all the time? There is not a simple, pat answer to this one, either, but I can tell you that sin leaves a door wide open for sickness. And it’s not just sin that everybody sees as sin. Fear, resentment, worry, unforgiveness (again) are all sin-entrances for sickness. Being careless of how we treat our bodies weakens them and makes them open to sickness. We’ve all done these things from time to time.
Adam’s fall precipitated sickness into the world, but the Bible most certainly promises healing and health. It promises a lot of other things that Christians often don’t walk in, but it is our ignorance and lack of appropriating the promises that is the problem. Jesus died for all, but those who do not appropriate salvation from sin will still go to hell. In a similar manner, if we do not appropriate the promises of healing, we will stay sick.
Does that mean that when someone dies we should tell their loved ones they died because somebody didn’t have enough faith, or because the person had sin in his life? No, of course not. Whether the person did or not, it helps no one to say such things. And besides, we don’t know every angle of the situation. God does.
So, we should believe for healing and expect to receive. It is part of our heritage in Christ. But let’s not pick on others and analyze why they didn’t get healed, if they didn’t.
Personally, I’m getting a whole lot more healings, both for myself and for those I pray for, than I ever did before learning about the healing promises in the Bible. I’ve got a ways to go yet. I’m still learning. I think that is where most of us are probably at — still learning.
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Lee Ann, I just wanted to let you know, I don’t usually answer posts, but I was greatly moved by yours. I too, have been led by the Lord to believe all His promises, finding they indeed are a learning process. One thing the Lord showed me several years ago was that in Mathew, Mark, Luke and John, every single person who came to Christ with a need, received what they had need , if they believed. Mark 9:23 If you can believe, ALL things are possible to them that believe. Also, as others have learned, we must believe every word of God is true. Psalm 103:3 who forgiveth all thy iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; . What we have to ask is, “Did the Holy Spirit really mean ALL?”
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Absolutely, Randy! A hearty amen to what you have said!
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Dear All
I find this really exciting and encouraging. My friend David and I have been led to start a website on inspirationalchristians where we hope to share about the lives of men/women of faith like Rees Howells, etc. The comments in this blog have confirmed a number of things the Holy Spirit has counselled us about the website and we have resolved not to focus on doctrine but to present their stories as encouragement (Heb. 13 v 7) to Christians as well as non-christians with the ultimate of giving God all the glory for the lives He enabled them to live.
I have been personnally inspired by the story of Rees Hoowells as recounted by Norman Grubb… To God be the glory!
Hebrews 13 v 7
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I would be very interested in the website you mentioned about men/women of faith like Rees Howells. Please send the site address to me when you have it up and running.
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Would also like to have that website! I read the Norman Grubbs book and it changed my life! I know that I have a similar calling on my life!
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Yes, this has been one of the most Inspirational Reads I have experienced, as I am learning of Rees Howells life according to Norman Grubb.
In my full surrender years ago, I learned to discern the Voice of the Holy Spirit thru the Word and in my spirit. I missed His Voice/or rather there were times when it was not His Voice; and I cried out and asked Him how that could have been since walking in the Spirit is my daily life. And it was comforting to know His reassuring direction is that I remain totally dependent upon Him and seeking Him daily and that He is God and I am not. It was immensely helpful to be faced with my frailty…otherwise I would not seek Him as diligently. What an AWESOME God we serve!
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I know you reviewed this book (the Grubb one) awhile back but I read that book and remember thinking the same thing about not agreeing that he had to take on the sickness of someone he was interceding for. I appreciate your review of the book and also agree that we can chew the good meat and spit out the bones.
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Penance, properly perceived, is not atoning for our sins, but a corrective discipline that leads away from our predilection for that sin.
Christians who are baptized into Christ are baptized into His death, and through that participation bring forward the work of Christ into the lives of others, including the possibility of taking the sicknesses of others upon them. In so doing we are bringing the work of Christ, that was finished once and for all in time, but an expression of the Eternal love of God, into the present. The Incarnation of Christ through the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary worked forward in history and culminated in the death and resurrection of Christ. The Incarnation of Christ in the Church works backwards into history and brings our present into the Eternal now of the death and resurrection of Christ.
