© 19 Colin Melbourne, Transcribed and annotated from The Pentecostal Evangel 1923
Hunger for God
He would have us ever hungry to receive more and more of His Spirit.
In times past I have arranged many conventions, and I have found that it is better to have a man on my platform who has not received the Baptism, but who is hungry for all that God has for him, than a man who has received the Baptism and is satisfied, and has settled down, and become stationary and stagnant.
But of course, I would prefer a man that is baptized with the Holy Ghost, and is still hungry for more of God. A man who is not hungry to receive more of God is out of order in any convention.
Filled with The Holy Ghost
It is impossible to overestimate the importance of being filled with the Spirit.
It is impossible for us to meet the conditions of the day, to walk in the light as He is in the light, to subdue kingdoms and work righteousness, and bind the power of Satan unless we are filled with the Holy Ghost.
We read that in the early church, they continued steadfastly in the Apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
It is important for us also to continue steadfastly in these same things.
Dead Denominations
For some years, I was associated with the Plymouth Brethren. They are very strong on the word, [written word. Ed.] and are sound on water-baptism, and they do not neglect the breaking of bread service, but have it every Lord’s Day morning, as they had it in the early church.
These people seem to have everything except the match.
They have the wood, but they need the Fire, and then they would be all ablaze.
Because they lack the Fire of the Holy Spirit, there is no life in their meetings.
Stuck in a Rut
One young man who attended their meetings received the Baptism with the speaking in other tongues, as the Spirit gave utterance.
The Brethren were very upset about this, and came to the father and said to him, “You must take your son aside and tell him to cease.”
They did not want any disturbance.
The father told the son and said, “My boy, I have been attending this church for twenty years, and have never seen anything of this kind. We are established in the truth, and do not want anything new. We won’t have it.”
The son replied, “If that is God’s plan I will obey, but somehow or other, I don’t think it is.”
As they were going home the horse stood still; the wheels were in deep ruts. The father pulled at the reins, but the horse did not move. He asked. “What do you think is up?”
The son answered, “It has got established.”
God save us from becoming stationary!
Continue reading… Smith Wigglesworth: Concerning Spiritual Gifts
Preached at Springfield Assembly of God in 1922
© 19 Colin Melbourne, Transcribed and annotated from The Pentecostal Evangel 1923
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