The Work of the Holy Spirit # 4
We are not to wait, in matters of duty, until we feel ourselves sensibly under the influence of the Spirit - but to enter upon obedience, expecting His gracious aid - we are not so much to wait for, as to wait upon the Holy Spirit.
Beware of making the experience of others, rather than the Word of God, a criterion to judge of the work of the Spirit in yourselves.
In judging of the Spirit's incitement to duty, trust not to the impulses of your own mind, however strong, without trying them by the Word; the most frenzied enthusiasm, and the most mischievous fanaticism, have resulted from a neglect of this caution. All the Spirit's work in the heart is in accordance with His own rules in the Word. He cannot contradict Himself.
And now with a few DIRECTIONS I shall close.
Believe, feel, and practically acknowledge, your need of Divine influence. Let there be an abiding, humbling, influential sense of your utter moral inability, of infantile weakness, and dependence.
Let there be habitual, earnest, believing, wrestling prayer for the Holy Spirit, (Matt. 7:7-11). Pray sincerely, really desiring to make whatever sacrifices, self-denial, mortification, His coming shall bring.
Depend upon the Holy Spirit. Do everything in simple childlike reliance upon His aid. Never venture out of His sight, nor take a step without laying hold of His hand by faith. Read, hear, pray, watch, struggle - in the Spirit. Yield yourselves up into the care, protection, and guidance of this Divine Agent.
Expect the Spirit in faith. He is promised. You live under a dispensation of abounding communicated grace. Look for the heavenly shower in its season.
Seek often sanctifying grace, for all those precious fruits which form the Christian temper, adorn our character, and bless our species, and which the apostle enumerates in Galatians 5:22, "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance."
Obtain and preserve the Spirit's witness to your adoption. Labor after this heart-cheering testimony to your Divine filiation, "The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God." Happy assurance! Blessed confidence!
Dwell my dear friends, on this glorious and delightful doctrine of the Spirit's work in believers. Yield yourselves up into His hands to become His finished and exquisite workmanship. Implore Him to add another and another stroke and touch, in producing the image of God in your souls. Beseech Him who formed Christ in the womb of the virgin by a supernatural overshadowing, to form Him in your heart, that you may be a miniature picture of Him who is the brightness of His Father's glory. Seek His blessed power to inspire obedience into you, that holiness may become, in this sense, natural to you, and all your duties be brought forth in the easy, healthful, and graceful walk of the new creature; that you may feel no confinement or constraint in the service of God - but walk, run, yes fly onward towards eternal happiness in the amplitude and liberty of your Divine life.
Since it is by the instrumentality of the Word of truth, that the Spirit carries on His work of grace in the soul - be diligent in the devout perusal of the Scriptures. It is when the mind is fixing the eye of contemplation on the objects of revelation, that the Comforter comes down into the heart. The Word of God is the sword of the Spirit by which He slays our corruptions, and the fire by which He purifies our souls. It is then illumination is diffused through our minds, sanctification through our heart, and comfort spreads over our whole soul, when we commune with God in His own Book. He delights to bless those who study it. The Spirit-like dove is ever hovering over these precious leaves, to reveal Himself to the humble and contrite student, of their contents. No wonder we have little of the Spirit when we seek Him not in the Word.
Diligently follow up and improve all the gentle drawings and sweet persuasives of this Divine Sanctifier. Be quick to discern His seasons of visitation, and skillful to turn to account all His various operations. Be deeply humbled that with such a Teacher you have learned so little, with such a Sanctifier you are no holier, and with such a Comforter no happier. Seek a livelier faith, a closer union with Christ, that you have have more of that influence which is ever flowing from the Head into all the members. Look to Him, that by His efficacious and rich anointings you may be enlightened when dark, quickened when dead, drawn when reluctant, strengthened when weak, sustained when falling, enlarged when in difficulties, comforted when sad. May this Divine Spirit be in us as a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
"O Holy Spirit, the Comforter, come and dwell in our souls - make our bodies your temple. Fill our minds with your light, and our hearts with your love, that over our whole character your power may be seen in the beauties of holiness. May we all live as something sacred to You, as well as perfected by You. Come in all your seven-fold energy - and replenish us with your illuminating, comforting, sanctifying influence. Baptize us with celestial fire, and give us, in your abundant grace, the pledge of glory everlasting! Amen."
~J. C. Ryle~
(The End)
A Proliferation of Christian Devotionals and Sermons
Saturday, July 14, 2018
Saturday, July 7, 2018
The Work of the Holy Spirit # 3
The Work of the Holy Spirit # 3
Be not deceived, dear brethren; God's Spirit is not thus confined or communicated. The Holy Spirit comes down on every renewed and believing soul directly from God. The Holy Spirit is not given by the Catholic church, or at the church's disposal, nor conveyed through any church! It is true that many means are to be enjoyed in the fellowship of Christ's true churches, upon which the blessing of Divine influence may descend but the work of the Spirit neither begins in the church, nor by the church, nor is confined to it; nor does its communication depend upon the offices of the church's ministers. The Holy Spirit is a Divine gift to the soul directly from God, the fountain of life. The Holy Spirit is a separate bestowment upon each individual; and every holy soul, in its own individuality, is taken separately under the patronage, and guidance, and fostering care of the Divine Comforter. The oversight of the Christian pastor, the ministrations of the sanctuary, and the vivifying power of sacraments and ordinances, may be blessed, and are much blessed, by the Holy Spirit, for carrying on the work of grace in the soul; but these are not the only means that are blessed by the Spirit, for there is reading, and prayer, and watching, and striving at home in the house; on all of which the Divine Agent pours His gracious energy, for He has established with every soul, that is united by faith to Christ, a direct channel of communication, which is independent of priestly order and ministerial mediation. The work of grace in the soul is God's own work, and not man's; though to a certain extent He employs human instrumentality of various kinds.
A striking writer of the seventeenth century has thus set forth, in a passage of great beauty, the work of the Spirit in regeneration and sanctification. "This which it is our duty to seek, is our dignity to possess. It is the glory of a Christian man or woman, that he has a higher Spirit than his own, no less than the Holy Spirit of God, in him. The Holy Spirit accommodates grace to every faculty, as the dew is white in the lily, and red in the rose, so the Holy Spirit in his graces, is light to the mind, liberty in the will, order in the affections. Also the Holy Spirit accommodates suitable influences to every grace - He gives such sweet touches upon their holy love, fear, meekness, patience, as makes them go forth into act in a free spontaneous manner. He acts so powerfully, as if there were no room left for human liberty, and yet so naturally, as if there were no power at all in it. Further, the Holy Spirit accommodates Himself to them at every turn; He is a Spirit of grace in their penitential meltings; a Spirit of supplication in their ardent devotions; a Spirit of revelation in their biblical studies; a Spirit of love in their charities; a Spirit of power in their infirmities; a Spirit of fear in their holy walkings; a Spirit of meekness in their attitudes towards others; a Spirit of comfort in their afflictions; a Spirit of glory in their reproaches; a Spirit of holiness in all their living. The Holy Spirit lives, breathes, moves, and aptly operates in them. Hence in all their good actions they are lifted up above themselves, and carried beyond the line of a mere human spirit; they walk in a Divine circle from God, as the first cause, to God as the last end; they center on nothing less than God Himself; and take no aim lower than His glory! This is an excellent privilege indeed, they are actuated by the Holy Spirit, and walk as Christ walked; they, as mystical parts of Him, tread in His Divine steps - no flesh on earth but that which is spiritually joined to Him, does so - all others are off from the great center; their best works putrefy; one inferior end or other, like a worm at the root, makes them moulder into nothing; not being terminated in God, they are not accepted as done to Him." (Polhill).
I shall now lay down some CAUTIONS concerning this momentous doctrine of the Holy Spirit, which it will be of importance for you to observe.
Be not staggered by your inability to comprehend how the Spirit acts upon your mind. Modes of operation are often inscrutable, where facts are obvious and indisputable. Our Lord admits the mysteriousness of this truth, in His conversation with Nicodemus (John 3:8).
