THE SUPERIORITY OF THE NEW COVENANT OVER THE OLD COVENANT.
The superiority of the New Covenant over the Old Covenant was foretold by the Old Testament prophets. Exod.24v8. Jer.31v33,34. Ezek.36v25-27. Heb.8v7-13. It is superior in three main ways.

a. Through the death of Christ there is perfect remission of sin.
Christ's sacrifice is complete, there is no need of any more sacrifices for sin. Through the blood of Christ, His High Priestly ministry, and the might of the eternal Spirit, there is perfect remission and cleansing from sin. The law had only a shadow of good things to come, the sacrifices of the Old Covenant were but types of Christ's mighty sacrifice, which can satisfy the worst conscience, and meet the need of any heart longing for deliverance from sin. Heb.8v7-13. 9v11-10v18. 7v22-28. This is applied to our hearts and lives by the ceaseless intercession and vigilance of our great High Priest

b. There is a new relationship under the New Covenant.
We are sons instead of servants, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, with a glorious heavenly calling in place of the earthly calling of the faithful Israelites. Rom.8v14-30. Gal.4v4-7. Heb.2v10-12. Eph.2v1-10. 1Jn.3v1-3. N.B.v3.

c. There is a deeper ministry of the Holy Spirit under the New Covenant.
Under the Old Covenant, God gave the privilege of manifesting His power to chosen men and women of God, who were given specific tasks to accomplish, and when they were completed, the power of the Spirit left them. Under the New Covenant, every Christian can receive the baptism and permanent indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and the continual manifestation and enjoyment of "the powers of the age to come." Jn.14v16,17. Heb.6v5. All the spiritual gifts of the Old Covenant are available for the Christian, plus the gift of tongues, and the gift of interpretation of tongues. In 2Cor.3v6-18., Paul calls the age of grace, "the ministration of the Spirit," and states that it "exceeds in glory," the ministration of the Law. The New Covenant enables us to live on a higher plane than was possible under the Old Covenant. The transfiguration of Christians from glory to glory, as they behold the Lord, is a definite promise of God under the New Covenant. We have the atoning covenant blood of Jesus, which carries with it greater promises, privileges and incentives than the Old Covenant; we, therefore, should respond to this great grace and live a beautiful holy life. These greater privileges bring a greater responsibility. 2Cor.3v6-18. Heb.8v6. 10v28,29. Lk.12v48.

Our Lord Jesus is our example, we see Him at Jordan "full of grace and truth," completely consecrated to ourselves and His Father, perfectly loving and pure. He not only received the Father's "well done," but an immeasurable fullness of the Spirit as well. When we compare Christ's matchless sinless beauty, love and dedication, with our own great need, we can only feel unworthy, pitiful and beggarly, and quite undeserving of receiving any blessing from Him. But what is this that I hear from His lips? He tells me that He so loved me, that He died for me, and that my feeling of great need is a vital condition for receiving His blessing. Jesus declares that because I recognise my complete spiritual poverty without Him, I can claim heaven's riches with Him, and that because I hunger and thirst after righteousness, I shall be filled. Mt.5v3,6. As I abide in Christ and seek Him in prayer, I imbibe His beauty and grace, He is my wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. 1Cor.1v30. We have the victory over sin, failure and circumstances, through Jesus Christ our Lord. He is full of love and grace towards us, He never condemns the penitent seeker, it is the proud "arrived Pharisee" that He knows afar off. Rom.8v31-39. 1Cor.15v57. Rev.3v20-22. Though we may forlornly cry:-

                                                  "Oh, how shall I, whose native sphere
                                                  Is dark, whose mind is dim,
                                                  Before the Ineffable appear,
                                                  And on my naked spirit bear
                                                  The uncreated beam"?

We can sing and shout for joy:

                                                  "There is a way for man to rise
                                                  To that sublime abode:
                                                  An offering and a sacrifice,
                                                  A Holy Spirit's energies,
                                                  An advocate with God."


3. WE MUST THIRST AFTER JESUS AND OUR HEAVENLY FATHER.

A. Thirsting for God's Word. Ps.119v97,103.
The "exceeding great and precious promises" of God are the foundation of every true revival, they give us the faith to ask for and receive our Father's "good gifts." 2Pet1v4-11. Lk.11v13. The Word of God is the food of faith, and faith will increase as we read it and believe it. Jn.20v30,31. Acts.20v32. Rom.10v17. 1Pet.2v2. 2Tim.3v14-17. Meditation upon the promises of God will give us the faith to receive God's promises. If we desire a revival, we must get our pattern from God's Word, for others, even "the good and best," may lead us far astray. We should test our experience by the Scriptures, not correct or interpret the Scriptures in the light of our experience. Those who say, "Our practice is not found in the Scriptures, but we believe it is right because we experience it;" are supplanting God's Word with their tradition. We can limit both God and our experience of God, by making the standards of others our guide instead of the Scriptures. Mt.22v29.

The first sign of a cold heart and spiritual backsliding, is not a lack of prayer, important as this is, but a lack of love and respect for the Word of God, and a neglect of its study. If we desire to receive a real fullness of the Spirit we must cast off critical unbelieving attitudes to the Scriptures, and humbly and earnestly seek God in His Word. If we do not believe what God has said regarding the miraculous and other vital Christian truths, how can we expect to receive anything from Him? An evil heart of unbelief kept Israel out of Canaan, and will keep us from experiencing God's power and gifts. Ps.95v1-11. Heb.3v12,19. 4v1-13 Jn.5v46,47. Without faith we cannot please God, faith is our capacity for God. Heb.11v5,6. Jn.10v26,27. 8v46,47. Those who have experienced the miracle of the new birth, should believe the other miracles of the Bible, it is the unconverted who look upon the things of God as "foolishness." 1Cor.1v18-25. 2v14. Failure to accept and believe the things that Jesus taught and believed, will mean little or no spiritual progress. Jn.8v28-36. 17v8,13,14,17. Those who feed in faith on the Scriptures, will find that they receive an experience of God that is "exceedingly above all that we can ask or think."

