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The Eternal Spirit in Old Testament Times
Willie Mullan

William “Willie” Mullan (1911 - 1980). Northern Irish Baptist evangelist and pastor born in Newtownards, County Down, the youngest of 17 children. Orphaned after his father’s death in the Battle of the Somme, he faced poverty, leaving home at 16 to live as a tramp, struggling with alcoholism and crime. Converted in 1937 after hearing Revelation 6:17 in a field, he transformed his life, sharing the gospel with fellow tramps. By 1940, he began preaching, becoming the Baptist Union’s evangelist and pastoring Great Victoria Street and Bloomfield Baptist churches in Belfast. In 1953, he joined Lurgan Baptist Church, leading a Tuesday Bible class averaging 750 attendees for 27 years, the largest in the UK. Mullan authored Tramp After God (1978), detailing his redemption, and preached globally in Canada, Syria, Greece, and the Faeroe Islands, with thousands converted. Married with no children mentioned, he recorded 1,500 sermons, preserved for posterity. His fiery, compassionate preaching influenced evangelicalism, though later controversies arose.
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Sermon Summary
In this sermon, the preacher discusses the importance of being inspired by the Holy Spirit and dedicating oneself to God. He uses examples from the Bible, such as Jacob and Gideon, to illustrate his points. The preacher emphasizes the need for Christians to actively work and fight for God, rather than being complacent. He also highlights the continuity between the Old Testament and the New Testament, emphasizing that the message of the Spirit's anointing is relevant in both.
Sermon Transcription
The Holy Spirit is a person. We call him the third person of the Trinity. And we have not only looked up the personality of the Spirit, we have looked up the Deity of the Spirit. Prove beyond any doubt whatsoever that the Holy Ghost is God. No quibbles at all. And then last week we were looking at the residency of the Spirit, that the Spirit has come to indwell. And I was just told by one of the meetings that in the Chinese language there is no word for the Holy Spirit. No word in the Chinese language for the Holy Spirit. And they just call him, even in their Bible, the resident boss. That's a great word, isn't it? Yes, he's resident and he should be boss. He's not always boss. Sometimes the flesh takes over. And sometimes those of us who are indwelt by the Spirit of God, the Word of God has to say to us, I could not speak unto you without the spiritual, ye are yet carnal. Because though we are indwelt by the Spirit of God, the flesh takes over. And so we have been looking at all this. We were looking at the titles of the Spirit, and we have saw many of those. And then we looked up the symbols of the Spirit, the dove, and the wind, and the rivers, and so on. But tonight we're going to look at the Spirit in Old Testament times. And if anyone would like to argue with me about the dispensations, I'd be quite willing to take you on. And I think I could tie anyone in the meeting or outside of it up if you would talk to me about no dispensations when I would come to the truth of the Holy Ghost. Because what the Spirit did from Genesis 1 to the end of the Old Testament and through the Gospels is absolutely quite different from what he is doing from Pentecost right on until today. And so if these are not different dispensations, then it's a pity of you. That's all. Yes, we're going to look up the Spirit's work in the Old Testament. And let's begin tonight in the book of Genesis, and we're at chapter 1. Book of Genesis, and we're at the very first chapter, and we're beginning at the very first verse. And it begins with this phrase, in the beginning. And I'm sure you remember that when I was expounding this book of Genesis for you, and I think we had about 120 weeks at it, that we looked at this phrase, in the beginning, and we found out that this, this is a non-known date. Nobody knows when this was. This is not dated at all. This is the way back in a non-known date, in the beginning. And you remember that John's Gospel begins with the same phrase, in the beginning. A way back in that all known date, when anything that ever had a beginning began. John says, in the beginning was the Word. And when we looked down the chapter, we found that the Word was a person, for it says, the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory. Person. The glory as of the only begotten of the Father. So way back there in the beginning, a date we don't know. Sometimes, you know, some of the scientists try to have a bit of an argument with you. So the Queen showed me a rock that says it's 150,000 million years old. Good for you. You see, I can take the scientist's song quite easily. And I said to him, you know, I can put you in the fix here. I said, supposing we just go back to Eden's Garden, and that's just a little over 6,000 years back. Let's go back there, if we were allowed, and if it could be possible, and we'll look through the hedge, and I have the chief medical professor from Queens with me, and you're there too. And here's a man in the garden. He's a big man, well made. He's got the beard. He says, I do. So I give the