Do not attempt to discriminate at the time, between the influence that comes from above, and the operation of your own faculties, or of the Word of God. There is nothing violent, nothing palpable, nothing ascertainable, either by the evidence of the senses or of consciousness, at least, necessarily so, in this power, except as to its effects. The workings of Divine influence are so gentle, so harmonious with all the working of our own mental faculties, as to insinuate themselves unperceived, at any rate in any other way than by their fruits, by the mind that is the subject of them. We may have just reason to believe we are wrought upon, without being able to discriminate between the Spirit's grace to us - and our own mental acts.
Do not test the reality of the Spirit's work so much by the strength of emotion, as by the sanctity of affection and principle. The Spirit's work is not usually characterized by raptures or terrors. He does not usually speak in the storm or earthquake - but in the still small voice.
While admitting the sovereignty of this Divine gift, do not confound sovereignty with what is capricious and arbitrary. God gives the Spirit to whom He will - but He wills to give Him to all who seek it. The Spirit's influence is distinct from means - but not separate from them.
This leads me to say, do not expect the Spirit but in connection with means. In the first bestowment of the Spirit, God is often found by those who seek Him not - but every subsequent communication must be obtained by believing prayer, watchfulness, diligence, and waiting.
Beware of slighting and grieving the Holy Spirit by neglecting His gracious motions, and by the indulgence of sinful affections.
Do not be satisfied with small and ordinary measures of Divine influence. God gives more grace. Any measure is attainable, if we have faith to seek and to receive it. "Open your mouth wide," says God, "and I will fill it." "We are not straitened in Him - but in ourselves."
~John Angell James~
(continued with # 4)
Be not deceived, dear brethren; God's Spirit is not thus confined or communicated. The Holy Spirit comes down on every renewed and believing soul directly from God. The Holy Spirit is not given by the Catholic church, or at the church's disposal, nor conveyed through any church! It is true that many means are to be enjoyed in the fellowship of Christ's true churches, upon which the blessing of Divine influence may descend but the work of the Spirit neither begins in the church, nor by the church, nor is confined to it; nor does its communication depend upon the offices of the church's ministers. The Holy Spirit is a Divine gift to the soul directly from God, the fountain of life. The Holy Spirit is a separate bestowment upon each individual; and every holy soul, in its own individuality, is taken separately under the patronage, and guidance, and fostering care of the Divine Comforter. The oversight of the Christian pastor, the ministrations of the sanctuary, and the vivifying power of sacraments and ordinances, may be blessed, and are much blessed, by the Holy Spirit, for carrying on the work of grace in the soul; but these are not the only means that are blessed by the Spirit, for there is reading, and prayer, and watching, and striving at home in the house; on all of which the Divine Agent pours His gracious energy, for He has established with every soul, that is united by faith to Christ, a direct channel of communication, which is independent of priestly order and ministerial mediation. The work of grace in the soul is God's own work, and not man's; though to a certain extent He employs human instrumentality of various kinds.
A striking writer of the seventeenth century has thus set forth, in a passage of great beauty, the work of the Spirit in regeneration and sanctification. "This which it is our duty to seek, is our dignity to possess. It is the glory of a Christian man or woman, that he has a higher Spirit than his own, no less than the Holy Spirit of God, in him. The Holy Spirit accommodates grace to every faculty, as the dew is white in the lily, and red in the rose, so the Holy Spirit in his graces, is light to the mind, liberty in the will, order in the affections. Also the Holy Spirit accommodates suitable influences to every grace - He gives such sweet touches upon their holy love, fear, meekness, patience, as makes them go forth into act in a free spontaneous manner. He acts so powerfully, as if there were no room left for human liberty, and yet so naturally, as if there were no power at all in it. Further, the Holy Spirit accommodates Himself to them at every turn; He is a Spirit of grace in their penitential meltings; a Spirit of supplication in their ardent devotions; a Spirit of revelation in their biblical studies; a Spirit of love in their charities; a Spirit of power in their infirmities; a Spirit of fear in their holy walkings; a Spirit of meekness in their attitudes towards others; a Spirit of comfort in their afflictions; a Spirit of glory in their reproaches; a Spirit of holiness in all their living. The Holy Spirit lives, breathes, moves, and aptly operates in them. Hence in all their good actions they are lifted up above themselves, and carried beyond the line of a mere human spirit; they walk in a Divine circle from God, as the first cause, to God as the last end; they center on nothing less than God Himself; and take no aim lower than His glory! This is an excellent privilege indeed, they are actuated by the Holy Spirit, and walk as Christ walked; they, as mystical parts of Him, tread in His Divine steps - no flesh on earth but that which is spiritually joined to Him, does so - all others are off from the great center; their best works putrefy; one inferior end or other, like a worm at the root, makes them moulder into nothing; not being terminated in God, they are not accepted as done to Him." (Polhill).
I shall now lay down some CAUTIONS concerning this momentous doctrine of the Holy Spirit, which it will be of importance for you to observe.
Be not staggered by your inability to comprehend how the Spirit acts upon your mind. Modes of operation are often inscrutable, where facts are obvious and indisputable. Our Lord admits the mysteriousness of this truth, in His conversation with Nicodemus (John 3:8).
Do not attempt to discriminate at the time, between the influence that comes from above, and the operation of your own faculties, or of the Word of God. There is nothing violent, nothing palpable, nothing ascertainable, either by the evidence of the senses or of consciousness, at least, necessarily so, in this power, except as to its effects. The workings of Divine influence are so gentle, so harmonious with all the working of our own mental faculties, as to insinuate themselves unperceived, at any rate in any other way than by their fruits, by the mind that is the subject of them. We may have just reason to believe we are wrought upon, without being able to discriminate between the Spirit's grace to us - and our own mental acts.
Do not test the reality of the Spirit's work so much by the strength of emotion, as by the sanctity of affection and principle. The Spirit's work is not usually characterized by raptures or terrors. He does not usually speak in the storm or earthquake - but in the still small voice.
While admitting the sovereignty of this Divine gift, do not confound sovereignty with what is capricious and arbitrary. God gives the Spirit to whom He will - but He wills to give Him to all who seek it. The Spirit's influence is distinct from means - but not separate from them.
This leads me to say, do not expect the Spirit but in connection with means. In the first bestowment of the Spirit, God is often found by those who seek Him not - but every subsequent communication must be obtained by believing prayer, watchfulness, diligence, and waiting.
Beware of slighting and grieving the Holy Spirit by neglecting His gracious motions, and by the indulgence of sinful affections.
Do not be satisfied with small and ordinary measures of Divine influence. God gives more grace. Any measure is attainable, if we have faith to seek and to receive it. "Open your mouth wide," says God, "and I will fill it." "We are not straitened in Him - but in ourselves."
~John Angell James~
(continued with # 4)
Saturday, June 30, 2018
The Work of the Holy Spirit # 2
The Work of the Holy Spirit # 2
The Instrument Employed by the Spirit in this great change, is the Holy Scripture, (James 1:18); 1 Peter 1:22, 23. There is much that is mysterious in this subject, as our Lord intimates to Nicodemus in John 3:8. But amid all this mystery we see much that is plain and intelligible. The truth reveals to the mind the objects to be loved and obeyed; the Spirit disposes the heart to embrace them. It is neither the Spirit without the truth, nor the truth without the Spirit - but the Spirit by the instrumentality of the truth, and the truth in the hands of the Spirit. It is not the Spirit in the word merely - but the Spirit with the word. Without the word there would be nothing to love; without the Spirit there would be no love. The word is the light which reveals the objects of spiritual affection; the Spirit gives the affection towards these objects. The Spirit's operating upon the heart, apart from the word, would be only to give an inclination, a disposition without an object as its end and purpose.
