In this sermon, the preacher discusses the book of Acts as a blueprint for the church. He emphasizes the importance of the early church's relationship with the Holy Spirit. The preacher encourages prayer for missionaries and workers who are spreading the gospel. He also highlights the need for a comprehensive church program that includes revival meetings, education, publishing, and missions. The sermon concludes with a comparison between the church of today and the early church, expressing concern about the lack of progress in winning souls for Christ.

Thrilling to witness a few faces like this. It's challenging, it makes one tremble when it comes to the responsibility of preaching the word of God. So many people, you've come here for something, I trust. I'm going to assume that you're here from a sincere motive. You're here because you love God, you want the truth from God's word. I want each of you here who has knowledge of Jesus Christ to pray during the progress of this service. This is God's work and not the work of man. Our policy and our declared position is that God shall have the glory for every victory won. These campaigns are, let no human finger be touched ever, raised to touch it. Because God shall be praised for every blessing that comes to us. And so let's look to God tonight and expect from him the blessing that we need. I'd like to have that ready and, well, clear response from you as I ask you a few questions. I'd like for you to come back at me with a clear and ready response. With a yes or no, either one. I'd like for everybody to respond. Yes or no. Do you believe that the devil is against this revival? Yes. All right. Do you believe God is for it, not only this one, but for the cause of revival? Yes or no? Yes. Thank you. Are you looking in simple faith to God tonight for the blessing that we need? Yes or no? Yes. Now the vital question, and it comes last. I want you to give me an answer, yes or no, on it. Will you be obedient to the spirit of God as he speaks to your heart tonight? Now come on. Yes. Thank you. I wish that we might be in prayer not only for this meeting, but for others. The other evangelists around the country and around the world who are all preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. We believe that God is making a visitation to the nation and to the world today. It is remarkable. There's something unique about it. Something is happening. The third God is moving across the countryside. We ought to pray for those men and for those workers, missionaries, men and women who are out there testifying for God. Right now there are men preaching, doctors in pulpits, in churches and under tents and in other places, giving the gospel of Jesus Christ. Let's pray for them that God may give them souls tonight for their heart. Let's pray for the other phases of the church's program. We do not want to leave the impressions. We think revival meetings and evangelistic campaigns make up the total program of the church. I want to pray for the educational program of the church. I want to pray for the publishing program of the church and for the mission program of the church and for the total program of the church that the impact of the gospel upon the world might be felt marvelously in these last days. My subject tonight is God's supreme condition of power. God has made provision for his people of all time that they shall possess the blessing of his own presence and the power of the Holy Ghost. I would like tonight, by the grace that God only can give, to proceed in this manner. To show first that God in his word has shown us what a New Testament church is to be like. I should like then to show that that church was possessed with members and leaders, all of whom were filled with the Holy Ghost. I should like to move from that to say that the provision that God made for the church in that day is the same provision for the church in this day. And that being the case, all Christians today and all leaders should be filled with the Holy Ghost. That's my story tonight. We come back to the first point and we find much in the word of God. We go back to the book of Acts. We like to speak of it as God's blueprint for the Christian church. A photograph of what God wants the church to be, in the main, in the major outlines of it, I would say. We don't want a cronged quibble about every minor detail, no. But in the major points and outlines of the book of Acts, we believe that we have here a blueprint of what God wants the church to be like in all times. On that, well, we could go last Tuesday night, I believe it was, we spoke on the subject of God's pageantry of power. And we pointed out that night that tracing through the book of Acts, we find a great demonstration of power and progress in the church. Briefly, this is what it was. On the day of Pentecost, as we have it in Acts 2.41, there were 3,000 added to the church in one day. And there were additions every day thereafter. That's what it says. In 2.47, they were praising God, having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved, or such as were being saved. The Lord added to the church daily. You wouldn't let me off by reading it any other way. I tried to get you to let me read it. The Lord added to the church annually. You wouldn't accept it. I tried to let you, uh, have you let me read it. The Lord added to the church monthly, those that were being saved. And you wouldn't let me do it. And then I tried to read it. The Lord added to the church weekly, those that were being saved. And you wouldn't let me do it. And then I asked you, while you've been satisfied with that kind of program, why won't you let me read it that way? Well, you wouldn't let me. And so we read like it is in the word of God, that the Lord added to the church, how often? Daily. Those who were being saved. Now we go on to the fourth chapter of the fourth verse of the book of Acts. And we find here that there are 5,000. Albeit many of them which heard the word believed, and the number of the men was about 5,000. In 514, we are told that there