"What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee?" asked Jesus of the blind man (Luke xviii. 41).
He had respect to the will of the blind man, and granted his request, seeing he had faith. And He still has respect to the vigorous, sanctified will of His people--the will that has been subdued by consecration and faith into loving union with His will.
The Lord answered Abraham on behalf of Sodom till he ceased to ask.
"The Lord has had His way so long with Hudson Taylor," said a friend, "that now, Hudson Taylor can have his way with the Lord."
Adoniram Judson lay sick with a fatal illness in far-away Burmah.
His wife read to him an account of the conversion of a number of Jews in Constantinople through some of his writings. For a while the sick man was silent, and then he spoke with awe, telling his wife that for years he had prayed that he might be used in some way to bless the Jews, yet never having seen any evidence that his prayers were answered; but now, after many years and from far away, the evidence of answer had come. And then, after further silence, he spoke with deep emotion, saying that he had never prayed a prayer for the glory of G.o.d and the good of men but that, sooner or later, even though for the time being he had forgotten, he found that G.o.d had not forgotten, but had remembered and patiently worked to answer his prayer.
Oh, the faithfulness of G.o.d! He means it when He makes promises and exhorts and urges and commands us to pray. It is not His purpose to mock us, but to answer and "to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think." Bless His holy Name!
3. Knowledge and wisdom must take the place of foolish ignorance.
Paul says, "We know not what we should pray for as we ought," and then adds, "But the Spirit Himself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered" (Romans viii. 26). If my little child asks for a glittering razor, I refuse its request; but when my full-grown son asks for one I grant it. So G.o.d cannot wisely answer some prayers, for they are foolish or untimely.
Hence, we need not love and faith only, but wisdom and knowledge, that we may ask according to the will of G.o.d.
It is this that Paul has in mind when he says that he will not only pray with the Spirit, but "I will pray with the understanding also" (I Cor. xiv. 15). Men should think before they pray, and study that they may pray wisely.
Now, when the Holy Spirit comes there pours into the soul not only a tide of love and simple faith, but a flood of light as well, and prayer becomes not only earnest, but intelligent also.
And this intelligence increases, as, under the leadership of the Holy Spirit, the word of G.o.d is studied, and its heavenly truths and principles are grasped and a.s.similated.
It is thus men come to know G.o.d and become His friends, whose prayers He will a.s.sist and will not deny.
Such men talk with G.o.d as friend with friend, and the Holy Spirit helps their infirmities; encourages them to urge their prayer in faith; teaches them to reason with G.o.d; enables them to come boldly in the name of Jesus, when oppressed with a sense of their own insignificance and unworthiness; and, when words fail them and they scarcely know how to voice their desires, He intercedes within them with unutterable groanings, according to the will of G.o.d (Romans viii. 26, 27; 1 Cor. ii. 11).
A young man felt called to mission work in China, but his mother offered strong opposition to his going. An agent of the mission, knowing the need of the work, and vexed with the mother, one day laid the case before Hudson Taylor.
"Mr. Taylor," said he, "listened patiently and lovingly to all I had to say, and then gently suggested our praying about it. Such a prayer I have never heard before! It seemed to me more like a conversation with a trusted friend whose advice he was seeking.
He talked the matter over with the Friend from every point of view--from the side of the young man, from the side of China"s needs, from the side of the mother, and her natural feelings, and also from my side. It was a revelation to me. I saw that prayer did not mean merely asking for things, much less asking for things to be carried out by G.o.d according to our ideas; but that it means _communion_, fellowship, partnership, with our Heavenly Father. And when our will is really blended with His, what liberty we may have in asking for what we want!"
Hallelujah!
"My soul, ask what thou wilt, Thou canst not be too bold; Since His own blood for thee He spilt, What else can He withhold?"
"HAVE YE RECEIVED THE HOLY GHOST SINCE YE BELIEVED?"
XVI.
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ANOINTED PREACHER.
"Ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you."
Since G.o.d saves men by "the foolishness of preaching," the preacher has an infinitely important work, and he must be fitted for it. But what can fit a man for such sacred work? Not education alone, not knowledge of books, not gifts of speech, not winsome manners, nor a magnetic voice, nor a commanding presence, but only G.o.d. The preacher must be more than a man--he must be a man plus the Holy Ghost.
Paul was such a man. He was full of the Holy Spirit, and in studying his life and ministry we get a life-sized portrait of an anointed preacher living, fighting, preaching, praying, suffering, triumphing, and dying in the power and light and glory of the indwelling Spirit.
In the second chapter of the First of Thessalonians he gives us a picture of his character and ministry which were formed and inspired by the Holy Spirit, a sample of His workmanship, and an example for all Gospel preachers.