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Ben – The “virgin” Mary has nothing to do with anything other than being the vessel God used to give birth to Jesus. You are a Catholic and your theology is wrong. First you need to accept Christ as your Lord and Savior by admitting you are a sinner in need of His atoning work on the cross and His forgiveness, apart from anything you think Mary has to offer, then you need to go to bible school to learn what you believe and why you believe it.
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I’m not seeing from Ben’s comment that he is saying anything about the Virgin Mary other than that Jesus was born of her through the power of the Holy Spirit. I think perhaps you might be assuming an awful lot about Ben’s theology just based on his one comment.
Although I don’t personally agree with Ben’s perspective on taking the sicknesses of others upon ourselves, I think we should be careful about making assumptions about someone’s salvation and denomination, based on what is in one brief comment.
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I had the privilege of attended the Bible College of Wales 35 years agon when Samuel Howels, Rees Howels’ son, was director; and heard Norman Grubb speak. Rees Howells was a Welsh Miner with a basic education and no Theological training beyond the Life of the Spirit. He was converted in the USA and returned to Wales in the middle of the Welsh Revival. He was gifted with a profound relationship with God but was no stranger to controversy. When God challenged him to relinquish international mission to found the college and enter a hidden life of intercession, it was the greatest test of his life. When the Holy Spirit brought him through the ordeal, he testified to Llandrindod Wells Convention that they should take note of the apostles, because he expected God to do similar things through him. Marvellous things were in deed accomplished, but not before he was brought lower and lower by the Lord, until he came to refer to himself simply as, “His servant.” As with many “places of intercession” that he saw gained, his first attempt at intercessory healing was a total public failure. The destruction of his reputation was always part of the process of dying to self. Afterwards, none of those whose sickness the Lord permitted him to intercede for, went unhealed. The talk of taking other people’s sickness on himself was an inadequate attempt to exlplain the intercessory principle of identification. The cross is its ultimate expression, but it is part of the way of cross that every disciple must tread. It is empathy expressed by “sitting where they sit” as Ezekiel did. It is a mark of the seriousness of bearing the respoosibility of intercession, that Ress Howells was prepared, like Moses, to physically die in another man’s place. Like Moses, he learned that he was not qualified for the honour.
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Thank you, Mr. Watson for what you said. I understand “taking on the illness” or grief of another. It allows me to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit and how He would have me pray, as well as make me more compassionate and more aware of a loving Father and a very, very small bit of of the agony of Christ. There is no sweetness greater than hearing His voice.
My walk with God is my own–each of us are created as unique and different individuals and I do believe God deals with each child differently. He is a creative God who likes variety, even in the way we worship, even in ways He has us obey…only He knows the truth of the heart.
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I’ve learnt a lot in Rees’book, did he ever pray in tounges in his life? Wouldn’t that make things a lot easier in his intersession? He had a kind of the word of testimony that surely would overcome the world. I thank God for such examples.
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There has been no mention of him speaking in tongues in any of the resources I have read. A lot of the great prayer warriors of old did not speak in tongues, and yet spent hours in focused prayer and won great victories. I have always been amazed by that. Without my prayer language, I don’t think I would have enough to say for very long.
Rees Howells did spend a great deal of time pouring over the Scriptures and praying from them into specific situations. He also did a lot of listening to get God’s angle on how to pray before he began praying. I think we could all learn from that.
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I’m glad I found your blog. I find it very interesting that you don’t think Mr. Howells heard God right all the time. All I know is that I am totally stuck in a trial because of my own disobedience to the Lord regarding fasting. I am finding that in order to be forgiven and move forward I have to do something as well (and I’m not going to get into it because I’m afraid the Lord might get angry if I share). I’ve been to counseling with pastors and talked to Bible teachers, elders in my church etc. and they all agree that the Lord would not be requiring what I believe Him to be requiring of me and leading me to do. I too thought that we didn’t have to do anything to be forgiven other than believe but I guess this is not so in all cases? Anyway, because I listened to them I am totally shipwrecked. I am such a mess. I don’t want to believe that God was truly that way with Mr. Howells (I want to believe that maybe he misinterpreted the Lord) but because of my own experience and the horrible place I am in, I can’t help but think he very well could have heard right! I am so lost, and I’m afraid I will never get out of this pit. I am afraid that I am no longer saved and possibly the Holy Spirit has left me and has handed me over to a demon. Please pray for me that the Lord will have mercy on me and not give up on me! Thank you!