were multitudes, men and women. And believers were the more added to the Lord's multitudes, both of men and women. And then in 6-7, the word of God increased. The number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly. And the great company of the priests were obedient to the faith. Philip and Samaria, priests, and there was great joy in that city when he preached Christ unto them. You have Philip under Enoch, a man of great authority in 8-38. And you have the churches being multiplied over there in 9-31. Then had the churches rest throughout all Judea. And Galilee and Samaria and were edified and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied. In 9-35, you have a similar passage. Going over to 9-42, it was made known throughout all Joppa. And many believed in the Lord. In the 10th chapter, the Gentiles were converted to the Lord. And then in the 11th chapter, you have the great Antioch revival. The hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned unto the Lord. And then Barnabas came, and much people were added. We read in 11-24, for he was a good man and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith. And much people was added unto the Lord. And the word of God grew and multiplied in 12-24. 14-1, great multitudes believed. That's the pattern right straight down through the book of Acts. You have a church here that's striking right and left. And there are hundreds, for Jesus Christ, in our going program of evangelism in the early church, that challenges my heart tonight, when I read it and when I think of it and when I review it. The early church knew multiplication and it knew addition. The church of today knows more about division than it does about either one. And there's a world of difference, a world of difference. The early church knew multiplication and knew addition. And justly anything, if anything at all, about division. Today, we know not very much about multiplication, a little bit about addition, and a whole lot about division. And I say, God help us indeed. Going back, we have here one of the most moving and marvelous representations and portraits of divine power that we have anywhere in the word of God. It was back there at the beginning, early in the period of the Christian church. And the blessing of God was poured out upon it. And there are a few things that bring pain to the heart of a preacher. Like the comparison between the church of today and the church of that day. I would say again tonight what I said earlier in this campaign. I don't want you to misunderstand me when I speak about the church of today. I don't want to use derogatory terms. I don't want to minimize the church. I believe in the church as the greatest institution of God, greatest institution in the world perhaps. Blessed of God, one of his choice institutions. But I think there is a sense in which we may exercise wholesome dissatisfaction with the church. And that's my point of view. To look at its clarity, to face its weaknesses, to face its failures, and make rectification and improvement wherever that is possible to be made. I spoke earlier in this campaign about what one bishop brother told me when he came to him. I had much trouble with the head of the park. About conditions in his own conference district. He said, brother, and he brought me a sheet of paper and he had the figures on it. He said, I have figured this out, the increase in our conference. The number of accessions to the church. And I have broken it down according to the membership of our conference. And the number of Sunday school teachers and the number of preachers in the conference. And he said, this is what I have. And he showed it to me. And it was a very, a very, well, discouraging report. He was deeply moved about it and so was I. This is what he brought. He said that according to the progress that our conference has made, it has required, in order to win one soul to Jesus Christ, this is what it took. It took this many people in our conference one whole year to win one soul. I want you to get this now. This is important. He said it took this many people a whole year to win one soul in our conference. And this is it. It took a preacher and a half. It took three and a fifth Sunday school teachers. And it took 30 members of the church. Get this now. A preacher and a half. Three and one fifth Sunday school teachers. 30 members a whole year from January 1st, 1951 to January 1st, 1952 to win one soul. And I tell you that's shocking. I wonder how much better we are here, brethren. I suspect the pattern runs just about the same. The conference from which the brother comes is a live conference, we say, not a dead conference. And they have all died in the last of the conferences across the country. But that was the picture. And when I put that down side of the record in the divine word of God, I tell you, my dear people, there's something wrong. I wish every one of you would say amen. And of course there are some of us who've come to this conclusion that we're living in the last times. The Bible says, will there be faith upon the earth? The last times will be perilous times. Many will depart from the faith. This and that and the other thing. And that is exactly true. The word of God says that. But my dear hearers tonight, I warn you against taking refuge behind those scriptures to justify the weakness and the failure of the church. We're living in a day when the gospel is still good. There are still men and women who will believe it. And there are still thousands of people who will receive it. If it's presented to them under the power of the Holy Ghost, there are still thrones and masses of people. Do you know one thing that's moving across our nation? In higher centers of society, our magazines are beginning to recognize something is happening. Religion had almost come to be a joke, and it still is in some quarters. But today, those who turned up and curled their lips at the fires of revival that were beginning to burn, today are recognizing that the American public has a new appetite for the gospel of