Ezekiel 36:26-27 “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.”

ABSTRACT

We receive the Holy Spirit’s transforming power through heartfelt repentance, burning hunger, persistent prayer, and full surrender, becoming new creations who bear godly fruit and live in unity as God’s victorious community.

THE DIVINE WIND

The longing for spiritual power runs deep through every awakened soul, drawing the heart toward heaven for a strength that earth alone cannot supply. Within the sanctuary message entrusted to this remnant people, the Holy Ghost stands as the appointed agency by which the character of Christ is reproduced in the believer. Without this divine indwelling, profession remains hollow, and the form of godliness denies its own power before a watching universe. The remnant church cannot complete the work committed to her apart from the descent of this promised gift upon the waiting body. The Saviour Himself declared, “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth,” as recorded in Acts 1:8. Every soul who would stand in the time of trouble must first know experimentally the cleansing, the indwelling, and the empowering of the Spirit of God. This article traces, from inspired Scripture and the prophetic writings, the very conditions upon which heaven pours out its richest gift. The path is narrow, but it is open to every penitent heart that will heed the conditions God has plainly revealed.

Pentecost was not an isolated wonder of antiquity but the divine pattern of every genuine reformation in the church of God. The early disciples, gathered in the upper room with one accord, illustrate the only road by which the Spirit may yet be received in fullness. Through inspired counsel we are told that the same preparatory work, only in a greater degree, must precede the final outpouring upon the church before the close of probation. Ellen G. White writes, “It was by the confession and forsaking of sin, by earnest prayer and consecration of themselves to God, that the early disciples prepared for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. The same work, only in a greater degree, must be done now” (Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 507, 1923). The promise spoken through Joel still stands open over the closing work of the gospel, declaring, “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions,” found in Joel 2:28. The pioneers of this advent message understood that the Loud Cry would be no human achievement but the outflow of this latter rain upon a prepared people. Therefore the conditions must be studied with reverence, since heaven withholds nothing where the heart is rightly prepared.
What Must Precede Pentecost?

Repentance is the first and indispensable condition upon which the Holy Ghost descends, for the Spirit cannot dwell in a temple defiled by cherished sin. The apostolic call still sounds across the centuries with undiminished authority over every conscience. Peter answered the convicted multitude, saying, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost,” in Acts 2:38. Repentance is more than acknowledgment of wrong; it is godly sorrow that produces a thorough turning of the whole life. The Old Testament prophet pleaded, “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon,” as written in Isaiah 55:7. The same principle is sealed in the apostle’s promise, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness,” recorded in 1 John 1:9. Without confession and forsaking, the heart remains closed to the gentle striving of the Spirit. The disciples could not have received the Pentecostal blessing while harboring envy, ambition, or self-exaltation among themselves.

The work of repentance must be deep, thorough, and personal, reaching every secret corner of the soul before the Spirit can find a resting place. The promise of Solomon’s dedicatory prayer still stands as the divine formula for revival, declaring, “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land,” in 2 Chronicles 7:14. Pioneers such as James White, Joseph Bates, and J. N. Andrews labored continually upon this point, calling the people to a thorough searching of heart before the great Day of Atonement above. The Hebrew prophet underscored the deep nature of this turning, writing, “And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil,” in Joel 2:13. The hidden cherishing of one known sin closes the soul against the descent of the Holy Spirit. The Saviour’s solemn warning still presses upon every conscience, that “if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift,” in Matthew 5:23, 24. Therefore the call of the hour is to come away from every defilement, that the latter rain may find a prepared and consecrated vessel.

Can Prayer Unlock the Promise?

Earnest, importunate, persevering prayer is the second condition upon which the Holy Ghost is bestowed, for God has linked His richest blessing to the asking of His people. The Saviour Himself taught this principle by parable, illustrating the persistence that prevails with heaven against every discouragement. He said, “I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth,” in Luke 11:8. The lesson is unmistakable: the seeking soul must not relent until the answer descends from above. The apostle James enjoined the same earnestness, writing, “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded,” recorded in James 4:8. The Hebrew prophet exhorted, “Ask ye of the Lord rain in the time of the latter rain; so the Lord shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field,” as found in Zechariah 10:1. The Spirit is not gained by a passing wish but by the wrestling of Jacob, who refused to release the angel until the blessing came.

