The Person and Work of The Holy SpiritTorrey, R. A. (Reuben Archer)
Religion
The Person and Work of The Holy Spirit
Torrey, R. A. (Reuben Archer)
Holy Spirit
The great need in all lines of Christian work to-day is men and women whom
the Holy Ghost calls and sends forth. We have plenty of men and women whom
men have called and sent forth. We have plenty of men and women who have
called themselves, for there are many to-day who object strenuously to
being sent forth by men, by any organization of any kind, but, in fact,
are what is immeasurably worse, sent forth by themselves and not by God.
_How does the Holy Spirit call?_ The passage before us does not tell us
how the Holy Spirit spoke to the group of prophets and teachers in
Antioch, telling them to separate Barnabas and Saul to the work to which
He had called them. It is presumably purposely silent on this point.
Possibly it is silent on this point lest we should think that the Holy
Spirit must always call in precisely the same way. There is nothing
whatever to indicate that He spoke by an audible voice, much less is there
anything to indicate that He made His will known in any of the fantastic
ways in which some in these days profess to discern His leading—as for
example, by twitchings of the body, by shuddering, by opening of the Bible
at random and putting his finger on a passage that may be construed into
some entirely different meaning than that which the inspired author
intended by it. The important point is, He made His will clearly known,
and He is willing to make His will clearly known to us to-day. Sometimes
He makes it known in one way and sometimes in another, but He will make it
known.
But _how shall we receive the Holy Spirit’s call_? First of all, by
desiring it; second, by earnestly seeking it; third, by waiting upon the
Lord for it; fourth, by expecting it. The record reads, “As they
_ministered to the Lord, and fasted_.” They were waiting upon the Lord for
His direction. For the time being they had turned their back utterly upon
worldly cares and enjoyments, even upon those things which were perfectly
proper in their place. Many a man is saying to-day in justification for
his staying home from the foreign field, “I have never had a call.” But
how do you know that? Have you been listening for a call? God usually
speaks in a still small voice and it is only the listening ear that can
catch it. Have you ever definitely offered yourself to God to send you
where He will? While no man or woman ought to go to China or Africa or
other foreign field unless they are clearly and definitely called, they
ought each to offer themselves to God for this work and be ready for the
call and be listening sharply that they may hear the call if it comes. Let
it be borne distinctly in mind that a man needs no more definite call to
Africa than to Boston, or New York, or London, or any other desirable
field at home.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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