B. Thirsting for God's presence in prayer.
We should not say, "If the Lord wants to give me the baptism in the Spirit, He will do so, in His own good time; I am not going to seek this blessing, God will give it to me when I am ready for it;" for it is still true that, "ye have not, because ye ask not." James.4v2,3. Jesus told us to "ask, seek and knock," to receive our Father's good gifts and the Holy Spirit. Mt.7v7-11. Lk.11v5-13. The New Testament does not teach that there has to be a long period of waiting before we can expect to receive the baptism in the Spirit, but it does say that we have to thirst after Christ and the Father. Lk.11v9-13. Jn.7v37-39. From Acts.19v2., we see that Paul believed that a Christian should receive the baptism in the Spirit as soon as possible after their conversion. However, Christians who have been taught for years that spiritual gifts were non-existent, or "not for today," often have a lot to unlearn, and it may take some time to clear away the theological rubbish that they have been taught, before they can receive the baptism and gifts of the Spirit. We should also never underestimate the satanic opposition that we will receive if we are seeking to be the channels of God's power and love. Satan will use every strategy to turn us away from the promise and purpose of God. Mt.4v1-12. Eph.6v10-20. The initial Pentecostal outpouring had a background of fervent resolute prayer, and we shall have to imitate them if we are to defeat Satan's crafty and malicious attacks. Acts.1v14.

It is a tragedy when Christians, who have received the baptism in the Spirit, stop seeking God, because they feel, or have been taught, that they have reached the goal of Christian experience. The baptism in the Spirit should not be looked upon as a goal, but rather as a gateway into the exciting possibilities of a Spirit-filled life, mighty experiences of the Holy Spirit's power and love, should follow the baptism in the Spirit. It is, in fact, essential to seek God even more after we have received the baptism in the Spirit, to keep and expand the experience that we have received, for Satan will try to rob us of the precious holy experience that God has given to us, just as he tried with the Lord Jesus. Mt.3v16. 4v1. Indeed, the greater manifestations of the gifts of power and revelation demand a close and humble walk with God, a very definite prayer life, and some Christian maturity. It is a mistake to try and lead prayerless people and immature spiritual babes into the greater manifestations of the gifts of power and revelation, for it will only result in carnal impersonations.

C. Thirsting for Christ and the Father in love and unity with other Christians.
Lack of a prayerful, loving, Spirit-anointed fellowship is almost certainly the major reason why many Christians experience difficulty in receiving the baptism in the Spirit. Even our Lord Jesus needed and desired the help of others in prayer, the twelve were appointed "to be with Him," as well as to preach and heal the sick. Mk.3v14. In times of exceptional spiritual pressure, Peter, James and John, were asked by Christ to be His special close companions. Mk.5v35-43. 13v2-4. 14v32-42. Lk.5v5-11. 9v28-36,51. If Christ needed companions who were spiritually minded in times of spiritual conflict, we certainly do. A constant day to day fellowship with other like-minded, spiritual Christians, puts a protective spiritual umbrella over us. The Scripture states that co-operation of faith, in the will of God, can multiply our spiritual effectiveness tenfold. Deut.32v30. Christ believed in both private and public prayer, and the early Church followed His example. Lk.3v21. 5v16. 6v12. 9v18,28. 11v1.22v39-46. Acts.1v14. 2v1,41,42. 3v1. 4v23-33. etc. The early Church sought God with one accord, for long periods of time, and this is the reason for their spiritual effectiveness; we will not experience a revival unless we imitate them.

Before the initial Pentecostal outpouring, the 120 disciples "continued with one accord in prayer and supplication;" and after Pentecost, "the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and one soul, -- they had all things in common." Acts.1v14. 4v32. There is a rich blessing where "brethren (and sisters) dwell together in unity." Ps.133v1-3. Churches that lack this unity and love can be miserable and discouraging places, and the faith and spiritual progress of the Christians in them will certainly suffer. Gal.5v13-26. 1Cor.1v5-11. 1John.4v7-16. This love and unity is the acid test of a genuine revival. John.13v34,35. The early Church unity at Jerusalem puts denominational pride, bigotry, and competition in its true light.

A New Testament church consisted of all the Christians in an area or locality, there was no external visible organisation in the form of buildings, this was forbidden by the Roman State until Constantine's "Edict of Toleration," in A.D. 313. Christians gathered for fellowship at any place or hour that was suitable, there was liberty as to when and where they could worship, as long as they were under mature godly guidance. Mt.18v20. Jn.4v19-24. 1Tim.3v1-7. Titus.1v5-16. Compare v6 and 10.

New Testament fellowships were usually centred around homes.
Each house group was linked in love and fellowship with the other groups in that area. Rom.16v3-5,23. 1Cor.16v19. Col.4v15. Philem.v2. Acts.2v46. 5v12. 12v12. 20v7-9. 21v8-12. Paul rebuked the Corinthians when they failed to manifest this love and unity. 1Cor.1v10-14. 3v1-9. When Paul rebuked these divisions in the church at Corinth, he was not criticising the Corinthians for dividing up into small groups for close fellowship; in a city of 100,000, as at Corinth, and many converts, this division into different groups for fellowship was both unavoidable and essential. Paul was condemning the lack of recognition, love, and fellowship between these groups. Paul solemnly tells us that, if we do not recognise Christians, or ministries, outside of our own particular group, and through prejudice and party-spirit hinder the operation of the ministries that Christ has set in His Church, then we are carnal and immature spiritual babies. 1Cor.3v1.

Personal preferences become a sin when they cause division in the Church.
We get our word "heresies," from the Greek "haireseis," which literally means, "choosings" or "preferences," and speaks of division on the grounds of doctrinal belief. If we make emphasis on certain doctrines, or the following of certain teachers, a cause for division, we are working after the flesh. Gal.5v20. Unity with blatant Christ-denying heresy, or other "damnable heresies," is quite impossible and must of necessity produce division; but, sadly, Christians often allow trivial things to divide them and hinder fellowship. 2Pet.2v1-3. Titus.3v10,11. 1Jn.4v1-5. Unity is produced by truth and not at the expense of truth; but if we are not careful, our blind prejudices can strain out and magnify doctrinal gnats, and swallow down and ignore camels of loveless profession and hypocrisy. Christ called the people who did this kind of thing "hypocrites." Mt.6v2,5,16. 7v5. 15v7. 16v3. 22v18. 23v13,14,15,23,25,27,29. 24v51. Mk.7v6. Lk.6v42. 11v44. 12v56. 13v15. The word for "hypocrite," is "hupokrites," and it describes someone who acts or impersonates another; it speaks of those who feign and pretend, and hide their real character, motives and feelings, like the ancient actors who wore a mask to hide their true identity.

