From “Feast of Tabernacles,” Chapter 11- Tabernacles – The Feast of Rest, continued
Perhaps many would not like to admit it, but this is just about the sum and substance of all the turmoil that rages everywhere concerning these great truths. The whole question resolves itself into this: Are we going to remain in the condition of those who have been saved and baptized with the Holy Spirit? Or are we going to arise from the dusty sands of this great and terrible wilderness and follow our Joshua across the Jordan into real, triumphant, overcoming power in the Spirit of God?
Thank God there ariseth a new generation that has caught the vision. A few Calebs and Joshuas have survived the blight and the dearth of the wilderness, and are leading the saints in the power of the Spirit into realms of glorious victory. For God has promised the land is ours if we can only hear His voice and obey: “Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts” (Heb. 4:7). There is only one real enemy, and that is Fear. But God has promised: “Be strong and of a good courage… I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee…”
WHAT ARE THE LIMITATIONS?
What then? Are there no limitations to the measure of power which the saints may appropriate? Yes, indeed; but they are the limitations that they themselves erect in unbelief. With God all things are possible; we know that is true. But Jesus adds, “All things are possible to him that believeth.” When a certain man brought his lunatic son to Christ, and the son wallowed on the ground in torment, the father said to the Lord in anguish of soul, “If thou canst do anything, have compassion on us, and help us.” But Jesus turned the whole responsibility back upon the father, and said, “If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth” (Mk. 9:22, 23). The if-thou-canst is a condition which must be directed at your faith and mine; it is not a question as to God’s ability or His willingness to do the things of which we speak. But the glory of it all is this: “Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” And therefore if we, in this the greatest hour of Church history, will but hear the Word of God–that is, give it a place in our heart and life, then faith will spring up, overcoming faith, faith that will enable us to take possession of our heritage in Christ Jesus.
The extent to which we might reach out in the Spirit, and the limitations of our heritage, are very clearly taught in the Word. God said to Joshua, “Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given you, as I said unto Moses” (Josh. 1:3). It is not a case of “How much will God give,” for He has already given us “All things,”–even accounting to us a heritage with Christ “in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus” (Eph. 2:6). Henceforth the question remains, “How much can I appropriate?” God says, “Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given you…” And lest there are some fearful saints, who think the measure of our heritage must be confined within certain limits, then God tells us exactly what those limitations are: GHW
In Romans 10:17, the Apostle Paul says, “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.” In Hebrews 4:12, we read, “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” So, faith comes as we hear. We hear by the Word of Christ. Only the Word of God can circumcise our hard hearts and open our dull ears, so that we can hear and respond to the voice of God. But are we willing to go under the knife of the Holy Spirit? Can we relinquish our control? We must if we are to move forward in the things of the Spirit. So, as Bro. Warnock says, “And therefore if we, in this the greatest hour of Church history, will but hear the Word of God–that is, give it a place in our heart and life, then faith will spring up, overcoming faith, faith that will enable us to take possession of our heritage in Christ Jesus.”
Late Harvest Wesleyan Ministries 