Jesus Christ. And there is something, something remarkable and not to be explained by, man. It isn't because there are better men. Not because there are better educated men. Not because there are more evil men. No, it's because God's Spirit is moving, I tell you. Now the thing that makes us sick at the heart is when we look into the book of God, and we see a moving, a growing, a prospering program under God. And then we look in the church today, and we see a light that is flickering. And seemingly almost going out, and so many Christian people say, Oh, if I can just hold on until the Lord comes, I'll be so glad if I can just hold on until the Lord comes. And then going to glory, at last, if I can't take anybody along with me, I just hope I can hold on myself. But the Lord, I believe that he intends for you to bring somebody along with you. I believe that the church of this present day, now listen, I believe that the church of this present day can move under the dynamics of the Spirit of God as it did in the days of the apostles. If not, I'd like to know why. Why has God blessed the church in one era of their history, and not blessed her in another? Unless the conditions are not met upon our part, I'm not able to understand why God would pour out his blessing upon the church at one era, and then strangle it and starve it at another. No, my dear people, the fact of the weakness and the powerlessness in the church today lies not with God, but with man. We can and we shall move forward today under the banner of God and the anointing of the blessed Holy Ghost. Now brother, don't hide behind those negative scriptures. Don't hide behind Noah's ark, he and his sons and their wives going in. They didn't live in a dispensation of the Holy Ghost. Don't hide behind the fact that Jesus himself, while he was here upon the earth, well, he didn't sweep the country. The masses, when they found out what his message was, turned away from him, and the nucleus followed him. Don't hide behind that either. For Jesus said himself, The works that I do shall you do also, and greater works than these shall you do, because I go to my Father, and because the Holy Ghost comes. That's God's double-fold provision for progress in the church. Jesus Christ at the Father's right hand, and the Holy Ghost upon earth as the great agent of God. That's his provision. And that's why we say, yes, the church in this period is to win souls, is to have a greater following of believers, even than Jesus Christ had when he was here, because Jesus himself said so. That's why I'm clear to say it. Because Jesus said it. I don't think he meant that we'd raise more dead people, and heal more sick, though I still believe in God's power to heal the body as far as that's concerned. But I do believe that Jesus Christ meant, and he said, that under a preaching, a presentation of the gospel, there will be thousands who will receive it, and be gloriously saved and blessed. Now we go back to the book of Acts. I want you to use your Bible. We tried to give the word of God a large place in our campaign. We wanted to be that way. I want you to open your Bible to the book of Acts. I'd like for you to let God bless your soul tonight, neighbor. Let him fill your soul tonight from the word of God. We began with this major premise. The book of Acts, a sample, a blueprint, a photograph, of what God wants the church to be like in general terms. Here it is, progress, power, blessing, in a marvelous way. Now let's see, let's see what is this supreme condition of power that we're talking about. That's my subject tonight, the supreme condition of power in the church. Let's see what it is. In the book of Acts, there is something very, very outstanding, and that is the relationship that the early church had to the first person of the gardeners. You know, if I could take you this evening to the nearest railroad yard, I don't know where they are, perhaps Richmond, take you down there and show you a steam locomotive. On the sidetracks, there it is, all the brass parts polished, all the bearings well greased and lubricated, the boiler full of water, a man at the control, and the fireman there, shoveling in the coal. That's it, ready to go, everything organized, everything prepared from every corner. And there's one thing wrong with it, and you know what it is? No fire in the box. But I'll tell you, until she's got steam in there, she'll never move a thing. And I say to you, my dear people, that much of our church life today reminds me of a steam locomotive that's got water in the boiler, the bearings are lubricated, and everything is ready. There's just one thing that's gotta happen, and that is fire in the box. The anointing of the Holy Ghost. We've got machinery to no end. We're moving in that direction, in organization. Not opposed to it, a good organization is in place. Machinery is necessary in the church. But you know, my observation is this, that the more the fire goes out, the more outstanding and complex the machinery becomes. And the colder the church gets, the higher the steeple goes. And the better the furniture. And the more kids go in, and all that. What is it? Compensation for the absence of the Spirit of God. That's why. You go back here in the book of God, and see what was the relationship with the Holy Spirit. You go back even beyond the book of Acts. You go back to John the Baptist. We're told that John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Ghost from his mother's womb. We're told that Zachariah was filled with the Holy Ghost. We're told that Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost. We're told that Jesus Christ was born, Mary conceived of the Holy Ghost. And that he went about doing miracles by the Holy Ghost. And he was raised from the dead at the Father's right hand. You come on down, the last thing, now listen to me. This is important. The last thing that was upon the heart of our Lord Jesus Christ, before he ascended into glory, was this thing that I'm talking about, the supreme condition of power in the church. You know