Every preacher baptised with the Holy Ghost can say with Jesus:
"The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me; because the Lord hath
anointed Me to preach good tidings unto the meek; He hath sent Me
to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the
captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of
vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn."
Seldom is there a congregation in which there are only those who
need to be convicted. There will also be meek and gentle ones to
whom should be brought a message of joy and good tidings; broken-hearted
ones to be bound up; wounded ones to heal; tempted ones to
be delivered; and those whom Satan has bound by some fear or habit
to be set free; and the Holy Spirit who knows all hearts will
inspire the word that shall bless these needy ones.
The preacher filled with the Holy Spirit, who is instant in
prayer, constant in the study of God's word, and steadfast and
active in faith, will surely be so helped that he can say with
Isaiah: "The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned,
that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is
weary" (Isaiah i. 4). And as with little Samuel, the Lord will
"let none of his words fall to the ground" (1 Samuel iii. 19).
He will expect results, and God will make them follow his
preaching as surely as corn follows the planting and cultivating
of the farmer.
"HAVE YE RECEIVED THE HOLY GHOST SINCE YE BELIEVED?"
XVIII.
THE HOLY SPIRIT'S CALL TO THE WORK.
"Ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon
you."
"THE Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me; because the Lord hath
anointed Me to preach good tidings unto the meek; He hath sent
Me" (Isaiah lxi. 1), is the testimony of the workman God sends.
God chooses His own workmen, and it is the office of the Holy
Spirit to call whom He will to preach the Gospel. I doubt not He
calls men to other employments for His glory, and would still
more often do so, if men would but listen and wait upon Him to
know His will.
He called Bezaleel and Aholiab to build the tabernacle. He called
and commissioned the Gentile king, Cyrus, to rebuild Jerusalem
and restore His chastised and humbled people to their own land.
And did He not call Joan of Arc to her strange and wonderful
mission? And Washington and Lincoln?
And, no doubt, He _leads_ most men by His providence to
their life-work; but the call to preach the Gospel is more than a
providential leading; it is a distinct and imperative conviction.
Bishop Simpson, in his "Lectures on Preaching," says:--
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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