Special Testimonies to Ministers and Workers—No. 3

Humility

When he who is a co-laborer with Christ, presses home the truth to the sinner's heart in humility and love, the voice of love speaks through the human instrumentality. Heavenly intelligences work with a consecrated, human agent, and the Spirit operates upon the soul of the unbeliever. Efficiency to believe comes from God to the heart, and the sinner accepts the evidence of God's word. Through the gracious influence of the Holy Spirit he is changed, and becomes one with Christ in spirit and purpose. His affection for God increases, he hungers after righteousness, and longs to be more like his master. By beholding Christ, he is changed from glory to glory, from character to character, and becomes more and more like Jesus. He is imbued with love for Christ and filled with a deep, unresting love for perishing souls, and Christ is formed within, the hope of glory. “As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” SpTA03 53.1

Please read the second and third chapters of Philippians, and the first chapter of Colossians. There are lessons there that we all should study. Paul writes, “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name.... Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling: for it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Do all things without murmurings and disputings: that ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; holding forth the word of life, that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither labored in vain.” “I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God; even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints; to whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory; whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.” SpTA03 54.1

Our workers should use the greatest wisdom so that nothing shall be said to provoke the armies of Satan, and to stir up his united confederacy of evil. Christ did not dare to bring a railing accusation against the prince of evil, and is it proper that we should bring such accusation as will set in operation the agencies of evil, the confederacies of men that are leagued with evil spirits? Christ was the only begotten Son of the infinite God, he was the Commander in the heavenly courts, yet he refrained from bringing accusation against Satan. Speaking of him Isaiah says, “Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulders; and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.” SpTA03 55.1

Let those who speak and write concerning the third angel's message, consider the fact that the Prince of Peace did not bring a railing accusation against the enemy, and let them learn the lesson they ought to have learned much earlier in their experience. They should wear Christ's yoke, they should practice the humility of Christ. The great Teacher says, “Learn of me, [I am not boastful, I hide my glory,] for I am meek and lowly in heart.” In learning of me, “ye shall find rest unto your souls.” Let such work be done by our missionaries as will lead to that repentance that needs not to be repented of. We need to learn much more of the meekness of Christ in order to be a savor of life unto life. SpTA03 55.2

Let no one open the way for the enemy to do his work. Let no one help him to advance his oppressive powers, for we are not yet prepared to meet them. We need the softening, subduing, refining influence of the Holy Spirit, to mold our characters, and to bring every thought into captivity to Christ. It is the Holy Spirit that will enable us to overcome, that will lead us to sit at the feet of Jesus, as did Mary, and learn his meekness and lowliness of heart. We need to be sanctified by the Holy Spirit every hour of the day, lest we be ensnared by the enemy, and our souls be imperiled. There is constant temptation to exalt self, and we must watch much against this evil. We need to be on guard continually lest we manifest the spirit of over-bearing criticism, and condemnation. We should seek to avoid the very appearance of evil, and not reveal anything like the attributes of Satan that will dishearten and discourage those with whom we come in contact. We are to work as did Christ—to draw, to build up, not to tear down. It is natural for some to be sharp and dictatorial, to lord it over God's heritage, and because of the manifestation of these attributes, precious souls have been lost to the cause. The reason that men have manifested these unpleasant characteristics is because they have not been connected with God. SpTA03 56.1