John was sent deliberately by God as no-one else before him. In many respects none of those who were regarded as the great men of the Patriarchal or Israelitish eras was as great as he. On the human side he was cousin to the Lord Jesus and was filled with the Holy Ghost from his mother's womb. Though he represented the law and the prophets, in his ministry he superseded both it and them — and their combined messages.
John was the first man sent to preach the Kingdom of Heaven and officially inaugurate baptism among men. He embodied the spirit and power of Elijah and was the forerunner of the Christ, in which capacity he came with a ministry of Annunciation, Preparation and Restoration. These three emphases run concurrently throughout his entire ministry, which was heraldic in nature and symbolic in demonstration. Baptism was the focal point, the all-important feature; everything led up to, centred around and depended upon BAPTISM. By baptism:
(1) the annunciation was made: 'This is my beloved Son', 'This is the Son of God';
(2) the preparation was effected: 'I baptise you', 'He shall baptise you';
(3) Restoration was demonstrated: 'I .... with water', 'He .... with the Holy Ghost and fire'.
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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.