In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of prioritizing God above all else. He highlights that many people are willing to accept God as long as they can still have the world as well, but God requires complete devotion. The preacher shares the powerful conversion story of Charles Finney, a former lawyer who became a Christian after a dialogue with a pastor and a powerful encounter with the Holy Spirit. He also mentions the influence of Hudson Taylor and recommends reading the Revival Sermons by William Chalmers Burns for powerful spiritual appeals. The sermon concludes with the four steps to receiving the Holy Spirit: repent, ask, receive, and obey, with an emphasis on the importance of obedience.

Father in heaven, I feel the need of the Holy Spirit to help us again this afternoon. Father, it's easy to talk, it's much harder to do. The reality back in the churches is far more complicated and I fear, Father, that I talk and I can simplify what is anything but simple at times. So please send the Holy Spirit, guide us, direct us, draw us together. Holy Spirit, please take over what's going on so that when we leave, we will be much stronger for the time that we spend together. For Jesus' sake, for the success of his kingdom, for the advance of the churches in the various areas throughout Tasmania. We want to be known, Father, as a church of prayer and a church taken over by the most godly form of the Holy Spirit. In Jesus' name I pray, amen. Okay, from the signs of the times as we begin, we need the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit that we may realize what is our obligation and have power from on high to carry out our purposes to serve God and him only. But how little is said concerning the Holy Spirit, although it is a divine influence whereby we are to reach the souls of men. We should study upon this subject, we should talk of it in our families, in our meetings, and pray that we may be baptized with the Spirit of God. And Jesus said in John 16, verse 7, he said, it is to your advantage that I go away. For if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you, but if I depart, I will send him to you. And we'll see some promises soon, but here's a list I made from John 15 through 17 of all the things that the Spirit would do. The Spirit given to Jesus would always be with them. The Spirit would dwell with them, the Spirit would dwell in them, would teach them. I know you're writing fast, I apologize. I will, by the way, make this PowerPoint available to all of you as a PDF. I'll be happy to send it to you. In fact, we should send a piece of paper around and everyone put their email address on it and I can send it if they want. The Spirit would help them remember all things. The Spirit would testify of Jesus. They would gain more from the Spirit than they would lose in the departure of Christ. The Spirit would convict the world of righteousness, of sin, judgment. The Spirit would guide into all truth, would speak of things to come, would glorify Jesus. The Spirit, Cornel and White, was the best gift that would be given to the church. Here's some of the things we've talked about already today, so we're not going to take time much, but the Spirit would help with knowledge. There's this statement, when you receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit then you will understand more the joys of salvation than you've known all your life hitherto. You shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost has come upon you. And ye shall be witnesses to me. I like it how definite those verses are in the Bible, ye shall be witnesses. We're not going to take time to read all of these, you'll see them later. Regarding prayer, by the Spirit every sincere prayer is indicted and such prayer is acceptable to God. Wherever a soul reaches out after God there the Spirit's working is manifest and God will reveal Himself to that soul. For such worshipers He's seeking, He waits to receive them and to make them His sons and daughters. Chadwick speaks of the fact that the Spirit love, filled love to pray and prayer that is in the Spirit must always prevail. I recently found a book by a man named Edward Bickerstith where he speaks of the help of the Holy Spirit in prayer. He speaks of the fact that when we struggle in our prayers, one of the best things we can do is ask the Holy Spirit to help us, because that's part of His job. And how many a person who has been kind of lost for words suddenly can pray and how people who are under the power of the Holy Spirit, though their words are faltering, they've not been to lots of school, suddenly they can pray the most beautiful, almost eloquent prayers because it's actually the Spirit that's praying through them. That's what the Holy Spirit does. And of course there's the promise of power, the only power that can quicken the heart into activity is the power which will give life to the dead, the Holy Spirit of God. Hang your helpless soul upon your mediator. In and through Him and Him alone you can come to God. The Holy Spirit is your help. And there are countless quotations and we're not going to read all of them because of the limited time we have before three o'clock, but here's another one. The Spirit was given as a regenerating agent and without this the sacrifice of Christ would have been of no avail. The power of evil had been strengthening for centuries and the submission of men to this satanic captivity was amazing. Sin could be resisted and overcome only through the mighty agency of the third person of the Godhead who would come with no modified energy but in the fullness of divine power. Skipping down a bit, it is by the Spirit that the heart is made pure. Through the Spirit the believer becomes a partaker of the divine nature. What an awesome, awesome gift. This is probably one of the most important quotations I think on the subject from Desire of Ages, page 671. In describing to his disciples the office work of the Holy Spirit, Jesus sought to inspire them with the joy and the hope that inspired his own heart. He rejoiced because of the abundant help he provided for his church. The Holy Spirit was the highest of all gifts that he could solicit from his Father for the exaltation of his people. The Holy Spirit was the very best gift. God takes men as they are, educates them for his service if they will yield themselves to him. The Spirit of God received into the soul will quicken all its facilities. Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit the mind that is devotedly unreserved to God develops harmoniously and is strengthened to comprehend and fulfill the requirements of God. The weak, vacillating character becomes changed to one of strength and steadfastness. And then it goes on. It's all about what the Holy Spirit has done. Now notice the lack of the Spirit. It is the absence of the Spirit that makes the gospel ministry so powerless. Not only what the Spirit does but the lack of the Spirit that's important too. Learning, talent, eloquence, every natural or acquired endowment may be possessed but without the presence of the Spirit of God no heart will be touched, no sinner one to Christ. On the other hand if they are connected with Christ, if the gifts of the Spirit are theirs, the poorest and the most ignorant of his disciples will have power that will tell upon hearts. God makes them channels for the outflowing of the highest influence of the universe. It's the absence of the Spirit that makes the gospel ministry so powerless. It's not the members, not the issues. I realize it's easier, it's easily said but it's the absence of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the breath of spiritual life in the soul. The impartation of Spirit is the impartation of the life of Christ. It imbues the receiver with the attributes of Christ. Only those who are thus taught of God, those who possess the inward working of the Spirit and in whose life the Christ life is manifested are to stand as representative men to minister in behalf of the church. It's only as we have the Holy Spirit in our lives that we actually have the right to stand as ministers. That's why it's so important. It's like we can't possibly succeed, none of us can. As a result of the importance of the Spirit in Acts chapter 1 verses 4 and 5, Acts chapter 1 verse 4 and 5, it's on the screen but I like to look them up. It says in being assembled together with them he commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem but to wait for the promise of the Father which he said you've heard from me. For John truly baptized with water but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now. They were baptized, they were told to wait for that baptism. The baptism was promised in the Bible in the book of Ezekiel. It speaks of the river you know with the water that goes out from the altar and grows bigger and bigger. I believe that's symbolizing the the role of the work of the Holy Spirit. Joel 3 speaks of that as well and John 7 when Jesus spoke of come drink of the living water it was all the same thing. Well the early church experienced such a baptism. First one we've already done one verse 5 we've read 2 verse 4 earlier but says and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and they began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. So they received the Spirit and then the tongue the Spirit was the one that gave utterance to their mouths. And then in Acts 10 44 and 45 says while Peter was still speaking these words the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word and those are the circumcision who believe were astonished as many as came with Peter because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. So they asked the question can anyone forbid water that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have and he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord then they asked him to stay a few days. The more you study about the the Spirit in the book of Acts in the New Testament the more you find it's lurking everywhere. Now the baptism that was promised was a definite experience. Luke 24 49 speaks of how they were they were going to be sent the the Holy Spirit. Luke 24 45 Jesus said or 49 rather behold I send the promise of my Father upon you but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power. In Acts chapter 19 Paul could ask the people did you receive the Holy Spirit? Acts 19 verse 2 that was when he was speaking to the Ephesian church. We've already mentioned that several times today. He said did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed and they said why we've not even heard whether there is a Holy Spirit and in verse 6 says Paul laid hands on them the Holy Spirit came upon them and immediately there was a response they spoke with tongues and prophesied. Another interesting point about this baptism it came to individuals who had already been converted. If you read church history much you discover that that there's been big discussions on this as well but Acts 6 65 or John 6 rather 65 that's just proof and I don't need to read this we know that Peter and the disciples were already converted by that time Peter confesses that he's Lord in John chapter 6. In John chapter 13 it's the the time of the Last Supper and we know that though they were growing they were certainly individuals who had surrendered their lives for seeking to follow Jesus though it wasn't a full experience yet. Same in Acts chapter 8 14 and 15 and that one I will read. It says now when the Apostles who were Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the Word of God they sent Peter and John to them so these are people that heard and had received the Word of God who when they had come down prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Ghost for as yet he had fallen upon none of them they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus then they laid hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit so they were believers they were following Jesus but the receiving the Holy Spirit was an additional act to what had already occurred and I see that the the words went off the page at that bottom one we won't go there we've already mentioned it now the baptism changed everyone and the example that comes to mind is Peter the Peter who denied Christ in the hour of his greatest need was impulsive and self-confident differing widely from the Peter who was brought before the Sanhedrin for examination we all know that Peter was the guy who who often put his foot in his mouth often said things that he shouldn't have done was offering to build tents you know to separate you know Jesus and the three on the and