More Consecration.—No. 2.
By E. B. Saunders
The Bible plainly teaches that there is a divine power called the Holy Spirit, which can affect and control the believer, and lead him to a knowledge of the truth, and also give him power to overcome his faults, and to serve God in an acceptable manner. Again we are plainly taught that there is an evil spirit in the hearts of the children of disobedience, and that this spirit does influence, control, and lead some to hate God, his word, ways, people, and in fact everything that is pure and holy; while those under its influence sink lower than the brute creation in morality, both in precept and practice. And in the word of God, those the most completely under the control of this evil spirit are represented as being possessed of the devil. Now, it used to be a great wonder to my boyish mind how evil spirits could enter into one and possess them, till the so-called sciences of mesmerism and psychology seemed to throw light on the subject. It is well known that some peculiar minds are subject to control by other minds, so that objects, desires, or impressions, in one mind will be seen or felt in the other. Now the fallen angels are far wiser than poor, fallen man. They doubtless have superior minds and can control weak man by an effort of the will, while they are unseen by mortal eyes, and more so if the angels of God do not interfere to prevent their power. The inhabitants of this fallen world are Satan’s lawful subjects. They have rebelled against the government of God, and become the servants of Satan, the arch traitor of Heaven; and the dominion which God had given man passed into the hands of Satan, and he became the god of this world. In mesmerism, the subject must yield the mind and will to the control of the will or mind of the operator; so in spiritualism, there must be a giving up of the will to the control of so-called spirits, till in some cases the mind is too much shattered to govern itself when it becomes really possessed of the evil spirit. Nothing but the wonderful power of God can break the strong fetters binding such an one, and when it is done, it should be called what it really is, a miracle. Now all the unbelieving are in a great degree under the control of Satan. His powerful mind can mesmerize them, and lead them to any act of disobedience or cruelty he may devise, unless restrained by the Spirit of God. Any thus subject to the control of evil angels are regarded in the Bible as children of the devil; for they do works instigated by him. The angels of God have a similar power to affect minds and control the saints, if they will yield themselves to obey fully all that God requires. The angels are called “ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation.” They are not to control the individual against his will, nor will they influence a person who loves sin and whose heart rises up in opposition to the will of God. But when there is perfect submission of the heart to do anything that God requires, be it ever so crossing, and a sincere prayer in our heart for aid from the Spirit of God, then the angels will come to our help, and our minds will be a reflection of their pure minds, and we can but feel that the dark stains of sin and love for evil are all taken away; and the same intense longing to please God, obey, love, and adore, him will be felt, that angels feel. And this feeling of harmony with God’s ways, and love to him, will increase with every act of self-denying consecration the child of God may perform. And when the spirit of evil seems to cover the earth like a thick cloud, the Spirit of God will be poured out wonderfully upon his believing children, and signs and wonders will be wrought in the name of the Lord. When the Spirit of God thus rests upon the saint of God, the peace and joy that fills the heart is inexpressible. Language utterly fails to fully express it. Perhaps it is similar to the joy angels feel in doing the will of God, and to the joy of the redeemed in glory. It elevates and ennobles the saint. He feels lifted above his besetments, and sins long fought against lie prostrate beneath his feet; and in grateful praise he gives glory to God for having given him the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. It may be objected that the Holy Spirit is a person, or one person, having the personal pronouns “he” and “him,” and consequently must be a personal being. But the obtaining of the Holy Spirit is an individual work; and an individual consecration is necessary to obtain it, and for this reason he or him may be used to designate it, or the angel of any person, through whose ministration it is received. The power of Satan is such that no one can overcome his besetments, or get the victory over sin in his own strength. It can be obtained only by getting the help God may give through the angels, and it can only be obtained by yielding our wills and subjecting ourselves to the will of God. When we thus yield our own stubborn wills to the will of God, to be led by his Spirit, and pure and holy affections have taken the place of the carnal or fleshly desires, we become the children of God. Having once been children of Satan, because the carnal mind, influenced by evil angels governed us, or led us, so now we become the children of God when our minds are renewed by the Holy Spirit, and through faith we are adopted into his family. Then it is, that the spirit of adoption will cause us to feel that we are his, and he is ours, and we with confidence can say, Abba, Father. Dear brethren, my poor, feeble pen cannot do justice to this subject, and I leave it, hoping that you will ponder well upon these hints; and let us ever remember that unless we have the Spirit of God in our hearts, we are none of his. Our forms of religion will do us no good, unless we get out of this lukewarm state. We can never enter our Father’s house in Heaven if we live at this poor, dying rate. Be entreated to seek conversion. Seek the Spirit of God, and seek meekness, to be led by the angels of God. Locke, N. Y., June 13, 1872.