Sword of the Spirit

Miracles—Works of Power By John G. Lake [Note the differences between Salvation (or Born Again), Sanctification and the Baptism with the Holy Spirit in Lake's testimony, in which many believers seem to have confused these experiences.] What is a miracle? It is the tangible evidence of the supreme control of the Spirit of God over every character and form of materiality. Beloved, the power of such an event, such an act and sign, shows you that through living, positive, contact with the Spirit of God, all things are possible. Blessed be His name! Christianity is the divine power of Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit, filling a Christian’s soul and body, flashing through his nature like a holy flame, accomplishing the will of God. There is a baptism that belongs to Jesus Christ. It is in His supreme control. No angel or human can bestow it. It comes from Him alone. He it is “who baptizes with the Holy Spirit” (John 1:33). So, the individual who wants the Holy Spirit must come into defini

The person who has an experience is never at the mercy of a person who has only an argument. - Smith Wigglesworth 

The Full Blessings of Pentecost By Andrew Murray How it is obtained by us - Part 4 of 7 "And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;" EPH. v. 18. I cannot grasp this blessing in my own power. Whenever a Christian begins to strive for this blessing, he generally makes a variety of efforts to reach after the faith, and obedience, and humility, and submission which are the conditions of obtaining it. Then, when he does not succeed, he is tempted to blame himself, and if he does not become utterly discouraged, he rouses himself to still stronger effort and greater zeal. All this struggling is not without its value and its use. It has its use, however, in other ways than are commonly anticipated. It does the very work that the law does that is to say, it brings us to the knowledge of our entire impotence; it leads us to that despair of ourselves in which we become willing to give to God the place that belongs to Him. This lesson is entirely indisp

The Full Blessings of Pentecost By Andrew Murray How it is obtained by us - Part 3 of 7 "And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;" EPH. v. 18. The thought that will come next in succession is: This blessing is for me. I have spoken of those who suppose that the full blessing of Pentecost was only for the first Christian community. There are others who are willing enough to acknowledge that it was intended also for the Church of later times but still think that all are not entitled to expect it. Eminent believers, the leaders of the Church, and such as have much leisure and abundant opportunity to occupy their minds with such attainments, may well cherish the hope of receiving this blessing, but it is not to be expected by ordinary members of the churches. Any one of these might quite reasonably say: "My unfavourable circumstances, my unfortunate disposition, my lack of real ability, and similar difficulties, make it impossible for me

The Full Blessings of Pentecost By Andrew Murray How it is obtained by us - Part 2 of 7 "And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;" EPH. v. 18. I do not as yet have this blessing. This is the second step towards it. You may perhaps put the question why it should be necessary to cherish this conviction. I will tell you briefly the reasons why I consider it of importance. The first is that there are many Christians who think that they already have the Holy Spirit, and that all they require is to be more faithful in the endeavour to know and to obey Him. They think that they are already standing in God's grace, and that they only need to make a better use of the life they possess. They imagine that they have all that is necessary for continued growth. On the contrary, it is my deep conviction that such souls are in a sickly state and that they have need of a healing as divine and effective as that which the blind and lame received from the

The Full Blessings of Pentecost By Andrew Murray How it is obtained by us - Part 1 of 7 "And be not drunk with wine,  wherein is excess;  but be filled with the Spirit;" EPH. v. 18. The full blessing of Pentecost is the inheritance of all the children of God.  This is the first principle we have to enunciate.  There are many of God's children who do not fully believe this.  They imagine that the day of Pentecost was only the birthday feast of the Church,  and that it was thus a time of blessing and of power which was not destined to endure.  They do not reflect on the command to be filled with the Spirit.  The result is that they never with earnestness seek to receive the full blessing.  They take their ease and remain content with the weak and defective life in which the Church of the day exists.  Is not this the case with you, my reader?  Far be it from us.  In order to carry on her work in the world, the Church requires the full blessing.  To please your Lord and to li

*** A Message for this Day of Pentecost 2024 *** You MAY HAVE GOD By John G. Lake The baptism of the Holy Ghost was the incoming of God in personality in order that the man, through this force, might be moved by God.  God lives in him,  God speaks through him,  God is the impulse of his soul,  God has His dwelling place in him. You may have God.  That is the wonder of the baptism of the Holy Ghost.  It is not a work of grace;  it is God possessing you.  Oh, your heart may have been as sinful as the heart of man ever was sinful.  But Christ comes to your soul.  That spirit of darkness that possessed you goes and in its stead, a new Spirit comes in, the Spirit of Christ.  You have become a new creature, a saved man, a God-filled man. A Transformation Sin manifests itself in three ways:  in thought, in act, in nature.  Salvation is a complete transformation.  God takes possession of man, changes his thoughts, in consequence his acts change, his nature is new.  A Christian is not a reforme

The Full Blessing of Pentecost - The One Thing Needful By Andrew Murray How the blessing is hindered (Excerpts) "Then said Jesus unto His disciples, If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it." MATT. xvi. 24, 25. There are many who seek the full blessing of Pentecost long and earnestly and yet do not find it. Often the question is put as to what may be the cause of this failure. To this inquiry more than one answer may be given. Sometimes the solution of the problem points in the direction of one or another sin which is still permitted. Worldliness, lovelessness, lack of humility, ignorance of the secret of walking in the way of faith these, and indeed many more causes, may also be often mentioned with justice. There are, however, many people who think that they have come to the Lord with what of these sources of failure s