True religion is love in action, anything less is a mere pretence.
We read in 1Jn.2v7-11. and 3v10-19., that if we do not positively and practically manifest a genuine love to our brothers and sisters in Christ, we are deceiving ourselves. James.2v1-26. We should lay aside any feelings of superior spirituality and superior doctrinal enlightenment, and recognise them for what they are, manifestations of a loathsome spiritual pride. Is.65v5. If we are not careful we can strenuously affirm that we are defending the truth while we are viciously attacking the beliefs of fellow Christians. Bad temper and bigotry are often called by the names of "righteous indignation" and "zeal for the truth;" when they are really excuses for party-spirit and loveless prejudices. True Christianity does not consist only of a correct doctrinal outline, for we can have knowledge of all sacred secrets, and without love be nothing. 1Cor.13v1-3. Fellowship between Christians of different traditions demands love and forbearance, and in Eph.4v13., Paul makes it quite clear that the unity of faith takes time to achieve; but he also tells us that until we reach it, we are to keep a unity of the Spirit. Eph.4v3. 1Cor.1v10. to 3v23. We rejoice that the Holy Spirit is burning up the barriers and partitions that have existed between Christians in different denominations, and they are rejoicing in their oneness in Christ. Col.3v11. Eph.2v11-22. No Christian group has a monopoly of God, and the fellowship that I have enjoyed with Christians from various traditions has been a veritable foretaste of Heaven, because Christ's love has reigned in our hearts.

Christ's love withheld truth from His disciples that they could not bear. Jn.16v12.
Christ's love forgave His faithless disciples, and patiently sustained them when they were slow to understand the truths of the New Covenant, and held on to the Old Covenant and their false man-made traditions. Lk.24v1-53. Acts.18v18. 21v23-27. 1Cor.9v19-23. Gal.2v11-21. Christ did not "shoot down" His doctrinally lacking disciples, His love and grace sustained them until they could receive and bear the truth. Jn.1v14. 16v12. Jesus veiled some of the implications of the New Covenant from His apostles, even after His forty days resurrection ministry, because they were so bound by the tradition of a restored Israel. Acts.1v6-8. It took Jesus many years to get the Church to realise that it was separate from Judaism, and this was probably the biggest internal problem that the early Church faced. Acts.15v1-31. 21v23-27. 2Cor.11v1-15. Gal.5v1-12. etc. How we love to cling to false, but cherished traditions! We should imitate Jesus and exercise patience and kindness towards Christians whose traditions and practices are strange to us, just as they need to manifest patience and kindness towards us. Long patience and kindness are the first essential qualities of love that Paul mentions in 1Cor.13v4-7.. We should never sacrifice our personal convictions for the sake of a superficial unity, but we should be big enough in God, to recognise and have fellowship with Christians whose background and traditions are different from our own. Love is the basis of fellowship, and it is only as the world sees genuine love and unity between Christians, that it will know that we are Christ's disciples and believe the Gospel message. Jn.13v34,35. 15v10-14. 17v23.

SOME PRACTICAL ADVICE ON PRIVATE PRAYER.

1. Use your Bible in your prayer time.
I have proved that Bible study with prayer is the best way of seeking God for hours in prayer, recorded Bible readings also have real value, and can provide valuable inspiration and aid to prayer while driving the car, but "watch and pray."

2. Use the gift of tongues that the Holy Spirit has given to you.
The gift of tongues is given primarily for prayer and worship, and if used diligently it will not only bring answers to prayer for ourselves and others, it will also build faith, love and spiritual strength in us. This gift enables us to praise and worship the Lord as He deserves, and give us the ability to express the otherwise inexpressible love and devotion that we feel for Him. 1Cor.14v2,4,14,15,17. Acts.2v4,11. 10v44-46.

3. Do use your hymn book.
In 1Cor.14v15., Paul said we should sing and pray with the understanding as well as in tongues. Eph.5v18-20. Col.3v15-17. We can do this by reading and singing hymns that express what we feel and desire. In Acts.16v25., the literal sense is, "praying, they sang hymns." Use the great hymns of the Church; for they cover every need and circumstance, as well as every aspect of prayer and praise. Mature Christians need hymns of depth and substance, use this Divine treasury of Christian experience.

4. Use recorded sacred music.
Some recorded sacred music has a great anointing; and it can be a great blessing to listen to them in our prayer times and our tasks around the home. Sacred music is a great blessing, particularly if we are experiencing spiritual conflict, or are in physical need. Elisha used music to carry him into the presence of God; he asked for a minstrel to play while he sought God in prayer; "and it came to pass, when the minstrel played, the hand of the Lord came upon him." 2Kings3v14-16. In both Bible study and prayer, I have proved the value and divinely ordained inspiration of sacred music, it has been more blessing to me than I can ever tell. Do use this heavenly means of grace.

5. Don't be tied to one posture, or one time of prayer.
We know from Eph.3v14., that Paul knelt in prayer, but he did not limit his praying to kneeling and praying. Paul told us to "Rejoice always; never stop praying; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will in Christ Jesus for you." 1Thes.5v16-18. Paul stresses the importance of a life of prayer, not just a time of prayer. Don't just kneel and pray, sit and pray, walk and pray, work and pray, and rest and relax and pray. We can practice and enjoy prayer at any time. "Sitting." Acts.2v2. With "feet fast in stocks. Acts.16v24,25. "Lifting to heaven holy, loving and devoted hands, which are unstained by anger, disputes and dissensions." 1Tim.2v8. The most important attitude in prayer, is the posture of love and dedication to God and others.

6. Follow the pattern for prayer that Jesus gave us in, "The Lord's prayer."
Jesus tells us the attitudes of heart and mind that will bring a knowledge of God, a fullness of the Spirit and answered prayer.

a. We must realise our position in Christ, we are sons of God.
"When you pray, say, Father." In Jesus we have a new and blessed relationship with the Father; we are brethren of Christ, joint heirs with Christ, and God's own beloved children. 1Jn.3v1. Jn.15v9. 17v23. Rom.8v17. Heb.2v10-20. 6v13-20. Hallelujah!

b. We must have a continual spirit of worship.
"Hallowed, revered, and honoured, be thy name." God is seeking worshippers, not empty flattery, which God deplores. True worship recognises with sincere gratitude and deep love that we owe everything we are, have and will have to our Creator and Redeemer. Jn.4v23,24. Mt.15v7-9. Mk.7v6-9. God is worthy of all our respect, adoration, love and esteem. Rev.5v11-14.

c. We must desire to see God's kingdom and will to be manifested on earth.
"Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." There is not only desire and longing, there is positive action and costly sacrifice, under God's direction, to see His kingdom extended. This is a personal matter between ourselves and God, we must always be very careful to distinguish between people who put pressure upon us to build up their personal kingdoms, or other human pressure groups, and the will of God. Jn.21v19-22. Mt.10v37-42. Acts.15v25,26.

