The Full Blessing of Pentecost: How it was bestowed from Heaven
The Full Blessing of Pentecost
- The One Thing Needful
By Andrew Murray
By Andrew Murray
How it was bestowed from Heaven
(Excerpts)
"If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter,
that He may abide with you for ever;
Even the Spirit of truth;"
JOHN xiv. 15, 16.
It is evident without proof that, if the fulness of the Spirit thus dwells in Jesus,
a personal relationship to Him is the first condition for the reception of the full gift of the Comforter.
It was to attain this end that the Lord Jesus throughout all His three years work on earth kept the disciples in such close converse with Himself.
He desired to attach them to Himself.
He wanted them to feel themselves truly one with Him.
He wanted them to identify themselves with Him, as far as this was possible.
By knowledge and intercourse,
by love and obedience,
they became inwardly knit to Him.
This was the preparation for participating in the Spirit of His glorification.
The lesson that is here taught us is indeed extremely simple, but it is one of profound significance.
There are not a few Christians who believe in the Lord and are very zealous in His service, who eagerly desire to become holy, and who yet do not succeed in their endeavour.
It seems oftentimes as if they could not understand the promise of the Spirit.
The thought of being filled with the Spirit exercises but little influence upon them.
The reason is obvious.
There is lacking in their religion that personal relationship to the Lord Jesus, that inward attachment to Him,
that perfectly natural reference to Him as the best and nearest Friend,
as the beloved Lord,
which was so characteristic of the disciples.
This, however, is absolutely indispensable.
It is a heart that is entirely occupied with the Lord Jesus,
and depends only upon Him,
that can alone hope for the fulness of the Spirit.
Even the Spirit of truth;"
JOHN xiv. 15, 16.
It is evident without proof that, if the fulness of the Spirit thus dwells in Jesus,
a personal relationship to Him is the first condition for the reception of the full gift of the Comforter.
It was to attain this end that the Lord Jesus throughout all His three years work on earth kept the disciples in such close converse with Himself.
He desired to attach them to Himself.
He wanted them to feel themselves truly one with Him.
He wanted them to identify themselves with Him, as far as this was possible.
By knowledge and intercourse,
by love and obedience,
they became inwardly knit to Him.
This was the preparation for participating in the Spirit of His glorification.
The lesson that is here taught us is indeed extremely simple, but it is one of profound significance.
There are not a few Christians who believe in the Lord and are very zealous in His service, who eagerly desire to become holy, and who yet do not succeed in their endeavour.
It seems oftentimes as if they could not understand the promise of the Spirit.
The thought of being filled with the Spirit exercises but little influence upon them.
The reason is obvious.
There is lacking in their religion that personal relationship to the Lord Jesus, that inward attachment to Him,
that perfectly natural reference to Him as the best and nearest Friend,
as the beloved Lord,
which was so characteristic of the disciples.
This, however, is absolutely indispensable.
It is a heart that is entirely occupied with the Lord Jesus,
and depends only upon Him,
that can alone hope for the fulness of the Spirit.
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