The prophetic messenger raises a piercing question that every Bible worker, minister, and lay member should pause to consider before another season passes. The inspired pen writes, “Why do we not hunger and thirst for the gift of the Spirit, since this is the means by which we are to receive power? Why do we not talk of it, pray for it, preach concerning it?” (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 8, 22, 1904). The question itself rebukes the formal religion that asks for everything but the one gift heaven longs to bestow. Hosea joined the same exhortation, declaring, “Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth,” in Hosea 6:3. The promise descends upon those whose pursuit is steady and whose petitions are unceasing through every providence. Pioneers like Stephen N. Haskell and Uriah Smith repeatedly called the believers to seasons of united, importunate intercession before the throne of grace. The apostle Paul commanded, “Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you,” in 1 Thessalonians 5:17, 18. Such prayer is not an empty form but the breath of the renewed soul reaching after its source in God.

Do We Hunger for Heaven’s Fire?

The third condition is a holy hunger, an inward craving that prizes the Spirit above every earthly possession and above every passing comfort. The Saviour pronounced the beatitude upon those who hold this passion in their souls, saying, “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled,” in Matthew 5:6. The Spirit is given to those whose desire is intense, deliberate, and undivided across the days of their pilgrimage. The prophet of old described this thirst, writing, “Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price,” as recorded in Isaiah 55:1. The promise continues with full clarity in the words, “For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring,” in Isaiah 44:3. The Saviour repeated this great offer in the temple, crying, “If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water,” found in John 7:37, 38. The longing soul gathers the promises of God as Joseph gathered grain in the seven plenteous years.

The psalmist confessed his own thirst with words that every spiritual heart should learn by memory and repeat in solitude. He wrote, “As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?” in Psalm 42:1, 2. The pioneer ministers of the third angel’s message, including E. J. Waggoner and A. T. Jones at Minneapolis in 1888, pleaded with the brethren to recover this hunger for righteousness by faith in the living Christ. The same earnest desire which marked the upper room must again take possession of the church before the latter rain descends in its fullness. The book of Revelation closes with the invitation, “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely,” in Revelation 22:17. Without the deep craving, religion becomes routine and the Spirit grieved retires from the chamber of the soul. The hungry heart, however, is the heart that heaven satisfies, for the God of heaven keeps His ancient word.

Will the Father Withhold His Gift?

The fourth condition is unshaken confidence in the willingness of God to bestow the Holy Spirit upon all who ask in sincerity and in faith. The Saviour grounded this faith in the most tender comparison, drawing from the relationship of an earthly father to his children at the family hearth. He said, “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?” in Luke 11:13. The argument moves from the lesser to the greater, from the imperfect parent to the infinite Father of mercies above. The same Saviour added an open promise, declaring, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened,” as recorded in Matthew 7:7, 8. The apostle Peter affirmed that the Holy Ghost is given to the obedient, writing that the Spirit is given to “them that obey him,” in Acts 5:32. The promise is therefore not abstract but conditioned upon a yielded life surrendered to the divine will.

The inspired pen presses this glorious assurance upon the wavering heart with the language of a father’s pleading and a mother’s coaxing. The prophetic messenger writes, “The Lord is more willing to give the Holy Spirit to us than parents are to give good gifts to their children. … My brethren and sisters, plead for the Holy Spirit. God stands back of every promise He has made. With your Bibles in your hands, say, ‘I have done as Thou hast said. I present Thy promise, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you’” (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 8, 22, 23, 1904). Such words sweep away every doubt of the Father’s heart toward His children. The pioneer movement learned to hold the bare promise upon the open page of Scripture and to claim it before the throne with childlike confidence. The apostle declared, “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” in Romans 8:32. Therefore the suppliant may take the promise of the Holy Ghost with the same confidence with which he takes the promise of pardon. The God who gave the Son will not withhold the Spirit who applies the work of the Son.

How Does the Spirit Reshape Us?