d. We must be free from anxiety over material needs.
"Give us this day our daily bread." We must believe, as it is absolutely true, that our heavenly Father loves us intensely and will meet all our needs. Phil.4v19. Mt.6v25-34. A spirit of materialism and worldly anxiety will effectively incapacitate us from useful service for the kingdom of God. 1Jn.2v15-17. This does not mean, of course, that we have to neglect our families, those who do this "have denied the faith," and are "worse than unbelieving heathen." 1Tim.5v8.

e. We must have a tender conscience and repentance from any known sin.
"Forgive us our sins." In Lk.11v4., Luke uses the word "hamartia," "sins;" whereas, Mt.6v12. uses "opheilemata;" a word that Paul uses in Rom.4v4. to speak of legal debts. Christ obviously used both, He taught that our sins are debts to God and others. Wilful sin closes our hearts to the blessing and love of God. Heb.10v19-39. 1Jn.1v5. to 2v6.

f. We must have a forgiving spirit towards those who have sinned against us.
We must beware of roots of bitterness and an unforgiving spirit, for Jesus warns us that we can only ask for forgiveness "in proportion as, or like as," "hos," we forgive others, a truly solemn warning, which is reiterated by Christ elsewhere. Mt.6v12,14,15. Mk.11v25,26. Jesus tells us to rebuke Christians who sin against us, and IF they repent, we must forgive them. Lk.17v3,4. Let us make every effort to achieve reconciliation and forgiveness with Christians, and make it easy for those who have offended us to repent, and exercise a forgiving spirit to them. However, Jesus said that repentance is necessary before fellowship can be restored, and failure to repent after the procedure laid down in Mt.18v15-17., means that a person looses their rights to be treated as a Christian. Let us remember that God's forgiveness is always conditional upon repentance. Mt.5v23,24. 18v20-35. Mk.11v22-26. Lk.6v37. 23v34. Eph.4v30-32. Gal.6v1-3. 1Jn.4v20,21.

Jesus certainly did not try to be reconciled with Israel's religious leaders, His attacks upon them were extremely contentious. Mt.23v13-39. Lk.11v39-54. Christ asked the Father to forgive the soldiers who were crucifying Him, they really did not know what they were doing; however, there was no such prayer for the religious leaders of Israel, who knew full well what they were doing, Jesus said they had seen God and hated Him. Lk.23v34. Jn.15v22-25. Stephen manifested a forgiving spirit to his implacable enemies, and asked God not to lay his murder to their charge; however, God could not forgive them, for He cannot forgive unrepentant sin, even though He may long to restore and pardon. Acts.7v59,60. Mt.23v37-39. Lk.19v41-44. Christians who hurt and offend others, and do not repent, face an inevitable discipline from their heavenly Father, and so do those who fail to forgive others, when those who offend them repent. We know that we have a genuine revival when Christians get right with each other and fervently love each other. Rom.12v14-21. 2Cor.13v1. Gal.6v1. Our enormous debt to God should keep us from fighting over our comparatively trifling debts to each other. Mt.18v21-35. Heb.12v14,15.

g. We must allow God to lead us from dangerous paths.
Christians should have a fear of sin, and a fear of getting out of the will of God. As someone has said, "lead us not into temptation," is an Eastern way of saying, "Father, please keep us from going out of your will, into paths that lead to spiritual danger or sin." God can, by various means, stop us from going into spiritual danger, if we are prayerful and willing to be led by Him. Ps.141v4. 1Cor.10v13. Acts.16v6-9. We should always be prepared for our heavenly Father's stops or diversions.

h. We must trust God to deliver us from evil, and the Evil One.
In the phrase, "lead us not into temptation," Jesus was speaking of dangers and temptations that can be avoided by prayerful living. See Lk.22v40. Here He speaks of conflicts with evil that we cannot avoid and must face. These conflicts demand a prayerful life and a real faith in God, for we cannot defeat Satan on our own, we must draw near to God before we can effectively resist the Devil. James.4v6-8. Persecution or opposition of some kind or other will always come against the consecrated child of God, and supernatural opposition from Satan is often channelled through his earthly friends. Mt.4v1-11. Acts.13v50-52. 2Cor.1v8-10. Eph.1v2. 6v10-20. 2Thes.3v1-3. 2Tim.2v12. 3v12. We must believe that God will deliver us, and will answer our prayers, as we follow and obey our Lord's pattern of prayer, and if our prayers accomplish anything, we must remember that His power has brought it to pass, and we must give Him all the glory.

4. WE MUST COME TO GOD WITH PRAISING HEARTS AND PRAISING LIPS. 2Chron.5v13,14.

A Pentecostal fullness is sustained by praise and worship.
Heartfelt praise to God has a very important place in receiving and keeping a Pentecostal fullness. Praise and victory are very closely linked in the Scriptures, indeed, praise is a vital part of victorious praying. Ps.61v8. 69v30,31. 40v3. 34v1-3. Phil.4v6,7. Before Pentecost the disciples "were continually in the Temple, praising and blessing God," Lk.24v53., after Pentecost the Church excelled in praise. Acts.2v47. 1Thes.5v18. Jn.4v23,24. We too should follow the advice and command of Heb.13v15., "Through Christ, then, let us offer a continual sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks and praise to His name." This "sacrifice of praise" is said to be an essential companion to paid vows, honouring God, and spiritual victory in Ps.50v14,23.; this praise is said to be more acceptable to God than any sacrifice. Ps.69v30,31. Hosea.14v2. Jesus told us that the Father is seeking for those who will worship Him "in spirit and in truth." Jn.4v23,24. It is very sad that many devout children of God have been taught that it is wrong to express emotion and praise in Christian worship, the "sacrifice of praise," is an essential partner of contemplative worship, prayer and waiting upon God.

Praise and worship bring us into our heavenly Canaan.
We read in Heb.3v7-19. and 4v1-11., that our hearts can be hardened, and we can fail to enter our heavenly Canaan if we fail to listen to God's voice. The quotation is from Psalm 95, which says that joyful praise and worship is the way to enter Canaan. The failure to express with our lips, the love that we feel in our hearts for God, is a real cause of spiritual bondage, and a major reason why many Christians find difficulty in receiving the baptism in the Holy Spirit. Though our reserve may guard us from the dangers of fanaticism, exhibitionism, and emotionalism; it may also cause us to quench genuine moves of the Holy Spirit. We need to break free from the traditions and reserves that hinder the free workings of the Holy Spirit, and take heed to David, who said in Ps.103v1., "Bless the Lord, O my soul: and ALL that is within me, bless His holy name." Joyful praise is a necessary prerequisite to receiving the baptism in the Spirit, however, this must not be confused with excessive noise and emotionalism. Loud praise is often best expressed in congregational singing. Ps.95v1-7. 23v2. 46v10. Lk.19v37-40. In Christian fellowship we have to endeavour to edify others, not just enjoy ourselves. 1Cor.14v12,19,39,40. Let us also learn to hear Gods voice of gentle stillness. 1Kings.19v11-13.