professor the elbow, and I said, what age do you think he is? And he looks at his beard, and his brawn, and his back, and all the rest of it, and according to his science, what he knows, he says he's 50. And he's not, you know. He's just made. He's only two seconds made. The science is out a wee bit here. So I say to the botanist, see the big tree in the corner. It's an oak. It's towering into the sky. What age is it? 160. He says, no, it's just planted. God planted trees, not trees. You're all out, you know. And if he made the man as old as he wanted, and the trees as old as he wanted, he can make rocks as old as he wanted. So that argument doesn't hold anything. You're better not trying to set dates with him. He says, oh no, you can go as far back as you like. In the beginning, whenever anything that ever had a beginning began, God created, not evolved. Let's get this quite clear. This is creation. God created, and the word should be the heavens and the earth. So there's an unknown date of the performance there, and there's a non-questionable deity who performed. His name is God. Elohim is the word that's used here. He doesn't argue about anything about himself. Just says, in the beginning, God created the heavens. And then it specially talks about this little planet of ours, the heavens and the earth. Yeah, we're learning now, you know. I know a lot about this thing up here, this whole system. Patrick Moore teaches me every night, half past eleven. If you go a bit slower, I may catch it on, but I'm enjoying it anyway. I think he knows all about, a lot about it anyway. And I know about the planets, know about Mars, and I know about all the planets moving in their orbits. What a mighty, gigantic solar system this is of ours, with all these planets moving around the sun with perfect precision timing. And then they tell me that there's a million more solar systems like this, and then I get lost in the thing. My mind just doesn't go any further than that. But God created it all, the heavens. And then why did they take this little bit of earth and say, on the earth, there must be something special. Because you're going to find when you go through these planets, and they're mad enough to send things out with different languages now, to see if there's somebody out and out of space can find it. They're wasting our money, that's what I think they're doing, but never mind. They're going to find nobody out there. This book that I'm reading out of, and I stand by it, it says, The First Man, Adam! You have to be the first man or this book's wrong. This book won't be wrong. And none of his sons ever left this planet earth to go to the moon or to Mars or anywhere else to stay. They just can't exist anywhere else, and you know all the trappings I have to take with them, and it takes about a thousand people to get them there and get them back. Oh no, there's no man out there, not at all. And when you think of, in the beginning, the unknown date of the performance, and when you think of God, the unquestionable deity who performed it, and you can see the unlimited ability that our great almighty God had, he created the heavens and the earth. And then something happened to the earth. The whole thing was all right, but something happened on the earth, and the actual wording is became. The word was, you see, is the old Hebrew word and can be translated became. The earth became without fault. Something happened, and if I went into what happened, we'd be the rest of the mighty, because it was this anointed cherub, Lucifer, who thought he would take it over, and was about to take it over as his own wonderful piece of creation, when God turned it upside down on him, left him standing in the dark. And that's where we begin to see it, and the earth was without form and void and darkness, was upon the face of the deep, and we're coming to the subject, and the Spirit of God, it comes in quickly, doesn't it? You don't go too far in the Old Testament. This same person, we have already discovered that this, this is a person, and you can see the third person of the Trinity, you can see him moving, and that word moved is an old Hebrew word. That's a very special one. You remember one of the Old Testament saints, when he saw an angel, Lord is glory, he says, my bones did shake because of him. And the word shake and the word moves, the same Hebrew word. And there's a phrase in the Old Testament which says, the eagle fluttereth over the nest, and the word moved, and the word shake, and the word fluttereth, all the same. And you would know that move and shake and fluttereth is the same. You don't need to be taught that. But the Spirit is coming in mighty power here, because you know, he's going to do something here. This moving is a reconstruction of his creation. Oh yes, Satan came in and God turned it upside down, but the thing that God made, God will reconstruct. You know, this moving's worth following through. Because when the angel came in to the blessed Virgin Mary, she was just a young woman in Galilee, and she was a holy young woman. And the angel came in and said, Thou shalt conceive in thy woman, bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus. And this frightened her. And it was an honest frightening, because she stood trembling and