This view of the subject clears it of all difficulty and objection, on the ground of irrationality and enthusiasm, as if it meant the setting up of another rule, standard, and light within, and meant spontaneous blind impulses, without any appropriate object to produce them, or any fixed rule to guide them. It treats us as rational creatures, and yet as sinful and willfully blind ones. It does not extinguish our reason - but sanctifies and guides it. It calls us to exercise our faculties on their appropriate spiritual objects, as presented by revelation, and gives us Divine aid in so doing. It teaches us to unite diligence and dependence. It keeps us from the pride of self-sufficiency on the one hand, and from the despondency of unaided helplessness on the other. It preserves us from wild enthusiasm, and equally so from dead formalism. In short, it directs to the rule we are to go by, and furnishes the strength we need to follow it.
After all, we must allow, that much remains beyond our power to comprehend or explain. Can this be matter of surprise? How imperfectly do we understand what a finite spirit is, and how much less do we understand the Infinite Spirit? How, then, shall we be able entirely to comprehend the influence of the Divine Mind upon the human? The fact is evident, however mysterious is the mode. If a man is a creature fallen, and totally corrupt, how can he renew himself? Can darkness originate light? Corruption, purity? Evil, good? If holiness comes into our nature, it must come from without. To suppose that a heart totally depraved will reform itself, is not only to suppose an effect without a cause - but contrary to a cause. No! All evil is from ourselves - and all good is from God.
Search the Scriptures, and see how every part and exercise of true religion is ascribed to the Spirit of God. Illumination; Eph. 1:17, 18. Regeneration; John 1:12; 3:3-8. Sanctification; 1 Peter 1:2. Consolation; Acts 9:31. Help in all the weakness of the Christian life; Romans 8:26. Teaching in prayer; Romans 8:26. Habitual guidance; Romans 8:14. Witnessing to our adoption; Romans 8:16. Sealing to the day of redemption; Eph. 5:30. Constant walking; Gal. 5:22. Ministerial success; 1 Cor. 3:5-7. Is there a grace which is not formed in us by the Spirit? Is there a duty we perform, without being directed to His aid for assistance to discharge it? Are we not said to live in the Spirit, to have no spiritual existence, no actual being, apart from His gracious influence? He dwells in us, and we in Him, so that all the energies we exert, all the vital acts we perform, all the spiritual powers we put forth - are the result of His working in us.
Such, then, is the work of the Spirit, and it is moreover, of great consequence to remember that His work is carried on by a direct process on individual minds. it is not a power coming down upon a collective mass, which relates only to the mass - but not to its individual and component parts. We can form no idea of the Spirit's work - but as a direct work upon individual minds. The church is regenerated, sanctified, comforted, and preserved - only by the calling, sanctification, and consolation of its individual members!
This influence of the Spirit comes upon the mind of man, through the channel of the truth, however that truth may be presented to the mind. It is the great object of the Romish policy to destroy as much as possible the Christian's personal relationship with Jesus! That presumptuous and dreadful system, with Puseyism, its own offspring, has raised up and thrust something between man and his God. It will not allow the fruits of the Saviour's mediation or the influence of the Spirit to come to the soul - but through this additional medium, the church. It claims for its priests the power of bestowing the Spirit in baptism, in the Eucharist, and in its other sacraments. How monstrous are its pretensions! How awfully presumptuous and arrogant its claims! God declares that it is by the truth, the work of sanctification is carried on. Wherever the truth is understood and believed, there is the work of His Spirit; no matter whether the truth be read or heard; meditated upon in the closet, or listened to in the sanctuary; presented in sermons, or in sacraments; by laymen or by ministers - God's Spirit accompanies His own truth, goes with it into barns or into cathedrals; into the pulpits of learned doctors, or of unlettered missionaries. But this is denied practically by many - they want to confine the communication of the Spirit to the ministrations of a certain class of "ordained men", and even to a certain kind of their ministrations; they would hold back the atonement - and put forward the sacraments; extinguish, or at any rate bedim, the truth - and light up candles; veil the Cross - and uncover the crucifix. They would have no other pipes connected with the fountain of grace - but their official hands. They would make the whole work of regeneration and sanctification a matter of priestly order, and clerical administration. They would shut up the Spirit within their pale, and claim to be the sole dispensers of Divine grace. The plain and simple truth that God will pour out His Spirit upon every one who devoutly prays for Him, and seeks it in reading the Word, and hearing sermons, and striving against sin, and longing to be holy - is mystified, obscured, and lost amid their ambitious talk about sacramental grace and apostolic succession, and other like matters.
Be not deceived, dear brethren; God's Spirit is not thus confined or communicated! The Holy Spirit comes down on every renewed and believing soul directly from God!
~John Angell James~
(continued with # 3)
The Instrument Employed by the Spirit in this great change, is the Holy Scripture, (James 1:18); 1 Peter 1:22, 23. There is much that is mysterious in this subject, as our Lord intimates to Nicodemus in John 3:8. But amid all this mystery we see much that is plain and intelligible. The truth reveals to the mind the objects to be loved and obeyed; the Spirit disposes the heart to embrace them. It is neither the Spirit without the truth, nor the truth without the Spirit - but the Spirit by the instrumentality of the truth, and the truth in the hands of the Spirit. It is not the Spirit in the word merely - but the Spirit with the word. Without the word there would be nothing to love; without the Spirit there would be no love. The word is the light which reveals the objects of spiritual affection; the Spirit gives the affection towards these objects. The Spirit's operating upon the heart, apart from the word, would be only to give an inclination, a disposition without an object as its end and purpose.
This view of the subject clears it of all difficulty and objection, on the ground of irrationality and enthusiasm, as if it meant the setting up of another rule, standard, and light within, and meant spontaneous blind impulses, without any appropriate object to produce them, or any fixed rule to guide them. It treats us as rational creatures, and yet as sinful and willfully blind ones. It does not extinguish our reason - but sanctifies and guides it. It calls us to exercise our faculties on their appropriate spiritual objects, as presented by revelation, and gives us Divine aid in so doing. It teaches us to unite diligence and dependence. It keeps us from the pride of self-sufficiency on the one hand, and from the despondency of unaided helplessness on the other. It preserves us from wild enthusiasm, and equally so from dead formalism. In short, it directs to the rule we are to go by, and furnishes the strength we need to follow it.
After all, we must allow, that much remains beyond our power to comprehend or explain. Can this be matter of surprise? How imperfectly do we understand what a finite spirit is, and how much less do we understand the Infinite Spirit? How, then, shall we be able entirely to comprehend the influence of the Divine Mind upon the human? The fact is evident, however mysterious is the mode. If a man is a creature fallen, and totally corrupt, how can he renew himself? Can darkness originate light? Corruption, purity? Evil, good? If holiness comes into our nature, it must come from without. To suppose that a heart totally depraved will reform itself, is not only to suppose an effect without a cause - but contrary to a cause. No! All evil is from ourselves - and all good is from God.
Search the Scriptures, and see how every part and exercise of true religion is ascribed to the Spirit of God. Illumination; Eph. 1:17, 18. Regeneration; John 1:12; 3:3-8. Sanctification; 1 Peter 1:2. Consolation; Acts 9:31. Help in all the weakness of the Christian life; Romans 8:26. Teaching in prayer; Romans 8:26. Habitual guidance; Romans 8:14. Witnessing to our adoption; Romans 8:16. Sealing to the day of redemption; Eph. 5:30. Constant walking; Gal. 5:22. Ministerial success; 1 Cor. 3:5-7. Is there a grace which is not formed in us by the Spirit? Is there a duty we perform, without being directed to His aid for assistance to discharge it? Are we not said to live in the Spirit, to have no spiritual existence, no actual being, apart from His gracious influence? He dwells in us, and we in Him, so that all the energies we exert, all the vital acts we perform, all the spiritual powers we put forth - are the result of His working in us.
