tolerate corrupt flesh to glory in His presence. The real Force in the life of the man of God is the Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of strength and pow er. In the Old Testament He is seen coming upon men and imparting strength for their work and warfare. Weakness and ineffectiveness marked those men, but when they were endued with power by the Holy Spirit, they accomplished great things for God. The Spirit of God strengthened Othniel (Judges 3:10); Gideon (Judges 6:34); Jephthah (Judges 11:29); Samson (Judges 13:25; 14:6, 19); Saul (I Samuel 10:6, 10); Ezekiel (Ezekiel 2:2; 11:24), and many others. Who among us would not desire such a relationship with the Holy Spirit? Well, my friend, you and I both can have it if we want it. The promise of power in the gift of the Holy Spirit constituted some of our Lord’s last words after His resurrection and before His ascension. He said, “ And, behold, I send the promise of My Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high” (Luke 24:49). Why did He tell the disciples to wait for the Divine enduement? He had commissioned them as minis ters and missionaries, and in their own strength they were not capable of performing the high and holy tasks attached thereto. There can be no question that the Saviour was speaking of the Holy Spirit, through whom all gifts are given and exercised. In the Old Testament the Father had promised to send His Spirit (Isa. 44:3; Ezek. 36:27; Joel 2:28). The Third Person in the blessed Holy Trinity is the promised “ power” of which Jesus spoke. He who came on the Day of Pentecost, and who is now abiding in us, is the source of limitless strength to those who seek to obey Christ’s command to be His witnesses. Then in one final reassuring word, immediately before He ascended to Heaven, Jesus said, “ But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Here He makes it plain that the necessary power to carry out the great commission is the Holy Ghost coming upon them. Christ’s ascension was not to be THE KING’S BUSINESS
Christian might be made strong. It is a prayer that we must pray for ourselves, for we are so weak in our selves. When in Gethsemane our Lord saw His dis ciples sleeping, He said, “ The spirit indeed is w ill ing, but the flesh is weak” (Matt. 26:41). Christians sometimes excuse their impotency on the ground of this statement from the lips of Jesus. However, He did not make it by way of excuse, but of warning. The fact that the flesh is weak is reason enough why we should look prayerfully to the Holy Spirit for strength. Jesus knew the untrustworthiness of the human heart, so He said to His disciples, “ Watch and pray.” Christian, never be deceived on this mat ter. Admit your own weakness and need of being strengthened by a power outside of yourself. There is one mistake of which we must be aware. It is that of pride in our own gifts and abilities. Some men are gifted and talented, but God is not using them. Others are used of God, and their lives and labors constantly bear fruit. Paul was of this latter type. He said, “ And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wis dom of men, but in the power of God” (I Cor. 2:3-5). “ But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us” (II Cor. 4:7). “ Therefore I take pleasure in infirmi ties, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong” (II Cor. 12:10). “ Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, which to you-ward is not weak, but is mighty in you. For though he was cru cified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you” (II Cor. 13:3, 4). “ But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty” (I Cor. 1:27). There are those who have an idea that they are mighty men. Don't ever believe it! The Holy Spirit hides Himself in the weak things that God has chosen so that the power might be of God and not of men. God will not 20
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