Praying for the Holy Spirit by W. W. P.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Dec 28, 1911

Praying for the Holy Spirit

By W. W. P.

THE gospel is the same in all generations, but there is a special application of the principles of the gospel to meet the needs of any particular time or experience. Noah preached the everlasting gospel of righteousness by faith, but he proclaimed his message with special reference to the impending flood. John the Baptist preached the same gospel, warning the people of his time not to trust in the flesh; and the advent of the coming One was emphasized in his teaching, and his message was shaped by that event. The same principle applies in our own time and work. We have no new gospel to proclaim, but in the presentation of the everlasting gospel the second advent of Christ must be the keynote of every message.

Fundamental to the correct understanding of the time, the message for the time and the proper setting for this message, is a clear apprehension of the mediatorial work of Christ in the heavenly sanctuary and its relation to the experience of the church on earth. It was light upon this subject which enabled the pioneers in this message to understand the trying experiences of 1843-44, and it has been the increasing light upon this subject which has guided this people in carrying forward the work of giving the threefold message to the world. It follows at once that the intelligent Seventh-day Adventist will view the truths of the gospel in a way that no member of any other denomination would view them, and both his teaching of the gospel and his experience in the blessings of the gospel ought also to be different.

In view of these facts we ask what difference ought there to be between the Seventh-day Adventist and a member of any other denomination in the very practical and important experience of praying for the gift of the Holy Spirit. Does the light concerning the heavenly sanctuary and the ministry of Christ therein have any practical bearing in attempting to answer this inquiry? Is the one who knows nothing about the subject of the sanctuary exposed to any danger of being deceived? and will the knowledge concerning Christ’s ministry be a protection against the effort of the enemy of the gospel to bring the professed Christian world under his control? We can perhaps best answer these questions by quoting some paragraphs from “Early Writings.” We take an extract from the article entitled “End of the 2300 Days,” pages 46, 47, of the first part of the old edition:—

I saw the Father rise from the throne, and in a flaming chariot go into the holy of holies within the veil, and sit down. Then Jesus rose up from the throne, and the most of those who were bowed down arose with him. I did not see one ray of light pass from Jesus to the careless multitude after he arose, and they were left in perfect darkness. Those who arose when Jesus did, kept their eyes fixed on him as he left the throne and led them out a little way. Then he raised his right arm and we heard his lovely voice saying, “Wait here; I am going to my Father to receive the kingdom; keep your garments spotless, and in a little while I will return from the wedding and receive you to myself.” Then a cloudy chariot, with wheels like flaming fire, surrounded by angels, came where Jesus was. He stepped into the chariot and was borne to the holiest where the Father sat. There I beheld Jesus, a great High Priest, standing before the Father. On the hem of his garment was a bell and a pomegranate, a bell and a pomegranate. Those who rose up with Jesus would send up their faith to him in the holiest, and pray, “My Father, give us thy Spirit.” Then Jesus would breathe upon them the Holy Ghost. In that breath was light, power, and much love, joy, and peace.

I turned to look at the company who were still bowed before the throne; they did not know that Jesus had left it. Satan appeared to be by the throne, trying to carry on the work of God. I saw them look up to the throne, and pray, “Father, give us thy Spirit.” Satan would then breathe upon them an unholy influence; in it there was light and much power, but no sweet love, joy, and peace. Satan’s object was to keep them deceived, and to draw back and deceive God’s children.

It is plain that those who receive this threefold message will be led to fix their attention upon the mediatorial work of Christ, and that by their personal faith in him, they will be united with him in that work as no other body of people will be. What this means to them and what it will mean to others who reject this special light, is made clear in the following paragraphs:—

The minds of all who embrace this message are directed to the most holy place, where Jesus stands before the ark, making his final intercession for all those for whom mercy still lingers, and for those who have ignorantly broken the law of God.—“Early Writings,” old edition, second part, page 117.

I saw that as the Jews crucified Jesus, so the nominal churches had crucified these messages, and therefore they have no knowledge of the way into the most holy, and they can not be benefited by the intercession of Jesus there. Like the Jews, who offered their useless sacrifices, they offer up their useless prayers to the apartment which Jesus has left; and Satan, pleased with the deception, assumes a religious character, and leads the minds of these professed Christians to himself, working with his power, his signs and lying wonders, to fasten them to his snare.—Id., page 123.

On the day of Pentecost the minds of the disciples were directed to the heavenly sanctuary and they understood that

the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on that occasion was due to the ministry of their great High Priest in the sanctuary above. Thus Peter said: “This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.” Acts 2: 32, 33.

As the special dispensation of the Spirit was introduced by this outpouring on the day of Pentecost, the early rain, which signalized the entrance of Christ upon his ministry in the holy place of the heavenly sanctuary, so the change of his ministry from the holy to the most holy place marks the time for the latter rain, the gift of power for the proclamation of the final message of the gospel.

Those who understand the nature of the work of our great High Priest at this time, and who by their faith become united with Christ in that work, will direct their petitions for the gift of the Spirit to the inner apartment of the heavenly sanctuary, uniting their prayers with the very work in which their great High Priest is engaged. When Christ breathes the Holy Spirit upon them in answer to their prayers, they will have not merely light and power, but also love, joy, and peace. The mere exhibition of power is not therefore the necessary evidence of the gift of the Spirit. Those who are longing for the outward demonstrations of power should beware lest Satan take advantage of this to impart to them an unholy influence which will not result in bringing them nearer to God.

Furthermore, it is not necessary or probable that the outpouring of the Spirit in this generation will be accompanied by the same visible phenomena as at Pentecost. The best evidence of the reception of the Holy Spirit is the increase of love, joy, and peace, and that power for service which enables one to do in the very best manner the work committed to him. The situation at Pentecost called for the gift of tongues in order to proclaim the gospel to the various peoples gathered at Jerusalem. The situation has changed, but the presence of the same Spirit is necessary in this generation in order to proclaim this gospel message to all the world. For this outpouring let every one pray, but let these prayers be in harmony with that faith which enables us to enter with Jesus into the most holy place and to coöperate with him in his final work of atonement. W. W. P.