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From Trials to Triumph

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God Has Not Restricted His Gift

The lapse of time has made no change in Christ's promise to send the Holy Spirit. If the fulfillment is not seen, it is because the promise is not appreciated as it should be. Wherever the Holy Spirit is little thought of, there is seen spiritual drought, spiritual darkness, and spiritual death. When minor matters occupy the attention, the divine power necessary for the growth and prosperity of the church is lacking. TT 28.2

Why do we not hunger and thirst for the Spirit? The Lord is more willing to give the Spirit than parents are to give good gifts to their children. For the daily baptism of the Spirit every worker should petition God. The presence of the Spirit with God's workers will give the proclamation of truth a power that not all the glory of the world could give. TT 28.3

The words spoken to the disciples are spoken also to us. The Comforter is ours as well as theirs. The Spirit furnishes the strength that sustains wrestling souls in every emergency, amidst the hatred of the world and the realization of their own failures. When the outlook seems dark and the future perplexing, and we feel helpless and alone, the Holy Spirit brings comfort to the heart. TT 28.4

Holiness is living by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. It is trusting God in darkness as well as in the light, walking by faith and not by sight. TT 29.1

The nature of the Holy Spirit is a mystery. Men may bring together passages of Scripture and put a human construction on them, but the acceptance of fanciful views will not strengthen the church. Regarding mysteries which are too deep for human understanding, silence is golden. TT 29.2

The Holy Spirit convicts of sin. See John 16:8. If the sinner responds, he will be brought to repentance and aroused to the importance of obeying the divine requirements. To the repentant sinner, the Holy Spirit reveals the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. Christ said, “He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” John 14:26. TT 29.3

The Spirit is given as a regenerating agency, to make effectual the salvation wrought by the death of our Redeemer. The Spirit is constantly seeking to draw attention to the cross of Calvary, to unfold the love of God, and to open to the convicted soul the precious things of the Scriptures. Having brought conviction of sin, the Holy Spirit withdraws the affections from the things of this earth and fills the soul with a desire for holiness. “He will guide you into all truth.” John 16:13. The Spirit will take the things of God and stamp them on the soul. TT 29.4

From the beginning, God has been working by His Holy Spirit through human instrumentalities. In the days of the apostles He worked mightily for His church through the Holy Spirit. The same power that sustained the patriarchs, that gave Caleb and Joshua faith and courage, and that made the work of the apostolic church effective has upheld God's faithful children in every succeeding age. Through the Holy Spirit during the Dark Ages the Waldensian Christians helped prepare the way for the Reformation. The same power made successful the efforts of noble men and women who pioneered the way for modern missions and for the translation of the Bible into the languages of all nations. TT 29.5

And today the heralds of the cross are going from land to land, preparing the way for the second advent of Christ. God's law is being exalted. The Spirit is moving on men's hearts, and those who respond become witnesses for God's truth. Consecrated men and women communicate the light that has made plain the way of salvation through Christ. And as they continue to let their light shine, they receive still more of the Spirit's power. Thus the earth is to be lightened with the glory of God. TT 30.1

On the other hand, some are idly waiting for some spiritual refreshing by which their ability to enlighten others will be greatly increased. They allow their light to burn dim, while they look to a time when, without any effort on their part, they will be transformed and fitted for service. TT 30.2