© 19 Colin Melbourne, Transcribed and annotated from The Latter Rain publication of the Stone Church 1923
The Apple of His Eye
The child of God who is rocked in the Bosom of the Father, has the sweetest touch of Heaven, and the honey of the word is always in it.
Oh if the saints only knew how precious they are in the sight of God, they would be scarcely able to sleep, for thought of His watchful, loving care.
Oh He is a precious Jesus!
He is a lovely Saviour!
Hearts on Fire
He is divine in all His attitude toward us, and makes our hearts to burn. There is nothing like it.
“Oh,” they said on the road to Emmaus, Lk. 24:32 KJV;
Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?
Oh Beloved, it must be so today.
It will greatly help you to see three things:
First, the ministration. The Holy Ghost is full of ministration.
Then again, don’t forget about the operation of the Holy Ghost.
And always keep in your mind the fact that the Holy Ghost must bring manifestation.
Let us take the first thought now which is bearing on this great plan.
Ministration of The Spirit
We must understand that the Holy Ghost is breath, the Holy Ghost is a Person, and it is the most marvellous thing to me to know that this Holy Ghost power can be in every part of your body. You can feel it from the crown of your head, to the soles of your feet. [9]
Oh, it is lovely to be burning all over with the Holy Ghost!
And when that takes place, there is nothing but the operation of the tongue that must give forth the glory and the praise.
You must be in the place of magnifying the Lord.
The Holy Ghost is the Great Magnifier of Jesus, the Great Illuminator of Jesus.
And so, after the Holy Ghost comes in, it is impossible to keep your tongue still.
Why, you would burst if you didn’t give Him utterance.
Talk about a dumb baptised soul? Such a person is not to be found in the Scriptures.
When the Holy Ghost comes, He must be a power of ministry.
That is His Office. The power of ministry through the revelation of the Great Ideal of Jesus!
When the Holy Ghost becomes a ministry in the life, what will happen?
Why Beloved, if we can get lost in God only once a year, to be divinely imbued with the power, it will be worth a world to us. Talk about preaching! I would like to know how it will be possible for all the people filled with the Holy Ghost to stop preaching. Even the sons and daughters must prophesy! [10]
After the Holy Ghost comes in, after that operation by the Spirit, a man is in a new order in God. And you will find it so real that you cannot help it, you will want to sing, talk, laugh, and shout.
We are in a strange place when the Holy Ghost comes in.
If the incoming of the Spirit is lovely, what must be the onflow?
The incoming is only to be an onflow.
I am very interested in scenery. When I was in Switzerland, I wouldn’t be satisfied until I went to the top of the mountain; though I like the valleys also.
On the summit of the mountain the sun beats on the snow, and sends the water trickling down the mountains, right through to the meadows.
Go there and see if you can stop it.
Just so in the spiritual.
God begins with the divine flow of His eternal power, which is the Holy Ghost, and you cannot stop it.
We must always clearly see that the baptism of the Spirit must make us ministering spirits.
The next thought then is, that it must be on the line of operation…
[9] You can feel it: Smith is here referring to the tangible anointing of the Holy Ghost as a believer ministers the Gifts, in healing, laying on of hands, prophesying etc. This is not to confused with the anointing within every believer’s heart (1 Jn. 2:27), also written of as the hidden man of the heart (1 Pe. 3:4), which is sensed spiritually, not tangibly.
[10] …preaching. Even the sons and daughters must prophesy! The biblical meaning of “prophecy” is far broader than mere charismatic prophecy. It includes that, but also covers preaching the Gospel, and teaching sound doctrine.
Continue reading:
Smith Wigglesworth on The Active Life of the Spirit-filled believer
© 19 Colin Melbourne, Transcribed and annotated from The Latter Rain publication of the Stone Church 1923
