View source for 7.We soon grow dull, cold, lifeless, and inactive!

'''Back to [[The HOLY SPIRIT and the believer Index]]'''
----
<p>("http://gracegems.org/C/Smith_Sermons.htm">James Smith, &quot;The Great Comforter&quot; 1858)<br />
<br />
&quot;It is the Spirit who <strong>quickens</strong>; the flesh profits nothing.&quot; John 6:63<br />
<br />
All real religion begins with the <em>quickening of the Spirit. </em>When we experience this . . .<br />
  we begin to breathe after spiritual things; <br />
  we open our eyes in a new world; <br />
  we hunger and thirst after righteousness; <br />
  and at length taste that the Lord is gracious. <br />
We then have . . .<br />
  new thoughts, <br />
  new desires, <br />
  new hopes, <br />
  new fears, <br />
  new joys, and <br />
  new sorrows. <br />
The <em>eye </em>fixes on Christ, <br />
the <em>heart </em>goes out to Christ, and <br />
the <em>chief desire </em>of the soul is to be like Christ. <br />
<br />
The Spirit not only quickens us at first — but all through life we need and are dependent on the Spirit's quickening. He quickens us to pray, and He quickens us in prayer. It is His quickening which puts . . .<br />
  life into our graces,<br />
  energy into our prayers,<br />
  confidence into our expectations, and<br />
  enables us to resist Satan, steadfast in the faith.<br />
<br />
If His quickening power is <em>withheld</em> — <strong>we soon grow dull, cold, lifeless, and inactive!</strong> We have . . .<br />
  no power in prayer,<br />
  no enjoyment in ordinances,<br />
  no liberty in speaking to the saints,<br />
  nor profit in reading God's Word. <br />
Every <em>duty </em>becomes a task, <br />
every <em>privilege </em>becomes a burden, and <br />
every <em>cross </em>appears insupportable!<br />
<br />
While under the quickening operation of the Spirit — we can do all things; but without His quickening — we can do nothing. <br />
<br />
Often, very often, have we to cry out from bitter experience, &quot;My soul cleaves unto the dust; <em>quicken me</em> according unto Your Word!&quot; Psalm 119:25<br />
<br />
Quickening Spirit, daily quicken my soul!
----
'''Back to [[The HOLY SPIRIT and the believer Index]]'''