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Hi Michelle,
I think we must go by the Bible. The whole message of the gospel is that Jesus paid the entire price for our salvation and for our forgiveness. We do not have to “do” anything to be forgiven. When we think we have to perform works for our salvation/forgiveness, we are negating the huge price that Jesus already paid for our sins on the cross. When He died, He said, “It is finished,” and it is.
It is very easy for us all to slip into trying to pay our own price for forgiveness. We must guard ourselves that we do not allow ourselves to slip into this trap.
What you might be experiencing, though, is that, yes, God might be asking something of you in order for you to move forward in His plans for you. You don’t have to do penance or works to be forgiven, but you may need to obey instructions that He gives in order to get back on the right track. For instance, if you have wronged someone, you may need to go to them and make it right in whatever way you can. An example would be if you had stolen from someone, you would need to pay it back. Making it right in that sense is quite different from receiving forgiveness from the Lord through works. God would have already forgiven you right away when you sincerely asked Him to, but the action to restore to whomever you had wronged would still need to be accomplished, if you were truly repentant.
Please do be careful, though. I don’t know, of course, what it is that you think you are supposed to do that your church leadership is advising against, but there is wisdom in godly counselors, and if they are teaching and living according to God’s Word, they are there to protect you with their counsel. Above all, make sure that you do not do anything that goes against Scripture or would be destructive in any way to you or others.
Now, there is a deception going on in your thinking if you want the Lord in your life and yet you are afraid that you are no longer saved. The devil commonly deceives tender-hearted believers into thinking they have committed so deep a sin tht they are no longer saved. Go back to the cross, receive Jesus’ forgiveness based on what He has already done for you, and rest in Him. His Holy Spirit has NOT left you, and you are still saved. I would heartily recommend that you get a copy of Joseph Prince’s book, Destined to Reign
. It will help you more fully understand God’s grace and how it works. You can get it at the library or buy it at Amazon
.
As for Mr. Howells, I think he was a wonderful man of God. No, I don’t think he heard everything exactly right from the Lord at all times, but then, none of us do. He did hear a lot of thngs with right-on accuracy. He is a fine example for all of us to look up to.
May God bless you, fill you with His truth and peace, and guide you out of whatever problems you have gotten into, Michelle! I wish you many blessings,
Lee Ann
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Thank you for your comments Lee Ann. So the Lord then could require me to fast for 3 days to prove that I’m sorry for breaking a fast early or for not fasting at all when led to? That wouldn’t be considered penance?
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Hi Michelle,
I may not understand the situation completely that we are talking about, but I’ll do my best to answer. I think what you do with it in your heart is what is important. God knows already whether you are repentant, so in that sense, He wouldn’t need to prove you. He does, however, often give us fresh opportunities to pass a test we didn’t do well at previously. The thing to be careful of is to not get legalistic, which involves trying to please or appease God through works, which is different than simply obeying Him out of love for Him.
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But I really feel like He is telling me or showing me that if I don’t fast for 3 days that I’m an idolater and no idolater will inherit the kingdom of heaven! I feel cut off from Him, its horrible. I keep attempting to do this 3 day fast but I end up getting so shaky and weak sometimes that I reason that He must not really be leading me and then after blowing it I feel condemned, in bondage, I experience horrible things. Its like vicious cycle that I can’t seem to get out of. I am so scared. It is so horrible to think that I could go to hell for eating.
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What you are sensing is not God speaking. It has all the hallmarks of how the enemy of our souls speaks. God does not bully, threaten, or make us feel condemned. You will NOT go to hell if you don’t do this fast. If you have embraced Jesus as your Savior and you love Him, He is your safekeeping from hell. From what you are saying, it seems very evident to me that it is not God holding your feet to the fire and insisting you fast. It is the devil tormenting you with condemnation and fear.
The truth will set you free. Jesus sets us free. He does not put us in bondage or exact upon us tormenting demands such as you are experiencing. What you are hearing and mistaking for God is not truth. I am not a counselor, and probably cannot help you much more than I have, but I would suggest that you make an appointment with your pastor and continue to receive any help your pastoral team can give on an ongoing basis until you receive freedom.
Jesus wants you to be happy and at peace, secure in Him, knowing that He loves you and that He is not angry with you.
Blessings and I wish you well,
Lee Ann
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Hi Michelle,
I COMPLETELY sympathise with your situation and have been there in the exact same situation myself.