The fifth condition closes upon the receiver in a great mystery, for the Holy Ghost works the transformation of character which no human striving can accomplish. The Saviour spoke of this new birth to Nicodemus by night, declaring, “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit,” in John 3:5, 6. The prophet Ezekiel had described the same inward miracle long before the cross, writing, “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes,” in Ezekiel 36:26, 27. The apostle exhorted the Roman believers, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God,” in Romans 12:2. The work of the Spirit is no surface adjustment but a wholesale renewal of the inner man.
The inspired pen describes the height of this divine work in language that should arrest every careless professor of the truth. Through inspired counsel we are told, “By the power of the Holy Spirit the moral image of God is to be perfected in the character. We are to be wholly transformed into the likeness of Christ” (Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 506, 1923). Nothing less than this perfecting will satisfy the heart of God for His people in the closing scenes of probation. The apostle wrote, “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord,” in 2 Corinthians 3:18. The renewing is gradual yet certain, as the believer fixes his gaze upon Christ ministering within the sanctuary above. The pioneers Smith, Loughborough, and Haskell all united upon this point, that the third angel’s message is, in its fullness, the message of justification by faith leading to the perfection of Christian character. The apostle confirmed the goal, declaring, “Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ,” in Ephesians 4:13. The Spirit makes the Lamb’s life visible in the disciple, and so prepares the people for translation.

What Does the Spirit Produce?

The sixth great evidence of the indwelling Spirit is the fruit borne in the daily life of the believer, fruit which springs naturally from divine union with Christ. The apostle wrote, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit,” in Galatians 5:22-25. The Saviour Himself measured every profession by this rule, declaring, “By their fruits ye shall know them. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?” in Matthew 7:16. The fruit is not produced by the branch through self-effort, but flows naturally from continuous abiding in the true Vine. The Lord taught, “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing,” in John 15:5. The Spirit is the sap which carries the life of Christ into every fibre of the soul, producing the visible likeness of the Saviour in the believer.

The prophetic messenger reinforces this great truth with characteristic plainness and authority. The inspired pen affirms, “The Spirit of Christ will be revealed in all who are born of God. Strife and contention cannot arise among those who are controlled by His Spirit” (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, 227, 1882). The presence of the Spirit is therefore demonstrable, not by emotional ecstasy but by the temper, the speech, and the daily walk of the believer before God and man. The apostle’s warning still holds, “Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his,” in Romans 8:9. Those gathered into the remnant church must bear the family likeness, for there is one body and one Spirit. The pioneer Haskell often pressed upon the believers that the Spirit’s gifts and the Spirit’s fruit must accompany one another, lest profession exceed possession in a watching universe. The Saviour declared the final test before His Father’s throne, saying, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven,” in Matthew 7:21. Where the fruit is absent, the root has not yet drawn from heaven.

Will the Church Walk as One?

The seventh condition concerns the corporate body, for the latter rain falls upon a church drawn together in the unity that only the Spirit can produce. The Saviour prayed for this oneness on the eve of His sacrifice, saying, “That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me,” in John 17:21. The pledge of the Spirit’s guidance secures this unity, for the Saviour declared, “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come,” in John 16:13. The parable of the ten virgins illustrates the same principle, for the wise are distinguished by the oil which represents the Holy Spirit. Christ said, “But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps,” in Matthew 25:4. Without this oil, the church may carry the lamp of doctrine yet fail to give light in the midnight hour of earth’s history.

The inspired pen foretells the unity which will mark the church just before the Loud Cry begins to sound around the world. The prophetic messenger declares, “When this reformation begins the Spirit of prayer will actuate every believer, and will banish from the church the spirit of discord and strife. Those who have not been living in Christian fellowship will draw close to one another” (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 8, 251, 1904). The apostle Paul described the same unity with rich language, writing, “Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all,” in Ephesians 4:3-6. The pioneers of the advent movement experienced this drawing together in the great prayer meetings before the 1844 expectation and in the gatherings after the Disappointment, when the sanctuary truth was opened to them by the Spirit. The reformation that must yet come will repeat this work upon a wider and more glorious scale. The psalmist sang of this beauty, declaring, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” in Psalm 133:1. The remnant will speak one message, walk in one path, and lift one voice in the everlasting gospel before the King returns.

Whose Fruit Are We Bearing?