Moses and Elijah in the Mount of Transfiguration notice what said about him since his fall he'd been converted he was no longer proud and boastful but modest and self-distrustful he was filled with the Holy Spirit and by the help of this power he was resolved to remove the stain of his apostasy by honoring the name that he'd once disowned his life was completely changed through the instrumentality of the Holy Spirit exactly exactly which was very healthy if men are willing to be molded there will be brought about a sanctification of the whole being the Spirit will take the things of God and stamp them on the soul by his power the way of life will be made so plain that none need err therein the Holy Spirit will literally stamp its impression upon us now notice that the Holy Spirit brought a new understanding of Scripture John 16 13 says but when he the Spirit of truth comes he will guide you into all truth and speaking of that kind of thing first Corinthians 2 verse 10 says but God has revealed it to us by his spirit the Spirit searches all things even the deep things of God and then there's a quotation of Samuel Chadwick how the coming of the Spirit in his life suddenly helped him to understand the word in ways that he never understood before baptism of the Spirit also brought a new joy in being occupied for God acts 246 and 47 speaks of how they would meet together daily breaking bread in their homes eating together with glad and sincere hearts praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people and the Lord added to their number daily people who are being saved okay there was a new joy that they had in their hearts acts 13 the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit and in Ephesians Paul counsels them to be filled with the Spirit speaking to one another with psalms hymns and spiritual songs baptism also brought a new willingness to pray we find Peter and John going up to the temple at the time of prayer three in the afternoon acts 6 the Apostles say we need to give ourselves to the ministry and your prayer and while Peter was in prison acts 12 verse 5 the church is busily praying to God on his behalf where Jesus I think was doing most of the praying while he was alive now the disciples and the Apostles were were busy taking up that role baptism also brought a new concern for the loss the Apostles left the Sanhedrin rejoicing because they've been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the name we had a bit of discussion about this yesterday they they actually reveled in the fact that that that that you know that that they would suffer for Jesus it's hard to understand but but that was something that I think maybe to a payment of gratitude or something day after day in the temple courts from house to house they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ and we find that Philip for example he's busy preaching also here's here's more on that and I love this one with what burning language they clothed their ideas that they bore witness for him their hearts were surcharged with a benevolent so full so deep so far-reaching that it impelled them to go to the ends of the earth testifying to the power of Christ they were filled with an intense longing to carry forward the work that he'd begun I think of William Chalmers Burns has anyone read anything about William Chalmers Burns he was a revivalist lived in Scotland in the 1818 44 actually right it right at that time and he said his one desire would be to take the gospel to every single living person on the face of the earth and he began in Scotland and thousands would come to his services eventually went to Canada in just a few short months he learned the French language so he could speak French came back to Ireland felt impressed to go to China his family was back in Scotland he immediately left for China never went home to say goodbye to his family he just got on a boat and headed across where he lived in and worked in virtual anonymity but because he he recognized the great need of the people accidentally he ran into Hudson Taylor and I think they only spent maybe seven months together maybe less than that and then they were separated again but but it's interesting that that his desire was to go anywhere and everywhere to share the gospel of Jesus with the people I believe that was the the role of the spirit if you want to read an amazing book of sermons look for the revival sermons by William Chalmers Burns if you want to read you know you want to read multigrain spirituality you know of appeals his books are wonderful his sermons there's only I think one book that's been written of his sermons but powerful powerful I had the students at the seminary read that book and they came back and said you know maybe we can preach sermons that are more intense he one of his sermons he talks about you know if you were to go into a into a very popular program you were going to like a hall and and and and and it was absolutely necessary to get there how you would drop everything behind you just to force your way and press into the kingdom he said you know he said it's not gonna be you in the world going in he says it's a lot of people he says he says will accept God as long as they can have God with it they're even willing to put God first as long as they can have the world second but he says no God says either all or none and it's powerful preaching I mean there's no doubt about where you stand when you listen to him you don't get angry with him though it's just very convicting amazingly convicting William Chalmers Burns and actually it's available I could send you a PDF of it it's because it's in the public domain it's called revival sermons by William Chalmers Burns and his story is an interesting one his first revival actually happened in the church of Robert Murray McShane who was a preacher at Dundee and he'd gone on a trip to the Holy Land when he came back he discovered that a guest pastor had actually started a huge revival in his own church but instead of doing any competition he rejoiced and they were really partners in ministry he recognized the true work of God so it's a good example for us anyway baptism also brought a new ability to witness when they heard this sound let me just write down Burns because I can send that to you or make sure it's available when they heard this sound