For what it’s worth, and do what you want with this, but I sense the religious spirit on what you just shared about what you thought was God speaking to you here.
I wonder if God is saying to you that He wants you to know Him as “Abba”, Dad, your Father.
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Here I am all these years later, and I never saw until now. Thank you!
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I’m looking for fact about Rees Howells not about the author
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Hi Ashley,
The point of the Rees Howells series of posts is to review the books available about him by Miss Ruscoe and Mr. Grubb. Although I comment on some of Mr. Howells’ viewpoints and have included some of his quotes, of course the best way to learn about his life is to read the books themselves.
Blessings,
Lee Ann
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Lee Ann, I just finished reading the Book Rees Howells Intercessor. For me I am no big reader, but this book captured my attention trough the Holy Spirit. It was as if I was there the whole time. I would love to go and see where he actually stayed and grew up. To follow the places he was.
This book in my opinion is a must for every Christian. It will make you think if you are serious about GOD or are you playing around.
Many Blessings
Cobus
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Thanks for stopping by, Cobus. Yes, Mr. Howells is a wonderful inspiration to all of us that we can impact our world through prayer. I greatly enjoyed what I learned, as well, from reading about his life.
Blessings,
Lee Ann
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I just want to comment on the law and grace issue. I think there has been a great mixup with it, and followers of Jesus tend to highly flee from any kind of law. But Jesus himself gave many commandments. True, we can enter the Kingdom by nothing else than by grace found in Jesus. But what about after we get INTO the Kingdom (after salvation here on earth). We are to live differently. There are Kingom laws, and there is a Father who now dwells with his children… AND also chastises them when they are disobedient. (read Hebrews). For those outside the gate who are not yet God’s children, there is no chastisement. But once we enter in by grace, we see chistisement for disobedience, and a ministering of the law of the Kingdom.
I fought with the idea about Reese Howells having to raise his arms in prayer as a type of punishment for failing to fast. But I had to remember that this work was NOT in order to get saved… but it was to learn obedience as a child of God. (Reese never said he was going to go to hell because he failed his fast…unless he did another “work” to make up for it… and the bible never says anything like that either. Doing works for salvation was not his point.) There is a big difference between working by law to get into the kingdom, and living in Jesus’ law while IN the Kingdom by grace, and they should not be confused.
Grace is the greatest gift and essential… but after entering in by grace, if we run from God’s chastening, i think we will see little of the Kingdom while here in earth. The Holy Spirit and self will not always mix well.
Thanks for reading! And bless you all in your pursuit!
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Hi Clint,
Thanks for your thoughtful comments.
I would like to add a clarification on grace. I believe we are saved by grace, but I also believe that we must live out our Christian walk by grace. It is very easy, once we are saved, to slip back into trying to live by the law. Paul contended with the Galatians about this very thing, and yet the Church today seems to fall into the same trap of trying to mix law and grace.
Yes, we are to live holy lives, and the NT epistles are full of practical instruction on what holy living should look like. A true understanding of grace (not what has sometimes been called “greasy grace”) causes us to so love and depend on Jesus for everything, that we don’t wish to step outside of Christ-likeness. Pure living is the natural outflow of a Spirit-led life. And when we do sin, God is not there with a stick to punish us. We can come freely to His throne of grace, be washed in Jesus’ blood (Who already took all the punishment for us at the cross), and shift back into living in the Spirit once again.
I am not disagreeing about yielding to chastening or living differently once we are believers — just adding some clarifying comments, as I see that much of the Church today does not seem to be understanding grace very well and is still trying to live under the Law. The Lord intends for us to be transformed by the Spirit, from the inside out, rather than trying to live by a set of regulations. The Bible shows us the guidelines, and the Spirit uses the Word to work those good things out in us.
Blessings! ~ Lee Ann
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HI Lee Ann!
Thanks for that! Good words. yes, and i like the way Jesus gives us a picture of putting on a “wedding garment” for the feast. I really see this garment as a great picture of grace. It’s a garment we receive, and we enter in with it. It is the thing we wear all the while inside, never to take it off, or think it not-useful. It’s the garment we wear with boldness! It’s the garment we wear, even if we stumble… for He will set us back to the pace of the feast.
