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He Teaches Us, January 24
The anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye
need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth
you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath
taught you, ye shall abide in him.
1 John 2:27
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It is the Spirit itself that teaches and enlightens. The most powerful
preaching of the Word, the reading of the Scriptures, will not be able to
transform the character and save souls unless the Spirit works with and
through the human agents. The planning and devising must not be of a
character to draw attention to self. The Word is a power, a sword, in the
hands of the human agent, but the Holy Spirit in its vital power is the
efficiency to impress the mind. “They shall be all taught of God.” It is God
that causes the light to shine into hearts.... The reason why God can do
so little for us is that we forget that living virtue in the Holy Spirit is to
combine with the human agent
With the great truth we have been privileged to receive, we should, and
under the Holy Spirit’s power we could, become living channels of light.
We could then approach the mercy-seat; and seeing the bow of promise,
kneel with contrite hearts, and seek the kingdom of heaven with a spiritual
violence that would bring its own reward. We would take it by force, as
did Jacob. Then our message would be the power of God unto salvation.
Our supplications would be full of earnestness, full of a sense of our great
need; and we would not be denied. The truth would be expressed by life
and character, and by lips touched with the living coal from off God’s altar.
When this experience is ours, we shall be lifted out of our poor, cheap
selves, that we have cherished so tenderly. We shall empty our hearts
of the corroding power of selfishness, and shall be filled with praise and
gratitude to God. We shall magnify the Lord, the God of all grace, who
has magnified Christ. And He will reveal His power through us, making
us as sharp sickles in the harvest-field
[31]
69
Ellen G. White
Manuscript 115a, 1897
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70
The Review and Herald, February 14, 1899
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