usually, people talk in their last moments, before they depart, about those things that are of particular value to them. Those things that lie close to the heart. You know what Jesus talked about before he ascended? It was the Holy Ghost, and the baptism that he would give. That's what it was. You go back to the first chapter of Acts. Do you have your Bibles open? Verse four of this first chapter, being assembled together with him, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. And of course, he is here referring to the day of Pentecost. Now Jesus is here saying to his followers, he said it over and before in the 24th chapter of Luke 2, he said, I don't want you to go out and teach. I don't want you to go out and preach. I don't want you to go out and carry forward the program of evangelism until something happens to you. That's what Jesus said. I believe that if Jesus could come into this tent tonight and speak to us in a visible form and an audible voice, he would say, Sunday school teachers, don't teach that class next Sunday unless you have been filled with the Holy Ghost. He says, Sunday school superintendents, you better resign your job or seek God to fill you with the Holy Ghost before you go on with that work. He'd come on this platform, I believe, and say to the preachers, don't try to preach the word of God unless and until you've been filled with the Holy Ghost. Until you've been endued with power from on high. That's the way he puts it. And but wait for the coming of the Father which that he have heard of me. Now let's get this clear. We're not asking for Pentecost to take place again. Pentecost is a historical incident. It took place. It's past. Pentecost is past. But the benefits from it continue to the present. Just like the cross of Jesus Christ. We're not asking for Christ to be crucified again. He was crucified once. He takes the place of man's redemption. But it becomes real and it becomes effective in your life and mine when we accept it by faith. And I tell you tonight, listen to me, this is vital. I believe that Pentecost becomes operative and effective in your life and in mine when you accept it by faith. And if you want to skip this part, go over to Galatians 3.14. He says we receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. Through faith there are conditions for being filled with the Holy Ghost. I'm going to talk about those at another time. But here's Jesus. He says wait. Stay at home. To put it in modern speech, he says stay at Harrisonburg. If you live in Rockland County, stay at Harrisonburg. Don't go across the sea. Don't go to another state. Don't go to a mission station. Don't go over the mountain to preach the gospel of man until you have been induced with power from on high. If I understand the language of our Lord Christ, that is it. I think I should give you my personal testimony at this point. I hesitate to do it because I know it's a risk for a preacher to refer to himself. Will you pardon me if I do? I want to give you my testimony. I tell you the time came in my ministry. God made it upon my heart. I said Lord, you know I'm not saving souls. You know my ministry is a miserable failure. More than one time I went home on a Sunday morning. Went back in the closet on the back side of the house and wept and cried and asked God to forgive me. And my whole digestive tract would lock up. Nervous tension. Oh Sunday was an awful day. I hear people talk about this day of rest. God help me if it was anything but that for me. It was a miserable day. Filled with duty and tried to preach and get up there and stumble and stammer and go on. And I'd cry and the time came when I told God, I said Lord I'm through. I know there is something better than this. I said Lord if I can't see it and if I can't tap the root of divine power and the source of divine grace. I want you to let me die and bury me twelve feet under the ground and raise up another man that can preach. That's what I did. I got back up and I told God, I said I intend to resign, to hand in my resignation to the Virginia Conference of the Mennonites. And ask them to hold in somebody else. I can't preach. I want to tell you God did something to me. I'm going to say it humbly. Do I sound like I'm boasting to you? God has much. There's no boasting in the glory feet of God. But I want to tell you brethren tonight from the platform to the back end of this tent. That God has something for His children. You can turn over the sod and get to it and let God fill and bless your soul with His own glory. I came to that point. I said Lord you blessed the people back there in the Bible. You blessed the preachers back there. You blessed John Wesley who was sold by the thousands when he came out to an open field when the churches were closed to him. And preached to ten thousand people without any amplification system. And he won souls by the thousands. I know you did it for Charles Penney. He was perhaps the greatest American evangelist who ever lived. It's rated so by some at least. Great man of God. I read about G.L. Moody. Oh I thought God did you just do it back there? In order that we can look back and see the way it used to be. All we got to do is yes. And then I come up to the times of R.A.T.O.Y. That great Presbyterian fireball with God. And I said God help us. Is it all history? Is it all over? I said I'm going to find out. And I began to search. I began to search the local ash bush. And I began to search Wesley. And I began to search Penney. And then I began to search Moody. And then I began to search Corey. And I found that all of these together shared a common conviction. That the people of God are to be filled with the Holy Ghost. They had fighters to fight them by. And here they were. Charles Wesley told the people. He said if any of you are filled with the Holy Ghost. Somebody is going to fight you. And he'll call you crazy. And it may be from the people that ought to lead you on into these things of God. That's what he told them. I want to tell you my dear people. I've come to this conclusion. I'll challenge