It’s only because of the garment, the grace, that He gives us deeper knowledge of His will, and a great “Helper” to accompany the faith we will need to live His will! It’s such a great thing to have grace!
You are right that legalism creeps in at every chance… and even after receiving the Good News and believing, there is great temptation to think we have to earn a right-standing with Him if we stumble. And it’s such a fine balance because i have so many friends that have gone the complete other way too, and have cast off any reason to advance in faith, being afraid that it might be “works” and thus sit back to only talk about faith and study the words about it. I too fell into that trap, and oddly enough it was almost immediately after i found way too much legalism within my own life! haha. So it was fear that drove me from one extreme to the other… when what i needed was to just be confidant in the garment of grace i had always had on. Then I was free to just listen and move to His voice alone!! Thank-you Father for guiding us!
The testimonies of God moving in Reese’s great faith has given me encouragement to move forward with grace, and seek to live by every chance of faith that God will provide. To Abba Yahweh be the glory!
(please point out any error)
Thanks again LeeAnn! blessings to you!
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Bless you, Clint, and thanks for dropping by and sharing your experience. 🙂
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Dear Lee Ann, may I ask you to find where is the author of the book “The Intercession of Rees Howells”? I have translated her book into Russian. Please, write me!
In Him, Sergei
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I would contact the book’s publishers for information:
The Lutterworth Press (UK publisher) — customerservice@lutterworth.com
Zerubbabel Press (US publisher) — info@zerubbabel.org
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The author (Doris Ruscoe) died more than 15 years ago.
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Some related links and follow books that you may find of interest:
Samuel, Son and Successor of Rees Howells by Richard Maton: http://www.BibleCollegeofWales.co.uk
Samuel Rees Howells: A Life of Intercession by Richard Maton: http://www.BibleCollegeofWales.com
Information about Rees Howells (1879-1950) and Samuel Rees Howells (1912-2004) can be found at: http://www.ReesHowells.co.uk
A virtual tour of the old Bible College of Wales grounds in Swansea can be found at: http://www.ReesHowells.com
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Thank you so much for these links, Matthew! ~ Blessings, Lee Ann
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A pleasure : )
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There is now some clips on YouTube relating to Rees annd Samuel Howells and the Bible College of Wales properties:
When Prayer fails, intercession begins http://youtu.be/Yi_Jul9BZGA
AND
Rees Howells Intercessor – The Sequel
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6 Linked in videos (play in succession) – Rees and Samuel Howells related.
‘To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God’ Ephesians 3:10.
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AND the link was: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4XsmqgOJQE&list=UUE20YwgaQZZv1onwIbxF8gw
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I don’t quite understand the woman’s point of view , about Reece Howles. I’ve read the book 2x now and working on a 3rd. And I’ve spoken at length with my ( a retired minister), who has done much intercessory prayer himself. It was him who recommended the book to me and he absolutely agrees with the things said in the book of his life by Mr. Grubb. So I’m a but confused because I’m very into learning as much as I can about what The Lord requires of his intercesors. But at this time I’m looking for more material I can download for free
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Some basics of prayer and intercession can be found here: http://www.byfaith.co.uk/paulprayer.htm. Apart from praying the prayers (‘interceeding’) that the holy Spirit wants you to pray (stand in the gap for) is your place of abiding (general obedience to God – John 15) and anything else He has called you to do. For a free basic discipleship course http://www.byfaith.co.uk/paulni5.htm
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I read Rees Howles intercessor about 40 years ago and just finished re-reading it again after all these years. I cried through the whole book.
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It has been a while since I commented here! Thank you for addressing so much in your reply! Forgive me for saying that you were denying sickness; I was trying to cover all of my bases.
You make an assertion that “healing and deliverance are part of what salvation encompasses,” and your proof is from your experience in South America. You also say, “there are complicated and hidden reasons sometimes [Christians are not healed physically] that are between the person and God.” You must reconcile these two opposing beliefs somehow.
I would argue that the healings you saw weren’t so much for the individual, as it was to show proof of God’s presence in a new location, to other believers, that are not presently there. What I mean is that this healing offers testimony to other believers that the God of the new place is the same God that they already know. This is a glorious way God has used in the past to avoid schisms and encourage unity.
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Hi William,
I would ask you to read more carefully what I said in response to you the first time, please. You are misquoting me and twisting what I said. I did not say my proof was personal experience — but I did share my personal experience. Personal testimony which lines up with the Bible is valid. It just does not take a place equal to or higher than Scripture.
