Chapter 211—Ask For It
If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children:
how much more shall you heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them
that ask him?
Luke 11:13
.
Our Lord is rich in grace, mighty in power; He will abundantly bestow
these gifts upon all who come to Him in faith. ... We should pray as earnestly
for the descent of the Holy Spirit as the disciples prayed on the day of
Pentecost. If they needed it at that time, we need it more today. Moral
darkness, like a funeral pall, covers the earth. All manner of false doctrines,
heresies, and satanic deceptions are misleading the minds of men. Without
the Spirit and power of God it will be in vain that we labor to present the
truth.
By the grace of Christ the apostles were made what they were. It was
sincere devotion and humble, earnest prayer that brought them into close
communion with Him. They sat together with Him in heavenly places. They
realized the greatness of their debt to Him. By earnest, persevering prayer
they obtained the endowment of the Holy Spirit, and then they went forth,
weighted with the burden of saving souls.... Shall we be less earnest than
were the apostles?
Since this is the means by which we are to receive power, why do we not
hunger and thirst for the gift of the Spirit? Why do we not talk of it, pray
for it, and preach concerning it? ... For the daily baptism of the Spirit, every
worker should offer his petition to God. Companies of Christian workers
should gather to ask for special help for heavenly wisdom, that they may
know how to plan and execute wisely.
Day after day is passing into eternity, bringing us nearer to the close of
probation. As never before we must pray for the Holy Spirit to be more
abundantly bestowed upon us, and we must look for its sanctifying influence
to come upon the workers....
Those who are under the influence of the Spirit of God will not be
fanatical, but calm and steadfast, free from extravagance in thought, word, or
deed. Amid the confusion of delusive doctrines, the Spirit of God will be
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