the secret of VICTORY by Dr. William Ward Ayer
C h r i s t i a n i t y is far more than that which is merely on the surface. It is not all doctrine and to be sure, it is not all experience. Any experience must be first and foremost based and founded upon the Word of God. Our communion with Jesus Christ verifies the truth of God’s Word. The redeemed need never •be overwhelmed by world events. We have a great test of our spir itual maturity in the days in which we live. The Christian who has grown in the Lord can walk in the midst of the present world’s turmoil concerned, but not alarmed. Nations are tumbling into chaos, yet the Christian is able to say with the inspired apostle, “None of these things move me.” God has a plan which is operative in the midst of the wrath of man. God’s glorious program for the world is to triumph. The child of God is to triumph with Him. The supremacy of Paul in the depths of his spiritual insight is marvelous to behold. In 1 Corinthians 12 Paul tells of the gifts of the Spirit which were given in that Apostolic age. He said it is the same God who worketh all in all. Here is a study that needs the bending of every mental and spiritual faculty. We must not measure* ourselves by others. God uses all kinds, of people. He has His brilliant and optimistic Isaiahs; His weeping a n d uncompromising Jere miahs; His fiery Elijahs. He has had His sweet sunny Frances Ridley Haver- gal who could fill the church of God with her surrendered, “Take my life and let it be consecrate^ Lord to Thee.” The Lord has had his despondent Wil liam Cowper who, out of the depths of despondency, wrote, “God moves in a mysterious way His wonders to per form. He plants His footsteps on the sea and rides upon the storm.” All of us who are Christians have received
gifts of the Spirit. A careful study re veals, however, the astounding truth hat Paul possessed and used, at some time in his ministry, every gift of the Spirit. Certainly there was a supremacy here. Yet, unlike most men today, Paul never boasts about his spiritual achieve ments. He is becomingly modest and humble. He learned in whatsoever state he was therewith to be content. There are nine specific gifts of the Spirit recorded in 1st Corinthians 12: 8 to 11. These correspond to the 9 fruits of the Spirit mentioned in Galatians 5:22 and 23. The first three gifts, wisdom, knowl edge and faith, might be classified as intellectual gifts. They are cer tainly in their proper order. Wisdom first, knowledge next and faith result ing. True wisdom is a divinely given ability to use our knowledge to advance our faith. Paul certainly possessed and exercised t h e s e gifts. His writings, while by inspiration of the Spirit, nev ertheless show great personal knowl edge which he is so wisely using for his own life of faith, as well as for the faith of others. The second group of three, healing miracles and prophecy are definitely supernatural endowments. Paul had these, too. He healed the sick on occa sions. He raised the dead. Much of Paul’s healing power passed from him in his latter days but he worked many undeniable miracles. Actually his whole life was a miracle. The miracle of being “Christ-possessed” should be this way in our lives. In the field of prophecy, however, Paul excels. This word has a two fold meaning. First, the telling forth of re vealed truth, and second, the forthtell- ing of the future as God reveals it. Paul was a great forthteller, a great 30
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