By My Spirit

by G. Jarvie, Glasgow | Category: General | Mar 1970

"Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit saith the LORD of hosts" (Zechariah 4.6).

Our spiritual life and power are dependent on the work of the Holy Spirit. With this we all agree, and this brief article is written to stir our hearts so that we lay hold on the possibilities that are ours through the Spirit's work within us. The measure in which we know the fulness and power of the Holy Spirit in our lives is the measure in which our lives will be fruitful and effective. To serve God in our own strength is to fail and be discouraged. To serve in the leading and power of the Holy Spirit, is to go forward in triumph.

Born of the Spirit

We have been born of the Spirit (John 3.5). It was He who revealed Christ to us, and who gave us the assurance in our hearts that we are children of God (Romans 8.16). No one belongs to Christ unless he has the Spirit of Christ (Romans

8.9). We are sealed with the Holy Spirit unto the day of redemption (Ephesians 4.30), that is, until the Master comes.

Baptism in the Spirit

Every believer is baptized in the Holy Spirit into the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12.13), that is, into the Church which is His Body. The knowledge of this will save us from much error. It will save us from the error that we can fall away and perish. It is not possible to fall out of the Body of Christ; we are sealed unto the day of redemption. It will save us from the error of seeking another baptism of the Spirit, by which we can speak in tongues or work miracles.

In two instances we read of the Holy Spirit being given by the laying on of the hands of the apostles (Acts 8.17 and 19.6). Those who received the Spirit in that way were Samaritans and Jews, and it was by the hands of the apostles. There was evidently a particular reason why He was so given on those occasions. The Spirit has not been so given since (Acts 10.44; Galatians 3.2).

The Fulness of the Spirit

God does not give the Spirit by measure (John 3.34), and the fulness of the Spirit does not mean a greater supply of the Spirit, but rather that the Spirit possesses us in greater measure. With some of the disciples the filling of the Spirit seemed to be an occasional experience. With others, such as Stephen, it was a continuous experience. How important it is for us all, that this should be our experience! Without His fulness we have little power or joy in the Lord's service.

On the day of Pentecost the disciples were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. When the multitude heard them speak in other languages, they were amazed, and about three thousand were added to the number of the disciples through the words spoken by those Spirit-filled men. In Acts 4.8, we see Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, speaking to the rulers of the Jews, and they marvelled at his boldness. Spirit-filled men are bold in the service of God. In Acts 4.31-33 the church in Jerusalem was together in prayer, and when they had prayed the place was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. In His fulness they spoke the word of God with boldness. Again this resulted in many believers being added to the Lord (5.14). Here we see the result 9f earnest prayer by the whole church. We receive what we ask, in the will of God. In Acts 6.5 & 8, we read of Stephen, full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, working great wonders and signs among the people. In Acts 7.55, he is seen shortly before his death, full of the Holy Spirit, looking up into heaven, seeing the glory of God. In Acts 13.9 we read of Saul, also called Paul, full of the Holy Spirit, rebuking Elymas the sorcerer. In Acts 13.52 we read of the disciples at Antioch in Pisidia, being filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

These few instances of the servants of God being filled with the Spirit show us that the secret of service for God lies in the fulness of the Spirit. We may not always see fruit through being filled with the Spirit, but God is glorified in Spirit-filled service. Stephen was filled with the Holy Spirit, even when he was being stoned, but his death powerfully affected Saul of Tarsus (Acts 22.20). Spirit-filled lives have an effect on other lives.

Finally, in Ephesians 5.18 we have the exhortation, "Be filled with the Spirit". Do not let us close our eyes to the absolute need for the fulness of the Holy Spirit in our service for God. We cannot afford to spend the precious years of our lives here with less than this. His fulness is available to us, and without it we will have little fruit or joy. Let us not be satisfied with less. We have been born of the Spirit and baptized in the Spirit, let us be filled with the Spirit. As with the presence of Christ (Ephesians 3.17; Revelation 3.20);so with the fulness of the Holy Spirit, it should be a day by day experience. We must ask for His power and make way for Him to work in our lives. How shall we do this? We must present ourselves to God (Romans 12.1), 50 that He may have His way with us, using us as He will. We must not allow any sin or grudge to remain in our hearts. We must be right with God and with each other (Psalm 139.23-24). We must give ourselves to prayer, that is Spirit-led prayer (Jude 20). We must have faith in the promises of God, those precious and exceeding great promises. We must count on the faithfulness of God. We must make the glory of God our aim, and not merely any desire for fulness or power.

