In order for man to comprehend fully the glory and the power of his association with God the "Holy Spirit of Promise" must be explained more fully.
The promise is and has always been, "If you will draw near unto me I will draw near unto you." Or, "If you seek me early you shall find me." Again: "If you seek me diligently you shall find me." "Diligently means to exert a constant effort to accomplish; industrious, assiduous," etc., according to the dictionary. And again, as God so graciously promised to all, "If you will abide in me I will abide in you." The above quotations remain only words, as do all of Christ's teachings, until they are proved by the living of them. "Live the teachings and you will KNOW."
"When thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut the door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly."
This entering into thy closet means not only to find a quiet place to pray but to be able to close the door of one's mind to all outside disturbances and distractions. In other words, learn "To be still," by holding the mind and the emotions in complete quietude or silence. This place of deep, inner stillness is "The secret place of the Most High!" As one learns to "Dwell in that holy, secret place of the Most High," He learns to abide in God and then most assuredly will God take up His abode in that individual, even as Christ so definitely promised.
This "Secret place of the Most High" is the very center of one's soul as it is contacted by a conscious awareness. As one more and more learns to turn his mind and thoughts to this holy spot of high vibration and true enlightenment he will begin to be "taught of God." The messes and misfortunes and distresses and evils of his life will begin to be straightened out. The holy vibrations of that supreme contact can be released in power and the Father will begin to do the works, or work out all that is amiss, openly. This is the point of power.
It is in this holy spot or "secret place of the Most High" that the Holy Spirit of Promise is contacted.
"The Holy Spirit of Promise" is the very voice of God as high hopes are verified, holy aspirations established and divine thoughts are revealed and exalted into a clarified plan that necessitates fulfilment. Whenever one enters that secret closet of his own soul to hold "holy communion" with his Father upon any problem, project or subject and becomes "still", as he awaits his answer, he will be directed, informed or assured according to the need of the moment. And always that assurance and those promises so far exceed man's own bleak, little mortal ideas he will probably doubt, at first, the dynamic, breathtaking possibilities of their fulfilment.
After one has heard truth, or been instructed by this glorious, inner voice of promise, and believes in it and learns to trust it implicitly that individual will be "sealed with the Holy Spirit of Promise," as Paul declared in the first chapter of Ephesians. When one is sealed with that Holy Spirit of Promise, the promises given through that Almighty voice of God will be sealed upon the individual. And that seal cannot be broken.
Paul increased the knowledge of this power by explaining in the third chapter of Ephesians, the twentieth verse: "Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us." Or, to be more exact, according to the power of that Holy Spirit of Promise which we permit to work in us.
As one learns to abide in, or enter into this sacred, "Holy Place of the Most High," the gift of peace will become established. And this precious gift of peace will be the first that is sealed upon the individual as he learns to trust and to believe, though sometimes that Holy Spirit of Promise speaks most clearly and most emphatically out of a broken or breaking heart. It will often speak during moments of deepest despair. And in those moments, if one but lift his head and believe, the promise will be fulfilled no matter how impossible it may sound. And that answer will be made perfect. It is as one learns to listen -- and to believe in those inner promises that they become sealed upon him and are forever established.
The voice of the "Holy Spirit of Promise" is infallible and though heaven and hell stand between that person and the promise given it will all be fulfilled -- and more!
There is no question without an answer -- and no problem without a solution. And God has them all.
And it is "The Father within who doeth the works," or works out those answers as one believes and permits Him to accomplish His works of fulfilling. The way for the individual to follow through, as God works out the plan, is accomplished by maintaining that glory of inner, perfect peace. It is in this inner quietude that God does His works.
Nothing that is revealed by the "Holy Spirit of Promise" is impossible! These inner promises of unimaginable beauty are the dynamic promises of the Almighty. They are not only possible, for all things are possible to God, they will be fulfilled to the very letter, or "To the last jot and tittle." It is as one becomes worthy of hearing that divine voice and believes in It that his life moves forward into a glorious state of fulfilment and joy. "The Father sheds forth the Holy Spirit of Promise upon all who are just and true."
