The Cross and The Eternal Glory # 23

The Urgency and the Way of Spiritual Reality (continued)

The First Effect of the Spirit's Coming Was Light

I want to stay with that for a moment. We were reminded this morning that when the Holy Spirit came, when this dispensation began, everything was no longer outward and external, it became inward. And the first effect of the Spirit's coming was light, it was light. And the light means what has been hidden, what has been dark disappears, and you can see.

And the first effect of the Holy Spirit's coming was to see the meaning of Christ and the meaning of salvation and the meaning of how to know God. Why, on the day of Pentecost the first thing that happened was light, was it not?

You see, Peter, when he rose up to speak on that day, the first thing he said was: "All of this that has happened, all this is that which was spoken of by the prophet." Do you remember that? And he went on to say that David said certain things, but David did not know what he was talking about, it is Christ that is the meaning of David speaking about resurrection. In other words, the Holy Spirit illuminated those who received the Spirit, to see the meaning of things. It was light. And if you and I are to have any light on spiritual things, it will be only by the Holy Spirit; the Holy Spirit alone can enlighten us.

You know in the knowledge of God, in the knowledge of Jesus, our own capacity and mental ability will not take us through, and will not get us there at all. Those of you who have just started this new life, I do say this to you, "Trust the Holy Spirit to teach you. Trust Him to show you the meaning of the Word of God." Oh, what a wear and tear it is in trying to be clever and understanding it all. God does not want that, He says, "When He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all the truth" (John 16:13). He will show you everything. And if we are to understand, if we are to have light, dear friends, all of us need to depend much more upon the Holy Spirit, much more to say, 'We know nothing of ourselves,' and to ask the Lord to teach us. You know, our natural independence can come into these things so much, we can try and find out ourselves. And I believe the Lord wants to bring us to real light, to real understanding, by our being Spirit taught, beginning to know what it is, to see what He means by things, because He is teaching us Himself. We cannot stay with that because we want to come to the next, the effects of the Spirit's coming. The first is Light.

~T. Austin-Sparks~

(continued with # 24 - The Second Effect of the Spirit's Coming is Power)