Tf Suppose we saw an army sitting down before a granite fort,
■ and they told us that they intended to batter it down ; we might
ask them, " How ? " They point to a cannon-ball. Well, there
1 H. P. Liddon.
ACTS i. 8 9
is no power in that ; it is heavy, but not more than half a hundred-, or perhaps a hundred-weight ; if all the men in the army hurled it against the fort, they would make no impression. They say, " No ; but look at the cannon." Well, there is no power in that. A child may ride upon it, a bird may perch in its mouth ; it is a machine, and nothing more. " But look at the powder." Well, there is no power in that ; a child may spill it, a sparrow may peck it. Yet this powerless powder, and powerless ball, are put into the powerless cannon, one spark of fire enters it, and then, in the twinkling of an eye, that powder is a flash of lightning, and that ball a thunderbolt which smites as if it had been sent from heaven. So is it with our Church machinery at this day : we have all the instruments necessary for pulling down strongholds, and 0 for the baptism of fire ! 1
II.
The Soukce of Power. "When the Holy Ghost is come upon you."
1. "Ye shall receive power, when the Holy Ghost is come upon you." The power is not only coincident in time with the gift of the Holy Spirit of God, it is derived from it. The literal translation is, " Ye shall receive power, the Holy Spirit coming upon you." The connexion between the baptism of the Holy Spirit and the power may be seen from Christ's treatment of His Apostles. They had been with Him in His work, had seen His miracles, had heard His addresses, had been taught by Him in private for years, had seen Him in His passion, death, and resurrection, and were yet to witness His ascension; but they were told to tarry for this enduement. Theirs was a task for which they seemed well equipped. As eye and ear witnesses, it was theirs to go out and tell the things that they had seen and heard ; yet they were not allowed to do so without this last all- important equipment.
% There is one inlet of power in the life, — anybody's life — any kind of power, just one inlet, — the Holy Spirit. He is power. He is in every one who opens his door to God. He eagerly enters every open door. He comes in by our invitation and consent. His presence within is the vital thing.2
1 W". Arthur, The Tongue of Fire, 309.
2 S. D. Gordon, Quiet Talks on Prayer, 9.
io POWER FOR WITNESS
IT On one occasion it was our lot to hear a preacher of name, preaching before a great Missionary Society, from the text, " I am come to send fire upon the earth." Choosing to interpret the fire referred to in this passage as the power which would purify and renew the earth, he at once declared the truth to be that power, and most consistently pursued his theme, without ever glancing at anything but the instrument. Afterwards, hearing the merits of the sermon discussed by some eminent ministers of his own denomination, and finding no allusion to its theology, we asked, "Did you not remark any theological defect?" No one remarked any, till the minister of some obscure country congregation broke silence, for the first time, by saying, "Yes; there was not one word in it about the Holy Spirit." x
2. Why do I believe in the power of the Holy Ghost ? First, because it is clearly promised me by God. God, who never fails His people, has promised power. " Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of Hosts." "When Jesus Christ went away, He said : "It is expedient for you that I go away, for if I go not away the Comforter will not come to you ; but if I depart, I will send Him to you." What was the Comforter to do when He came ? " Tarry ye in Jerusalem till ye be clothed with power from on high. When the Holy Ghost is come upon you, ye shall receive power." Could the Word of God be more clearly pledged to anything than this — that the Holy Ghost shall give us power? Next, let us look to see whether this promise was fulfilled to the first disciples. We see a body of men — not only Apostles, but all the first disciples, men and women just like ourselves — tarrying in Jerusalem, gathered together, weak, irresolute, timid, and perplexed. We hear the sound of a rushing mighty wind ; we see tongues of fire coming down upon that body. What has happened ? They have received the Spirit of power. Those timid, irresolute fishermen and peasants are turned into the world's apostles. They always know henceforth the next thing to do ; they face the world with courage and determination. Unknown, unnamed, they go out, a little body, full of the Holy Ghost, and they convert the world.