The eighth point of self-examination is the sharp contrast between the fruit of the Spirit and the fruit of the carnal heart, two harvests that cannot grow in one field. The apostle drew the line clearly, writing, “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,” in Galatians 5:19, 20. Such fruits cannot coexist with the indwelling Spirit, for the two natures are at irreconcilable war within the soul. The same apostle warned, “For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be,” in Romans 8:6, 7. The Saviour exposed the source of every evil, teaching, “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness,” in Mark 7:21, 22. The cleansing of the heart by the blood of Christ and the indwelling of the Spirit alone can change the fountain from which the streams of life proceed.
The inspired pen places this contrast before the conscience of every reader with searching directness and personal application. The prophetic messenger writes, “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, and peace. Discord and strife are the work of Satan and the fruit of sin. If we would, as a people, enjoy peace and love, we must put away our sin, we must come into harmony with God, and shall be in harmony with one another. Let each ask himself: Do I possess the grace of love? Have I learned to suffer long, and to be kind?” (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, 169, 1882). These probing questions allow no neutral ground in the day of self-examination. The apostle James adds, “But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work,” in James 3:14-16. Every believer must consent to the searchlight of the Holy Spirit upon his own life without reserve. The pioneers laboured continually for the spirit of brotherly love among the believers, knowing that division would close heaven against the church. The Spirit will not occupy a temple given over to envy, jealousy, or evil speaking.

Can the Old Man Truly Die?

The ninth condition is that radical inward change which Scripture describes as the new creation in Christ Jesus our Lord. The apostle proclaimed this transformation in unmistakable terms, writing, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new,” in 2 Corinthians 5:17. The mark of true sonship in the household of God is the leading of the Spirit, for as the apostle declared, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God,” in Romans 8:14. The believer is no longer the slave of his old appetites but is endowed with a heavenly nature through union with Christ. The apostle described the practical effect of this union, declaring, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me,” in Galatians 2:20. The old man is reckoned dead, and the life of Christ takes its place within the renewed temple of the soul.

This new creation involves the whole man, body, soul, and spirit, dedicated to God as a living sacrifice upon the altar of consecration. The apostle urged, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service,” in Romans 12:1. The temple of the Holy Ghost is the body of the believer, and that temple must be kept undefiled in every habit and appetite. The apostle reminded the Corinthians, “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s,” in 1 Corinthians 6:19, 20. The principles of health reform, advanced through the pioneer message and the writings of the prophetic messenger, follow naturally from this great truth. The pioneers John Andrews, Joseph Bates, and James White each demonstrated, in their personal habits and labours, the practical outworking of this consecration to the cause of God. The prayer of David becomes the prayer of every renewed heart, “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me,” in Psalm 51:10, 11. The new creation is not a profession only but a living reality visible in the daily walk before God and men.

How Does His Love Pursue Us?

The tenth reflection brings the believer back to the wellspring of every gift, namely the love of God revealed in His relentless pursuit of the human soul through every age. The apostle wrote, “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us,” in Romans 5:8. The Holy Spirit is the messenger of this love, the personal application of all the merits of Calvary to the human heart in its need. Through the Spirit, the apostle declared, “the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us,” in Romans 5:5. The Saviour Himself revealed the Father’s heart, saying, “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you,” in John 14:16, 17. The descent of the Spirit is therefore the proof that the Father is unwilling to leave His children orphaned in the world. Heaven’s whole resources stand committed to the salvation of the penitent.

The love of God is not merely declared in words but is demonstrated in the costliness of redemption and the persistence of grace through every providence. The apostle reasoned, “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life,” in Romans 5:10. The same Spirit who hovered over the waters at creation now hovers over the chaos of the human heart to bring forth a new creation in righteousness. The prophet of the exile foresaw the day when God would say, “Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you,” in Ezekiel 36:25. The pioneer messages of grace and righteousness, especially as preached in the 1888 awakening, sought to bring this love of God to the very forefront of the third angel’s message. The Saviour summed the gospel in a single verse, declaring, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life,” in John 3:16. Without this love perceived and received, the most accurate truth becomes a dry husk in the soul. Therefore the love of God in giving the Spirit is the highest revelation of His character toward His people.

What Does God Ask of Us?