a crowd came together bewilderment because each one heard them speaking in his own language okay they had a new ability and I love this quotation the Holy Spirit did for them that which they would not have accomplished for themselves in a lifetime they could not proclaim the truths of the gospel abroad speaking with accuracy the languages of those for whom they were laboring typo shame on me from this time forth the language of the disciples was pure simple and accurate whether they spoke in their own native tongue or in a foreign language that's quite amazing isn't it and there are a few examples I mentioned them while I've been here where God truly gave the gift of tongues the gift of languages to people baptism we continue with the theme of it bringing a new boldness from from Samuel Chadwick the paraclete had come and they were comforted the spirit of truth had come and they knew the witness to the Christ had come and they became witnesses the exeutant of the kingdom had come in power and each found himself under authority and speaking as the spirit gave him utterance feared God they no longer sat with closed windows and bolted doors for fear of the Jews they feared no one they were afraid of nothing and if you want to read some amazing or listen to some amazing sermons on my website there's some sermons by Major Ian Thomas I mentioned him earlier in the devotion today I have some of his sermons he speaks of the early church always in trouble but always happy never afraid of anything you know they were just so happy in Jesus that they were irrepressible and the authorities didn't know how to deal with them anyway it brought also a new power with great power gave the Apostles witness of the resurrection and great grace was upon them all it also brought converts and believers were increasingly added to the Lord multitudes of both men and women what was the result of the outpouring the spirit in the day of Pentecost the glad tidings of a risen Savior were carried to the uttermost parts of the inhabited world as the disciples proclaimed the message of redeeming grace hearts yielded to the power of this message the church beheld converts flocking I love that word flocking to her from all directions backsliders were reconverted sinners united with believers in seeking the pearl of great price some who'd been the bitterest opponents of the gospel became its champions that's not bad is that wouldn't it be nice to have have churches where people are flocking to the church now I'd like to believe that's gonna happen again what do you think if the fields are white for harvest they're out there right that's what I pray anyway so now some examples of the baptism we know about the early church we know how they prayed and they they came into one accord and and the Spirit was poured out on them later in Acts 4 another time they were praying together the place was shaken and they were filled with the Holy Spirit and there and the outcome was what a boldness in witnessing for God the true manifestation of the Spirit will always result in more witnessing I believe same was true in Paul's filling anyway you know about Paul it's interesting when Ananias came though God sent him there to help Paul recover his sight and to be filled with the Holy Spirit some some more modern examples John Bunyan he wrote the book the pilgrims progress spoke of the night when God became so precious he could scarce lie in bed for joy and peace and triumph through Christ probably would have been in prison when that happened although I'm not sure Charles Finney the Holy Spirit descended upon me in a manner that seemed to go through me body and soul I could feel the impression like a wave of electricity going through and through me indeed it seemed to come in waves of liquid love for I could not express it any other way it seemed like the breath of God I can recollect distinctly that it seemed to fan me like immense wings no words can express the wonderful love that was shed abroad in my heart and Charles Finney he was a lawyer he was the one trying to convince people not to become Christians but he had a dialogue with a with with a man I think was the pastor who was a Christian and eventually was led to give his life to God he went out to the grove and he had this experience where the Holy Spirit descended upon him and then he had later manifestations of the Holy Spirit back at the office came upon him like liquid waves of love DL Moody we talked about it earlier he says the blessing came upon me suddenly like a flash of lightning for months I'd been hungry and thirsty and then it came as we read the first thing then there's George Mueller as to my soul the change was so great that it was like a second conversion the result was that that the first evening I shut myself in my room to give myself to prayer and meditation of the scriptures and learn more in a few hours than I'd done during a period of several months previously and I've already told you about James Samuel check numerous times so we won't do it again but James Brainerd Taylor another pastor of that same era in response to the if thou wilt thou can't make me clean then there ensued such emotions I'd never before experienced all was calm and tranquil and a heaven of love pervaded my whole soul I had a witness of God's love to me and of mine to him shortly after I was dissolved in tears of love and gratitude to our blessed Lord the name of Jesus was precious to me now none of these people were Holy Rollers these people were were the most serious sober minded Christians you could possibly imagine okay they were people who are willing to to to to literally suffer in the worst cold to take the gospel to other people I believe these this was the true manifestation of the Holy Spirit that's what we're talking about you know as we talk we're not talking about that the spurious thing that was out there for many of these people there wasn't such a thing as the Sabbath and secondly it's it's called faithfulness to present truth and we may be surprised by the people who are in heaven the people who are not in heaven someday you know sadly in fact yeah I appreciate the comment that Carl made and there's the Bible says the Holy Spirit leads us into all truth so yeah they don't necessarily have to have it yeah actually I I was sharing this with with Wayne if you were