A Look at a Book
by Marian Kinahan

This short booklet (just 38 pages), penned at the age of 95, is Norman Grubb’s last written word to the church and is described by him as, “the ultimate summing up of the grace of God in the years since He first took charge of my life at age 18.” This flags it as a ‘must read’ for all who are interested in the practical application of God’s grace in their lives. By detailing five gained intercessions in his own life Norman strives to enlighten us so that we may walk that same path.

Norman is passionate for us to know fully who we really are, and says “it may be that the reading of this might awaken you to know by the revelation of the Spirit who you really are and enable you to function more realistically as both king and priest.”

In the simplest way possible he takes us through the essential elements of intercession—commission, cost and completion. Norman starts with his life in the army as a young officer during World War One and recounts the cost of giving up his first relationship with a girl because she did not want his kind of faith. This simple, costly obedience of faith resulted in what he calls the “overwhelming love of Jesus” replacing that former self-interested love. Christ now came first for Him. However, his zeal for Christ was not too popular with his colonel and he was never promoted despite the fact that he was decorated. These were, according to Norman, preparatory and discipleship years. He was presented with a series of choices and in making the right choice there was a real death for him, followed by such wonderful fruit. He talks of John 12:24 (a corn of wheat falls in to the ground and dies, if it is to bring forth fruit).

This pattern is continued as he recounts the second and subsequent intercessions. In the founding of the InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, he resisted joining with the then more popular Student Christian Movement of that time. Next came the translation of the New Testament, for which he chose Bangala, the common trading language of the Congo (now Zaire). This too proved to be God’s choice, since Bangala went on to become the national language of that country.

He gained new understanding from Rees Howells on how to apply faith when confronted with the impossible and incredible and to see how faith could then be changed into substance. This prepared him for the next commission— the expansion of WEC (Worldwide Evangelical Crusade) from 10 workers to 1500, from their first base in the Congo to a worldwide mission.

The faith lessons learned now lead us to his last intercession, which he calls the mightiest. This is the sharing of the revelation of “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Col.1: 27). What sustained Norman and ensured the fulfilment of his life’s intercessions was this truth, which he is passionate to share with every believer. He talks about this being a radical message. The fact that we have no human nature of our own but that we are, rather, expressers of the deity-spirit nature (formerly satan now Jesus Christ) challenges the commonly held Christian view that we can become more Christlike. We now see that there is no room for self-betterment or human self-activity since we are merely expressing the life of Christ within us. There is a cost here also—frequently that of losing our reputations as sound or sensible Christians.

This booklet is easy to read and takes us on a journey through Norman’s life from the simplest beginnings, step by obedient step of faith, to glorious intercessions gained. Norman could not imagine how the fulfilment of each intercession would be manifest, and we have no idea what God could do through us either if we are faithful to believe who we really are. Norman’s enthusiasm for all of us to fully know who we are in Christ is evident as he shares his gems of knowledge, expounding Biblical truths and opening our eyes to the revelations contained therein.

In this booklet Norman succeeds in doing what he set out to do, “to outline the route for those who have ears to hear, from Intercession Commissioned to Intercession Gained, with the principle of John 12:24 laid down by Jesus in between the two.”