she said, how can this be, seeing I know not a man? She was a pure woman, as no woman would talk to an angel like that if she wasn't pure. And then the angel said, the Holy Ghost shall come upon me, and that's this moving again. This is how the Spirit works you. That's rich, isn't it? You see, when our blessed master was going to step out into his public ministry, the Spirit came like a dove. Can't you see it fluttering open, the same thing again. Yes, it is. And when this book was inspired word by word, the Holy Ghost moved these men, these holy men. So he was there. So it isn't a simple thing, inspiration. When we get round to the night on inspiration, we'll find out. And let me say this to all you young preachers. If you're going to preach, son, and I trust you preach the gospel, I think that we must have learned this. Thank God for that. If you're going to preach the gospel, it will not have to be in word only. It will have to be with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven. When Peter preached in the house of Cornelius, this book says the Spirit fell on them. This same fluttering will turn down the habit all the time. Half of the meetings are dead. And the preachers all eyes and teeth correct. Oh, yes, this is the Spirit of God. Yes, I think you can see this. I don't need to go on with this. You know, in this first chapter, you have these two words together three times. God created. In the beginning, God created. That's in verse one. And when you go down to verse 21, and God created. Then we're getting away from the material now. And we've come to the animal. God created. And when you come to verse 27, do you see that? So God created man. And we have come from the material, and the animal, to the physical. God created man. And there's a bit more about this. Let's go over to Job, the book of Job. And we're at Job 33. Book of Job, chapter 33. I think this is the great word that's here. Job's talking back to those who are arguing with him. And he's saying, one of the men is talking to Job here. In a moment, we'll hear them talking back. Wherefore, Job, I pray thee, hear my speeches, and hearken to all my words. Behold, now I have opened my mouth, my tongue hath spoken in my mouth. My words shall be of the uprightness of my heart, and my lips shall utter knowledge clearly. For the Spirit, the Spirit of God hath made me. And the breath of the Almighty, or that word can be the Spirit of the Almighty, hath given me life. And we've come quickly, haven't we, from the material, and the animal, and the physical, and the spiritual. And in a moment or two, we'll come to the eternal of it. I think you can see this. This is the Spirit moving in the Old Testament. Have a look when we're here at Job 26. Book of Job, and we're at chapter 26, and this is Job answering back. This is the bit that I like very much. But Job answered and said, How hast thou helped him that is without power? How savest thou the arm that hath no strength? How hast thou counseled him that hath no wisdom? And how hast thou plentifully declared the thing as it is? To whom hast thou uttered words, and whose spirit came from thee? Dead things are formed from under the waters, and the inhabitants thereof. Hell is naked before him. He's talking about God now. Destruction hath no covering as far as he's concerned. He stretcheth out the nought over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing. He bindeth up the waters in thick clouds, and the cloud is not rent unto them. He holdeth back the face of the throne, and spreadeth his cloud upon it. He hath compassed the waters with bounds, until the day and night come to an end. The pillars of heaven tremble and are astonished at his reproof. He divided the sea with his power, and by his understanding he smiteth through the proud. By his spirit, should be capital S, he hath garnished the heavens. Oh yes, it's a mighty one. If you want to know how all these planets got into place, we can really tell you, as the work of the Spirit of God. I don't want to waste the time on this. I think if you're following the notes, you can see the work of the Spirit in creation, and the work of the Spirit in demonstration, ordering the solar system. Now I don't want to take up bestowing the mineral treasures, although I put it there, and bringing forth the vegetable blessings, because I can do that better when I come to talk about the Spirit in the millennium. And I'll have it in full swing then. So I think you can see just a little bit of the Spirit in the Old Testament, and what he was doing. But that's not what concerns us most of all, just to know the whereabouts of those things. What we want to think about mostly this evening is the work of the Spirit in ministration. The ministry of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament. Let me say first of all that it was partial. If that means that some things with some people, won't be talking about the holy next nation of Israel being indwelled by the Spirit and God taking them all up. Oh no, it was only some people, and only took some people for some things. It was not only partial, this ministry, but it was occasional. Because it was some things with some people sometimes, not all the time. But we'll get down to that, you know. You could