I am not sure what you mean by “the God of the new place” or “God’s presence in a new location.”
“Sozo” is the Greek word sometimes used in the NT for salvation. It encompasses spiritual salvation, physical healing, and deliverance. It is worth studying. We have both OT and NT scriptures which tell us that God heals. You can search the Scriptures for yourself or do some study online, if you’d like, but I don’t have the time to write at length on this. Exodus 15:26 announces one of God’s names/titles: “I am the LORD Who heals you.” Psalm 103:3 calls Him the God Who forgives all our iniquities and heals all our diseases. There are dozens of verses and passages about physical healing throughout the Bible.
If you want to truly know from the Bible if healing is yet for today, you can sincerely ask the Spirit of truth to teach you and give you understanding, and then search the subject out with an attitude of openness to what He might reveal to you. You can also find respected Bible teachers who believe the Scriptures do indicate healing is still for today, who can take you through a scholarly step-by-step process to why they came to believe that. If you are resistant to the idea that God still heals today, you can find Bible teachers who will support that view as well. But I will not take any further time on the subject. The Bible can speak for itself, and thousands who have been healed are an additional testimony which should not be rejected, as long as Scripture is not contradicted.
It’s up to you what you want to believe now.
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Reading your last comments about Rev Howells, specifically the question and response of God’s question if he (Rees) was willing to take that sickness upon himself. Bonhoeffer said it quite bluntly in the Cost of Discipleship, our Lord makes it clear, “Follow Me and die.” I think too many in Christendom are going to be horrified one day soon because they did not count the cost of hauling around a cross EVERY day, and that death to self is an integral part of being a sheep or a goat (Matt. 25). Jesus never coddled any one. He had no 4 point plan. More often than not, His words are quite harsh. He never inundated anyone with promises. It was either yea or nay. Paul said if he was not dying to self, he was not on the straight and narrow. I think I will stay very close to His right hand. God asked for the death of Issac.
And there is a vast difference between sickness and demonology. The two cannot be compared.
As committed as I am, I fear I still fall short, which causes me considerable angst. I do admire people like Rees and Dietrich, and take comfort that mere mortals can achieve great glory for Yahweh.
God bless.
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I read the book about Rees Howells, and honestly I thought some of what he thought was God directing him to do this or that action was nuts and quite questionable. Such as the thing with don’t wear your hat to show solidarity with the poor, and then put your hat back on. It sounded plausible because it had the ring of holiness or proof of holiness to it. He thought God was making him jump through hoops to prove his obedience and humilty. I read of another similiar description of being supposedly led by God, where the person thought the voices she was hearing were of God and it went something like ” invariably, the voice would tell her that she was to leave one sock on and one sock off, or to go barefoot or shoeless, etc”. This lady would obey these voies because she sincerely wanted to listen to God about the details of her life. Can’t recall the book this description was from, but clearly she was being misled by something not the Holy Spirit as well as not having a firm grasp of God’s character. I don’t think God plays games with us or jerks us around that way as a matter of routine course.
Like any believer I would like to hear God’s directives clearly in my life also. However, there are some things that I wonder why no one notices. For instance the idea that some of what Rees and others hear is God and some of it is error. If I am having a conversation with you and you are telling me that the sky is blue, and a third party butts in and begins misleading me by insisting on something that is in error, are you really going to just say nothing, if indeed you are actually standing there and I am actually in relationship with you?
It doesn’t make sense or add up with God’s character to me that He would say His bit to us and then stand aside quietly while we got led off into the weeds by mistaken leadings, esp if those leadings come from an angel of light. Not only do such leadings have the potential to bring out major trials and much wasted time and resources, they can bring about spiritual shipwreck and they also bring God’s name and character into question by misrepresenting HIM. That is something I wonder about the claims of Rees Howells and others, is that okay, of course we can mistake our own notions for the voice of God, but surely if we are indeed in direct communication with God, seeing as He corrects, leads, guides, convicts, comforts and discplines, one would wonder why He would not speak up at that time about the matter.
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Hi Patricia,
It’s been quite a while since I read the books about Rees Howells, but if I remember correctly, I think God was dealing with his pride and the fear of man, as well as teaching him to follow directions. It seems he was a strong-willed man, and the Lord was dealing with him to be yielded.
