Smith Wigglesworth’s Secrets to Spiritual Power
Smith Wigglesworth’s Secrets to Spiritual Power
Smith Wigglesworth’s life of faith and fire was not built on talent, education, or natural strength, but on spiritual principles that any believer can walk in. Out of his devotion to God and his radical obedience, we can identify seven secrets of his spiritual power — timeless truths that can shape our own walk with God today.
Smith Wigglesworth (1859–1947), often called the Apostle of Faith, was a simple man whom God used in extraordinary ways. Born into poverty in England and unable to read until adulthood, he taught himself by reading the Bible, which became his lifelong textbook and the foundation of his ministry. After being baptized in the Holy Spirit in 1907, his life was transformed, and he went on to travel the world preaching Christ with power, healing the sick, casting out demons, and even seeing the dead raised. His message was always straightforward: “Only believe” — take God at His Word and expect Him to do what He has promised. Though unpolished in speech, his uncompromising faith inspired the Pentecostal and Charismatic movements and left a spiritual legacy that still stirs the church today. His accomplishments were not in worldly fame, but in demonstrating the reality of God’s power through a yielded life of holiness, prayer, and faith. We take note of him because his life reminds us that God can use anyone — if we are willing to hunger for Him, believe His Word, and walk in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Smith Wigglesworth’s life of faith and fire was not built on talent, education, or natural strength, but on spiritual principles that any believer can walk in. Out of his devotion to God and his radical obedience, we can identify seven secrets of his spiritual power — timeless truths that can shape our own walk with God today.
1. Hunger for God
Matthew 5:6 — “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.”
Spiritual power begins with an unquenchable hunger for God. Wigglesworth emphasized that complacency is dangerous; those who are satisfied never press into the fullness of God’s promises. A continual thirst positions us to receive more of His Spirit and His presence.
“The secret of spiritual success is a hunger that persists… God is looking for hungry, thirsty people.”
2. Living Faith
Mark 9:23 — “All things are possible to him that believeth.”
Faith is not passive; it must be alive and active. Wigglesworth insisted that real faith acts on the Word of God, regardless of circumstances. Faith is daring to step into the impossible, trusting that God cannot fail.
“If it is in the Bible, it is so. Inactivity is a robber which steals blessings.”
3. Fullness of the Holy Spirit
Acts 1:8 — “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you.”
True spiritual power is not from human strength or intellect, but from the indwelling Holy Spirit. Wigglesworth taught that every believer must be filled and continually refilled with the Spirit to walk in victory and manifest God’s power.
“Power comes after you have been filled with the Holy Spirit. Get down and pray for power.”
4. Purity & Holiness
Hebrews 12:14 — “Without holiness no one will see the Lord.”
Holiness is the foundation for a life of power. Compromise weakens authority, but purity keeps the channel open for God’s Spirit to flow. Wigglesworth urged believers to separate from sin and live fully yielded to God’s will.
“You must deny yourself to make progress with God. God wants you pure in heart.”
5. Boldness to Believe (“Only Believe”)
Mark 5:36 — “Do not be afraid, only believe.”
Fear cripples faith, but bold belief releases the miraculous. Wigglesworth’s ministry demonstrated a radical confidence in God’s promises — a refusal to let doubt dictate outcomes. Bold faith is the gateway to supernatural living.
“There is nothing impossible with God. All the impossibility is with us when we measure God by the limitations of our unbelief.”
6. The Word as Foundation
Hebrews 4:12 — “For the word of God is living and active…”
God’s Word is the believer’s anchor and authority. Spiritual power cannot stand apart from Scripture. Wigglesworth urged believers to not only read the Word but to obey, declare, and act upon it daily.
“Read it through, write it down, pray it in, work it out, and then pass it on.”
7. Perseverance through Trials
Romans 5:3–4 — “…tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.”
Trials refine faith and prepare us for greater demonstrations of God’s power. Wigglesworth often said that great victories only come after great battles. Endurance in suffering positions us for supernatural breakthrough.
“Great faith is the product of great fights. Great triumphs can only come out of great trials.”