Such, then, is the work of the Spirit, and it is moreover, of great consequence to remember that His work is carried on by a direct process on individual minds. it is not a power coming down upon a collective mass, which relates only to the mass - but not to its individual and component parts. We can form no idea of the Spirit's work - but as a direct work upon individual minds. The church is regenerated, sanctified, comforted, and preserved - only by the calling, sanctification, and consolation of its individual members!
This influence of the Spirit comes upon the mind of man, through the channel of the truth, however that truth may be presented to the mind. It is the great object of the Romish policy to destroy as much as possible the Christian's personal relationship with Jesus! That presumptuous and dreadful system, with Puseyism, its own offspring, has raised up and thrust something between man and his God. It will not allow the fruits of the Saviour's mediation or the influence of the Spirit to come to the soul - but through this additional medium, the church. It claims for its priests the power of bestowing the Spirit in baptism, in the Eucharist, and in its other sacraments. How monstrous are its pretensions! How awfully presumptuous and arrogant its claims! God declares that it is by the truth, the work of sanctification is carried on. Wherever the truth is understood and believed, there is the work of His Spirit; no matter whether the truth be read or heard; meditated upon in the closet, or listened to in the sanctuary; presented in sermons, or in sacraments; by laymen or by ministers - God's Spirit accompanies His own truth, goes with it into barns or into cathedrals; into the pulpits of learned doctors, or of unlettered missionaries. But this is denied practically by many - they want to confine the communication of the Spirit to the ministrations of a certain class of "ordained men", and even to a certain kind of their ministrations; they would hold back the atonement - and put forward the sacraments; extinguish, or at any rate bedim, the truth - and light up candles; veil the Cross - and uncover the crucifix. They would have no other pipes connected with the fountain of grace - but their official hands. They would make the whole work of regeneration and sanctification a matter of priestly order, and clerical administration. They would shut up the Spirit within their pale, and claim to be the sole dispensers of Divine grace. The plain and simple truth that God will pour out His Spirit upon every one who devoutly prays for Him, and seeks it in reading the Word, and hearing sermons, and striving against sin, and longing to be holy - is mystified, obscured, and lost amid their ambitious talk about sacramental grace and apostolic succession, and other like matters.
Be not deceived, dear brethren; God's Spirit is not thus confined or communicated! The Holy Spirit comes down on every renewed and believing soul directly from God!
~John Angell James~
(continued with # 3)
Fear # 3
Fear # 3
But, of course, this is a very real thing, this fear, and although the Word of God may not use the phrase, we have reason to believe that among the hosts of evil spirits, there are definitely the spirits of fear. For very often this thing is something extra to ourselves; it comes upon us. It is something that happens to us at times. We find ourselves afraid. The enemy wants to make us afraid and his spirits of fear are sent forth to do that. There needs to be a very definite and strong attitude taken in spirit before the Lord to resist the devil in this form. When we say the devil, we mean all his hosts as well; however, he may come - to resist fear. It is a resolution - "I will trust and not be afraid - for the Lord...".
Well, that is all I am going to say for the moment about the evil of fear. I want you to take that word and keep it in your heart; dwell much upon it, because I am convinced that the enemy is pressing very much along this line. Do you notice what Nehemiah said? Oh, it was a significant thing! Nehemiah said something more than he knew he was saying, I am quite sure of that! He said a thing which embraces a great deal of the New Testament. He said, "For this purpose were they hired that they might make me afraid, and do so, and sin." Yes, but that is only half. And then what? "That they might have an evil report, a case, against me." What the enemy is after all the time is, first of all, to make afraid, and then to get us to take some step, to do something out of fear, and then to come right around on us and accuse us before God. How cruel, how subtle, how wicked! - but that is of no consequence to him. What he is after is to cast the saints down by accusation, and if he can only get them either to do or to refrain from doing through fear, he has got a case, and it will not be long before he comes back on that very ground and makes accusation, condemnation, and distress.
The Evil of NOT Fearing
Now we pass over to the other side - the evil of not fearing. But this is another kind of fear, fear of the Lord, walking in the fear of the Lord, perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord, submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of the Lord. "Great fear came upon the church" - with what result? It lost heart, it became afraid, it was paralyzed? No! - the Name of the Lord Jesus was glorified and the Church multiplied. On, this then, must be another kind of fear. It operates in exactly the opposite way from that of which we have been speaking.
What is fear? Well, it is the fear of devotion to the Lord. It is that fear which, in the first place, has all questions of relationship with the Lord settled, has the whole matter of acceptance by the Lord settled, the sin question is got out of the way through the righteousness which is of faith. Then the fear of the Lord means recognition of His glory, recognition of His greatness, recognition of His holiness, His majesty, and a humble submission to Him in the fear that would not in any way work against Him and His honor. It is another kind of fear, the fear of devotion to the Lord, and the chief characteristic of this fear is meekness. And that is where the sin of not fearing is found in the Word of God.
If you go through the Word and you find those various instances where God came out in judgment because this fear was not there, you will find that it was that those instances represented something like this. In Numbers 16 you have Dathan and Abiram and their company. What are they doing? To Moses, the meekest of men, the anointed servant of the Lord, they say, "You take too much on your self. You are not the only one through whom the Lord speaks. We are as much the children of God as you are!" That is how they speak, and they fear not to put their hand upon that which is anointed. It is not that Moses is anything, but it is that which is anointed. It is something anointed of God and they were guilty of the sin of spiritual assumption; it was due to a lack of meekness. The Lord came out in terrible judgment, showing for all time that when the Lord anoints anyone or anything, that anointing is not something that constitutes that person a special office or officer. The anointing is the Lord, the Lord Himself. The Lord is on that, the Lord Himself is in that, the Lord is there, and when you touch that, you touch the Lord; you touch that in word, you touch the Lord, you touch that in deed, you touch the Lord. "He reproved kings for their sakes, saying "Touch not Mine anointed ones, and do My prophets no harm" (Psa. 105:14-15).
If you and I ever have the slightest reason to conclude that the Lord is anywhere or with any person or with anything or with any people, we touch that to our peril if it is touching it other than in the fear of the Lord. It is a tremendous check. We read that little bit from 1 Samuel. Yes, David was anointed, David was God's chosen one, but Saul had been anointed and Saul was not yet dead. Saul was not yet set aside finally, although potentially. David got an opportunity and cut off the skirt of Saul's garment and then it says, "David's heart smote him". David's heart smote him. We in New Testament times in whom the Spirit dwells would say, "The Lord rebuked me, smote me in my heart, in my spirit." Again and again this comes up - exactly what happens in the case of the bringing up of the ark. When Uzzah died before the Lord, what was the reason? It was a lack of the fear of the Lord of the right kind. It was assumption. It was a putting forth of a hand to touch holy things. That is terrible! The evil of not fearing, you see. It comes from an insufficient apprehension of the sacredness of what is of God.
But this fear is a holy fear. Let no one think for a moment that this fear of the Lord is death, bondage, stultification and repression. Not at all! Wherever you find this fear of the Lord you find joy, love, peace and liberty. People are not afraid of the Lord. But they are careful not to grieve the Lord. They do not take liberties with the Lord. They do not think of spiritual liberty as spiritual licence. They do not cast off restraint, they do not ride rough-shod over all sacred things, calling it liberty. No, there is holy fear which restrains and in restraining keeps things pure and keeps things clear and makes a straight way for the Lord. The true fear of the Lord is not dread. It is a very blessed and precious thing.
Now you notice these passages in the New Testament show us that it was at such times when this kind of fear came in a special way that there was something to the glory of God. You know, if you get into the book of Acts and you begin to see things happening, the expression and manifestation of divine power there is your peril. That was so in the case of Ananias and Sapphira. Things were happening. What a peril when the Lord is doing something, for the flesh to just step in and begin to sport itself in what God is doing, to take advantage, to exploit the situation for its improvement, and the Lord had to step in to save the situation. What did He do? Well, what he did in the issue was to recover a wholesome fear, a fear that would keep things pure and "fear fell upon all." That kept things pure. it did not arrest the Lord. It did not mean that things had got to come under bondage again. No, it just kept things pure, and so that was repeated from time to time. "Great fear came upon all...the Name of the Lord was glorified and the Church multiplied."
