The Spirit's Work In Salvation (and others)

The Spirit's Work in Salvation (and others)

The Holy Spirit lays bare his heart, lets him see the loathsome cancer that is there eating away his life, uncovers to him all the blackness and defilement of that sink of hell - the human heart; and then the man stands aghast - "I never thought I was like this! Oh! those sins I thought were little, have swelled to an immense stature. What I thought was a mole-hill has grown into a mountain; it was a hyssop on the wall before, but now it has become a cedar of Lebanon."

Then the man says to himself, "Oh, I will try to reform; I will do enough "good" deeds to wash these "black" deeds out."

Then the Holy Spirit comes and shows him that he cannot do this, takes away all his "fancied" power and strength, so that the man falls down on his knees in agony and cries, "Oh! once I thought I could save myself by my good works, but now I find that - 'Could my tears forever flow, could my zeal no respite know, all for sin could not atone, you must save, and You alone."

Then his heart sinks, and the man is ready to despair. He says, "I can never be saved. Nothing can save me."

Then the Holy Spirit comes and shows the sinner the Cross of Christ, gives him eyes anointed with heavenly eye-salve, and says, "Look to yonder Cross. That Man died to save sinners; you feel you are a sinner, He died to save you." And then the Holy Spirit enables the heart to believe, and come to Christ.

~Charles Hadden Spurgeon~
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His Secret Power and Influence

"No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him" (John 6:44).

"I have loved you, My people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to Myself" (Jeremiah 31:3).

None can really come to Jesus by faith unless this drawing power is put forth.

The Holy Spirit - that gracious and blessed Teacher, acts upon the soul by His secret power and influence, puts "cords of love' and 'bands of mercy' around the heart, and by the attractive influence that He puts forth, draws the soul to Jesus' feet; and in due time reveals Him as the chief among ten thousand, and the altogether lovely one.

As the Spirit reveals and manifests these precious things of Christ to the soul, He raises up a living faith whereby Jesus is sought unto, looked unto, laid hold of, and is brought into the heart with a divine power, there to be enshrined in its warmest and tenderest affections.

All through its Christian pilgrimage, this blessed Spirit goes on to deepen His work in the soul, and to discover more and more of the suitability, beauty, and blessedness of the Lord Jesus, as He  draws the soul more and more unto Him. There is no maintaining of the light, life, and power of God in our souls, except as we are daily coming unto Jesus as the living stone, and continually living upon Him as the bread of life.

~J. C. Philpot~
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The Holy Spirit Is The Comforter - But Jesus Is The Comfort!

"The Comforter, who is the Holy Spirit" (John 14:26).

This age is especially the dispensation of the Holy Spirit, in which Jesus cheers us, not by His personal presence, as He shall do in glory - but by the indwelling and constant abiding of the Holy Spirit, who is evermore the Comforter of His people. It is His office to console the hearts of God's people. He convinces of sin; He illuminates and instructs - but still the main part of His work lies in comforting the hearts of the renewed, in confirming the weak, and lifting up all those who are bowed down.

He does this - by revealing Jesus to them!  The Holy Spirit consoles - but Christ is the consolation. If we may use the figure, the Holy Spirit is the  Physician - but Jesus is the medicine. The Holy Spirit heals the wound - but it is by applying the holy ointment of Christ's grace.

Now, with such rich provision for his need, why should the Christian be sad and desponding? The Holy Spirit has graciously engaged to be your Comforter. Do you imagine, O weak and trembling believer, that He will be negligent of His sacred trust? Can  you suppose that He has undertaken what He cannot or will not perform? If it is His special work to strengthen you, and to comfort you - do you suppose He has forgotten His business, or that He will fail in the loving office which He sustains towards you? NO! Do not think so harshly of the tender and blessed Spirit, whose name is "the Comforter." he delights to give beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. Trust in Him, and He will surely comfort you - until the house of mourning is closed forever - and the marriage feast has n begun!

~Charles Spurgeon~