Posted 2018.
I’m not sure if this little booklet is still in print, so I’m sharing my summary of it:
He discusses 3 events. First, is salvation, which comes through faith in Jesus Christ and making Him Lord of our lives. That’s when we receive the deposit of the Holy Spirit and the regenerating work of the Spirit begins. We can’t lose our salvation.
Next he discusses the baptism of the Holy Spirit. This is a one time event, like salvation, but the purpose of the baptism of the Holy Spirit is to empower us for service (not save us). This is where the gifts of the Spirit come into play.
How do you receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit?
If Christ has been accepted as Savior and Lord and openly confessed as such in God’s way; if sin has been searched out and put away; if there has been total surrender of the will and of self to God; if there is a true desire, for God’s glory, to be baptized with the Holy Spirit–if these conditions have been met, then the reader may ask God to baptize him with the Holy Spirit. He can then say, when the prayer has gone up, “that the prayer was heard: I have what I have asked: I have the baptism with the Holy Spirit”; and he has a right to get up and go out to his work assured that in that work he will have the Holy Spirit’s power.
(My note: we can ask God to help us with things like surrendering our will and leaving our sin.)
Being baptized with the Holy Spirit is a one time thing, but we need to be continually filled with the Holy Spirit for each act of service. We should ask for this filling daily. The daily filling of the Holy Spirit is the third topic he discusses. We can’t lose our salvation, but we can lose access to the Holy Spirit’s power.
Spiritual power may be lost. How?
1. God withdraws His power from men when they go back on their separation to Him. (ie; Sampson) Beware of being drawn back into the world. The solution for when that happens: renew your consecration to God.
2. Power is lost through the incoming of sin. (ie; the Old Testament King Saul)
The one who has known God’s power in service, and would continue to know it, must walk very softly before Him. He must be listening constantly to hear what God bids him to do or not do. He must respond promptly to the slightest whisper of God. Ask myself: is there any little thing I am doing that God has told me not to? Am I leaving anything undone that God has told me to do? Set this matter right with God and the power will return. (ie; King David when he repented) We should daily ask the Lord to reveal our sins and then repent of them!
3. Power is lost again to self indulgence. The one who would have God’s power must lead a life of self-denial. The gratification of the flesh and the fullness of the Spirit do not go hand-in-hand. Prayer and fasting can help us fight our flesh.
4. Power is lost through greed for money. (ie; Judas Iscariot) Beware of covetousness.
5. Power is lost through pride. Beware of spiritual pride! (The apostle Paul was thankful for his thorn that kept him humble.) The more God uses us the lower we need to get before Him!
6. Power is lost through neglect of prayer. Constantly be recharged through prayer!
7. Power is lost through neglect of the Word. We must meditate daily, carefully, profoundly upon the Word if we are to maintain power.
The Baptism With the Holy Spirit, R.A. Torrey; copyright 1972; Published by Bethany House Publishers, 11400 Hampshire Ave. South, Bloomington, Minnesota 55438
If you can find a copy, I recommend reading it!
0 Comments