to look at at our church here and and Protestantism here what you'd find is in the 1800s the later 1800s that both were seeking after the righteous of Christ we've had the 1888 experience and on this side was the Keswick movement there's Andrew Murray FB Myers there was William Chalmers Burns there was George Mueller there was Hudson Taylor I mean I can just go up and and what happens is they were wanting to seek after holiness and and the more they seek after holiness what happens they're getting closer and closer but right about up here in the late 1800s there was the Minneapolis conference and we got torn away a little bit and they got pulled off into dispensationalism and they went that way and I believe had they not gotten off the tracks we could have had what what we read of how Jesus could have come okay because they were both seeking after holiness but both got diverted by this by Satan's instigation I think it would make a fascinating dissertation Sunday to do a study of the of the parallel movements of holiness in our church and in the Protestant world at the same time after Minneapolis when they didn't really embrace rights by faith somewhat that's up to well and I'm not I'm not I'm not sure I'm not saying there wasn't a time period but what I'm saying is is that is it something happened we're both kind of went away I don't know if it was right then but something happened because I have great interest personally in the Keswick holiness movement and it's interesting they the message that they that they espoused was could have come out of Stepsie Christ or any other book that you can imagine but then dispensationalist came in they began arguing about the second coming and you can see they're just kind of wandering off into the into the bushes unfortunately anyway Jesus he was baptized and after his baptism the dove came upon him right and we've already talked about the the early church what does it mean to obtain the baptism of the Holy Spirit for the early church they tarried they sought to be right with God they sought to be right with each other they surrendered to be entirely God's ask God to send the spirit they receive the spirit and the rest is history now there may be some other details but I think those are some of the main points that that we could agree on quite easily now here's a short statement but it's pretty comprehensive much prayer and a humbling of the heart a constant surrender of the will to God will bring the help pledge to every worker by the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost angels of God will work for those who yield themselves to the leading of the Holy Spirit so there are the elements much prayer humbling of heart and a constant surrender of the will to God do you want to have a strong Christian life I believe that covers the basis prayer humbling of heart and a constant surrender a constant obedience I wanted to share with you what others have said in the same thing this comes from Samuel Chadwick he says these are the four points that he sees repent when men begin to pray for the blessing of Pentecost the answer begins in the conviction of sin always begins there second point is ask there are thousands of believers who have never definitely asked for the blessing God waits to give but he is a God of discretion and waits to be asked receive there's a point at which asking becomes foolishness faith claims and takes obey the spirit filled must be spirit ruled we are ministers of the spirit through whom the supply is conveyed those who are greatly used to God have no monopoly of the Holy Ghost they are mighty through God because the spirit has a monopoly on of them ok those are the steps that that he saw and and you know you notice he begins with repentance another fairly famous figure when it comes to revival in the baptism of the Holy Spirit is a man named Jonathan go forth and if you want to read a wonderful book on prayer read by Roslyn go forth how I know God answers prayer it's just a short book that you can get as a PDF on my site or on the internet you can also buy it in print it's still published but he actually came across a book of Charles Finney where Finney said if the conditions are created revival will follow and he says well I I can create the conditions in China and as much as Charles Finney in the United States and so he spent a year studying reading the book by AJ Gordon on the ministry of the spirit Finney's revival lectures in autobiography studying the Bible and sure enough God began to bring revival to him but he always began with with acknowledgement of sin and confession and there's a book called by my spirit where he actually records the revivals of Korea and and the process that that those churches went through and always starts with with massive amounts of confession repentance not that he artificially did it but the spirit put it on people and he died a broken heart man because he pain came back to Canada where he was from and the Presbyterian Church in Canada refused to have revival meetings that had such an emphasis on confession and repentance and he said revival only comes one way he was convinced of it and so he was he was sad very very sad that they weren't interested in in what he had found brought revival consistently anyway so what it said Samuel Chadwick says there is absolutely true and we can find other examples in history to support it from the surrendered life by Wilbur Chapman also a wonderful book on on the Holy Spirit we must desire the double portion of the spirit only that we may live for God's glory in other words when we get the spirit it's for the sole purpose of obeying God to we must bring clean vessels to him three the possession of the double portion of spirit must be our greatest desire if we permit anything to occupy higher place in our affections in this the blessing will carry I told you about William Chalmers Burns who said God will have all or none okay all or none pretty hard when you read some of what he said but but I think he was right and finally we must keep our eyes constantly fixed upon Christ the secret of all power is with him and powers not an experience but Christ is the power of God himself in other words we're not looking for an experience we're looking for a person and we ask for the spirit we're asking for a person who's actually the instrumentality