Oh, let us ask the Lord that there may be found in us that true holy fear which is LOVE, not the fear which is contrary to love,but the true holy fear which is love. The Lord will be able to go on and lead us into all His fullness if He has that quality in us, that in us which simply means that we honor Him, we recognize Him, we trust Him, we have perfect confidence in Him, and that we are very reticent either by word of criticism, or judgment, or by any other way, to put a hand upon what is sacred to the Lord, even a child of God. If it is a child of God, then the Lord is in that one and we must be very careful. That is what it means, and this matter of the blessing of the Lord which makes rich, this matter of the light of His countenance, is a very practical matter. It may all hand upon some matter of our attitude towards another child of God. The whole of the fullness of Christ may be held up and suspended for us because of some injurious way in which we talk about what is precious to God, if we criticize it, judge it, think that we can improve it. The Lord may stand back.
Let us ask the Lord to put into our hearts His fear while on the other hand He is seeking to root out of us that evil which is so much to His dishonor. I simply bring this to you and urge upon you further prayerful reflection. Ask the Lord about this. Do not forget the enemy's drive along the line of fear, but do not forget that freedom from the enemy's kind of fear does not make us those fire-eaters who care for nothing and simply trample all sacred things down under foot because we are very bold. No, there is a right boldness and a wrong boldness, a right fear and a wrong fear. The Lord teach us the meaning of that!
~T. Austin-Sparks~
(The End)
But, of course, this is a very real thing, this fear, and although the Word of God may not use the phrase, we have reason to believe that among the hosts of evil spirits, there are definitely the spirits of fear. For very often this thing is something extra to ourselves; it comes upon us. It is something that happens to us at times. We find ourselves afraid. The enemy wants to make us afraid and his spirits of fear are sent forth to do that. There needs to be a very definite and strong attitude taken in spirit before the Lord to resist the devil in this form. When we say the devil, we mean all his hosts as well; however, he may come - to resist fear. It is a resolution - "I will trust and not be afraid - for the Lord...".
Well, that is all I am going to say for the moment about the evil of fear. I want you to take that word and keep it in your heart; dwell much upon it, because I am convinced that the enemy is pressing very much along this line. Do you notice what Nehemiah said? Oh, it was a significant thing! Nehemiah said something more than he knew he was saying, I am quite sure of that! He said a thing which embraces a great deal of the New Testament. He said, "For this purpose were they hired that they might make me afraid, and do so, and sin." Yes, but that is only half. And then what? "That they might have an evil report, a case, against me." What the enemy is after all the time is, first of all, to make afraid, and then to get us to take some step, to do something out of fear, and then to come right around on us and accuse us before God. How cruel, how subtle, how wicked! - but that is of no consequence to him. What he is after is to cast the saints down by accusation, and if he can only get them either to do or to refrain from doing through fear, he has got a case, and it will not be long before he comes back on that very ground and makes accusation, condemnation, and distress.
The Evil of NOT Fearing
Now we pass over to the other side - the evil of not fearing. But this is another kind of fear, fear of the Lord, walking in the fear of the Lord, perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord, submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of the Lord. "Great fear came upon the church" - with what result? It lost heart, it became afraid, it was paralyzed? No! - the Name of the Lord Jesus was glorified and the Church multiplied. On, this then, must be another kind of fear. It operates in exactly the opposite way from that of which we have been speaking.
What is fear? Well, it is the fear of devotion to the Lord. It is that fear which, in the first place, has all questions of relationship with the Lord settled, has the whole matter of acceptance by the Lord settled, the sin question is got out of the way through the righteousness which is of faith. Then the fear of the Lord means recognition of His glory, recognition of His greatness, recognition of His holiness, His majesty, and a humble submission to Him in the fear that would not in any way work against Him and His honor. It is another kind of fear, the fear of devotion to the Lord, and the chief characteristic of this fear is meekness. And that is where the sin of not fearing is found in the Word of God.
If you go through the Word and you find those various instances where God came out in judgment because this fear was not there, you will find that it was that those instances represented something like this. In Numbers 16 you have Dathan and Abiram and their company. What are they doing? To Moses, the meekest of men, the anointed servant of the Lord, they say, "You take too much on your self. You are not the only one through whom the Lord speaks. We are as much the children of God as you are!" That is how they speak, and they fear not to put their hand upon that which is anointed. It is not that Moses is anything, but it is that which is anointed. It is something anointed of God and they were guilty of the sin of spiritual assumption; it was due to a lack of meekness. The Lord came out in terrible judgment, showing for all time that when the Lord anoints anyone or anything, that anointing is not something that constitutes that person a special office or officer. The anointing is the Lord, the Lord Himself. The Lord is on that, the Lord Himself is in that, the Lord is there, and when you touch that, you touch the Lord; you touch that in word, you touch the Lord, you touch that in deed, you touch the Lord. "He reproved kings for their sakes, saying "Touch not Mine anointed ones, and do My prophets no harm" (Psa. 105:14-15).
If you and I ever have the slightest reason to conclude that the Lord is anywhere or with any person or with anything or with any people, we touch that to our peril if it is touching it other than in the fear of the Lord. It is a tremendous check. We read that little bit from 1 Samuel. Yes, David was anointed, David was God's chosen one, but Saul had been anointed and Saul was not yet dead. Saul was not yet set aside finally, although potentially. David got an opportunity and cut off the skirt of Saul's garment and then it says, "David's heart smote him". David's heart smote him. We in New Testament times in whom the Spirit dwells would say, "The Lord rebuked me, smote me in my heart, in my spirit." Again and again this comes up - exactly what happens in the case of the bringing up of the ark. When Uzzah died before the Lord, what was the reason? It was a lack of the fear of the Lord of the right kind. It was assumption. It was a putting forth of a hand to touch holy things. That is terrible! The evil of not fearing, you see. It comes from an insufficient apprehension of the sacredness of what is of God.
But this fear is a holy fear. Let no one think for a moment that this fear of the Lord is death, bondage, stultification and repression. Not at all! Wherever you find this fear of the Lord you find joy, love, peace and liberty. People are not afraid of the Lord. But they are careful not to grieve the Lord. They do not take liberties with the Lord. They do not think of spiritual liberty as spiritual licence. They do not cast off restraint, they do not ride rough-shod over all sacred things, calling it liberty. No, there is holy fear which restrains and in restraining keeps things pure and keeps things clear and makes a straight way for the Lord. The true fear of the Lord is not dread. It is a very blessed and precious thing.
Now you notice these passages in the New Testament show us that it was at such times when this kind of fear came in a special way that there was something to the glory of God. You know, if you get into the book of Acts and you begin to see things happening, the expression and manifestation of divine power there is your peril. That was so in the case of Ananias and Sapphira. Things were happening. What a peril when the Lord is doing something, for the flesh to just step in and begin to sport itself in what God is doing, to take advantage, to exploit the situation for its improvement, and the Lord had to step in to save the situation. What did He do? Well, what he did in the issue was to recover a wholesome fear, a fear that would keep things pure and "fear fell upon all." That kept things pure. it did not arrest the Lord. It did not mean that things had got to come under bondage again. No, it just kept things pure, and so that was repeated from time to time. "Great fear came upon all...the Name of the Lord was glorified and the Church multiplied."
Oh, let us ask the Lord that there may be found in us that true holy fear which is LOVE, not the fear which is contrary to love,but the true holy fear which is love. The Lord will be able to go on and lead us into all His fullness if He has that quality in us, that in us which simply means that we honor Him, we recognize Him, we trust Him, we have perfect confidence in Him, and that we are very reticent either by word of criticism, or judgment, or by any other way, to put a hand upon what is sacred to the Lord, even a child of God. If it is a child of God, then the Lord is in that one and we must be very careful. That is what it means, and this matter of the blessing of the Lord which makes rich, this matter of the light of His countenance, is a very practical matter. It may all hand upon some matter of our attitude towards another child of God. The whole of the fullness of Christ may be held up and suspended for us because of some injurious way in which we talk about what is precious to God, if we criticize it, judge it, think that we can improve it. The Lord may stand back.
