ChristianWalkOnline

Friday, December 03, 2004

Not By Might Nor By Power

And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power. 1 Corinthians 2:4

Not By Might Nor By Power

If in preaching the Gospel you substitute your clear knowledge of the way of salvation for confidence in the power of the Gospel, you hinder people getting to Reality. You have to see that while you proclaim your knowledge of the way of salvation, you yourself are rooted and grounded in faith in God. Never rely on the clearness of your exposition, but as you give your exposition see that you are relying on the Holy Spirit. Rely on the certainty of God's redemptive power, and He will create His own life in souls.

When once you are rooted in Reality, nothing can shake you. If your faith is in experiences, any thing that happens is likely to upset that faith; but nothing can ever upset God or the almighty Reality of Redemption; base your faith on that, and you are as eternally secure as God. When once you get into personal contact with Jesus Christ, you will never be moved again. That is the meaning of sanctification.

God puts His disapproval on human experience when we begin to adhere to the conception that sanctification is merely an experience, and forget that sanctification itself has to be sanctified (John 17:19). I have deliberately to give my sanctified life to God for His service, so that He can use me as His hands and His feet.

As Christians, we can indeed be confident of our salvation - and thus personally confident in God's redemptive power.  As C.H. Spurgeon stated so eloquently:

Never be content, my dear hearers, unless you are sealed, unless you are sure, by the inward witness and testimony of the Holy Ghost, that you have been begotten again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. It is possible for a man to know infallibly that he is secure of heaven. He may not only hope so, but he may know it beyond a doubt, and he may know it thus,—by being able with the eye of faith to see the seal, the broad stamp of the Holy Spirit set upon his own character and experience.

If you have made the decision to follow The Christ, make sure you rely on the confidence of the Gospel, not your words, when sharing the Hope of Christ with others.  
If you have not made the decision to follow The Christ, he truly wants to enter into a covenant relationship with you - and is ready right now for you to make that decision.

Portions Taken From Taken From My Utmost For His Highest And From Grieving The Spirit - C.H. Spurgeon - October 9, 1859.


10:54:03 AM    comment []

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