of the Lord Jesus Christ the spirit specializes in Jesus any comments or questions on what we've discussed there on these kind of these steps just getting the experience essentially receiving the baptism of Holy Spirit is when we choose to die to self and be emptied of our own motives and our own actions so that the Holy Spirit can literally take over our lives and we become basically slaves to the Holy Spirit from that point on that's that's what receiving the Holy Spirit is all about we we we choose to empty of ourselves that's what the repentance is all about so the Holy Spirit can take control and all these people say from that moment on you just obey just obey just obey Chadwick's book finishes with four words repent seek receive or repent ask receive obey he says you want the Holy Spirit follow those four steps and he says I'm the last one but you remember you must always obey after that the Holy Spirit helps you but but that's what the the life of the Spirit taking over is all about repent ask receive obey if you can pick up his book way to Pentecost it's a profound profound book on the Holy Spirit well worth reading there are other books that are much longer his gets right to the heart of the matter way to Pentecost way to Pentecost by Samuel Chadwick and it's also on the internet if you want to find it as a PDF or I could send you a copy of that too anyway more steps this came from Gerhard Terstig and he was the pietist from from Germany in this in the late 1600s he starts with repenting or obeying then he speaks of continuing advancing walking with God cultivating cordial relationships with other people outward and inward collectedness in other words living in the presence of God and then waiting without losing hope okay and what what he writes is just it's some of the most beautiful things and what it means to be a Christian that comes out of him I first learned of him by poems that I would see in books from time to time and incredible you know he was a reckless he did not want to be around other people but God would send people there's a point of time in his life where so many people would come that they would actually put ladders up the outside of his house to listen through the windows to hear what he was saying inside credible man he knew Jesus you know and I appreciate your comment Carl what I say is that there are people who are faithful to all the light they had and they put us to shame in our day I know I know what you're saying yeah that's fine that's fine and then and then the final step that he said was or or some people have also talked about repenting of rejecting Christ but it's it basically all comes back to the same thing that that that we need to come in and be right with God here's a letter from 1902 before us before giving us the baptism of the Holy Spirit our Heavenly Father will try us to see if we can live without dishonoring him do not think that you can have great spiritual blessings without complying with the conditions that God himself has laid down okay God wants to see if we won't honor him it's unfortunate we don't have more time to discuss but it makes sense doesn't it that God is not going to give us great spiritual power if we are not obeying him because to have power when we're disobeying would suggest that it doesn't matter and God's is not going to do that you know no and and you know when I talk about dying to self I like to remind people you know I asked people you know how if you went to a funeral what would you learn about being having died to self well the person can't do anything they don't have anything to worry they can't even worry if they wanted to but you know an important one is the last person the funeral to know that they're dead is the dead person okay so the dead person doesn't go around say look at me look at me look at me they're just walking with Jesus okay they're the last person the funeral to know that they're that they've died okay anyway repent from sin relational sin to those who in faith claim this promise it was speedily fulfilled as the disciples made humble supplication to God their differences were swept away they became of one mind then the way was prepared for the Holy Spirit to enter the cleanse consecrated soul temples every heart was filled with the Spirit and here's a really important one that we ought to take to heart when the labors have an abiding Christ in their own souls when all selfishness is dead when there is no rivalry no strife for the supremacy when oneness exists when they sanctify themselves so that love for one another is seen and felt then the showers of the grace of the Holy Spirit will just as surely come upon them as that God's promise will never fail in one jot or tittle but when the work of others is discounted that the workers may show their own superiority they prove that their own work does not bear the signature it should God cannot bless them okay and and that's why right relationship in our churches is so important and we haven't really talked about it but prayer is probably the thing that can heal people as well as anything Charles Finney said that you cannot pray with someone without becoming a friend with that person that you can't be angry with the person that you're praying with and I think that's really true Members I guess can be very deductive in their thinking when you say things like that in regards to the situation of a particular church that if someone's not committed or the power's not evident then there's people who don't have enough faith hmm yeah yeah it's like yeah I think it all comes down to education we're not having a discussion on prayer and healing right now but in my own study I've come up with 13 reasons why God doesn't answer prayer number one being the great controversy where where Satan says if you'll let me touch this person though they'll curse you and it still happens today and that's why we see so many believers they get sick because it's the the old controversy going on and it also explains why often it seems to be the most spiritual people it's happening to because those are the very ones that Satan is saying let me let me let me bring that person down it's the Job experience all over again but we often forget that that's only one of many reasons anyway steps to be to being emptied seeking to be emptied of self when the heart