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OUR PRIVILEGE

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Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 4, 1901

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 78, No. 23.

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OUR PRIVILEGE.

By A. Weeks

A. WEEKS. (Lakeview, Mich.)
It is the privilege of every one to know, at all times, that he is “kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” The Lord certainly wishes us to have this power, and bestows it upon every one who exercises faith for it. Then surely we need not sin, even though of ourselves we are weak. If Paul could say, “When I am weak, then am I strong,” because the power of Christ rested upon him, so can we.
It is our privilege to believe for “grace to help in time of need” as well as for “remission of sins.” The Lord is desirous that we should not be overcome by temptation. He is faithful, and will not suffer us to be tempted above what we are able to bear, but will with the temptation make a way of escape. Then let us by living faith commit all into His hands, trust Him implicitly, believing that He bestows upon us the keeping power of His Holy Spirit.
“According to your faith be it unto you,” said the Saviour to the two blind men; and as He touched their eyes, they received sight. The same is said to us in the struggle against sin. The power of God is ours, if we live for it. The fullness of the power of the Holy Spirit is awaiting our demand and reception. We should earnestly pray for it, believe for it, and open the door of our hearts wide for its reception.
Our Saviour encourages us to ask for it. He says, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him?”
What more could our Lord say to us to show the certainty of our receiving the Holy Spirit if we seek for it with earnestness of soul? Is it not true that as we draw near to God, He breathes upon us, saying, “Receive ye the Holy Ghost”? O let us open the door of the heart by faith and welcome the heavenly Guest! Then “sin shall not have dominion” over us. “These things write I unto you that ye sin not.”
Praise God for His keeping power. May all who love the Lord, receive the Holy Spirit in all its fullness without delay. Why not?