see the difference between that dispensation and this one, if you took your time. If he only came upon some, to do some things, sometime, the word for us tonight in this dispensation is, be ye constantly being filled, every one of you. If you can't see the difference, and afraid there's something wrong with you. Yes, you know, he wanted to come to do special things with them. It was partial, and occasional, and special. You see, he wanted to take some, sometimes, and make them warriors like Gideon. But he didn't make them all warriors. And he wanted to take some like Amasai, and make them witnesses. And he wanted to take some like Basil Hill, and make them workers. This fellow wasn't a warrior. This is the fellow that made all the furniture for the Dabernacle. Oh, but it was only by the Holy Book he was able to do this. So you can see that it was partial, and it was occasional, and special, of course. Because when you come to the prophets, and you see him taking up the prophets, it was prophetical. And when we come to the inspiration, you'll find that the typical teaching of this book is amazing. But then we know that. We've been through the Dabernacle here. We've looked at every thread of the high priest's garments. And we know about the typical, and we know something about the symbolic. And so you see, the Spirit's ministry in the Old Testament, it was just partial, and occasional, and special. Now, that's what we want to take up just now, because I think that the things that were written for our, written a full time, were written for our learning. And we can learn something out of them, even though they belong to the dispensation of the Spirit's work in the Old Testament. Now, let's go back to the book of Judges. And we're at Judges, chapter 6, please. Book of Judges. And we're at the 6th chapter. Now, try to follow this quickly. Book of Judges, chapter 6, verse 11, just to save time. And there came an angel of the Lord, and sat under a nook which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Jehosh the Abbaithrite, and his son Gideon, flesh-sweet by the wine-press, to hide it from the Midianites. And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him, and said unto him, You see, the Lord was going to take up this young man, and this sort of constituted the call. When the angel came and said, The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of our, this young fellow got frightened. And you can see the concern that's here. Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the Lord be with us, why then is all this befallen us? Everything's in wreck and ruin around us, and the enemy is running us over. If the Lord be with us. And I don't want you to only see the call and the concern, I want you to come down the chapter a bit and see the crisis that came. It says in verse 33, Then, just then, these words are very important, Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the children of the east were gathered together and went over and pitched in the valley of Jezreel. Yes, they came to Armageddon, if you like, the valley of Jezreel. And what an army must have been formed into it that day, the Midianites and the Amalekites and the children of the east gathered together. And this young fellow that the Lord had been talking to, that the Lord had called the mighty man of our, this young fellow that was concerned, if you're with us, why are we being thrown around like this? Here's what it says, verse 24, But, but the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon, just like that. Came upon him, I want you to get that, because that's what he did in the Old Testament sometimes, with some people for some things. That's what's happening today, you know. We'll be singing here sometimes, the Comforter has come. We have already learned that the Holy Ghost is with you and shall be in you and abide with you forever. And we know that our bodies this night is the temple of the Holy Ghost, and we have got the Holy Ghost, but the problem is, has the Holy Ghost got us? That's the picture. But it was different in the Old Testament. You see, the Holy Ghost was clothing himself with Gideon. And you can see his call and his concern and the crisis and the clothing. Now, when the Holy Ghost came upon him, can the young fellows grasp this? Verse 34, But the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet. They're sure anybody could blow a trumpet. Not like this, they can't. You see, when the Holy Ghost was upon him, he did a very ordinary thing with extraordinary results. That's it. You don't need to be a big man, nor a star, nor have wavy hair, nor an Oxford accent. If the Holy Ghost gets the hold of you, if we could be constantly being filled by the Spirit, then very ordinary things would become extraordinary. For God, you see, he just blew a trumpet, that's all he did. And it says, But the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet, and Abiezer was gathered after him. And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh, who also was gathered after him. And he sent messengers unto Asher, and unto Zebulun, and unto Naphtali, and the whole nation came together. Oh, yes, there's an awakening now. Now, that's the Spirit of God, of course. He's just taking someone for something special. And