you to do it. You go back and begin as a book of Acts. And come up to 1900. And surely a man or a church or a movement. That shook and rocked its generation for God. That didn't believe in the fullness of the Holy Ghost in the church. Now in the book of Acts. Here it is. Let's look at it. I'm having some difficulty to get through it. In the eighth verse of the first chapter. He says. I'd like to underscore that word upon. That's a unique word in the book of Acts. The Holy Spirit upon you. In an anointing. I believe primarily for service. It isn't a question whether a Christian has the Holy Spirit or not. Every Christian if he is one has the Holy Spirit. That's no argumentation at all. But when Paul writes to the Ephesian church. He says. Was he writing to a bunch of rebels? Unregenerate? Certainly was not. He was writing to people who have the Spirit. They were Christians. Ephesian believers. And he said. The Holy Spirit upon you. In an anointing for service. Jesus had that. The Holy Spirit came upon him. You think he had the Spirit before that? Was he an unregenerate? Before this? No. The Holy Ghost came upon him when he was baptized with water. And we have this word in Acts 1.8. You shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is compound upon you. Now I remind you again. That supposition is characteristic of the book of Acts. Let's go over. Now to the second chapter of Acts. And the fourth verse. They were all filled with the Holy Ghost. Began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them offerings. The thing I want in that passage is this. That they were all filled with the Holy Ghost. In the book of Acts. They were all filled with the Holy Ghost. And now we go over to chapter. Chapter 4. And we see here in the eighth verse. Then Peter filled with the Holy Ghost said unto them. Ye rulers of the people and elders of Israel. And so forth. And then down in verse 31 of chapter 4. Of Acts. Look at these words. When they had prayed the place was shaken. Where they were assembled together. They were all filled with the Holy Ghost. And they spake the word of God with boldness. And the rest of it. The multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul. Neither said any of them that all of the things which he possessed was his own. But they had all things common. And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all. We go over to chapter 6. Notice we've read now twice. That they were all filled with the Holy Ghost. We'll read it a third time. Where it says in Acts they were all filled. In the sixth chapter. We read here about those days when the number of disciples was multiplied. There arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews. Because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration. Then the twelve called the multitude of disciples unto them. And said it is not reason that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. Wherefore brethren look ye out among you seven men of honest report. Now notice. Full of the Holy Ghost. Here they want some men to handle money. They don't even think of it a man's place to handle money. Unless he's been filled with the Holy Ghost. And I don't think so either. Much less to preach the word of God. Deacons are supposed to be filled with the Holy Ghost too aren't they? Yes they are. Look ye out among you seven men of honest report. Full of the Holy Ghost. Now we talk a lot about the honest report. We get ready to ordain a deacon. We say now boy we want you to have a good reputation. Want you to have a good record in the community. Don't have anybody come around and say you swindled me out of some money. Want you to have a good report. Good reputation among the brethren. I must say to you. I never have heard an ordination from them. Declare clearly and forcefully that a man should be filled with the Holy Ghost to be a deacon. It's in the word of God though. Seven men full of the Holy Ghost. This is one of the requirements. Now we make a lot of orders. We probe into a lot of different areas. Where you do this. And where you do that. And where you do the other thing. And a whole multitude of things. But scarcely ever anything about the Holy Ghost. Now Stephen was a man filled with the Holy Ghost. You read in verse five. The saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen. A man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost. And then in verse six, seven. The word of God increased the number of the disciples. Multiplied and given to them greatly. And the great company of the priests were obedient to the faith. Stephen full of faith and power. Did great wonders and miracles among the people. And now going over to chapter seven. In verse fifty-five. Let's go to something else. We read there again. With reference to Stephen. He being full of the Holy Ghost. Looked up steadfastly in the heaven. And saw the glorious God, Jesus, standing on the right hand of God. And now over in verse fifteen. The next chapter. You have here Philip's experience with the Samaritans. Who believed. He preached Christ to them. We read in verse five. The people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake. Hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. Unclean spirits crying with a loud voice. Came out of many that were possessed with them. And many taken with palsies. And that were lame were healed. And there was great joy in that city. Well they heard about what happened down there. Verse thirteen. Simon himself believed also. And when he was baptized he continued with Philip. And so forth. Verse fourteen. Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem. Heard that Samaria had received the word of God. They sent unto them Peter and John. Who when they were come down. Prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Ghost. For as yet he was fallen upon none of them. Only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then laid there their hands on them. And they received the Holy Ghost. My dear people. The primary concern of the leaders of the early church was. That the people were filled with the Holy Ghost. I ought to turn this way and say it. That was their major concern. Filled with the Holy Ghost. We're scared of it. Some of you are scared right now. You're squirming in your seats. You're saying where in the world is that preacher going to wind up at anyhow. Talk about being filled with the Holy Ghost. You know what kind of camp meeting I've been in? I haven't been in one. But I'd like to turn this into one. For the convicting power of the Holy Ghost. Falls on the people. Makes them cry out because of their sins. That's right. You know what I'd like to see the Spirit of God do right under this canvas? Is see some people here who are not right with God. And make them scream and wail while I'm preaching. That's what I'd like to see happen. Make you cry out to God and stand up where you are. Lift your hands up and beg God to forgive you. That's what I'd like to see happen. Get things thought out and knocked through for God. You needn't be afraid of being filled with the Holy Ghost. The Book of God's full of it. Why should we be afraid of it? Amen. You go back here to these leaders brother. You don't find them asking people, Are you saved? Did you die in the church? Or what church do you belong to? Have you been filled with the Holy Ghost? That's the question. And I ask you tonight. You say, I reckon I have. I understand that everybody that's saved is filled with the Holy Ghost. You do? Who told you that? You know what I tell a man, If he tells me he doesn't know, He guesses he's filled with the Holy Ghost. I say brother, I don't think you are. If you have been, you know it. I'm not through. So rest yourself. Relax. You got some questions in your mind. Just relax. I'm not going to hurt you. Everything I say is going to be in this book. I want to use languages in this book. Faithful to God. And let's not be restless about it. We go on down here. And we see that these people were blessed of God. They did receive the Holy Ghost. And they were blessed marvelously. Let's go into the ninth chapter. And see here about the Apostle Paul himself. Paul was filled with the Holy Ghost. You have in this chapter the record of what happened to him on the Damascus Road. And in verse 17 we read these words. There it is. Some of us look back and say, Oh Paul, that great man of God. That shook cities and shook the continents for God. Well I guess it's a thing of the past. We'll never see it anymore. Paul was filled with the Holy Ghost. And Peter was too. And Stephen was. And all the leaders of the church were. I don't read of any leader in the early church. Deacon or preacher that was not filled with the Holy Ghost. I'll tell you brethren on this pulpit, we'd have a different program in the church if all the ministers in the Mennonite church were filled with the Holy Ghost. We'd have a different operation. Praise God we would. Things would turn upside down. I'll tell you when it did, the right side would be up. Yes sir. Paul himself was filled with the Holy Ghost. Now in 1038. Jesus of Nazareth. Now God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power. Who went about doing good. Healing all that were oppressed of the devil. For God was with him. That's wonderful. I love that. God was with him. Oh my dear people if there's anything my heart pleads for is that God may be with us. What can we do with our poor feeble puny efforts for God unless God is with us. What can we ever do in a tent campaign unless God is with us. What can we ever do in a church whatever church it be unless God be with us. In his fullness and in his blessing. Now here also in the 10th chapter you have the experience of camellias in his house. It's a very interesting story. Peter went down there to preach and the Lord broke it up. Wonderful I'd love to be in there when Peter started to preach. The Lord broke it up and sent the Holy Ghost down upon that crowd of people. They were filled with the Holy Ghost even before they were baptized with water. I noticed here in the book of Acts that there seems to be a relationship between water baptism and the fullness of the Holy Ghost. And it looks like God intends for people to receive the blessing of the fullness of the Holy Ghost in their initial or related or adjacent to in some sense to their conversion experience. Now does that rest some of you? You've been wondering? There's a pattern in the word of God that when Jesus was baptized with water the Holy Ghost came upon him in the form of a dove and sat down upon him. In the 8th chapter of Acts they were baptized the Holy Ghost upon them. Here in Acts 10 the Holy Ghost fell upon them and then they were baptized. And this is the only instance in the word of God which we know of that anybody ever was filled with the Holy Ghost or the Holy Ghost fell upon them if you please or they received the Holy Ghost before they were baptized with water. And there's a reason for it here evidently because of the Jewish unwillingness to admit Gentiles into the church. And so God had to baptize them with the Holy Ghost first so they would be willing to baptize them with water. And Peter finally says well the Lord's baptized them I guess we better do it too. I reckon too you have. I wonder what it would take for them to convince some of us that God has the blessing of the Holy Ghost for us today. That's what it took to take Peter out of his tracks and the rest of the church too. God had to break over the barriers break over the boundaries. He had to break over the ecclesiastical form. And listen to me God may have to do that again. We have a way of setting up our mode. And we say now Lord if you can bless us this way we want to be blessed. And if you want to bless us any other way we don't know. Now let's tell you I bless God I'm ready for anything he's got for us. Anytime in any form in any fashion. Let him bust a moon wide open and let the Spirit of God have liberty. Was that alright now? Well looking at the 10th chapter here put your Bible open please. It says in verse 44 While Peter yet spake these words