Walking by the Spirit

"If we live by the Spirit, by the Spirit let us also walk" (Galatians 5.25). We can walk by the flesh, or we can walk by the Spirit. To walk by the flesh we only need to "let ourselves go". The flesh, the old nature is with us continually. If we allow our thoughts to wander, if we do not discipline our thought-life, then our words and actions will be in accord with our thoughts. To walk by the Spirit we must crucify the flesh with the passions and lusts. No half way measures! We must take ourselves to task in the secret chambers of our hearts. We must bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ (2 Corinthians 10.5). We cannot do this of ourselves, but by the Spirit we may mortify the deeds of the body (Romans 8.13). How thankful we are for the work of the Spirit of God within us! He will quench those old feelings of self-interest, and jealousy, thoughts that would overwhelm us and ruin our spiritual lives. And so the old nature is mastered, and Christ-likeness shines out instead Sometimes the battle may be severe, but if we walk by the Spirit the result is sure. We are humbled and softened when the Spirit of God has His way with us. Bad temper, harsh and foolish words, jealousy and self-interest are burned out of us, as the Spirit works, searching our hearts. As each victory is won, and we stand in His triumph, how sweet are the thoughts of Christ that o'er our spirits roll!

The Fruit of the Spirit

When the Spirit of God has His way with us, then the fruit of the Spirit is seen in our lives, "Love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, temperance" (Galatians 5.22-23). As we read this list we can easily see if our lives are Spirit-led. If any of these traits are absent then we know that He is not having His way with us. But let us take courage and commit our way to God daily. We can have the victory over the flesh in the power of the indwelling Spirit.

This is our heritage. This is real spiritual health in the believer. Weakness, division and joylessness are evidences of spiritual poverty and immaturity, things we should be ashamed of. Let us grow up into Christ. This is the ultimate of the Spirit's work in us, that Christ should be magnified in our mortal bodies. We cannot afford to spend our lives, immature, joyless believers producing no fruit.

Praying in the Holy Spirit

"Prayer is the Christian's vital breath, the Christian's native air". If we are prayerless, failure and defeat will follow. And so, in this vital spiritual exercise, the Holy Spirit is near to help us. "We know not how to pray as we ought; but the Spirit Himself maketh intercession for us with groanings which

Cannot be uttered" (Romans B.26). In the writer's understanding this is the work of the Spirit within us, leading us in prayer. Let us value His leading. Let us wait quietly upon God, so that the Spirit of God can direct us in prayer according to the will of God. What scope there is here! "The Spirit lifted me up and took me away", wrote Ezekiel (3.14). And so will the Spirit of God lead us in prayer as we wait before God. We know His leading in the Remembrance of the Lord Jesus at the breaking of the bread, as one after another is led to speak of Him to God. This is the work of the Spirit. So also will He lead us in prayer and supplication as we look Out on the world, to pray for all men. Are we exercised that He will do so? Are we deeply exercised about it?

"There, there on eagle-wings we soar, And time and sense seem all no more;

And heaven comes down our souls to greet, And glory crowns the Mercy Seat".

So it is when we are led by the Spirit of God in prayer. Why is there often a much smaller attendance at the prayer meeting than at the Remembrance? Will not the same Spirit lead us in prayer and supplication, as in praise and worship? Let us gather together in Spirit-led praise and prayer, and heaven will come down our souls to greet, and great grace will be upon us all. Let us say the Amen. Let us delight in prayer, and the Holy Spirit will direct our minds and hearts, according to the will of God.

"Why therefore do we do ourselves this wrong?

Or others; that we are not always strong?

That we should ever weak or heartless be,

Anxious or troubled, while with us is prayer;

And joy and strength and courage are with Thee?"

Fellow-saints, we can have the glory pf God in our lives now. The Spirit of God is in us to perform His gracious work. In private, among our families and in our assemblies, let us betake ourselves to prayer in the Holy Spirit, and even before the Master comes we will have the joy of His presence, and we shall bear much fruit. "Therefore will the LORD wait, that He may be gracious unto you ... blessed are all they that wait for Him" (Isaiah 30.18).

G. Jarvie, Glasgow | Mar 1970
General