From the archives of Oral Roberts
The first crusade I ever conducted in the big tent cathedral was in June 1948, in Durham, NC. It seated thousands of people, and we’d never used it before. Believe me, it didn’t take us long to realize we didn’t know how to erect it. I used all the money I had to hire people to put up the tent, but we could not raise it. Finally I fell to my knees and began to bawl…not cry, not sob, but bawl!
A man saw me, and he asked, “Brother Roberts, why are you crying?” I said, “I’m called to preach, to win the lost, to pray for the healing of the sick, and I can’t even get the tent up. I don’t have any more money, and I’m at the end of my rope.”
The man told me to stay right where I was. He passed a hat among the workers and collected a few dollars, then said he’d be back. When he returned hours later, he had with him a small-built man. He said, “Preacher, this man used to put up circus tents, and he can put up this tent.” I took one look at that little fellow, who didn’t even reach my shoulder, and I thought, “You’ll never get that tent up!” They told me to move out of the way and watch. I watched as that tent started going up before my eyes.
The man who had found the circus man came to the crusade on opening night and said, “Now we’re going to see God save and heal the people!” And we did! My ministry blossomed from that moment on. Every time I saw that man later, he told me how God was blessing him. He had a spirit of reaching out to others and planting blessings into their lives. He really planted one to meet my need that day! If you have a need, look for someone in need and plant a blessing in their life. It’s true, as God promises in Luke 6:38, God returns the blessing to you, multiplied!