the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the words. That's a good condition for being filled with the Holy Ghost. And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished as many as came with Peter because that only Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. I want you to notice these expressions I'm coming back to them. The Holy Ghost fell on them in verse 44 and now in verse 44 the Holy Ghost poured out on them. And now in verse 47 Can any man forbid water that these should not be applied which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we. There are three expressions and I want you to see how Peter interprets them in chapter 11 and in verse 16 Peter goes back and he has to give account to the executive committee of the conference. So what happens? He gets called on the top and he has to explain what took place and how the Holy Ghost was poured out on them and this is how he explains it. Then remembered I the word of the Lord how that he said John indeed baptized with water but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost all as much then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ what was I that I could withstand God. And Peter sums it all up and says they were baptized with the Holy Ghost and if I as a Mennonite preacher would doctrinate to preach about being baptized with the Holy Ghost some of you would want to throw me out but you couldn't do it. You get scared. Why you scared of? Why you scared of? The Christians in the book of Acts were baptized with the Holy Ghost yes or no? That's why I tried to pin you tight on that first preposition that the book of Acts is God's blueprint for the church and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost they were baptized with the Holy Ghost if you please. Now you can take your choice of believing God's word or some distorted and washed opinion or judgment you've got take your choice. I'm going to take the word of God for my part. Peter sums it all up the Holy Ghost fell on them the Holy Ghost was poured out on them and they received the Holy Ghost and he says they were baptized with the Holy Ghost so it must be the same thing. Now let's go on some more over into the 13th chapter and the second verse As they ministered to the Lord and fasted the Holy Ghost said separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work when to I have called them. Yes this is God's plan I skipped one chapter in the 11th chapter I wanted a passage there and here it is. They had a revival a sweeping revival in Antioch and it was a lay revival incidentally apparently it was a lay revival you understand what I mean not a lay down revival but a get up revival on the part of the layer. You have it here in verse 19 Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen traveled as far as Sinaiti and Cyprus and Antioch preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only and they were ready to turn things over I think sometimes if we sit back brother and let the laity go ahead they might beat us at it. Is that right? I'll tell you one thing and I don't say that to speak disparagingly of these dear brethren of Platform God bless every one of them fill them with the Holy Ghost if they haven't been use them under his blessed presence and power but I will tell you this that I have observed and felt the pulse of the people across the United States in these months and years and there is deep burden for revival on the part of the laity and if we as men of God called the priests can seize upon that situation and lead it I believe it's going to be blessed with God. Here's a lay revival the preachers came down to see what was going on they didn't squelch it either the hand of the Lord was with them it says in verse 21 of the 11th chapter of Acts the hand of the Lord was with them and a great number believed and turned unto the Lord oh that thrills me the hand of the Lord was with them that's what we need today bless us in our services for him now he speaks of Barnabas in verse 22 and in verse 24 tells us what kind of a man he was here you have another reader don't miss it it tells us that Barnabas was a man well let's see let's read it he was a good man and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith and much people were added unto the Lord and I think there's a relationship between his being full of the Holy Ghost and people being added to the Lord now brethren we talk about a good reputation I said a while ago about the deacons we make a big case good reputation good record and all that and they're conformed on a hundred different points but God have mercy brethren where have we emphasized and demanded to be full of the Holy Ghost now brethren we better turn over a new leaf and start emphasizing the fullness of the Holy Ghost and when we do that some other things are going to take care of themselves yes sir here's another reader now how many have we got let's see Peter was full of the Holy Ghost Stephen was full of the Holy Ghost Paul was full of the Holy Ghost there's those and now Barnabas full of the Holy Ghost my it looks like it's setting a precedent it looks like there's a precedent here certainly certainly there is now let's look at the 13th chapter in the 9th verse 2 it says here again of Paul of Paul that he was filled with the Holy Ghost and he said his eyes on a man he said something wasn't very nice here and if any man would use language like this today I want to say all you guys we'd better go and get a dose of fragrance of occasion until I have a car well it says Paul was filled with the Holy Ghost and this is what he said to the man this is it it's rough language it's rough and it's rugged some people think a preacher ought to be like a jellyfish no backbone no talk back nothing just give soothing words and say nice things and pronounce the benediction and give a bunch of pious platitudes and then go home say God bless you you're alright and all of you are going to go to glory and I'll meet you there no Paul filled with the Holy Ghost set his eyes on a man and said oh full of all subtlety and all