Secret Power; or, The Secret of Success in Christian Life and WorkMoody, Dwight Lyman
Religion
Secret Power; or, The Secret of Success in Christian Life and Work
Moody, Dwight Lyman
Baptism in the Holy Spirit; Christian life; Holy Spirit
In John v, 7, we read: "There are three that bear record in heaven,
the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one." By
the Father is meant the first Person, Christ, the Word is the second,
and the Holy Spirit, perfectly fulfilling His own office and work in
union with the Father and the Son, is the third. I find clearly
presented in my Bible, that the One God who demands my love, service
and worship, has there revealed Himself, and that each of those three
names of Father, Son and Holy Ghost has personality attached to them.
Therefore we find some things ascribed to God as Father, some to God
as Saviour, and some to God as Comforter and Teacher. It has been
remarked that the Father plans, the Son executes, and the Holy Spirit
applies. But I also believe they plan and work together. The
distinction of _persons_ is often noted in Scripture. In Matt. iii,
16-17, we find JESUS submitting to baptism, the SPIRIT descending upon
Him, while the FATHER'S voice of approval is heard saying: "This is my
Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased." Again in John xiv, 16, we
read: "I (_i. e._ Jesus) will pray the Father, and He shall give you
another Comforter." Also in Eph. i, 18: "Through Him (_i. e._ Christ
Jesus) we both (Jews and Gentiles) have access by one Spirit unto the
Father." Thus we are taught the distinction of persons in the Godhead,
and their inseparable union. From these and other scriptures also we
learn the identity and actual existence of the Holy Spirit.
If you ask do I _understand_ what is thus revealed in Scripture, I say
"no." But my faith bows down before the inspired Word and I
unhesitatingly believe the great things of God when even reason is
blinded and the intellect confused.
In addition to the teaching of God's Word, the Holy Spirit in His
gracious work in the soul declares His own presence. Through His
agency we are "born again," and through His indwelling we possess
superhuman power. Science, falsely so called, when arrayed against the
existence and presence of the Spirit of God with His people, only
exposes its own folly to the contempt of those who have become "new
creatures in Christ Jesus." The Holy Spirit who inspired prophets, and
qualified apostles, continues to animate, guide and comfort all true
believers. To the actual Christian, the personality of the Holy Spirit
is more real than any theory science has to offer, for so-called
science is but calculation based on human observation, and is
constantly changing its inferences. But the existence of the Holy
Spirit is to the child of God a matter of Scripture revelation and of
actual experience.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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