The Greatest Fight in the World! 8

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Our STRENGTH

Granted that we preach the Word alone; granted that we are surrounded by a model church, which, alas, is not always the case; but, granted that it is so, OUR STRENGTH is the next consideration. This must come from THE SPIRIT OF GOD. We believe in the Holy Spirit, and in our absolute dependence upon him. We believe; but do we believe practically? Brethren, as to ourselves and our own work—do we believe in the Holy Spirit? Do we believe because we habitually prove the truth of the doctrine?

We must depend upon the Spirit in our preparations. Is this the fact with us all? Are you in the habit of working your way into the meaning of texts—by the guidance of the Holy Spirit? Every man that goes to the land of heavenly knowledge, must work his passage there; but he must work out his passage in the strength of the Holy Spirit, or he will arrive at some island in the sea of imagination, and never set his foot upon the sacred shores of the truth. You do not know the truth, my brother, because you have read "Hodge's Outlines", or "Fuller's Gospel worthy of all Acceptance"; or "Owen on the Spirit", or any other classic of our faith. You do not know the truth, my brother, merely because you accept the Westminster Assembly's Confession, and have studied it perfectly. No, we know nothing until we are taught by the Holy Spirit, who speaks to the heart, rather than to theear. It is a wonderful fact that we do not even hear the voice of Jesus until the Spirit rests upon us. John says, "I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard a voice behind me." He heard not that voice until he was in the Spirit. How many heavenly words we miss because we abide not in the Spirit!

We cannot succeed in supplication, except the Holy Spirit helps our infirmities, for true prayer is "praying in the Holy Spirit." The Spirit makes an atmosphere around every living prayer, and within that circle prayer lives and prevails; outside of it prayer is a dead formality. As to ourselves, then, in our study, in prayer, in thought, in word, and in deed—we must depend upon the Holy Spirit.

In the pulpit do we really and truly rest upon the aid of the Spirit. I do not censure any brother for his mode of preaching—but I must confess that it seems very odd to me when a brother prays that the Holy Spirit may help him in preaching, and then I see him put his hand behind him and draw a manuscript out of his pocket, so fashioned that he can place it in the middle of his Bible, and read from it without being suspected of doing so. These precautions for ensuring secrecy look as though the man was a little ashamed of his paper; but I think he should be far more ashamed of his precautions. Does he expect the Spirit of God to bless him while he is practicing a trick? And how can He help him when he reads out of a paper, from which anyone else might read without the Spirit's aid?

What has the Holy Spirit to do with the business? Truly, he may have had something to do with the manuscript in the composing of it—but in thepulpit his aid is superfluous. The truer thing would be to thank the Holy Spirit for assistance rendered, and ask that what he has enabled us to get into our pockets—may now enter the people's hearts. Still, if the Holy Spirit should have anything to say to the people that is not in the paper, how can he say it by us? He seems to me to be very effectually blocked as to freshness of utterance by that method of ministry. Still, it is not for me to censure, although I may quietly plead for liberty in prophesying, and room for the Lord to give us in the same hour what we shall speak.

Furthermore, we must depend upon the Spirit of God as to our results. No man among us really thinks that he could regenerate a soul. We are not so foolish as to claim power to change a heart of stone. We may not dare to presume quite so far as this, and yet we may come to think that, by our experience, we can help people over spiritual difficulties. Can we? We may be hopeful that our enthusiasm will drive the living church before us, and drag the dead world after us. Will it be so? Perhaps we imagine that if we could only get up a revival, we would easily secure large additions to the church? Is it worth while to get up a revival? Are not all true revivals to be got down? We may persuade ourselves that drums and trumpets and shouting will do a great deal. But, my brethren, "the Lord is not in the wind." Results worth having come from that silent but omnipotent Worker whose name is the Spirit of God: in him, and in him only, must we trust for the conversion of a single Sunday-school child, and for every genuine revival. For the keeping of our people together, and for the building of them up into a holy temple, we must look to him. The Spirit might say, even as our Lord did, "Without me you can do nothing!"

What is the Church of God without the Holy Spirit? Ask what would Hermon be without its dew, or Egypt without its Nile? Behold the land of Canaan when the curse of Elijah fell upon it, and for three years it felt neither dew nor rain: such would Christendom become without the Spirit. What the valleys would be without their brooks, or the cities without their wells; what the corn-fields would be without the sun, or the vintage without the summer—that would our churches be without the Spirit. As well think of day without light, or life without breath, or heaven without God—as ofChristian service without the Holy Spirit. Nothing can supply his place if he be absent: the pastures are a desert, the fruitful fields are a wilderness, Sharon languishes, and Carmel is burned with fire.

Blessed Spirit of the Lord, forgive us that we have done you such despite, by our forgetfulness of you, by our proud self-sufficiency, by resisting your influences, and quenching your fire! Henceforth work in us according to your own excellence. Make our hearts tenderly impressible, and then turn us as wax to the seal, and stamp upon us the image of the Son of God. With some such prayer and confession of faith as this, let us pursue our subject in the power of the good Spirit of whom we speak.

What does the Holy Spirit do? Beloved, what is there of good work, that he does not do? It is his to quicken, to convince, to illuminate, to cleanse, to guide, to preserve, to console, to confirm, to perfect, and to use. How much might be said under each one of these heads! It is he that works in us to will and to do. He who has wrought all things, is God. Glory be unto the Holy Spirit for all that he has accomplished in such poor, imperfect natures as ours! We can do nothing apart from the life-sap which flows to us from Jesus the Vine. That which is our own, is fit only to cause us shame and confusion of face. We never go a step towards heaven, without the Holy Spirit. We never lead another on the heavenward road, without the Holy Spirit. We have no acceptable thought, or word, or deed—apart from the Holy Spirit. Even the uplifting of the eye and hope, or the ejaculatory prayer of the heart's desire—must be his work. All good things are of him and through him, from beginning to end. There is no fear of exaggerating here. Do we, however, translate this conviction into our actual procedure?

Instead of dilating upon what the Spirit of God does, let me refer to your experience, and ask you a question or two. Do you remember times when the Spirit of God has been graciously present in fullness of power with you and with your people? What seasons those have been! That Sabbath was a high day. Those services were like the worship of Jacob when he said, "Surely God was in this place!" What mutual telegraphing goes on between the preacher in the Spirit—and the people in the Spirit! Their eyes seem to talk to us—as much as our tongues talk to them. They are then a very different people from what they are on common occasions: there is even a beauty upon their faces while we are glorifying the Lord Jesus, and they are enjoying and drinking in our testimony.

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