mischief thou child of the devil thou in the way of all righteousness wilt thou not be separate from the right wills of the Lord and he was full of the Holy Ghost when he said it now you go over to the 52nd verse of the same chapter and you read this the disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Ghost there it is first time it says they were all filled now open chapter 19 and that will conclude our study in Acts but we'll not conclude the message in the 19th chapter you have Paul coming down to Ephesus and the thing uppermost in his mind is Holy Ghost I don't know what denomination Paul would fit in today which do you think he'd fit in to the best I'm afraid we couldn't handle it I really am I'm afraid we couldn't handle it I wonder about John the Baptist sometimes if he would appear in our time with his leather girdle and his cool camel hair and a rugged countenance and that he but maybe wasn't too refined say if he'd wander into your church on one Sunday morning I wonder if it wouldn't be a walk out we don't have the time for that kind of stuff we're cultured around here we want a little college I wonder whether John the Baptist could get in to a modern metal like church I really do the priest I wonder whether we could handle Paul I really do cause if he'd come into a church and start asking the question you people been filled with the Holy Ghost say Paul there's a door we don't use that language around here we don't use that language being filled with a hole there's a door alright amen say it then Paul come down there he didn't ask him are you saved did you join the church what church do you belong to no have you received the Holy Ghost sink your belief of course one virgin gives it hoist your belief take your charge makes no difference to me I don't quibble about time I think the devil gets his claws out when we argue about certain things that are incidental and not in the foreground of the scripture take your charge the divine virgin says did you receive the Holy Ghost where did you believe take your charge the Greek says having believed it's a part of simple having believed did you receive the Holy Ghost take either one you want doesn't make any difference to me the question in my mind is this that New Testament believers are confronted with a question have you been filled with the Holy Ghost or did you receive the Holy Ghost since you believed or when you believed take your charge take your charge and they answered they knew the answer now listen to me why would Paul ask people a question that had no answer if Paul didn't expect New Testament believers to know whether they had received the Holy Ghost or not that's why they ever ask them now what I ask you every one of you in this audience tonight every last one of you from this frontier go and ask them in every line have you received the Holy Ghost don't answer me now you answer it in your heart if you tell me you don't know I'll make a I'll make a guess that you haven't because when you have you know it and they said no the Ephesian people said no they hadn't been instructed and that's the same reason some of you haven't it's because you don't know that's the reason you don't know reason you that's the reason you that's the reason you that's the that's the reason you don't know I ask you to watch this want you this and if want scene Have you been performing a service in the church that leaves your heart heavy and cold? Nearly everywhere we go, there's some man of God been called a priest who comes around and says, In substance, my ministry is a misery to me. Preaching is not a joy. I question whether God calls me. I mean it. I was called by the church as little kneel though it ain't. Well though I'm miserable, I want to tell you such a man is one of the most miserable preachers in the world. I'll tell you honestly, if I didn't believe God called me to preach, and if I didn't believe he anointed me to preach, I'd hand my resignation in tonight and be done with it. And I'll say furthermore, if I didn't enjoy it more than any other thing in the world, I'd still hand it in. And the Holy Ghost, my dear people, is the supreme condition, the fullness of the Holy Ghost, the supreme condition for power in your life and in the church. Now who is this for? Somebody says, well, Kennecott, early church, it was for them, surely, I go along with you so far. They were filled with the Holy Ghost. They were baptized with the Holy Ghost. They had the power of God. Yeah, but today it's different. Oh, who said so? Who said it was different today? Who said God would give the church power in one era and not give it in another? Who said so? I declare before God and men that the same provision obtained today, if it ever did, for the Christian church. The Spirit of God is here. This is a dispensation of the Holy Ghost. This is a dispensation of the Holy Ghost. And where have we left him? Generally, in the background. The Holy Ghost has been in the back seat, maybe in the trunk of our ecclesiastical vehicle. And I tell you, when the Holy Ghost is put under the wheel, and that's a control to you all. And there'll be prosperity, and there'll be power, there'll be progress, there'll be converts, there'll be accession to the church, my dear people. When the Holy Ghost is given his rightful place in the church today. The question is this, I'm asking you, I'm not arguing about time. And I make this proposition, if you haven't been filled with the Holy Ghost yet, you can be now. I'm not saying that the normal thing is for a period of time to elapse. I'm not saying you must wait 10, 15, 20 years. No! I believe, my dear people, that whenever the conditions for being filled with the Holy Ghost are met, then is when one is filled. And that's what decides it. You want it at the time of conversion? Alright, have it! Whenever the conditions are met, that is when it becomes real in the life of an individual. Now you understand the Holy Ghost isn't a force, isn't a liquid, he's a person. He's a person. And for you to recognize that leads us into every kind of faith.