At Philippi he had been terribly beaten with stripes on his bare back, and roughly thrust into the inner dungeon, and his feet were made fast in the stocks; but that did not break nor quench his spirit. Love burned in his heart, and his joy in the Lord brimmed full and bubbled over, and at midnight, in the damp, dark, loathsome dungeon, he and Silas, his comrade in service and suffering, "prayed and sang praises unto G.o.d." G.o.d answered with an earthquake, and the jailer and his household got gloriously converted. Paul was set free and went at once to Thessalonica, where, regardless of the shameful way he had been treated at Philippi, he preached the Gospel boldly, and a blessed revival followed with many converts; but persecution arose, and Paul had again to flee. His heart, however, was continually turning back to these converts, and at last he sat down and wrote them this letter. From this we learn that--
1. He was a _joyful_ preacher. He was no pessimist, croaking out doleful prophecies and lamentations and bitter criticisms. He was full of the joy of the Lord. It was not the joy that comes from good health, a pleasant home, plenty of money, wholesome food, numerous and smiling friends, and sunny, favouring skies; but a deep, springing fountain of solemn, gladdening joy that abounded and overflowed in pain and weariness, in filthy, noisome surroundings, in loneliness and poverty, and danger and bitter persecutions. No earth-born trial could quench it, for it was Heaven-born; it was "the joy of the Lord" poured into his heart with the Holy Spirit.
2. He was a _bold_ preacher. Worldly prudence would have constrained him to go softly at Thessalonica, after his experience at Philippi, lest he arouse opposition and meet again with personal violence; but, instead, he says: "We were bold in our G.o.d to speak unto you the Gospel of G.o.d with much contention."
Personal considerations were all forgotten, or cast to the winds, in his impetuous desire to declare the Gospel and save their souls. He lived in the will of G.o.d, and conquered his fears. "The wicked" are fearful, and "flee when no man pursueth; but the righteous are as bold as a lion."
This boldness is a fruit of righteousness, and is always found in those who are full of the Holy Ghost. They forget themselves, and so lose all fear. This was the secret of the martyrs when burned at the stake or thrown to the wild beasts.
Fear is a fruit of selfishness. Boldness thrives when selfishness is destroyed. G.o.d esteems it, commands His people to be courageous, and makes spiritual leaders only of those who possess courage (Joshua i. 9).
Moses feared not the wrath of the king, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh"s daughter, and boldly espoused the cause of his despised and enslaved people.
Joshua was full of courage. Gideon fearlessly attacked one hundred and twenty thousand Midianites, with but three hundred unarmed men.
Jonathan and his armour-bearer charged the Philistine garrison and routed hundreds singlehanded.
David faced the lion and the bear, and inspired all Israel by battling with and killing Goliath.
The prophets were men of the highest courage, who fearlessly rebuked kings, and at the risk of life, and often at the cost of life, denounced popular sins, and called the people back to righteousness and the faithful service of G.o.d. These men feared G.o.d, and so lost the fear of man. They believed G.o.d, and so obeyed Him, and found His favour, and were entrusted with His high missions and everlasting employments.
"Fear thou not, for I am with thee," saith the Lord; and this Paul believed, and so says, "We were bold in our G.o.d." G.o.d was his high tower, his strength and unfailing defence, and so he was not afraid.
His boldness toward man was a fruit of his boldness toward G.o.d, and that, in turn, was a fruit of his faith in Jesus as his High Priest, who had been touched with the feeling of his infirmities, and through whom he could "come boldly to the Throne of Grace, and obtain mercy, and find grace to help in every time of need."
It is the timidity and delicacy with which men attempt G.o.d"s work that often accounts for their failure. Let them speak out boldly like men, as amba.s.sadors of Heaven, who are not afraid to represent their King, and they will command attention and respect, and reach the hearts and consciences of men.
I have read that quaint old Bishop Latimer, who was afterwards burned at the stake, "having preached a sermon before King Henry VIII, which greatly displeased the monarch, was ordered to preach again on the next Sunday, and make apology for the offence given.
The day came, and with it a crowded a.s.sembly anxious to hear the bishop"s apology. Reading his text, he commenced thus: "Hugh Latimer, dost thou know before whom thou art this day to speak?
To the high and mighty monarch, the king"s most excellent majesty, who can take away thy life if thou offendest. Therefore, take heed that thou speakest not a word that may displease. But, then, consider well, Hugh, dost thou not know from whence thou comest? Upon whose message thou art sent? Even by the great and mighty G.o.d, who is all-present, and who beholdeth all thy ways, and who is able to cast thy soul into h.e.l.l! Therefore, take care that thou deliver thy message faithfully.""
He then repeated the sermon of the previous Sunday, word for word, but with double its former energy and emphasis. The Court was full of excitement to learn what would be the fate of this plain-dealing and fearless bishop. He was ordered into the king"s presence, who, with a stern voice, asked: "How dared you thus offend me?" "I merely discharged my duty," was Latimer"s reply.
The king arose from his seat, embraced the good man, saying, "Blessed be G.o.d I have so honest a servant."
He was a worthy successor of Nathan, who confronted King David with his sin, and said, "Thou art the man."
This Divine courage will surely accompany the fiery baptism of the Spirit.
What is it but the indwelling of the Holy Spirit that gives courage to Salvation Army Officers and Soldiers, enabling them to face danger and difficulty and loneliness with joy, and attack sin in its worst forms as fearlessly as David attacked Goliath?
"Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord."
"Shall I, for fear of feeble man, The Spirit"s course in me restrain?
Awed by a mortal"s frown, shall I Conceal the word of G.o.d most high?
Shall I, to soothe the unholy throng, Soften Thy truth, or smooth my tongue?
"How then before Thee shall I dare To stand, or how Thine anger bear?