he's taking Gideon for a special mission. And he just did a very ordinary thing with extraordinary results. Let's go to 1 Chronicles, chapter 12. First book of Chronicles, and we're at chapter 12. You know what a wonderful chapter it is. 1 Chronicles, chapter 12, verse 1, Now these are they that came to David to Zeglag. While he yet kept himself close because of Saul, the son of Kish. Saul was hunting him, and he was like a partridge on the mountains. And he was hiding in Zeglag for a while, it was a Philistine city. And sometimes he was in the cave of Adullam, and so on. And this is giving the account. This is the chronicle of the account of all who came. And it says this, way down, the chapter at verse 16. And there came of the children of Benjamin and Judah to behold unto David. Came to the cave. That was a big moment when Benjamin and Judah stood round him like one man. And David went out to meet them, and answered and said unto them, If ye become peaceably unto me to help me, mine heart shall be knit unto you. But if ye become to betray me to mine enemies, seeing there is no wrong in mine hands, the God of our fathers look thereon and rebuke it. Then the Spirit came upon Amasih. There he did see him again. That's for something special, you see. Because this fellow's got to stand up to speak now. And here's what he said. Then the Spirit came upon Amasih, who was chief of the captains, and he said, Thine are we, David, and on thy side. You see, he stood up inspired by the Spirit, and he brought a message that showed his dedication and their dedication. Says, you know, we're thine, we're on your side. He went a bit further than that. It says this, Thine are we, David, and on thy side, thou son of Jesse. Peace be unto thee, and peace be to thine helpers. Because it was the message that not only showed their dedication, but it showed their supplication. They were praying for peace for David. Yes. And I think it went a little bit further. For thy God hath helped thee. And it was showing a message that showed their observation. They had seen God helping him time after time. You know, I believe that if we, I believe that if we could constantly be constantly filled with the Holy Ghost, that man and woman would see our dedication and know something about our supplication, and would have to take note that we had been with Jesus. They should. See that? Because this is the spirit working in the Old Testament. Clothing himself with Gideon, and coming upon Amasir. With Gideon for a special mission, and with Amasir for a special message. Do I need to go back to Bezalel? Well, we'll go back just for the young people's sake. The book of Exodus, chapter 31. I don't think we need to take time here. This is so clear and wonderful to me. Book of Exodus, chapter 31. And the Lord speak unto Moses, saying, See, I have called by name Bezalel, the son of Uriah, the son of her of the tribe of Judah. When we were tracing the tribes, we found this man Bezalel. He belonged to the tribe of Judah. And I have filled him with the Spirit of God. Now, I stand to be corrected. But I'm too old-fashioned to throw out the bait like that. This is the first man in the Bible declared to be filled with the Spirit of God. What's mine? Yes, filled. Oh, I know it talks about some in whom was the Spirit and all that sort of thing. We're not talking about that. We're talking about, I have filled him. Now, he wasn't filled to be a warrior. And he wasn't filled to be a witness to say things like a massiah said. He was just filled to be a worker. He was the boy who made the Ark of the Covenant. He was the boy who made the golden candlestick. What's the masterpiece it was? He's the boy who made all the furniture of the tabernacle. He was the boy who made the tabernacle. It's the work for the Lord. Can't you see this? You don't need me to go back to Genesis 49. You're near it, so you might as well look at it. Oh, you could spend a week here easily. Genesis 49, it's old Jacob, and he's dying. You remember he gathered his sons together around him. And he's going to prophesy that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days. All the sons around the bed. And remember it was his dying hour. Because the last verse of this chapter says, and when Jacob had made an end of commanding his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed and yielded up the ghost and was gathered onto his feet. The old man was blind, sitting on the edge of the bed. If I bring in Hebrews 11, he's leaning on the top of his staff. Sons are around him. He can't see them properly. His eyes were dead. The book of Hebrews 11 says, Jacob, when he was dying, leaned upon the top of his staff and worshiped. Oh, what a way to die. Boy, if we die like Jacob, we'll do. We're always talking about him. We could just finish the race like Jacob. I'd like to die like Jacob, but I have to die. I don't know how I'll die. Would you only want to take the chapter now and see the things that he said to each of his sons on the animal metaphors he used. He used the lion for Judah. Sure, it's the king of beasts. Sure, Judah, it was from the tribe of Judah that the king of kings would come. He used the serpent for Dan. Dan is a serpent, by the way. And as the lion speaks of majesty, then the