The beauty and value of holy emotion in praise and worship.
It is inspiring to see the devotion of loving hearts being poured out to God in praise and worship. The best things in the natural world bring emotion, and the best things in God's kingdom bring a holy emotion to the soul. Indeed, an experience of God that does not touch our emotions, cannot satisfy our longings for God, or effect us very much. The apostles did not spend the fifty days before Pentecost in introspection and mourning, because they had failed Jesus in His hour of need, and had not believed in His resurrection. Their repentance was real and deep, but it was not drawn-out, or despairing; they rejoiced in a loving, forgiving, and risen Christ. Mt.28v9. Mk.16v11-14. Lk.24v25-53. Jn.20v1-31. This gracious, forgiving Jesus is our friend and Saviour, He is with us to strengthen and sustain us, and to lift us up when we have fallen. Meditation on the great and tender mercies of God, should continually fill our hearts with joy and praise.

5. WE MUST HAVE WISE SPIRITUAL LEADERSHIP.

a. We need Christian leaders who are appointed by God.
We need the guidance and inspiration of Christian leaders, who have been sent by God and have a dynamic experience of the workings of the Holy Spirit. Eph.4v7-16. 1Cor.12v28. Rom.10v13-16. Acts.8v30,31. The apostles prayed and strove to bring their converts into a rich experience of God. Eph1v15-21. 3v14-21. 1Thes.3v10. 1v2,3. Rom.1v9. Col.2v1-5. 4v12,13. Converts were upheld by prayer and practical care. Acts.6v4. Rom.10v1. Phil.2v19-30. Acts.14v21-23. etc. The apostles had little or no ecclesiastical training, or scholastic ability, but their spiritual dynamic amazed the people of their day. Acts.4v13. Christian leaders have the responsibility of instructing their flocks in Scripture truth, and praying their charges into a rich experience of that truth. A true teaching ministry has rivers of living water flowing through it, the truth is alive with the power of God, and brings people into a rich experience of God. Jesus said, "The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life." People's hearts burned with heavenly life as Christ spoke to them, the truth He proclaimed was on fire with the power of God. Jn.6v63. Lk.24v32. Hardened soldiers said, "No man ever spoke like this man," and "the people were astonished at His teaching: for He taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes." Jn.7v46. Mt.7v28,29.

b. We need Christian leaders who are anointed by God.
Even great truth can fail to inspire us if the anointing of the Holy Spirit is lacking. It is God that makes us able ministers of the New Covenant, not oratory, rhetoric, or eloquence. 2Cor.3v5,6. There is too much "word only" preaching today; we need to preach "with the Holy Spirit sent down from heaven," like the early Christians. 1Thes.1v5. Eph.3v7. 1Pet.1v12. Prevailing prayer is needed to bring and keep God's presence in our Churches. 1Sam.12v23. A true ministry does not need to scramble for position and power; it is satisfied with a ministry of Christ's love, power and truth. The Scriptures censure spiritual leaders who fail to take proper care of God's flock, and lead it in the way that He intends. Jer.23v1-6. Ezek.34v1-31. Mt.23v1-39. James.3v1. To avoid spiritual declension, we need leaders who have a real experience of God's power and greatness, and can inspire others to seek and receive the same experience. Judges.2v7-17.

c. We need leaders who are examples, not Lords.
Ecclesiastical tyranny and denominational prejudice should have no place in Christ's Church. Mt.23v8-12. Lk.22v24-27. Christ warned His apostles that they must not dominate their charges, they had the authority to exhort Christians to observe Scripture truths, but no authority to act as lords over God's heritage. 2Cor.1v24. 1Pet.5v3. Mt.20v20-28. Paul appealed in love rather than commanded 2Thes.3v4,6,11,12. 1Tim.4v11. 1Cor.13. all. 14v34. Rom.12v1. Gal.4v12. etc. It is the constraint of love that unites Christians together, not the pressure of authority, or church mergers. When Jesus is truly Lord, Christians from different churches can experience a true unity and fellowship of the Spirit. The only thing that can hinder a sweet fellowship between truly converted Christians, is a denominational and doctrinal bigotry and pride. If we only use the Scriptures to shoot people down, we have become "as sounding brass and clashing cymbal." 1Cor.13v1.

N.B. What we must do if we are members of a spiritually cold church.
Earnest Christians should not leave a cold church unless they are told to by the Lord, or forced to leave through circumstances; they should try to create a praying group within the church. Love, patience, humility, wisdom and prayer will produce a sweet fellowship, which can change the spiritual atmosphere of a church and attract other hungry hearts. Churches of all denominations have been transformed by the radiant witness of truly Spirit-filled Christians, and have become centres of evangelism, revival, healing, and blessing. Our churches can and should manifest the great spiritual brotherhood and fellowship of love that God intended them to be. Informal house meeting are the best cure for spiritual lethargy in a church, as long as they are under mature Christian leadership. Here time is given to worship, prayer, testimony and Bible study, and problems are talked about and prayed over, all on an informal level. 1Cor.13v1.