is emptied of self it will be ready for the baptism of the Holy Spirit goes without saying if we've not been baptized we obviously need to be baptized now there's the matter of obedience and I'd like to talk about this because we hear people saying I've surrendered you know this hobby and I surrendered that as if giving the worst the things that aren't that good to God is what he's looking for he's actually looking for the best not the worst right or to give the best give all and give it with the understanding that we will be consumed on the altar you know in the in the days of the of the early church when you being a Christian you were in effect saying I'm willing to risk my life to be a Christian I remember hearing how over in in Cambodia at the at the Academy there they were quizzing the students on you know what they would compromise over and they asked for example they said or what they would risk their lives for they asked you know would you would you would you be willing to sacrifice your life it would save the life one of your family members the students didn't seem to have a problem with that they were going through the list they asked them would you be willing to sacrifice your life for the sake of your beliefs most of the students were unwilling the only ones that were willing were the ones from Myanmar who were already living under a death sentence if they were caught as active Christians in part of that country they'd already made that decision and it makes you much stronger when you know that their real consequence it's too easy today to almost to be a Christian you know it doesn't really have that that refining purifying work and I think of the purification over the the Book of Common Prayer in 1662 more than 300 lost their lives because they refused to accept a certain book as they refused to accept it anyway the next one you gentlemen must be doing research over there or something are you multitask people okay well stay with us if you can Christ has promised the gift of the Holy Spirit to his church but like every other promise it is given on conditions there are many who believe in profess to claim the Lord's promise they talk about Christ and about the Holy Spirit yet receive no benefit they do not surrender the soul to be guided and controlled by the divine agencies we cannot use the Holy Spirit the spirit is to use us huge we cannot use the Holy Spirit the spirit is to use us but many will not submit to this they want to manage themselves that's the problem they want to manage themselves this is why they do not receive the heavenly gift only to those who humbly wait upon God who watch for his guidance and grace is the spirit given this promise blessing claimed by faith brings all other blessings in its chain and that's I think a major key why why the spirit doesn't always have more prevalence amongst us we still want to have the last word and the spirit says no when I take over I have not only the last word I have every word from beginning to end you know I there's that wonderful symbol of you know where it's interesting that that a criminal when he was crucified was forced to accept the cross the Christian when he dies his self voluntarily embraces the cross big difference big difference we choose to to be the living dead so to speak so far as we are ourselves are concerned okay we need to earnestly desire the Holy Spirit it's interesting that that verse in Isaiah 44 3 I will pour water upon him that is thirsty floods upon the dry ground those verses have often been claimed where revival is come people say God you have promised it to send water to the to the dry ground we are convinced that that the ground is dry and God has blessed them we need to ask this is a good one for those of you that have children teacher children that it is their privilege to receive every day the baptism of the Holy Spirit John 711 if you then be evil know how to give good gifts to your children how much more will your Heavenly Father or your father who is in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him teacher children it is their privilege to receive every day the baptism of the Holy Spirit let Christ find you his helping hand to carry out his purposes by prayer you may gain an experience that will make your ministry for your children a success that awesome oh I'm sorry thank you yeah I I try you folks have no idea when I get a lot of this stuff done no idea I'm a very bad example in health anyway and then from testimonies why do we not hunger and thirst for the gift of the Spirit since this is the means by which we are to receive power why do we not talk of it pray for it preach concerning it okay the Lord is more willing to give the Holy Spirit and parents for the baptism of the Spirit every worker should be pleading with God company should be gathered together to ask for special help for heavenly wisdom that they may know how to plan and execute wisely especially should men pray that God will baptize his missionaries with the Holy Spirit especially okay and then of course we need to believe that it has been received and we find in the in the book of Acts that when they prayed though some people had received already the baptism of the Holy Spirit later they received another filling we're just about done here the Spirit of God is manifested in different ways upon different men one under the movings of this power will tremble before the Word of God this is a really important statement the Spirit of God is manifested in different ways upon different men one under the moving of this power will tremble before the Word of God his convictions will be so deep that a hurricane and tumult of feeling seems to rage in his heart and his whole being is prostrate under the convicting power of the truth when the Lord speaks forgiveness to the repenting soul he is full of ardor full of love to God full of earnestness and energy and the life-giving spirit which he has received cannot be repressed Christ is in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life his feelings of love are as deep and ardent as was his distress and agony others are brought to Christ in a more gentle way now it's interesting that Charles Finney who probably had more to do with revival than anyone else in in church history or at least he's identified with it in his lectures on revival talks about