Let us ask the Lord to put into our hearts His fear while on the other hand He is seeking to root out of us that evil which is so much to His dishonor. I simply bring this to you and urge upon you further prayerful reflection. Ask the Lord about this. Do not forget the enemy's drive along the line of fear, but do not forget that freedom from the enemy's kind of fear does not make us those fire-eaters who care for nothing and simply trample all sacred things down under foot because we are very bold. No, there is a right boldness and a wrong boldness, a right fear and a wrong fear. The Lord teach us the meaning of that!
~T. Austin-Sparks~
(The End)
Saturday, June 23, 2018
Fear # 2
Fear # 2
The Evil of Fear
Not many of us need to be informed that one of satan's most successful and powerful weapons against the children of God is fear. He drives, he harasses, he torments, he worries; yes, he does many things for the undoing of God's people by means of this weapon of fear. How many of the Lord's people are found in a state of weakness, impotence, and paralysis, because of fear" The are afraid, they fear. How many are found in a state of indecision, incapable of taking any definite, deliberate, strong step, because of fear? They are all the time moving so cautiously, so uncertainly, because they are afraid, because of fear, and multitudes of the Lord's people are in a state of positive spiritual defeat because of fear working in some way - foreboding, dread, apprehension. Fear, John rightly says, has torment, and it is possible to get into such a state that you are almost afraid to leave your home for half an hour lest you might come back and find that something has gone wrong, to take a journey without all the time wanting to keep in touch with things. You are afraid. It is a terrible thing, this fear,and in countless ways the enemy lashes the children of God by this rod, this whip, of fear.
The Word of God is very strong about this matter. "God has not given us a spirit of fear", and let us once and for all get this kind of fear defined and disentangled from the other fear of which we have to speak, the right kind of fear. I think that failure to discriminate in this matter is perhaps at the root of a very great deal of the defeat. We, somewhere in the back of our minds, in an undefined way, have got muddled up and confused. Fear - yes, but we are commanded to fear, the fear of the Lord. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." We must fear lest we make mistakes, lest we go wrong, lest we grieve the Lord; we must fear this and that. Oh, but let us drive the wedge clean in between the devil's fear and the fear of the Lord!! They are two different things, and let us settle it once and for all that this kind of harassing, driving fear comes straight from the pit; it is born in hell, a weapon forged there by the devil himself against the children of God. Let it be settled in your heart forever that this kind of fear is NOT from God. This fear is from satan. Oh, I do feel that it is so important that the people of God should nail this matter of fear. When you find yourself in this state because of fear, you say, "This is not from God!" Fear is a master weapon of satan's and you have got to free yourself in the Name of the Lord from his awful drive by this means.
What is he after? It is always good to ask ourselves what is the effect of a thing in our lives. I can very well discover where it comes from if I recognize what the effect is. If a thing paralyzes me, if it takes all certainty and confidence and assurance out of my heart, if it takes the steady firmness out of my walk, my tread, if it holds me up in weakness and paralysis so that I am afraid to move, then that is not of God. God wants His people to go forward with assurance and confidence, with a firm and steady tread, not to have in their hearts everlastingly a paralyzing doubt. So what is the effect? Recognize that and you know what it comes from.
What is satan after? You say, to paralyze me, to destroy me, to hold up. Oh yes, but that is only secondary! He is after dishonoring God, and God is dishonored in His people.It has ever been that satan has aimed at the work of God's hands, aimed his blow to dishonor God, and God is dishonored when His people are, in the wrong sense, fearful. What is fear, after all? Well, it is mistrust, it is lack of faith. John says that it is the opposite of love. There is no fear in love. Perfect love casts out all fear, and he that fears is not made perfect in love. Fear is the opposite of love, and what is love if it is not trust? None of us would agree that we were loved if we were not trusted. We demand absolute confidence as the hallmark of professed love. It is only feigned love which has reservations about an object which it professes to love. It is mere empty sentiment and pretense which says, "I love you but I am not sure of you". Oh no! That is the only kind of love that we really, in our hearts, can accept and believe in. A lot of people tell me they love me, but I know all the time they have got big questions about me and they are suspicious. I say that kind of love is not much good, it does not help me very much. It does not get us anywhere just to keep that shadow all the time in between. But carry that into the divine realm. Can that be tolerated in relation to God? I love God, but I do not trust Him, I am not sure of Him. I am afraid to go out tomorrow lest something should go wrong, lest the Lord should let me down. You see, it is very practical. Perfect love casts out all fear. It is by this fear and fearfulness that satan is seeking to dishonor in us by keeping us in a state of uncertainty about God, a reservation of confidence and trust. Fear is the opposite of trust. If we trust, we are not afraid. It is put quite simply: "I will trust and not be afraid" (Is. 12:2). These two things cannot live together - trust and fear. "The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" (Ps. 27:1). Oh, the gain to the enemy against the Lord along the line of fear!
~T. Austin-Sparks~
(continued with # 3)
The Evil of Fear
Not many of us need to be informed that one of satan's most successful and powerful weapons against the children of God is fear. He drives, he harasses, he torments, he worries; yes, he does many things for the undoing of God's people by means of this weapon of fear. How many of the Lord's people are found in a state of weakness, impotence, and paralysis, because of fear" The are afraid, they fear. How many are found in a state of indecision, incapable of taking any definite, deliberate, strong step, because of fear? They are all the time moving so cautiously, so uncertainly, because they are afraid, because of fear, and multitudes of the Lord's people are in a state of positive spiritual defeat because of fear working in some way - foreboding, dread, apprehension. Fear, John rightly says, has torment, and it is possible to get into such a state that you are almost afraid to leave your home for half an hour lest you might come back and find that something has gone wrong, to take a journey without all the time wanting to keep in touch with things. You are afraid. It is a terrible thing, this fear,and in countless ways the enemy lashes the children of God by this rod, this whip, of fear.
The Word of God is very strong about this matter. "God has not given us a spirit of fear", and let us once and for all get this kind of fear defined and disentangled from the other fear of which we have to speak, the right kind of fear. I think that failure to discriminate in this matter is perhaps at the root of a very great deal of the defeat. We, somewhere in the back of our minds, in an undefined way, have got muddled up and confused. Fear - yes, but we are commanded to fear, the fear of the Lord. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." We must fear lest we make mistakes, lest we go wrong, lest we grieve the Lord; we must fear this and that. Oh, but let us drive the wedge clean in between the devil's fear and the fear of the Lord!! They are two different things, and let us settle it once and for all that this kind of harassing, driving fear comes straight from the pit; it is born in hell, a weapon forged there by the devil himself against the children of God. Let it be settled in your heart forever that this kind of fear is NOT from God. This fear is from satan. Oh, I do feel that it is so important that the people of God should nail this matter of fear. When you find yourself in this state because of fear, you say, "This is not from God!" Fear is a master weapon of satan's and you have got to free yourself in the Name of the Lord from his awful drive by this means.
What is he after? It is always good to ask ourselves what is the effect of a thing in our lives. I can very well discover where it comes from if I recognize what the effect is. If a thing paralyzes me, if it takes all certainty and confidence and assurance out of my heart, if it takes the steady firmness out of my walk, my tread, if it holds me up in weakness and paralysis so that I am afraid to move, then that is not of God. God wants His people to go forward with assurance and confidence, with a firm and steady tread, not to have in their hearts everlastingly a paralyzing doubt. So what is the effect? Recognize that and you know what it comes from.