6. WE MUST COME TO GOD WITH HUMILITY OF MIND AND SINCERITY OF HEART.

a. Pride in past achievement is the enemy of further progress.
We should not let pride in past achievement and past blessing from God, make us think that there is nothing more to receive from God. A feeling of arrival and attainment is the most deadly foe of spiritual progress. The unsearchable and everlasting riches of Christ were hidden from many of those who Christ preached to, because of their false feeling of spiritual attainment, and their determination not to embrace anything outside of their tradition or experience. Mt.13v15,16. Lk.19v42. Jn.9v39-41. Eph.3v8. Arrogant self-sufficiency, not only brings blindness to further revelation, it often means the death of the things that we have attained. We shall never, not even during the endless ages in heaven, come to the end of what God is, or what He has for us. There will always be a sense of amazement, overwhelming gratitude and love, as we continually and eternally learn of the greatness of our God of love, and His incredible and loving plans for us. When we consider the everlasting riches of our almighty and unlimited Lord, we can never say that we have reached the limits of our Christian experience.

b. Pride in our religious traditions can cause us to resist God. Acts.7v51-53.
It is a fact that pride in our traditional beliefs and habits of worship dies very hard, we can be bound by our traditions, and they can keep us from receiving what God has for us. It took a vision of Christ to persuade Paul that his traditional worship had been replaced by a much superior New Covenant. Let us learn, therefore, to not only treasure the precious truths and experiences that God-inspired revivals of the past have brought to us; but we must also be willing to be led by God into what may be new ways to us, but which are in reality, rediscoveries of neglected New Testament truth. It is a great tragedy when devout souls miss the answer to their prayers for revival, through preconceived ideas as to how God should work. We all need to watch that we do not limit God. Ps.78v41. It takes a genuine humility of mind for a Christian of long standing, to admit that they have been without, or blind to, some vital part of God's armoury and provision for His children. Jesus said that it is only the penniless beggar, who receives the riches of heaven, those who feel that they have "arrived," miss His blessing. Mt.5v3.

N.B. Opposition is inevitable when revival comes.
Many people love their formal church services, and like things to remain as they are, so the formation of earnest praying groups in their churches disturbs and convicts them, and can produce problems. The usual excuses for criticism of these praying groups, are "The Church is the place to pray;" "These meetings cause division;" "These Christians think that they are better than us;" or even "They are heretical." The experience of Spirit-filled Christians is sometimes resented and rejected, no matter how humbly, sincerely and graciously it is presented. Sometimes, unfortunately, as Paul directs, we are forced to "turn away" from churches and people that oppose and reject the saving power of Christ, and the moving and gifts of the Holy Spirit. 2Tim.3v1,5. In Acts.18v7., we see that Paul continued his meetings in the house of Titus Justus, next door to the synagogue, after the majority of the Jews in the synagogue had rejected his message. Acts.13v42-52. 17v1-5. 18v4-8. In such circumstances let us remember that love is still kind after it has suffered long; and let us rejoice in those churches which do not resent, but rather encourage, the earnest seeking of God, and the spiritual progress of fellow Christians.

c. Seeking honour from men, is a great spiritual danger. Jn.5v44.
One of the greatest obstacles to seeking God for His gifts, is the desire to seek honour from men; Christ said, "How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?" Jn.5v44. Prov.29v25. Compromising truth in order to seek honour from men, positively destroys faith and spiritual experience; we can sell our soul to the denomination we serve, as well as to "the company store." A fear of being thought unorthodox, eccentric, fanatical, or even heretical, can deter God's dear children from seeking God's gifts, or from testifying of what God has done for them. It is sad to say that many today still "love the praise of men, more than the praise of God." Jn.2v23-25. 5v41. 12v42,43. Acts.5v29,32. We should always obey God rather than man, and if it becomes necessary, we should say like Paul, "what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them all to be mere rubbish, that I may win Christ." Phil.3v7,8,9-14. We thank God for those Christians of all persuasions and denominations, who have been prepared to stand true, and even die, for their convictions about Christian truth and experience.

d. The danger of an evil heart of unbelief over spiritual gifts. Heb.3v12,19.
Critics who use the failures of Pentecostal Christians to justify their unbelief over spiritual gifts are on dangerous ground. As we look at the New Testament Christians, we realise that we are not looking at perfect people, but rather people who God is perfecting. In their growth from spiritual infancy to maturity, the New Testament Christians, like ourselves, are seen to be guilty of mistakes and failures, in some way or other. They also had their cases of shipwreck of faith and apostasy. Some critics have said that a Pentecostal experience and the gifts of the Holy Spirit are, "Not of God," and "Of The Devil," because they have managed to find cases of failure and apostasy among Pentecostal Christians today. I would ask them, "What Christian group has had no cases of spiritual ship-wreck and failure?" Even the apostolic band could be looked upon as, "Not of God," by this method of examination; Christ was betrayed by Judas, denied by Peter, and forsaken by all the apostolic band. The Bible also tells us of many more great and good men who have failed God, but their failures have not invalidated their experience of God. Are we to throw away the accounts of the lives of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and many more because of their lapses of faith and holiness? Of course not, it is quite ridiculous. Anyway, what kind of justice is it, that judges the faithful, by the failures of the faithless, or the ship-wrecks of the apostates? Let the tree be judged by its good fruit, not by the fruit that has gone bad. Mt.5v44-48. The Christian that is moved by the love of God, does not compile a catalogue of failures, for the vilification of fellow Christians, it sorrows over the fall of a Christian, and helps to restore them. 1Cor.13v5. Gal.6v1. I would not dare to judge anti-Pentecostal Christians to be "Of Satan," or "Not of God," because of their spiritual wrecks. We all need to be watchful and exercise discipline over ourselves. 1Cor.9v27. 1Tim.6v6-12. 1Pet.2v11. 1Thes.5v22. The lives of many remarkable and godly believers today, testify to the value of a Pentecostal experience.

7. THE DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF CHRIST'S CHURCH AT JERUSALEM.
The church at Jerusalem manifested the essential characteristics and distinguishing features that God desires in His Church.

a. They had a vital encounter with their risen Saviour.
They knew His precious blood had cleansed them from sin, and had opened the way into the presence of God the Father. 1Pet.1v19-22. Heb.10v25. Rev.12v10,11. Jesus was intensely real and precious to them; many infallible proofs confirmed their experience. Acts.1v3. 1Jn.1v1-7. The substitutionary atoning death of Christ was personally accepted and applied to the soul, this sharply divides the false prophet from the child of God. Cults manifesting demon power always reject Christ's atonement, and Christ as the only Saviour. 1Jn.4v1-6.

b. They believed God's promise of blessing for them.
They earnestly sought for the promise of the Father and the accompanying blessing; they did not try to find an excuse for not seeking the baptism and gifts of the Spirit, by twisting the Scriptures. Those who refuse to accept that spiritual gifts and spiritual ministries still function today, very often do so, because they desire to make Christianity an intellectual exercise of God's dealings in the past, they do not want a living experience of God in the present. It is certainly not honest or consistent to believe in a Christianity that has none of the New Testament love, life and power; as the body is dead without the spirit, so is an intellectual Christianity that is devoid of the manifestations and gifts of the Holy Spirit that occurred in the New Testament. James.2v26. All the promises of God are still "Yea" and "Amen" in Christ. 2Cor.1v17-20. We can experience God's love, gifts and power today, Christianity is not a doctrinal exercise, it is a vital experience of the living God. Those who refuse to seek God's power and gifts for fear of receiving some false spirit, have already been defeated by Satan, and have shown a lack of faith in God's ability to care for His children. Lk.11v9-13. Satan kept Israel out of Canaan by fear and unbelief, they could not trust God to look after them, or believe for His miraculous interventions. Indeed, the Scriptures reveal that it has always been those who have failed to seek God for His promised blessings and spiritual gifts, who have been influenced by evil spirits. See Hebrews 3 and 4. Mt.23v34-39. Jn.8v38-44.