The eleventh reflection turns from God’s gift to the believer’s responsibility before heaven, for the Spirit is given to those who consent to obey the voice of God. The apostles testified before the council, declaring that God hath given His Spirit “to them that obey him,” in Acts 5:32. Obedience is therefore not the ground but the channel through which the Spirit flows into the willing heart. The Saviour joined love and obedience inseparably, declaring, “If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever,” in John 14:15, 16. The apostle warned the Ephesian believers, “And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption,” in Ephesians 4:30. The voice of the prophet adds the brief but solemn charge, “Quench not the Spirit,” in 1 Thessalonians 5:19. Every cherished sin, every wilful neglect, every careless word grieves the One whose presence we most need.
The primary responsibility before God is therefore the cultivation of a yielded heart, day by day, in continual surrender to the leading of the Spirit. The believer must enter into the spirit of David’s prayer, asking, “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting,” in Psalm 139:23, 24. The apostle exhorted the Ephesians, “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord,” in Ephesians 5:18, 19. The filling is not a single event but a continual experience, replenished each morning at the throne of grace. The pioneers Smith, Bates, and James White uniformly testified that family worship, secret prayer, and the reverent study of Scripture were the appointed means by which the Spirit’s presence was preserved through their long labours. The wise man declared, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life,” in Proverbs 4:23. The believer’s first work is therefore the keeping of the heart with all diligence before God.

How Shall We Love Our Neighbor?

The twelfth reflection extends the same Spirit-filled life outward toward our fellow men, for love to God always produces love to our neighbour. The Saviour summed the whole law in this twofold command, declaring, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets,” in Matthew 22:37-40. The apostle John confirmed this principle with searching clarity, writing, “If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?” in 1 John 4:20. The believer led by the Spirit becomes a peacemaker, a comforter, and a witness in the world of those who walk in darkness. The Saviour pronounced the blessing, “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God,” in Matthew 5:9. The fruit of the Spirit, where it abounds, makes the church a refuge for the weary and a school of patience for all who enter her gates.

The Spirit-filled life also embraces the missionary calling, for the Spirit was given that the gospel might go to every people, kindred, tongue, and nation. The Saviour commissioned the disciples, saying, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you,” in Matthew 28:19, 20. The apostle Paul testified of his own constraint, writing, “I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise. So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also,” in Romans 1:14, 15. The pioneers of this advent movement entered every door which providence opened, from the small towns of New England to the mission fields of Europe, Africa, and the islands of the sea. The labours of J. N. Andrews as the first official Adventist missionary sent abroad stand as a monument of Spirit-led obedience to the great commission. The third angel’s message is to lighten the earth with its glory, as foretold in Revelation 18:1, where John saw “another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.” Service rendered in the strength of the Spirit becomes itself a means of receiving still more of the Spirit.

What of Those Who Resist Him?

A solemn warning must accompany every glorious promise of the Spirit, for it is possible to grieve, quench, and finally to lose the gracious working of the Comforter altogether. The Saviour spoke the most fearful word ever uttered against any sin, declaring, “Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come,” in Matthew 12:31, 32. The reason is plain to every reverent mind: when the Spirit’s voice is finally silenced, no other voice remains to convict the heart of sin. The patriarch experienced this principle before the flood, when the Lord said, “My spirit shall not always strive with man,” in Genesis 6:3. The history of Pharaoh, of Saul, and of Judas all bear witness to the dreadful possibility of resisting the Spirit beyond recovery. The book of Hebrews adds the warning, “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, … If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance,” in Hebrews 6:4, 6.

The apostle Stephen brought the same charge against the rulers of Israel in his closing testimony, declaring, “Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye,” in Acts 7:51. Resistance begins in small refusals of conscience, in the daily preferring of self over the Spirit’s gentle leading in private and in public. The apostle warned, “Quench not the Spirit,” in 1 Thessalonians 5:19, and again, “And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption,” in Ephesians 4:30. The lamp may yet burn for a season after the oil ceases to be supplied, but in time it must go out for want of fresh anointing. The foolish virgins of the parable discovered too late that profession without the Spirit cannot stand in the testing hour, as recorded in Matthew 25:11, 12, “Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.” The pioneers of this message often warned the believers to give heed to the still small voice while it could yet be heard. Therefore the call of mercy is not to be trifled with, since the day comes when the Spirit will be withdrawn forever from those who would not be persuaded.

How Shall We Keep the Filling?

Closely linked to the warning is the daily question of how the Spirit, once received, is to be retained and continually renewed within the believer’s life. The apostle commanded, “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord,” in Ephesians 5:18, 19. The Greek tense of the verb implies a continuous filling, a daily renewing of the Spirit’s presence and power within the temple of the heart. The Saviour described this perpetual supply by the image of living water, saying, “But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life,” in John 4:14. The well is in the soul, but its source is the Saviour Himself ministering above. The apostle wrote of this continual renewal, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour,” in Titus 3:5, 6.

