The Spirit of Promise

A most important truth is taught in Luke 11. Though the Spirit is to "reprove the world," it does not act as a Comforter and Sanctifier to any unless they voluntarily receive it. "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you."

After giving illustrations of the readiness of parents to give needed things to their children, he continued:—

"If ye, then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit TO THEM THAT ASK HIM." Luke 11:9-13.

Therefore we conclude that if we do not believe the Spirit should be prayed for, or if, for any cause, we neglect to ask for it, we cannot expect to receive it.

But an objection is raised against this truth. It is said, There is danger of being deceived; there are "seducing spirits" in the world; 1 Tim. 4:1; and men are liable to be led by these, while they think they are led by the Spirit of God; and the danger is very great, as Satan transforms himself to an angel of light.

There is much truth in this objection; not only is there danger of being deceived, but thousands are deceived, and led on, by the deception, to their destruction. And therefore we should be all the more careful in our walk and in our prayers. But let us examine our Saviour's illustrations.

"If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?" Luke 11:12.

Now if a son is so blinded, or his senses so benumbed, that he cannot tell the difference between bread and a stone, or a fish and a serpent, or an egg and a scorpion, then is his case, indeed, deplorable. And if he is so far from his father, and so little acquainted with him, that, when he asks for bread, a deceiver steps in, and, pretending to be his father, gives him a stone instead, and he does not know the difference, his case may be regarded as desperate.

But what would one think or say, should he see a son refuse to take bread from the willing hand of a kind father because stones were so numerous in the land? Should such a course be pursued by any one we could only expect that death by starvation would be the result.

The apostle James gives important instruction on this point. If we "ask amiss," either in lack of faith or to gratify our selfishness, we shall not receive. God's will and glory must be kept in view. Self must be denied and crucified. Our consecration to God must be complete. Our submission to his will and pleasure must be perfect, so that we are ready to bear any cross, to accept any truth, or to take any advance step in the work of faith; in short, we must abide in him and have his word abiding in us, and then we may ask what we will and it shall be done. John 15:7.

Many fail to receive the gracious influence of the Spirit, or receiving it, abuse it, and so shut up the way of further blessings, by receiving it as the end of Christian effort instead of as a means. When such are blessed of Heaven they consider that the object of religious effort has been accomplished; and they sit down to enjoy themselves, or to congratulate themselves over their gifts and graces. A greater mistake could not be made. So does the gormandizer take his food as the means of self-gratification, and this is the end of his efforts. But the man who realizes the responsibilities of life, and who has a true interest in the faithful discharge of life's duties, accepts his food as a means of gathering strength for future labor and usefulness. The Spirit will be given to all who ask for it as a means of renewing their strength that they may engage more successfully in the Christian warfare, and gain new victories to the glory of the Captain of our salvation.

Paul speaks of "those who, by reason of use, have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil." Heb. 5:14. It is unfortunate that so many lack this discernment; they have never so used their senses as to have them available to any practical benefit. In gifts of the Spirit they discern only evil. Every object is to them a stone, a serpent or a scorpion. Humility, self-denying, cross-bearing, and earnest prayer would enable them to see unnumbered blessings, great and precious, clustering along their pathway, where all is now dark, dreary, and forbidding.