c. They earnestly sought God in prayer.
The early Church realised that only earnest prayer could bring victory, blessing, and spiritual safety. It is God's presence, love, gifts and guidance that cause us to triumph. Exod.33v11-23. N.B. v14. The New Testament is full of promises of spiritual blessing and power, and the early Church earnestly sought God for them. Acts.1v14,24. 3v1. 4v31. 6v4,6. 8v15. 9v11,40. 10v4,9,30,31. 11v5. 12v5,12. 13v3. 14v23. 16v13,16,25. 20v36. 21v5. 22v17. 28v8. etc. (There are so many Scriptures upon this that I have just confined myself to the book of Acts.) Earnest and prolonged seeking of God is a searching test of our spirituality and love of God, and it really shows whether we own the Lordship of Christ or not. Those who have clean hands and pure hearts love to seek God, "This is the generation of them that seek Him." Ps.24v3-6. True Christians, like David, love to wait upon and seek God, their hearts pant for Him. Ps.40v1. 62v1,5. 42v1-3.

The last thing that backsliders, heretics and apostates want to do, is to feel the presence of God; but Christians who are walking in the light long for it. The early Church loved to seek God in prayer and spent hours and days doing it. There is all the difference in the world between a short prayer aimed at the hearers instead of God, and the prolonged and earnest seeking of God that took place in the early Church. Christ-rejecting false cults may say short prayers, but the prolonged seeking of God is a thing that they will not do, for the evil spirits that influence them will not allow them to do this. John informs us in 1John.4v1-5., that Christ-rejecting cults are under the influence of evil spirits; seeking God and a full recognition of Christ's deity, eternity, and redeeming blood, is diametrically opposite to seeking or pursuing evil spirits. Deut.18v9-19. Lev.19v31. 20v6. Is.8v19,20. Prolonged, earnest seeking of God is the acid test of one's source of inspiration. Heb.11v6.

The majority of the disciples in the upper room were Galileans, and it was a real sacrifice for them to obey Christ's command to tarry for the promise of the Father in the upper room at Jerusalem. Lk.24v49. Acts.2v7. 1v13,14. For a variety of reasons, at least 380 out of the 500 brethren of 1Cor.15v6. were missing, more if we count the women in the upper room. Without a doubt many had perfectly legitimate and good reasons for not being present, such as working to provide for their families, and looking after dependants, and so on. Whatever the reasons were for not being in the upper room, they missed God's initial and most remarkable outpouring of the Holy Spirit on His Church. They missed one of God's great epochal purposes for the Church through their absence, and we miss Divine blessing if we fail to obey the command of Jesus to tarry and pray for the promise of the Father. Lk.11v9-13.

d. They manifested God's character and love in their lives.
We should follow the example the church at Jerusalem, when it was moving in its initial power and sweet first love, immediately after the outpouring on the day of Pentecost. What tender concern and love they manifested to each other! Their unity, which sprang from a common love for each other, is one of the outstanding features of the early Church. Practical matters that caused division and friction were promptly and wisely dealt with by the apostles, elders and church members. There was a healthy fear of God and sin through God's prompt dealings with satanic infiltration and intrigue. Acts.5v1-11. 6v1-7. 15v1-35. 2v42-47. 4v31,32. In sharp contrast to this was the church at Corinth, which Paul had to rebuke for disunity and lack of love. 1Cor.15v34.

Jesus said, "By their fruits ye shall know them." Mt.7v15-23. This does not mean the size of a church organisation, for Christianity does not consist of statistics or empty talk, but rather of consecration to God, practical holiness and a real love of people. It is true that even godly men, like David or Peter, may badly fail God under strong temptation, but undesirable and unnecessary as this is, it is totally different from the sinful wallowing in the mire spoken of in the Scriptures. 2Pet.2v1-22. Judev3-25. Rev.2v13-16. and 3v20-24. Hypocrites may have a pleasant veneer, and may pretend and play-act, but Christian love is inimitable. Christians will not only die for their brethren, but also for their enemies. 1Jn.5v1,2. 2v1-22. Mt.5v43-48. Christian love and purity cannot be truly imitated or counterfeited by Satan's children. Jn.13v34,35.

e. They believed Christ's teaching and doctrine.
The apostle John said in 1Jn.4v1-5., that those who are inspired of God accept the Lord Jesus as the Messiah of the Old Testament, whereas those who are inspired of Satan reject this. Many Scriptures state that Christ is the eternal Creator God of the Old Testament. Jn.1v1-3. Eph.3v9. Col.1v16,17. Heb.1v2,8,10. A person's source of inspiration is revealed by their attitudes to Christ; they reject His deity, atonement and Scriptural teaching if they are moved by Satan, but accept the truth about Jesus if they are inspired of God. As soon as a person is taken over by an evil spirit, their doctrine is corrupted and bears no resemblance to New Testament truth, and in particular the truth about Christ. The personal appropriation of Christ's sacrifice for sin is always the cleavage point between Christian and Satanic doctrine. Rev.12v10-12. False cults manifesting demon power reject the Christian doctrine about sin, God's judgement upon sin, and state that personal redemption by Christ's blood is unnecessary. False cults manifesting demon power also either reject completely the idea of a personal God, or so pervert the idea of God that He is unrecognisable as the Christian's God. False prophets may pray to God and Christ, but when they deny Christ and distort His doctrine, they in reality preach "another Christ, and another Gospel." 2Cor.11v3,4. 1Jn.2v22,23. 4v1-5,15. 5v1. A curse rests on those who distort Christ's Gospel. Gal.1v6=9. The converts at Jerusalem continued steadfastly in the doctrine that the apostles had received from Christ, and so should we. Acts.2v42. Jude.v3,4.

