Receiving the Spirit by G. B. Thompson

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Apr 24, 1913

Receiving the Spirit

By G. B. Thompson

The Holy Spirit—No. 15

Receiving the Spirit

G. B. THOMPSON.

A WRITER relates how a trolley-car in a rural district suddenly stopped, and the conductor, being new at the work, walked to the nearest house supplied with a telephone and called to headquarters, “The power has gone off. What shall I do?” At once the office telephoned back, “The power is all right. Put on your trolley and come home.” The power was present, but in some way the car had lost the connection with it.

This explains the standstill efforts in the experience of many churches and individuals. At times there seems to be some motion something like a rocking-horse or a cane-mill, but no real progress. The power is a living reality ever with them, but they have either never had a connection with it or have lost it. The organization and machinery may be all right, but if we do not have a vital connection with the Source of power, it will do us no good. “The body without the spirit is dead.”

We have carefully studied in former articles some of the things that interrupt our personal connection with the Spirit, and cause the flow of dynamic power to be weak. The story is told of a man whose Artesian well ceased to flow as it had formerly done. The connection with the hidden reservoir seemed to be in a measure cut off. An examination, however, revealed an old carpet stuffed into it. When this was removed, it flowed as before. There are many Christians whose experiences are similar to this well. They run well for a time, but the fountain suddenly seems to be stopped. Doubtless all that is needed is to have some old rubbish removed from the heart.

One other important point to be considered in the reception of the Spirit is that of faith. It is by faith that the connection is made between the soul and the promises of God. Without faith it is impossible to please God. All that God has promised is received by faith. We receive the Spirit by faith. Many are making the mistake of trusting to their feelings, but feeling is not a safe guide.

“Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” Gal. 3:13, 14.

We are redeemed that we might receive the blessing of Abraham, that we might receive the promised Spirit. The blessing of Abraham is righteousness by faith. Rom. 4: 1-3. We receive righteousness not by works or feeling, but by faith, as the unmerited gift of God. But many stop here. The text, however, encourages us to go a step farther. Having received from God the forgiveness of all our sins and the imputed righteousness of Christ, we are then in a condition to reach out the hand of faith still farther and “receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” “But as many as received him [by faith], to them gave he power to become the sons of God.” John 1:12. “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you.” Acts 1:8. “But tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.” Luke 24:49. Power is bestowed through the Spirit, and receiving the Spirit is receiving power. The Spirit is received by faith. We therefore receive power through believing. Having received righteousness from God by faith, by the same faith we are to lay hold of the Holy Spirit for power in our personal experience, and to enable us to labor for the salvation of others.

When Jesus met with his disciples after his resurrection he “breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost.” John 20:22. The word here translated “receive” is the same word that is translated “take,” where Pilate said, “Take ye him, and judge him,” and, “Take ye him, and crucify him.” John 18:31; 19:6. Jesus therefore said to his disciples, “Take ye the Holy Ghost.” We “take,” or “receive,” the Spirit by faith. By faith the disciples were to receive, or take, the Holy Spirit with them in their work. How simple this is! Just as we are to accept the forgiveness of our sins by faith when we have confessed them, just as we take a proffered gift from a friend, so we are to receive by faith the fulness of the blessing of the Spirit of God when we have, so far as we know, put away our sins, and opened the channel of blessing into our hearts. This is beautifully illustrated in the following incident:—

“There is a story of a ship called the ‘Central America.’ The drinking-water had failed, and the crew were in great need. They ran up a flag of distress. The flag was seen by the captain of another ship, and through the speaking-tube

came the question, ‘What is the matter?’ ‘Water! water! we are dying for want of water!’ The answer came back, ‘Dip it up; you are in the mouth of the Amazon.’ The mighty Amazon was pouring a flood of fresh water far out to sea. They dipped it up. There was no need to ask further for drinking-water.”

“Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him,” said Jesus, “shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” John 4:14. From this eternal, living spring, this river, this Amazon, which is constantly flowing, as from the smitten rock, we have but to “dip” and drink. Have you put away every known sin? Have you prayed for the Spirit? Then “take,” “dip,” “drink.”

And what a rich blessing! When we by faith receive the Spirit into the heart, we are told it brings all other blessings in its train. “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.” Eph. 1:7. “That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man.” Eph. 3:16. The riches of grace is all that we get from the cross upon which our Redeemer died; the riches of glory is all that we get from the throne of the eternal Godhead. We get pardon from the cross; we get strength and power from the throne. Wonderful riches, indeed!

More than this, we are instructed that those who consecrate soul, body, and spirit to God will receive the “breath of his own Spirit,” and through cooperation with Christ be able “to do the deeds of Omnipotence.”

“Christ’s ascension to the Father, as we know, was the condition of the descent of the Spirit; and concerning this the Lord said, ‘He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.’ Thus the ministry of the Spirit was announced to be mightier in results than that of the Son. This would not seem easy to credit. If we were ignorant of the facts of science, and some one were to show us a reservoir of water, and tell us that this element is capable of three manifestations, liquid, vapor, and solid, and ask us which would be the most powerful, we might say the solid form; and looking at the iceberg, which can crush a huge ship as you grind a dry leaf between your fingers, this conclusion would seem to be justified. But science would point at once to the vapor, so light, so impalpable, and in its finer forms invisible, and remind us that this is the power that is moving our huge steamships, drawing our countless railway-trains, and driving our ponderous factories—the greatest motive force in our modern civilization. The blessed Trinity has been manifested to us in two forms in this dispensation. First, he came as the Word made flesh, the incarnate Lord, with the might of his divine manhood, which could silence the winds, still the waves, open the gates of the grave, and reverse the laws of gravitation. Is not this the most powerful revelation of God? ‘Greater works than these shall ye do,’ is his answer. When God comes as the secret invisible Spirit, like the wind, which we can not see and can not tell whence it cometh or whither it goeth; and when this Spirit shall dwell in his fulness in believers, moving their wills, inspiring their words, and energizing their actions, then shall be seen the greatest things for the glory of God and the salvation of souls, that have yet been witnessed.”—“The Twofold Life,” pages 187, 188.

Shall we not receive this blessed Spirit by faith, and experience daily this mighty power that the Lord has promised? We need to appropriate by faith the blessings the Lord has promised to us, and placed within our reach.