When The Spirit's Influence Is Put Forth Within Us

When The Spirit's Influence is Put Forth Within Us

All that the Spirit does for us, and all that He works within us - is of grace. He graciously quickens the dead, instructs the ignorant, liberates the captives, restores the wanderers, comforts the dejected, strengthens the weak, and sanctifies the impure. His work is His delight - and to see us holy and happy is His pleasure!

The Holy Spirit produces all our graces within us. He is the root - and our graces are His fruits; hence we read, "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. 

When His influence is put forth within us - then we believe God's Word, hope in His mercy,rejoice in His goodness, cleave to His cause, walk in His ways, love His truth, His people, and Himself, holiness is then happiness, duties are then pleasant, and even the cross lays light upon our shoulders.

But if the Spirit hides Himself, withdraws His influences, and leaves us to ourselves - then we doubt and fear, fret and pine, kick and rebel, rove from thing to thing, and nothing will either please or satisfy us. We often then question the past, are wretched at present, and dread the future.

But when He puts forth His power in us again, our graces shoot forth like bulbous roots in the spring, our sighs are exchanged for songs, our fears are exchanged for fortitude, our doubts are exchanged for confidence, and our murmurings are exchanged for gratitude and love.

When we sink into the dust of self-abasement, admire the forbearance and patience of God, condemn our own conduct, and wonder that we are out of hell.

Then we take down our harps from the willows, and with a melting heart, a weeping eye, and a tremulous voice we sing, "The winter is past; the rains are over and gone. Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land. The fig tree forms its early fruit; the blossoming vines spread their fragrance." Our wilderness is now turned into an Eden - and our desert into the Garden of the Lord.

Come, Holy Spirit, come, and produce a spring season in our souls!

Brethren, we need the Holy Spirit, as the Spirit of grace - to make us gracious and graceful Christians. Without the Spirit of grace we cannot live up to our profession; we cannot copy the example of our beloved Master; we cannot keep His commandments; we cannot love one another as He has loved us; we cannot sympathize with lost sinners as we should; we cannot keep God's glory in view in all that we do; we cannot walk in high and holy fellowship with God; we cannot meet death with peace and joy! 

~James Smith~
_______________________________

The Only Effectual Reformer of the World!

"When He comes - He will convict the world about sin, righteousness, and judgment" (John 16:8).

The Holy Spirit is the only effectual reformer of the world! If He is absent - legislators may make laws against crime; philosophers may reason against vice; ministers may preach against sin; conscience may remonstrate against evil; the divine law may prescribe, and threaten hell; the gospel may invite and allure to heaven; but all will be in vain! 

The strongest arguments, the most melting entreaties, the most alarming denunciations from God and man, enforced with the highest authority, or the most compassionate tears - all will have no effect - all will not effectually reclaim one sinner, nor gain one sincere convert to righteousness!

Paul, Apollos, and Peter, with all their apostolic abilities, can do nothing, without the Holy Spirit! Paul may plant the seed - and Apollos may water it; but God alone can make it grow! "So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything - but only God, who makes things grow!" (1 Cor. 3:6, 7).

Never will peace and harmony be established in this jangling world - until this Divine Agent (the Holy Spirit) takes the work in hand.

It is He alone - who can melt down the obstinate hearts of men into love and peace!

It is He alone - who can soften their rugged and savage tempers, and transform them into mutual benevolence!

It is He alone - who can quench those lusts that set the world on fire, and implant the opposite virtues and graces. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control are mentioned by Paul, as the fruit of the Spirit, because the Spirit alone is the author of them. And if these dispositions were predominant in the world - what a serene, calm, peaceful region would it be, undisturbed with the hurricanes of human passions! 

Oh, how much do we need the influence of the blessed Holy Spirit - to break the heart of stone, to enlighten the dark mind, and to comfort the desponding soul!

~Samuel Davies~