the fact that that it is impossible to repress emotion some people accused him of encouraging emotion too much but he later wrote in in some journal articles where he said he discovered that that you cannot stop emotion but you don't want to encourage emotion on an artificial basis because artificially contrived emotion is of the flesh and invariably is used by Satan so he said you will not be able to stop it when people truly find Jesus for the first time if they were deeply deeply convicted of sin and feeling like they were completely lost but he says you need to do all you can to always repress it and keep things in order because the spirit works when our minds are operating in a balanced way now these people were very balanced if you read everything they read there's reasons why God was able to bless their their ministry so much I think we've already well no here's a good one the lapse of time has wrought no change in Christ's parting promise to send the Holy Spirit to his representative as his representative it is not because of any restriction on the part of God that the riches of his grace do not flow earthwards to men if the fulfillment of the promise is not seen as it might be it is because the promise is not appreciated as it should be if all were willing all would be filled wherever the need of the Holy Spirit is a little thought of there is seen spiritual drought spiritual darkness spiritual declension and death whenever minor matters occupy the attention the divine power which is necessary for the growth and prosperity of the church and which would bring all other blessings in its train is lacking though offered in infinite plenitude okay one last statement why is it that we do not manifest more this enthusiasm in the service of God it is because those who profess to love God do not serve him with an undivided heart I don't personally believe that the Holy Spirit is his rocket science at all I personally believe that the Holy Spirit is just where we realize that that God's offered a gift and we and we make our lives that the vessels that the by choice you know we're often a work of progress but we say God by the grace of God I want to be fully surrendered to you I want to be as holy as I possibly can be I want to honor you as much as I can and I'll let you have the last word and and God works in our hearts he softens us you know the ceiling someone talked about the fact that the wax has to be soft so he softens us until finally we're willing to accept his stamp on our lives and we happily operate as his agents his instruments with one thought like Jesus Jesus and father what did you have in mind and for us it would be Holy Spirit what do you have in mind and always written says that's fine I'll be happy to work with you anyway those are some thoughts on both the need and the baptism of the Holy Spirit and it is 242 so we need to come to a close and we have we will your reaction your reaction what do you think we ought to do as a group what do you think should be done I'll have to be collective I mean individually obviously but what's the appropriate response any other thoughts I don't know whether my understanding is right on this but I see the early church those individuals who had a lateran experience in their personal lives but it was the early right experience for the church so it can be the individual and important so we can be looking forward I agree I agree it's interesting when you study revival many people say it's true revival unless all the community is affected at the same time if you read what others have written historians of other revivals they said it didn't just happen one church but every church in the region was affected by the spirit being poured out but I think part of what we're looking at there is that many revivals that took place occurred just prior to a major war major catastrophe it was almost like God was giving people a chance to come right with him before many would lose their lives in battle which may explain I was I was talking with someone here why revivals never come to Australia New Zealand because you've never had a major war down here you've really been quite blessed in that way but it was in Korea prior to the Chinese taking over Korea United States prior to the Civil War prior to World War two is in Europe in England prior to the wars they're really quite remarkable about that yeah in preparation it was in initiated by God yeah we could we could have a lot of discussions on that obviously it's another whole afternoon or day of discussing the revival but we had a beginning it's I think it's all of the above but it was very much a life controlled by the spirit who who worked based on scripture as people understood sincerely I believe but anyway we will we'll discuss that some other time I think let me just show you one other statement here if I can I found it on something else we don't have time to talk about grieving the spirit says if we have no greater appreciation the manifest power of God meant to eat and drink and rise up to play stood ancient Israel then how can the Lord trust his people with rich and gracious manifestations if they act directly contrary to him in almost every respect to the known will of God are found in carelessness and in levity and selfishness and ambition and pride corrupting their way before the Lord how can you give them another outpouring of the Holy Spirit serious words serious serious words okay but then to encourage us there's nothing that Satan fears so much right because if we clear the hindrances he cannot stop the revival coming so our parts remove the hindrances has to be individual we can't change anyone else but if we do our part it opens the way for God to do it on his part anyway so I'll stop with that you've been listening to one part of a two-part series on the Holy Spirit shared by me Dan Augsburger in Hobart Tasmania one portion of that two-part talk considers the need of the Holy Spirit as well as the attributes and the work of the Spirit the second portion considers how to experience the baptism of the Holy Spirit you can find more written resources on the subject of the Holy Spirit at path to prayer calm in the revival and Holy Spirit section should you still have questions you can write me at path to prayer at yahoo.com path to prayer PATH the numeral to prayer at yahoo.com