That being said, I think you have made some valid points. I have run into people who did goofy things, thinking it was the Lord telling them to, and it was really not God at all, but their own imaginations. When we get off in strange places, the Holy Spirit, Who is the Spirit of truth, does try to redirect us and correct the error, but sometimes it takes time for Him to get past our insistence on listening to other voices, including our own imaginations. Some of the people I have known who ran around saying, “The Lord told me this,” and “The Lord told me that,” were weak on reading the Bible, or had inner wounds which they needed healing of.
Rees Howells, like the rest of us, learned to hear the voice of God over a period of time. He got many things right, but there were times that he also really blew it, it seems. I think we can learn from both his successes and his failures.
Blessings and thank you for your insights!
Lee Ann
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As much as I believe God does heal I know He also helps with grace sufficient for sickness. Why did Paul stay sick and why did he tell Timothy to drink wine for his stomach and why not heal his friends? Your misleading
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Hi MaryAnn,
My intent is never to mislead. I am certainly not against using what we have available in medicine or using natural means to be healed or to stay healthy, which is what Paul suggested to Timothy. I would imagine you are referring to Paul’s thorn in the flesh, mentioned in 2 Corinthians 12:7-9, in saying he stayed sick. However, it is an assumption, not a known fact, that Paul’s thorn, or infirmity, was a sickness. An infirmity is a weakness, not specifically a physical ailment.
I would suggest that you study the Scriptures for yourself and see what they have to say about healing, using a concordance. If you would like some verses to get started, you could use a page at my website, https://characterbuildingforfamilies.com/healing/.
There is a great deal of evidence in the Bible for God desiring to heal us all, and I believe we should always believe what He Himself says, rather than the exceptions we have seen to the contrary. When we have petitioned Him for healing, we continue to persist in believing for it (and praying into it) until we see it. But if someone dies, we leave that in God’s hands, too. It is a messy area for all of us to navigate through. We should believe God’s promises to the fullest in the midst of it all, I believe.
Blessings, Lee Ann
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Like I said before I know God heals I know it personally and I seen it in others and I pray for it for myself and others yet I know it’s up to His Will and not teaching both and praying both leaves many believers thinking it was their fault that they stayed sick or lost a loved one. And I’m pretty sure the apostle Paul was going blind. He definitely had bad eyesight. “See what big letters I’m using”. – Apostle Paul
Why did Paul leave Trophimus, a 7-year companion, sick and not heal him?
If the apostle Paul still had the power to heal why would he leave a friend and companion sick?
In Philippians 2:27 Epaphroditus was sick to the point of death?
Timothy was encouraged to use a little wine for his stomach and frequent ailments. (1 Timothy 5:23?
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Sorry I can’t help you, MaryAnn. I believe it is God’s will to heal, as we see in many, many verses, both OT and NT. I also don’t condemn people when they don’t get healed. I don’t understand it all. No one does. We are not going to see eye to eye on this, so I would recommend leaving it at that.
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Thank you for you response and I understand how you feel,
MaryAnn
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I loved the article and the following comments. Someone who recieved light from the Lord regarding the stomach ailment and other situations in the scriptures where Gods servants were not healed according to our expectations was Watchman Nee, he says in some cases the issue was one of a deeper discipline leading to a deeper dependance upon God – (paraphrased).
The scriptures are amazing and a true revelation which we all dont see immediately and God isnt always predictable – just my experience in being kept humble and not allowed to get caught up with wanting all the answers for knowledge sake over simple obedience to the light i have been given. God is an amazing and ever bright and loving father.
The comment regarding the need for deep inner healing and hearing wrong leading is very true, spiritual pride also can leave us vulnerable to false leadings aswell, well known movements in genuine Holy Spirit leadings have sometimes gotten it terribly wrong but the humility to recognise and repent of the error and cause is very noble and far reaching.
Just some wee things that came to me reading the comments.
Rees Howells is and was a giant in our time, a general in under the command of the Most High Commander in Chief Jesus Christ. Thank God for his ministry as it points us so deeply to Jesus in a profound way through a faulty man like myself.
Blessings and much appreciation to all from Scotland.
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Thank you so much for reading at Out of the Fire! And thank you for sharing your insights as well. 🙂
Many blessings,
Lee Ann
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