serpent speaks of treachery. And Dan was the first tribe to bring idolatry into Israel. And it may well be that the Antichrist will be a Danite, an unorthodox Jew from Dan. Oh, we'll not bother arguing it tonight. And you remember how he took the ass for Ithaca, the ass couching Dan, the ass that didn't want to work, the ass that would neither war nor work, like some of the Christians. He's still alive then. He knows when to come in, mind you. So he's a blashe. That's right. It's true. He's just trying to say it's true. So it is true. Some of the Christians will neither work for God nor war for God. Just lie down like the ass, complacency. It's what Jacob was saying. Let's go away over to the New Testament. And don't think that when you come into the New Testament in the Gospels that you're out of the Old Testament disposition. I think that's what some people think. You'll have to go on through the Gospels till you come to the day of Pentecost which fully comes. And here we are we're at Luke's Gospel and we're at chapter 1. And this is a very wonderful chapter. And we can spend a long time here but I'll be kind to you. I've got to go to Port Rush at 7 o'clock in the morning and preach tomorrow again and all that sort of thing. And I'm enjoying it. And here's Luke 1 verse 26. And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God onto a city of Galilee named Nazareth. God just turned round one day in heaven and said to Gabriel I'm sending you down to the planet Earth. I'll tell you where I want you to land. I want you to land at Nazareth. It's near Galilee. But I thought I think the angels know all about the job. Don't think they need somebody to write out the paper where you turn left or anything like that. They thought enough. And so the angel came and he was sent, verse 27, to a virgin. Make no mistakes about that. A spouse to a man whose name was Joseph of the house of David and the virgin's name was Mary. And the angel came in to her and said Heal thou that art highly favoured. The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women. And remember that's what he said. We've got a lot of Roman Catholic friends in the meeting. I should like to say to you that the angel didn't say Blessed art thou above women. He said blessed art thou among women. And you'll have to do what we do. Just take the book as it is, that's all. And you're not allowed to write it. And if the pagan church tells you you are you'll find out you're not. Because if you add one thing to this book God will deal with you. You're not allowed to do that. Verse 29 And when she saw him she was troubled at his saying And cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said unto her Fear not Mary For thou hast found favour with God. Or let the Protestants make any mistake about that. They'll have to come round you too. Or never belittle her. She's the blessed virgin Mary. Whether we like it or whether we don't. And when I was preaching with Mr. Paisley He's standing here, he's at my elbow there You can hear him grunting all the time you're there. And when I said blessed virgin Mary I said say amen to that. And the amen that came out would nearly kick the short of your back you know. Boy he can really amen a bit so he can. Yes. Oh he knows when to say amen. He knows what the truth is. Make no mistakes about that. Yes. And the angel said unto her Fear not Mary for thou hast found favour with God. Behold thou shall conceive in thy womb and bring forth a son. And the angel knew the sex of the child Before the conception took place. And shall call his name Jesus. He shall be great and shall be called the son of the highest And the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David. He shall reign over the house of Jacob forever and of his kingdom there shall be no end. Then said Mary unto the angel How shall this be seeing I know not a man. What a mighty statement. Shows you how pure she was. She was a virgin make no mistakes about this. My these old ministers In the church of Ireland and England And some other places Who would dare to say things about her virginity I'm afraid they'll have me to deal with. Let's keep it the way it is now. If we are going to argue from this book We'll have to argue from that which is ubiquitous. We'll have to keep it right. She was a pure woman. Then said Mary unto the angel How shall this be seeing I know not a man. And out comes the truth of the blessed incarnation. And the angel answered and said unto her The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee. And the power of the highest shall overshadow thee. Therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee Shall be called the son of God. And behold thy cousin Elizabeth She hath also conceived a son in her old age And this is the sixth month with her Who was called barren. For with God nothing shall be impossible. And Mary said behold the hand made of the Lord Be it unto me according to thy word. Although this mighty thing was going to make her To be misunderstood by all her friends And understood by these old rebels yet Yet she was willing. Bless her. Yes she was. She could buy the hand one day. And Mary arose in those days. Verse 39 Went into the hill country with haste Into the city of Judah And entered into the house of Zacharias