What is satan after? You say, to paralyze me, to destroy me, to hold up. Oh yes, but that is only secondary! He is after dishonoring God, and God is dishonored in His people.It has ever been that satan has aimed at the work of God's hands, aimed his blow to dishonor God, and God is dishonored when His people are, in the wrong sense, fearful. What is fear, after all? Well, it is mistrust, it is lack of faith. John says that it is the opposite of love. There is no fear in love. Perfect love casts out all fear, and he that fears is not made perfect in love. Fear is the opposite of love, and what is love if it is not trust? None of us would agree that we were loved if we were not trusted. We demand absolute confidence as the hallmark of professed love. It is only feigned love which has reservations about an object which it professes to love. It is mere empty sentiment and pretense which says, "I love you but I am not sure of you". Oh no! That is the only kind of love that we really, in our hearts, can accept and believe in. A lot of people tell me they love me, but I know all the time they have got big questions about me and they are suspicious. I say that kind of love is not much good, it does not help me very much. It does not get us anywhere just to keep that shadow all the time in between. But carry that into the divine realm. Can that be tolerated in relation to God? I love God, but I do not trust Him, I am not sure of Him. I am afraid to go out tomorrow lest something should go wrong, lest the Lord should let me down. You see, it is very practical. Perfect love casts out all fear. It is by this fear and fearfulness that satan is seeking to dishonor in us by keeping us in a state of uncertainty about God, a reservation of confidence and trust. Fear is the opposite of trust. If we trust, we are not afraid. It is put quite simply: "I will trust and not be afraid" (Is. 12:2). These two things cannot live together - trust and fear. "The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" (Ps. 27:1). Oh, the gain to the enemy against the Lord along the line of fear!
~T. Austin-Sparks~
(continued with # 3)
The Religion Which I Want (and others)
The Religion Which I Want (and others)
I am sick of modern religion - it is such a mixture, such a medley, such a compromise. I find much, indeed, of this religion in my own heart, for it suits the flesh well - but I would not have it so, and grieve it should be so!
The religion which I want is that of the Holy Spirit.
I know nothing but what He teaches me. I feel nothing but what He works in me. I believe nothing but what He shows me. I only mourn when He smites my rocky heart. I only rejoice when He reveals my Lord and Saviour.
This religion I am seeking after, though miles and miles from it - but no other will satisfy or content me.
When the blessed Spirit is not at work in me, and with me, I fall back into all the darkness, unbelief, earthliness, idleness, carelessness, infidelity, and helplessness of my Adam nature.
True religion is a supernatural and mysterious thing.
~J. C. Philpot~
______________________________
He Puts Us In Our Right Place!
"When He comes, He will convict the world about sin, righteousness, and judgment" (John 16:8).
All who have the Holy Spirit are convinced by Him of sin.
He alone can open a man's eyes to the real extent of his guilt and corruption before God. He always does this when He comes into the soul. He puts us in our right place! He shows us the vileness of our own hearts, and makes us cry with the publican, "God be merciful to me a sinner!" He pulls down those proud, self-righteous, self-justifying notions with which we are all born, and makes us feel as we ought to feel, "I am a sinful man and I deserve to be in hell!"
Sin is no more pleasant to those who are taught by the Holy Spirit. It is their sorrow when tempted by it. It is their shame when they are overtaken by it. Their desire is to be free from it altogether. Their happiest times are when they are enabled to walk most closely with God. Their saddest times are when they are furthest off from Him.
"When He comes, He will convict the world about sin, righteousness, and judgment" (John 16:8).
~J. C. Ryle~
________________________________
What Does The Church Need?
"Our gospel came to you not simply with words - but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction" (1 Thess. 1:5).
"We have," said one pastor, "the gospel regularly preached, the prayer meetings are continued, the church is in peace - but very few souls are converted to God! "What does our church need?"
It needs the presence and power of the Holy Spirit! For unless the Holy Spirit works - your minister may preach, your church may meet - but no real good will be done! God's work is carried on, not by might nor power - but by the Spirit of the Lord Almighty. It is the Spirit who must open the heart, quicken the soul, and sanctify the person!
And if the Spirit works - then the feeblest ministry is efficient, and the smallest church prospers!
All the success that followed the preaching of Peter, and the labors of Paul - was from the Holy Spirit. Therefore Paul says, "God gave the increase." Then the church felt her need of the Spirit; she realized her dependence on that divine Agent; she prayed with faith, fervor, and importunity for the blessing; and God answered her prayers, and filled His servants with the Holy Spirit and with power!
But today, we merely talk of the Spirit - rather than feel our need! We boast of our instruments - rather than realize our dependence on the Almighty Agent!
~James Smith~
I am sick of modern religion - it is such a mixture, such a medley, such a compromise. I find much, indeed, of this religion in my own heart, for it suits the flesh well - but I would not have it so, and grieve it should be so!
The religion which I want is that of the Holy Spirit.
I know nothing but what He teaches me. I feel nothing but what He works in me. I believe nothing but what He shows me. I only mourn when He smites my rocky heart. I only rejoice when He reveals my Lord and Saviour.
This religion I am seeking after, though miles and miles from it - but no other will satisfy or content me.
When the blessed Spirit is not at work in me, and with me, I fall back into all the darkness, unbelief, earthliness, idleness, carelessness, infidelity, and helplessness of my Adam nature.
True religion is a supernatural and mysterious thing.
~J. C. Philpot~
______________________________
He Puts Us In Our Right Place!
"When He comes, He will convict the world about sin, righteousness, and judgment" (John 16:8).
All who have the Holy Spirit are convinced by Him of sin.
He alone can open a man's eyes to the real extent of his guilt and corruption before God. He always does this when He comes into the soul. He puts us in our right place! He shows us the vileness of our own hearts, and makes us cry with the publican, "God be merciful to me a sinner!" He pulls down those proud, self-righteous, self-justifying notions with which we are all born, and makes us feel as we ought to feel, "I am a sinful man and I deserve to be in hell!"
Sin is no more pleasant to those who are taught by the Holy Spirit. It is their sorrow when tempted by it. It is their shame when they are overtaken by it. Their desire is to be free from it altogether. Their happiest times are when they are enabled to walk most closely with God. Their saddest times are when they are furthest off from Him.
"When He comes, He will convict the world about sin, righteousness, and judgment" (John 16:8).
~J. C. Ryle~
________________________________
What Does The Church Need?
"Our gospel came to you not simply with words - but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction" (1 Thess. 1:5).
"We have," said one pastor, "the gospel regularly preached, the prayer meetings are continued, the church is in peace - but very few souls are converted to God! "What does our church need?"
It needs the presence and power of the Holy Spirit! For unless the Holy Spirit works - your minister may preach, your church may meet - but no real good will be done! God's work is carried on, not by might nor power - but by the Spirit of the Lord Almighty. It is the Spirit who must open the heart, quicken the soul, and sanctify the person!
And if the Spirit works - then the feeblest ministry is efficient, and the smallest church prospers!
All the success that followed the preaching of Peter, and the labors of Paul - was from the Holy Spirit. Therefore Paul says, "God gave the increase." Then the church felt her need of the Spirit; she realized her dependence on that divine Agent; she prayed with faith, fervor, and importunity for the blessing; and God answered her prayers, and filled His servants with the Holy Spirit and with power!
But today, we merely talk of the Spirit - rather than feel our need! We boast of our instruments - rather than realize our dependence on the Almighty Agent!
~James Smith~
The Work of the Holy Spirit # 1
The Work of the Holy Spirit # 1
My dear friends, I now propose to lay before you the doctrine of the Holy Spirit's work in the regeneration and sanctification of the human soul.
