Samuel Chadwick: Early in the year 1882 there came to me an experience that lifted my life to a new plane of understanding and of power.
I received the gift of the Holy Spirit. I was led in ways I did not know, for I had hardly so much as heard that such an experience was possible.
(Google image, Pray in the power of the Holy Spirit)
The demands of an impossible task awakened me to a sense of need. I had neither power nor might in either service or prayer. I began to pray for power for service, and God led me to the answer by the way of equipment for prayer.
It was a great surprise to me, for I thought I knew how to pray and had prayed much over the work to which He had sent me.
When I began to seek power, my ears were opened before my eyes began to see. I heard testimonies to which I had been deaf. Others had been driven to God baffled by lack of power, but they always associated the gift of power with an experience of holiness—about which I was not keen.
It was power I wanted. I wanted power that I might succeed, and my chief concern for power was the success it would bring. I wanted success that it would fill the chapel, save the people, and bring down the strong fortifications of Satan with a crash.
I was young, and I was in a hurry. Twelve of us began to pray in band, and the answer came by
A way no more expected,
Than when His sheep
Passed through the deep,
By crystal walls protected.
He led us to Pentecost. The key to all my life is in that experience. It awakened my mind as well as cleansed my heart. It gave me a new joy and a new power, a new love and a new compassion.
It gave me a new Bible and a new message. Above all else, it gave me a new understanding and a new intimacy in the communion and ministry of prayer; it taught me to pray in the Spirit.
The Co-operation of the Spirit
The work of the Holy Spirit is always in cooperation. He never works alone. He depends upon human co-operation for the mediation of His mind, the manifestation of His truth, and the effectual working of His will.
He indwells the Body of Christ, as Christ dwelt in the body prepared for Him by the Holy Spirit. Revelation came from the Spirit of Truth as men of God were inspired by Him. The word is His, but the writing is with the hands of men.
This twofold actions runs through the whole of redemption by Christ Jesus. Our Lord was born of a woman but was conceived by the Holy Spirit of God. He grew in stature and in knowledge in the house of Joseph, instructed and guided by the Holy Spirit.
His teaching and ministry were in the power of the same Spirit. He offered Himself without blemish unto God through the eternal Spirit, and it was the Spirit that raised up Christ from the dead.
There is the same co-operation in all the experience of salvation. There is always a human and divine factor. There is a twofold witness, a twofold leading, a twofold work, and a two-fold intercession. We pray in the Spirit, and the Spirit maketh intercession for us.
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THE PATH OF PRAYER
By Samuel Chadwick
(Click on the title to buy)
By Samuel Chadwick
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Let's pray-
Father, the experience that Mr. Chadwick speaks of lifted his life to a new plane of understanding and of power. He said that it was the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Your Spirit led him in ways he hadn't known before, and for which he hadn't heard much about, and that such an experience was even possible.
Because of the demands of an impossible task, he was awakened to his sense of the need of power in service and in prayer.
You led him to the answer by way of equipping him with new power through praying with the Holy Spirit's help. It was a great surprise to him, for he'd thought he knew how to pray, having prayed much over the work You'd sent him to do.
As he wanted power to succeed in getting the chapel filled, people saved, and in bringing down the strong fortifications of Satan, he was led to experience Pentecost, along with 11 other friends.
He related that it awakened his mind as well as cleansed his heart, and it gave him a new joy and a new power, a new love and compassion for his work.
His Bible became new, and above all else, he had a new understanding and a new intimacy in the communion and ministry of prayer; it taught him to pray in the Spirit.
Mr. Chadwick understood better, that Christ dwelt in him now, as Christ had been dwelt in by the Holy Spirit.
Jesus was born of a woman but was conceived by the Holy Spirit of God. Christ grew in stature and in knowledge in His home with Joseph and Mary, where He was instructed and guided by the Holy Spirit.
Christ's teaching and ministry were in the power of the Holy Spirit. He offered Himself without blemish unto God the Father through the eternal Spirit. It was the Spirit that raised Christ from the dead.
We see that there is the same co-operation in all of our experience of salvation; human and the divine factor. We learn to witness, work and intercede with the Holy Spirit's help and direction.
We pray with grateful hearts, and desire to be filled and used by Your Holy Spirit. We ask this in Christ's name. Amen.
Today's Bible verses-
Jude vv. 20, 21 (NKJV) "But you, beloved, building
yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in
the Holy Spirit, (v. 21) keep yourselves in the love
of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus
Christ unto eternal life."
1 Cor. 16:13, 14 (NKJV) "Watch, stand fast in the
faith, be brave, be strong. (v. 14) Let all that you
do be done with love."
Acts 2:16-18 (NKJV) "But this is what was spoken
by the prophet Joel:
(v. 17) 'And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all
flesh: Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
Your young men shall see visions, Your old men
shall dream dreams. (v. 18) And on My menservants
and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit
in those days; And they shall prophesy.' "
Today's quote-
When you and I feel drawn in God’s direction, it might feel like our own instinct. When we decide to call to Him, it might feel like our idea. When we find ourselves inclined toward Him, it might feel as if we are seeking Him out. However, in reality, every time we have any impulse to pursue the things of God, we are responding to His invitation."
Today's next 5 posts of 100 things Our God Is . . .
46. Our All Sufficiency
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47. The Word
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48. Dwelling in Us
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49. Easily Touched
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50. Faithful & True
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Today's popular post-
The Holy Spirit Will Set You Ablaze
Today's question-
What is the main thing?
The main thing as a Christian, is to share the love of Christ with others. Our sharing what He accomplished in living, dying and being raised from the dead, is to be our main thing. Our lives are to be reflections of His grace and truth, working in us to become like Him.
He saved us as a result of our repentance and believing in the punishment Christ endured on the Cross some 2,000 years ago, which happened in our place for our sin; as He knew no sin.
This was the Father's plan of Atonement, which provided a way back to Him, and gives us the promise of eternity in heaven. We are to make it our main thing in life; to honor Jesus and what He has provided for all mankind.
Upcoming posts-
#24 The Fellowship of the Spirit in Prayer
28th- Thursday's post by Samuel ChadwickHandling Discouragements
30th- Saturday's post by Mary Southerland
#25 The Prayer of the Spirit
4/2- Tuesday's post by Samuel Chadwick
#26- Praying to God Our Father
4th- Thursday's post by Samuel Chadwick
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