And called Elizabeth. She was his wife. They were both of the tribe of Levi And were in the priesthood. And it came to pass that when Elizabeth heard The salutation of Mary The babe leaped in her womb. Oh you like to argue with me about it. Ah before you get started let's do it properly. And Elizabeth was held With a holy ghost. Is that right or wrong? Holy ghost coming upon her you know. It's not Pentecost or anything like that. And there's no tongues about it either. But we'll come to that one night When we're dealing with the Spirit of God. And she's filled all right. There's no trouble about it. Now she speak out with a loud voice. She's under the control of the Spirit now. And she said blessed art thou among women. Don't you always talk truth When you're filled with the Spirit. And blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me that the mother of my Lord Should come to me. For lo as soon as the voice of thy salutation Sounded in mine ears The babe leaped in my womb. Let's get this wee bit. For joy. Oh you don't understand this do you? Bless you you don't. And also I said to me you know there's no use Elizabeth talking about the babe moving in her womb. Sure the babe moves in everybody's womb. I said you're not reading it right. I didn't say the babe moved in her womb Or jumped in her womb. I didn't say the babe leaped for joy. Carry on this down to the moment. True. No scold of the ears. He can't read never mind do anything else. What do you say? Says the babe leaped in her womb for joy. Yes. The Holy Ghost had communicated this. Oh yes. See this song that Elizabeth comes out with. She blessed the maiden. So I tell you when you're filled with the Holy Ghost You're not going to say anything against The Blessed Virgin Mary. But they didn't. Elizabeth said blessed art thou among women. And I won't forget this over That Elizabeth blessed the miracle. Blessed is the fruit of thy womb. Cause I'll tell you why these Trump theologians Can't puzzle it out. This woman in the hell country Could get it out quite easily. She had no bother with it. She didn't say come into the wee back room Who we dealt with last night. And you want me to thrill this through the dust now. These Trumps I get fed up with them. Presbyterian Trumps! Fed up with them. Oh yes. They're in the Orange Order and everything else. Well I'm not afraid of you you know. I didn't come here to be afraid of you. I came here to preach truth. That's what I came for. How dare they Do these things. You know Elizabeth had no bother at all In saying the blessedness of the Mary. For the Lord has chosen her. And she had no bother with America. And I'll tell you what's more She had no bother with the Messiah. Watch what she said. Whence is this to me that the mother of my Lord Should come to me. She knew this was the Messiah. Oh where are we. No wonder I get sick of them. They don't read a thing. Do you see the Spirit working now? Oh this is the Spirit working in the Old Testament. Clothing himself with giving for a special mission. Came upon Amasih with a special message. He filled Bethlehem for a special ministry. He used Jacob to teach through special metaphors. Comes upon Elizabeth to sing at a special moment. Oh I think we'll be easy getting the rest of it as we go on. Next week we're going to deal with the anointing of the Spirit. Mighty truth here. It's bowed before God. Lord we bow at thy feet. We bless thee for this book. We bless thee for every word of this book. For every jot and tittle of this book. We bless thee that this is without doubt the word of the living God. Lord we've been looking back at another dispensation and seeing the Spirit coming. Sometimes. On some people. For some think that oh God we're privileged and yet we're so miserable. The Holy Ghost is within us. And wants to take every part of us. And fill us continually. And oh God the world sees so much of the eye. And the world. And the devil in us. Forgive us. Teach us in this class. Help us to get to the place we should be at. Help us to believe every word of thy word. Part us now. In thy fear. And with thy blessing. For thy name's sake. Amen.
The Eternal Spirit in Old Testament Times
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William “Willie” Mullan (1911 - 1980). Northern Irish Baptist evangelist and pastor born in Newtownards, County Down, the youngest of 17 children. Orphaned after his father’s death in the Battle of the Somme, he faced poverty, leaving home at 16 to live as a tramp, struggling with alcoholism and crime. Converted in 1937 after hearing Revelation 6:17 in a field, he transformed his life, sharing the gospel with fellow tramps. By 1940, he began preaching, becoming the Baptist Union’s evangelist and pastoring Great Victoria Street and Bloomfield Baptist churches in Belfast. In 1953, he joined Lurgan Baptist Church, leading a Tuesday Bible class averaging 750 attendees for 27 years, the largest in the UK. Mullan authored Tramp After God (1978), detailing his redemption, and preached globally in Canada, Syria, Greece, and the Faeroe Islands, with thousands converted. Married with no children mentioned, he recorded 1,500 sermons, preserved for posterity. His fiery, compassionate preaching influenced evangelicalism, though later controversies arose.