If you do not believe this, then I am instructed to ask you what it is that you have done, or undone, or left undone that you have shut yourself out from this glorious, divine, wondrous voice of God "That you might be taught of Him?"
These dynamic promises of Almighty God will become verified accomplishments to those who learn to hear That Voice and to trust in it, for it is the voice of God, as it is shed forth upon all of those who are JUST AND TRUE.
The holy Spirit of Promise is a priceless gift. It cannot be bought with money. And often it is heard most clearly when one has no money at all, for only in this way can some become humble and teachable. But destitution is not necessarily required for Its loving expression of tender instruction.
One has only to learn to "Be Still,” as he listens to that inner instruction, in order to be taught of God. And in that instruction comes an assurance of well-being, of divine peace, of exulting joy, of complete, glorious satisfaction and of perfect understanding. This is the path of glory -- "AND FEW THERE BE WHO FIND IT!" It is the path Christ followed. It is the pathway He left behind for each man to travel who desires to rise above drab, ugly, mortal existence.
In this divine contact one learns to trust implicitly in every promise given and in every truth revealed. And just by learning to listen, and to believe in this holy voice of God, one advances into the great power of revelation and of complete KNOWING.
In this divine contact one finally learns to trust implicitly in every promise given and in every truth revealed. And just by learning to listen and to believe one advances into the great power of divine revelation. This is the coveted point all must eventually reach for the promise is that the day will come when no man will teach his brother or his neighbor, "For the day will come when all will be taught of God."
The perfection of this supreme method of divine teaching has been given several times in the scripture. Isaiah, the prophet gave it in these words: "And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children." (Isa. 54:13). This precious passage of scripture was reaffirmed by Christ in these words: "It is written in the prophets; and they shall be all taught of god. Every man therefore that hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me." (John 6:45)
John, the Beloved also testified: "But the anointing which ye have received of Him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you." (I John 2:27). This sacred, holy information is verified in the D. & C. Section one, by the holy revelation of God Himself.
This sacred method of inner, holy instruction is how God teaches. In this form of teaching there can be no error. Neither can there be false instructions given as one man takes upon himself the authority to direct and perhaps live the life of another as he usurps the rights of his brother, his neighbor or his associates.
Any holy promise that is whispered into the secret recesses of one's own soul, which is the sacred, Holy Place of the Most High, must be fulfilled if man will not doubt in his heart. This law of instruction and of revelation is so perfect and so complete and infallible there is no margin for error or failure, except as one refuses to believe. And these inner instructions are always exalting, glorious and sublime. They are never depressing nor doubtful nor evil. In this divine method, which God has reserved for a generation who ARE JUST AND TRUE, one needs only to rejoice in the privilege of walking with God in such a dynamic, holy calling.
In this divine, holy contact one must always be "JUST AND TRUE." It is quite necessary that one be just in all his dealings with his fellow men. He must be just in every act and every thought. This is the state of progress when, "One's mind and lips lose the power to hurt and wound,” or to judge and accuse. One must be true to his highest flashes of inspiration and to the divine greatness of his own soul and to the holy revelations as they unfold to his understanding.
In order to advance fully into this Spirit of Revelation, as one prepares himself to be taught of God, he must reach out to God alone, trusting in Him implicitly and "lean not to his own understanding." And as long as one is satisfied with the method of being "taught of man" he will never have the courage nor the power to advance into this higher method of divine instruction.
The following is an exact pattern of the spirit of revelation as it was revealed over a century ago. "The Spirit of revelation is in connection with these blessings. A person may profit by noticing the first intimation of the Spirit of Revelation; for instance, when you feel pure intelligence flowing into you, it may give you sudden strokes of ideas, so that by noticing it, you find it is fulfilled the same day or soon; (i.e.) those things that were presented unto your minds by the Spirit of God, will come to pass: and thus by learning the Spirit of God and understanding it, you may grow into the principle of revelation, until you become perfect in Christ Jesus."
