Life on Wings - A Tribute to Dr Ern Baxter

"The Power of the Holy Ghost" -

I am deeply aware that my ever increasing collection of Metropolitan Tabernacles are a deep and dusty treasure trove, but digging through them is EXACTLY as John Piper described - sometimes you get rare and precious diamonds. I was reading the New Park Street Pulpit and I found this outstanding and amazing sermon on the "Power of the Holy Ghost". I have typed out the headings and the key quotes so the general thrust comes across. This is a "broad view" of the Spirit that I long to catch and hang onto!!

A Sermon on the Text: Romans 15:13 by C H Spurgeon - 17th June 1855.

"Power is the special and perculiar perogative of God and God alone".

1. The Outward and Visible Displays of Power

"Four Works".

i) Creation Works: Job 26:13 - "By His Spirit hath He garnished the heavens".

ii) Resurrection Works: "The resurrection was affected by the agency of the Spirit".

iii) Attestation Works: "Ah! Those Socinians who deny the existence of the Holy Ghost and His absolute Personality, what will they do when we get them on creation, resurrection and attestation? They must rush in the very teeth of Scripture".

iv) Grace Works: "Let the gospel be preached and the Spirit poured out and you will see it has such power to change the conscience, to ameliorate the conduct, to raise the debased, to chastise and curb the wickedness of the race that you must glory in it".

2. Inward and Spiritual Power of the Holy Spirit.

i) Power over men's hearts: "There is not a minster breathing that can win men's hearts himself".

ii) Power over men's wills: "If there is one thing more stubborn than the hear, it is the will. I want nothing to do with free will, but I will try to see whether I have got a free will and I find that I have. Very free will to evil, but very poor will to that which is good".

iii) Power over men's imaginations: "The imagination will sometimes fly up to God with such a power that eagles wings cannot match it - but if it is potent one way, then it is another. For my imagination has taken me down to the vilest kennels and sewers upon the earth. Can you chain your imagination? No but the Spirit of God can".

3. Future and Desired Effects.

i) Perfect us in holiness.

ii) Bringing on of Latter Day Glory: "In a few more years, the Holy Spirit will be poured out in a far different style from the present. For the hour is coming when the Holy Ghost shall be poured out in such a wonderful manner that many shall run to and fro and knowledge shall be increased - the knowledge of the Lord shall cover the earth as the waters cover the surface of the great deep. When His Kingdom shall come and His will shall be done on the earth as it is in heaven. My heart exults and my eyes flash with the thought that very likely I shall live to see the outpouring of the Spirit; when sons and daughters of God shall prophesy and young men see visions and old men dream dreams".

iii) General resurrection: "When the wind of the Holy Spirit comes they shall stand on their feet a great and mighty army".

Concluding Comments:

"The Spirit is very powerful, Christian!".

"He is able to make you willing in the day of His Power".