Man, by his fall, brought a twofold evil of a most dreadful nature upon himself, guilt upon his conscience, and depravity into his heart. What, therefore, he needs for his salvation, is pardon and sanctification. To obtain for him the former, is the end of the mediation of Christ; while to produce the latter, is the design of the work of the Spirit - and it is of great consequence accurately to distinguish between the work of Christ FOR us, and the work of the Holy Spirit IN us. Of what avail would it be to us that the Father loved us, and contrived a plan for our redemption, or that the Son loves us, and executed that scheme, if no provision were made to apply the whole, as a system or restoration, to our depraved hearts. man is blind in his judgment, and neither understands his need of salvation, nor the nature of the plan by which he is to obtain it; he is obstinately set against all that is spiritual and holy, and full of enmity against God and His ways; hence the need of something more than a plan of reconciliation - I mean, a power to fix his aversion, to make him willing to accept the offer of mercy, and amid all the temptations by which he is surrounded, to hold him to the way of truth. This agency is provided in the office and work of the Holy Spirit.
The atonement of Christ having been accepted of God, and a way of communion, honorable to the Divine character and government, having been thus opened - the Spirit is poured out upon man, as one of the most blessed fruits of the mediation of the Saviour. This rich gift of celestial mercy is granted to our world entirely for the sake of our Lord's glorious sacrifice, and is therefore so much honor done to Christ.
The whole work of the Spirit, under the Christian dispensation, comprehends His extraordinary and miraculous gifts, granted and confined to the first age of Christianity for the confirmation of the truth, and His ordinary renewing and sanctifying influence, continued through all ages, for the application of the truth, in the regeneration and sanctification of believers; and in reading the New Testament, we must always bear this distinctly in remembrance, and inquire whether the sacred writer is treating of miraculous gifts or continual endowments.
In explaining the ordinary and continued work of the Spirit, I will briefly point out, first, what the Spirit's work does NOT imply. It does not, then, suppose, nor is it intended to supply, any deficiency in the atonement of Christ, since it is altogether for a different purpose. Nor does it suppose, nor is it intended to supply, any deficiency in the word of God, for the word is as complete and sufficient as an instrument can be. Nor does it suppose any weakness, inappropriateness, or lack of adaptation in the ministry of the word, for the preaching of the Cross is the power of God, the perfection of Christ's atonement, the clearness of the word of truth, and the power of the Christian ministry - he will not repent, believe, and obey - without the power of the Spirit operating upon his mind!
Consider next, in what the Spirit's work really consists. Not in imparting new natural faculties - but in rightly directing the exercises of those we already possess, not in effecting any mechanical change in the physical essence of the soul - but in producing a moral change in its disposition, not in bestowing upon us natural power - but that which is moral. Divines have distinguished between natural and moral inability, and the distinction is real, and exists in the very nature of things. Natural inability is that which a man has no power to do if he would; such, for instance, as in a blind man, with respect to vision, he cannot see if he would. Moral inability is that which a man would not do if he could, or which he has no inclination or disposition to do; such, for instance, as a man has, who hates a person he ought to love; he will not love him. Everybody perceives that there is a difference between those two kinds of inability.
Now the Spirit's work is not to give natural power - but moral; or, in other words, to impart will, inclination, disposition. If men had no natural ability, they could not be guilty and responsible; but, having natural though not moral power, they are both guilty and responsible, for not repenting of sin, believing in Christ, and loving God. A cripple has no natural power to go and hear a sermon, and is not blameworthy for not going, for he has no natural power; but if anyone comes and preaches to him in his house, he is guilty, and will be condemned, if he does not repent and believe. Yet it is certain he will not repent and believe, unless the Spirit, who opened the heart of Lydia, shall dispose and enable him to do so. Nothing, however, prevents him from believing - but the depravity of his heart; nothing but what makes him guilty; nothing but that for which he is accountable to God - but still which the Spirit alone can remove. You have now as clear a view as I can present to you, in this short compass, of the work of the Spirit - it is a Divine power operating upon the mind, giving it clear and impressive views of the truth, taking away from the heart its natural aversion to the truth, and substituting love to the truth in its place, and inclining the will to embrace it.
~John Angell James~
(continued with # 2)
My dear friends, I now propose to lay before you the doctrine of the Holy Spirit's work in the regeneration and sanctification of the human soul.
Man, by his fall, brought a twofold evil of a most dreadful nature upon himself, guilt upon his conscience, and depravity into his heart. What, therefore, he needs for his salvation, is pardon and sanctification. To obtain for him the former, is the end of the mediation of Christ; while to produce the latter, is the design of the work of the Spirit - and it is of great consequence accurately to distinguish between the work of Christ FOR us, and the work of the Holy Spirit IN us. Of what avail would it be to us that the Father loved us, and contrived a plan for our redemption, or that the Son loves us, and executed that scheme, if no provision were made to apply the whole, as a system or restoration, to our depraved hearts. man is blind in his judgment, and neither understands his need of salvation, nor the nature of the plan by which he is to obtain it; he is obstinately set against all that is spiritual and holy, and full of enmity against God and His ways; hence the need of something more than a plan of reconciliation - I mean, a power to fix his aversion, to make him willing to accept the offer of mercy, and amid all the temptations by which he is surrounded, to hold him to the way of truth. This agency is provided in the office and work of the Holy Spirit.
The atonement of Christ having been accepted of God, and a way of communion, honorable to the Divine character and government, having been thus opened - the Spirit is poured out upon man, as one of the most blessed fruits of the mediation of the Saviour. This rich gift of celestial mercy is granted to our world entirely for the sake of our Lord's glorious sacrifice, and is therefore so much honor done to Christ.
The whole work of the Spirit, under the Christian dispensation, comprehends His extraordinary and miraculous gifts, granted and confined to the first age of Christianity for the confirmation of the truth, and His ordinary renewing and sanctifying influence, continued through all ages, for the application of the truth, in the regeneration and sanctification of believers; and in reading the New Testament, we must always bear this distinctly in remembrance, and inquire whether the sacred writer is treating of miraculous gifts or continual endowments.
In explaining the ordinary and continued work of the Spirit, I will briefly point out, first, what the Spirit's work does NOT imply. It does not, then, suppose, nor is it intended to supply, any deficiency in the atonement of Christ, since it is altogether for a different purpose. Nor does it suppose, nor is it intended to supply, any deficiency in the word of God, for the word is as complete and sufficient as an instrument can be. Nor does it suppose any weakness, inappropriateness, or lack of adaptation in the ministry of the word, for the preaching of the Cross is the power of God, the perfection of Christ's atonement, the clearness of the word of truth, and the power of the Christian ministry - he will not repent, believe, and obey - without the power of the Spirit operating upon his mind!
Consider next, in what the Spirit's work really consists. Not in imparting new natural faculties - but in rightly directing the exercises of those we already possess, not in effecting any mechanical change in the physical essence of the soul - but in producing a moral change in its disposition, not in bestowing upon us natural power - but that which is moral. Divines have distinguished between natural and moral inability, and the distinction is real, and exists in the very nature of things. Natural inability is that which a man has no power to do if he would; such, for instance, as in a blind man, with respect to vision, he cannot see if he would. Moral inability is that which a man would not do if he could, or which he has no inclination or disposition to do; such, for instance, as a man has, who hates a person he ought to love; he will not love him. Everybody perceives that there is a difference between those two kinds of inability.
Now the Spirit's work is not to give natural power - but moral; or, in other words, to impart will, inclination, disposition. If men had no natural ability, they could not be guilty and responsible; but, having natural though not moral power, they are both guilty and responsible, for not repenting of sin, believing in Christ, and loving God. A cripple has no natural power to go and hear a sermon, and is not blameworthy for not going, for he has no natural power; but if anyone comes and preaches to him in his house, he is guilty, and will be condemned, if he does not repent and believe. Yet it is certain he will not repent and believe, unless the Spirit, who opened the heart of Lydia, shall dispose and enable him to do so. Nothing, however, prevents him from believing - but the depravity of his heart; nothing but what makes him guilty; nothing but that for which he is accountable to God - but still which the Spirit alone can remove. You have now as clear a view as I can present to you, in this short compass, of the work of the Spirit - it is a Divine power operating upon the mind, giving it clear and impressive views of the truth, taking away from the heart its natural aversion to the truth, and substituting love to the truth in its place, and inclining the will to embrace it.
~John Angell James~
(continued with # 2)
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