This Sacred Anointing (and others)

This Sacred Anointing (and others)

"But you have an anointing from the Holy One" (1 John 2:20.

Wherever the anointing of the Holy One touches a man's heart it spreads, widening and extending its operations. It thus communicates divine gifts and graces wherever it comes. It bestows and draws out faith, gives repentance and godly sorrow, causes secret self-loathing, and separation from the world, draws the affections upwards, makes sin hated, and Jesus and His salvation loved.

Wherever the anointing of the Holy Spirit touches a man's heart it diffuses itself through his whole soul, and makes him wholly a new creature. It gives new motives, communicates new feelings, enlarges and melts the heart, and spiritualizes and draws the affections upwards.

Without this sacred anointing all our religion is a bubble, all our profession a lie, and all our hopes will end in despair.

O what a mercy to have one drop of this heavenly anointing! 
To enjoy one heavenly feeling! To taste the least measure of Christ's love shed abroad in the heart! What an unspeakable mercy to have one touch, one glimpse, one glance, one communication out of the fullness of Him who fills all in all!

By this anointing from the Holy One, the children of God are supported under afflictions, perplexities, and sorrows.

By this anointing from the Holy One, they see the hand of God in every chastisement, in every providence, in every trial, in every grief, and in every burden.

By this anointing from the Holy One they can bear chastisement with meekness; and put their mouth in the dust, humbling themselves under the mighty hand of God.

Every good word, every good work, every gracious thought, every holy desire, every spiritual feeling do we owe to this one thing: the anointing of the Holy One.

~J. C. Philpot~
_________________________

The Workings of Grace In The Heart

"The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell whee it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit" (John 3:8).

The workings of grace in the heart are utterly mysterious and unsearchable.

We cannot explain why the Word produces effects on one person in a congregation, and not upon another.

We cannot explain why, in some cases; with every possible advantage, and in spite of every entreaty; people reject the Word, and continue dead in trespasses and sins.

We cannot explain why in other cases; with every possible difficulty, and with no encouragement; people are born again, and become decided Christians.

We cannot define the manner in which the Spirit of God conveys life to a soul, and the exact process by which a believer receives a new nature.  All these things are hidden to us. We see certain results, but we can go no further.

This is deeply instructive. It is humbling no doubt to ministers, and teachers of others. The highest abilities, the most powerful preaching, the most diligent working, cannot command success.

God alone can give spiritual life.

But it is a truth at the same time, which supplies an admirable antidote to excessive anxiety and despondency. Our principle work is to sow the seed. That done, we may wait with faith and patience for the result. We may leave our work with the Lord. He alone can, if He thinks fit, give success.

~J. C. Ryle~
___________________________

Wrought With Divine Power

"Our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction" (1 Thess. 1:5).

Most men's religion is nothing else but a round of forms - some have their doings, some have their doctrines, and others have their duties. And when the one has performed his doings, the other learned his doctrines, and the third discharged his duties - why, he is as good a Christian, he thinks as anybody. While all the time, the poor deceived creature is thoroughly ignorant of the kingdom of God, which stands not in simply in word - but in power.

But as the veil of ignorance is taken off the heart, we begin to see and feel that their is a power in vital godliness - a reality in the teachings of the Spirit - that religion is not to be put on and put off as a man puts on and off his Sunday clothes.

Where vital godliness is wrought with divine power in a man's heart, and preached by the Holy Spirit into his conscience - it mingles, daily and often hourly, with his thoughts - entwines itself with his feelings - and becomes the very food and drink of his soul.

Now when a man comes to this spot - to see and feel what a reality there is in the things of God made manifest in the conscience by the power of the Holy Spirit - it effectually takes him out of dead churches, cuts him off from false ministers, winnows the chaff from the wheat, and brings him into close communion with the the family of God.

Our Gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction" (1 Thessalonians 1:5).

~J. C. Philpot~