f. They had an evangelistic fervour.
The early Christians had to tell others about their Saviour, they even made ruthless persecution an opportunity for spreading the Gospel. Acts.8v1-8. 11v19,20. Phil.1v7,12-14. The apostles preached Christ before Pentecost, and this was their passion afterwards. Acts.2v14-41. 8v35. 9v19-22. We cannot expect great blessing and gifts, if our zeal and outlook are confined to spiritual selfishness. We experience Christ's heavenly riches in the greatest degree when we minister them to others; "Give and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over." Lk.6v38. This applies to the giving of spiritual things as well as the giving of material things. Churches that are not evangelistic will die spiritually, for it is only as we obey the command of Jesus, to go into all the world to preach the Gospel, that we shall really prove the full meaning of the words, "Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the age." Mk.16v15. Mt.28v18-20. Even when persecuted for the Gospel the apostles preached Jesus consistently and urgently as often as opportunity arose. Acts.5v41,42.

g. They answered Satan's lying wonders with God's miracles.
God inspired and empowered the evangelism of the early Church, they did not rely on human oratory or ability. It was easy for the early Church to witness and win souls, they had such proofs of a risen Christ in the signs, wonders and miracles that Jesus was doing through His Church. It is only difficult for Christians to witness effectively, when these New Testament ministries, gifts and power are missing. If we refuse to recognise the need of these mighty ministries and their accompanying spiritual gifts, we are as spiritually crippled as a man without arms and legs. Paul emphatically tells us in 1Cor.12v21., that we cannot do without any of these ministries and gifts. They are all essential today, if Christ's body is to function as He intends. Indeed, the Church cannot minister in power without them.

How illogical, inconsistent, and unscriptural it is to say that the Almighty God no longer does any miracles, and that only Satan does miracles today. God is a God that only does wonders, and the sons and daughters of God are expected and commanded to manifest His power and love. Exod.3v20. 15v11. Job.9v10. Ps.77v11,14. 136v4. Is.8v18. Acts.2v38,39. with Lk.24v49. Acts.4v22,43. Rom.4v2,3. Heb.2v4. God has promised great miracles throughout this age; it is folly to say, as some do, that God no longer does miracles and that any miracles that take place are the work of the Devil. God has promised that this age will close with the greatest show of spiritual power the world has ever seen, God's two witnesses, and probably many others have mighty spiritual gifts given to them to answer Satan's lying wonders through Antichrist and other children of the Devil. Rev.11v1-12. 2Thes.2v7-12. Acts.2v16-21. Dan.11v32,33.

None of the Old Testament or New Testament men of God vindicated God by mere talk, they had spiritual gifts and spiritual ministries. When God sent His men to answer Satan's servants, He has always given them spiritual gifts, He never sent them in their own power. The early Church was victorious because it answered the lying wonders of men like Simon the sorcerer, and Elymas the sorcerer, with the miracles of God. Acts.8v8-24. 13v6-13. Evil occult forces operating through idolatry, sorcery, witchcraft, Spiritualism, etc., were one of the greatest obstacles to the spread of Christianity. The early Church did not defeat these powers of evil by mere intellectual argument, they out-miracled them with the power of God; see the tremendous revival at Ephesus in Acts.19v10-20.. The message of the crucified Christ was foolishness to both Jews and Greeks, but because it was confirmed by God's miracles, many were compelled to believe. 1Cor.1v23. 2v1-10. Can we hope to succeed without the equipment which the early Church, and God, felt was essential for the effective preaching of the Gospel? We face the same challenge of evil occult powers, we need the same equipment from God to defeat them.

h. They acted as a body under Christ's leadership.
Paul taught that all the members of Christ's body, from apostles to young converts, are intended by God to act together under the guidance of Christ the Head, as a body. 1Cor.12v11-31. Rom.12v3-5. Eph.4v7-11. Every child of God has the right to minister something from Christ, when they are moved by Christ. 1Cor.14v26,31. This is, of course, speaking of a Christian fellowship; pioneer evangelism should be left to the mature spiritual ministries of the Church. Paul said the Christians at Corinth had the right idea of ministering as a body, the trouble was that they all wanted to do everything and to do too much. The object of the New Testament leaders, was to produce ministries in each local church. Those who fail to do this are not fulfilling a New Testament ministry. Eph.4v8-14. In Eph.4v14., Paul speaks of immature believers who do not possess any ministry from Christ, and he says that they are at the mercy of false teachers. Heb.5v13,14. The Holy Spirit is the overall superintendent of the whole Church of Christ, His aim is to produce ministry in the Church.

The continuous prayer life of the early Church at Jerusalem, shows they realised the need of being subordinate to the lordship of Jesus and the Holy Spirit. There was a sense of eagerness in the early disciples, to see God work in His Church; if we insist on keeping to our programmes and routines, we will find that we have missed the things that the early Church experienced. Are we as willing to let the Holy Spirit forbid some of our activities and plans, or stop us preaching as Paul was in Acts.16v6-10.? Until we are, we shall only be students of the book of Acts, we shall know little or nothing of "the Acts of the Holy Spirit." The Holy Spirit comes to lead us on to maturity, but unless we acknowledge His leadership and guidance we will not attain it, we may become old Christians, but we will never become mature Christians. Eph.4v12. 2Cor.3v18. Lk.6v40. Heb.5v11-14.

i. They were prepared to suffer for their Saviour.
The early Christians had to count the cost of their faith, they, like their Lord, were despised and rejected by worldly men. They were looked upon as followers of a crucified heretic, their faith meant persecution. Acts.5v40-42. 8v1-4. 1Thes.1v5,6. There were periods of rest from persecution, e.g. Acts.9v31., but Paul warned Christians that if they lived godly lives, they could expect persecution. 2Tim.2v9. 3v11,12. We are not to invite persecution; indeed, Paul told us to influence the lives and actions of political leaders, by our prayers and godly living. 1Tim.2v1-3. Christ told us to run away from those who persecute us, and try to kill us; there is no place for a false bravado in the Church of Christ. Mt.10v23. The early Christians triumphed over militant opposition because they esteemed the reproach for Christ's sake, as greater riches than all the treasures of the world. Heb.11v26. The Christians treasure is in heaven, not on earth, our eternal home is with our heavenly Father, and what a wonderful Father and home we have! Mt.7v19-34. 1Pet.1v3-9. We are pilgrims and strangers on the earth, we seek a better company and country, we have a heavenly hope; for God is preparing for us a city. Heb.11v13-16. 1Pet.2v11.

When we seek God for the fullness of the Holy Spirit, with the same attitudes of heart and mind as the early Christians at Jerusalem; we shall have the same powerful manifestations of the Holy Spirit's power. Nothing will be able to stand before us; multitudes will be saved, healed, and filled with the Holy Spirit. We shall be the blessing that God intended all His children to be.

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