Being Filled with the Spirit (“We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.”)

Selected Verses: Hebrews 3:1. Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus. Acts 19:2. He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. Ephesians 1:17. That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: Opening: [It’s] very interesting to me to watch the development of the twins. Of course, we all know the twins by this time. Yesterday, one was complaining about the other. The girl was complaining about the boy. She said, “You know, he’s getting to use that word all the time.” I said, “What word?” She said, “Ugly.” He told her she was ugly. And so I reminded them of something they forgot: how they used to have cribs with springy mattresses, and before they could walk, they could stand on that springy mattress, and get hold of the railing, and jump. And they would do that, I suppose, for hours—just jump up, and jump up and down and sing. And they’d sing, “Heavenly sunshine” in their baby talk. And then when they got tired of that, they would sing, “Heavenly Grandma, heavenly Grandma.” I often think of that now. Why, there’s more truth than poetry in that. There ought to be enough development in all of us by this time so that God could say, “Holy brethren.” … Selected Quotes: We need to know the Holy Ghost, because He’s our life. We need to drink of that Fountain of life. It isn’t sufficient to be baptized with the Holy Ghost, but now to walk in the Spirit, “e has translated you out of the kingdom of darkness.” How many people claim to be baptized with the Holy Ghost, and they’re satisfied to still live in the flesh, and they’re satisfied to still be governed by the flesh! That’s where our frowns come from. But beloved, that, the Bible says, is dangerous: “If we live in the flesh, we shall die.” We shall die! “But if ye live in the spirit…” Do you know the Spirit? Do you know the Holy Ghost? Is He your habitation? Is He your realm? Is He the ocean of life and of light and of grace and of love and of joy and of peace into which you’ve been sunk, deeply sunk, so that your whole being has been transformed into this ocean of love? “Have you received the Holy Ghost?” … It had gone into my heart that “you should be holy and without blame before Him in love.” Beloved, we don’t know the Holy Ghost unless we have accepted that call of God. … “Draw nigh to God, and He will draw high to you.” What a privilege! What a call: “Abide in Me, and I in you.” What a call! Why is it not so real to us that it grips every atom of our being so that we “count everything but refuse—but dung—for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord”? … We talk about death as if it were somewhere in the future: Someday, someday, maybe we’ll die to the flesh; someday, maybe we’ll bear the cross. Today, we sing about it: “The way of the cross leads home.” But we’re hesitating… But Paul says, “I tell you the truth, I die daily.” “I bear in my body the dying of the Lord Jesus.” And he didn’t do it with a frown, but he did it with great happiness. … Oh beloved, you’ll cease running after anything else. You’ll get up and you’ll run after Him until you find Him. And you’ll hold Him, and you won’t let Him go. Oh, that “Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him” will make you be a goner, absolutely! “I have seen the face of Jesus—tell me not of aught beside.” You know, you can quickly recognize Christians that really have met the Lord. Oh, you don’t have to make any laws for them, you don’t. You don’t have to tell them what to do and what not to do. Love compels them. “If any man love Me…” And you can’t help but love Him when you see Him. Oh, beloved, do you know the Holy Ghost? Do you know there is a Holy Ghost? Is He at home with you, or do you grieve Him by careless talking, and foolishness, and by talking too much, or living in the flesh, or careless thoughts? … Beloved, it isn’t feeling, it’s the kingdom of God—it’s the reign of Christ. And if Christ does not reign within you—if Jesus Christ does not reign, there are a thousand potentates that are just waiting to take over. And they will. … The Bible says, “The Holy Ghost was not yet because Jesus was not yet glorified.” It means He had not yet received His kingdom. But, thank God, He’s been glorified a long time. You don’t have to crown Him. He is the King. But you and I can bow to His scepter. What a call! How wonderful that we know the kingdom of God! And, beloved, God the Father has been “pleased to give that kingdom” to us. Do you want it? If you want it, you’ll want the Holy Ghost. If you want that kingdom, you will not stoop to the works of the flesh anymore. He says, “Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ.” I like that scripture: He is Lord—“Put on the Lord.” What a transformation! What a change: “Not I, but Christ”! … Beloved, God has a salvation for us. “How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation?” And here we try to fix up a salvation to fit our flesh. It fits, doesn’t it? Sure, it fits your flesh—that “whited sepulcher” fits over the dead, dry bones, and the horrible stench. … Illustrations: The story of a minister who despised praising the Lord. “When we talked about the presence of the Lord, he couldn’t feel it. He said, ‘Bah! That’s emotionalism, that’s soulish, that’s psychic.’” (from 24:51) German at 2:23: Ein Baptist ist ein Christ und ein Christ ist ein Baptist und wer eins von beiden nicht ist, der ist keins von beiden. A Baptist is a Christian, And a Christian is a Baptist; And the one who is only one of the two Is none of the two. This same phrase is used again around 4:17. German at 15:44: Die kommen zu spät in den Himmel. — They will get to heaven too late. German at 28:11: In die Ecke, Besen! Besen! Seids gewesen! A quote from Goethe’s well-known poem, Der Zauberlehrling, or The Sorcerer’s Apprentice. In the last stanza, the master restores order by the command, “To the side of the room hasten, broom, as of old!” A translation of the entire poem is available here. References: Beyond the Brightness of the Sun by T. P. (translated by Frances Bevan) (Acts 22:11) I was journeying in the noontide, When His light shone o’er my road; And I saw Him in that glory— Saw Him—Jesus, Son of God. All around, in noonday splendour, Earthly scenes lay fair and bright; But my eyes no more behold them For the glory of that light. Others in the summer sunshine Wearily may journey on, I have seen a light from heaven, Past the brightness of the sun— Light that knows no cloud, no waning, Light wherein I see His Face, All His love’s uncounted treasures, All the riches of His grace: All the wonders of His glory, Deeper wonders of His love— How for me He won, He keepeth That high place in Heaven above; Not a glimpse—the veil uplifted— But within the veil to dwell, Gazing on His Face for ever, Hearing words unspeakable. Marvel not that Christ in glory All my inmost heart hath won; Not a star to cheer my darkness, But a light beyond the sun. All below lies dark and shadowed, Nothing there to claim my heart, Save the lonely track of sorrow Where of old He walked apart. I have seen the Face of Jesus— Tell me not of aught beside; I have heard the Voice of Jesus— All my soul is satisfied. In the radiance of the glory First I saw His blessed Face, And for ever shall that glory Be my home, my dwelling-place. Sinners, it was not to Angels All this wondrous love was given, But to one who scorned, despised Him, Scorned and hated Christ in heaven. From the lowest depths of darkness To His city’s radiant height, Thus in me He told the measure Of His love and His delight.

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Being Filled with the Spirit (“We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.”)

Hans R. Waldvogel

Hans R. Waldvogel (1893 - 1969)

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