The means appointed for this renewal are the well-known channels of grace, namely the Word, prayer, meditation, witness, and obedience to the present truth. The psalmist declared, “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. Blessed art thou, O Lord: teach me thy statutes,” in Psalm 119:11, 12. The Bible worker who keeps the morning hour with his Lord retains the freshness of the Spirit through the day’s demands and trials. The pioneers were men and women of the open Bible and the bowed knee, and the same simplicity must mark every believer today. Every act of obedience opens the heart wider for the Spirit’s working, while every neglect tends to close it bit by bit. The prophet promised, “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint,” in Isaiah 40:31. The Spirit and the Word agree in their witness, and where the Word is honoured, the Spirit abides. The continual filling is therefore the great secret of a fruitful and stable Christian life.

Will the Latter Rain Fall?

The seventeenth and final reflection lifts the eye to the glorious culmination of this whole work, the descent of the latter rain upon the prepared remnant church. The prophet Joel declared, “Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month,” in Joel 2:23. The promise stretches forward to the closing work, when the same Spirit which fell at Pentecost as the former rain will fall again in fullness. The apostle Peter applied Joel’s prophecy directly to the Pentecostal outpouring on that great day in Jerusalem, but the prophet’s vision encompassed the latter days as well. The mighty angel of Revelation eighteen represents the final descent of the Spirit, as John saw “another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. And he cried mightily with a strong voice,” in Revelation 18:1, 2. The whole earth will hear the message in clearness and power before the close of probation seals every destiny.

This descent is the gathering and harvesting work of the Spirit upon a people prepared by all the conditions already considered, namely repentance, prayer, hunger, faith, transformation, fruit-bearing, unity, separation from sin, the new creation, the love of God, obedience, and witness. The apostle James illustrated the patient waiting for this harvest, writing, “Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and the latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh,” in James 5:7, 8. The pioneers Smith, Loughborough, Haskell, and the Whites traced these prophecies in study and prayer, and left a heritage of clear teaching upon the latter rain and the loud cry. The fall of the Spirit will not bestow a character not already cultivated; rather, it will ripen and seal that which the Spirit has long been forming in the chamber of the soul. The Saviour’s last invitation rings out across the closing hours of earth’s history, declaring, “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely,” in Revelation 22:17. Therefore the present work of every soul is to come into harmony with the conditions, that no soul be left empty when the gracious rain begins to fall.

Will We Yield Today?

The conditions have been set forth from Scripture and from the writings of the prophetic messenger, and now the question presses upon every conscience that has read these pages. The Spirit always strives in the present tense, never in the past or the future, for the appointed time is always now in the economy of grace. The apostle wrote, “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation,” in 2 Corinthians 6:2. The Hebrew writer adds, “Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness,” in Hebrews 3:7, 8. Every postponement of the surrender is a hardening, a small refusal that prepares the heart for the larger refusals which destroy. The prophet pleaded with Israel, “Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon,” in Isaiah 55:6, 7. The mercy is offered, the conditions are open, and the answer must be given by the soul itself today.

The remnant church stands on the very threshold of the latter rain, the Loud Cry, and the close of probation that ends all earthly things. The Father waits to give the Spirit, the Son intercedes in the sanctuary above, and the Spirit Himself draws the heart to the open fountain of grace. There is no other preparation for the time of trouble, no other power for the finishing of the work, no other readiness for the appearing of the Lord of glory. Let the soul respond as Mary responded in her humble chamber, saying, “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word,” in Luke 1:38. Let the believer pray with David, “Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit,” in Psalm 51:11, 12. The path to receiving the Holy Ghost lies open today; tomorrow the door may close, and the silence of eternity may answer the trifler. The everlasting gospel sounds for the last time in this generation, and the conditions of Pentecost remain unchanged from the upper room until now. Let every reader cease delay, kneel down before the open Bible, and claim the promise of the Father with all the heart, all the soul, and all the strength.

Galatians 5:16 “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.”

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SELF-REFLECTION

How can we in our personal devotional life delve deeper into these prophetic truths allowing them to shape our character and priorities?

How can we adapt these complex themes to be understandable and relevant to diverse audiences without compromising theological accuracy?

What are the most common misconceptions about these topics in our community and how can we gently but effectively correct them using Scripture and the writings of Sr. White?

In what practical ways can our local congregations and individual members become more vibrant beacons of truth and hope living out the reality of Christ’s soon return and God’s ultimate victory over evil?

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