There have been those in the past, and there may be those in the future, who have taken the voice of their own evil lusts and earthly desires, as they have clamored for fulfillment from the wanton, satiated seat of their own mortal emotions, to be the direction of God. "Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God; for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man. But every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lusts, and enticed. Then, when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin; and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death." (James 1:13-15).
There need be no excuse for such errors and such deceptions. For "Everything that teacheth a man to serve and to love God, and to pray is of God." And anything that would injure another or trample God's holy, divine laws of virtue and goodness into the dust, that they might be passed over and ignored, is evil.
Also, "The Holy Light of Christ is given to abide in every man who cometh into the world that he might know good from evil." Therefore everything must be carefully weighed and measured under that holy light of inward knowing or instruction. Only this divine light can reveal plainly the source of all new information or reveal the truth or fallacy of old beliefs. In this infallible method one does not need to be "tossed about by every wind of doctrine” -- for the "very truth of all things is given to abide in man."
In this unfailing method one does not permit himself to be deceived by his own lusts and craven desires. He will have the courage to look at his weaknesses and to examine them under the intensified rays of divine light. Then will he develop the courage to face his weaknesses and his lusts and with this courage he will be given the power and the vision to rise above them and to "OVERCOME."
To be instructed of God one must always be "JUST AND TRUE." He must also be so filled with love and reverence and devotion his own source of love will be eternally enlarged and made perfect. Such a one could not possibly be placed in the hazardous position of listening to or lusting after evil and then mis-thinking such cravings are of God. He will love God more than he loves his weaknesses and therefore he will begin to serve God instead of the evils. This is the overcoming.
As one enters that "Holy of Holies" or "The sacred spot of the Most High" in true reverence and devotion, as he loves God with all his heart, mind, soul and strength, he will become so love-filled all personal lusts and wanton desires, along with all greeds and dishonest traits will be instantly placed in abeyance --
"The Holy Spirit of Promise" is the Spirit of Revelation in its highest degree of expression. Revelation itself may reveal disquieting conditions of the future, or of the past, or of the present. Not so the Holy Spirit of Promise. It reveals only a pattern and the promises of exulting, glorious attainment. It is the divine method of personal instruction and promise to the individual. This divine voice is always peaceful and breathtakingly beautiful. It reveals the almost unspeakable promise of one's own happy, divine fulfilment. It is the loving voice of God as it unfolds the sublime pattern God planned for that individual's progress and happiness along his own pathway of divinity. It contains always the deep inner peace along with the joyous, stupendous promises of eternal good. It always carries the message of divine assurance that "all will be well," no matter what outside condition may prevail. It bears witness to the soul and to the mind of God's most holy promises as it establishes the method of their fulfilment. And through one's opened attention God's power is permitted to begin its fulfilling works of completion, or of bringing forth, or of allowing "God to do the works."
"The Holy Spirit of Promise" truly promises all things. And united with the principle of faith, FULFILLS THEM. As one gives heed to this voice nothing is impossible!"
As one becomes JUST in his dealings and in his thinking, and TRUE to his own highest instincts and thoughts and to the divine vision contained within his own soul, that Holy Spirit of Promise will begin to bear witness that God approves of him. "As one continues to humble himself before God, hungering and thirsting after righteousness, and living by every word of God the Lord will soon say unto him, son, thou shalt be exalted. When the Lord has thoroughly proved him and finds that man is determined to serve him at all hazards then the man will find his calling and election made sure."
In Hebrews the eleventh chapter and the fifth verse is given this information concerning Enoch of old: "By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation HE HAD THIS TESTIMONY, THAT HE PLEASED GOD."
In this divine approval it is the "Holy Spirit of Promise" that will bear witness to the individual that he is chosen or approved as it reveals day by day the pathway of fulfilment.
As one gives heed to those inner directions he will finally receive the Second Comforter spoken of in John the fourteenth chapter. This second Comforter "Is no more nor less than the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. When any man obtains this last Comforter, he will have the personage of Jesus Christ to attend him, or appear unto him from time to time, and even He will manifest the father unto him, and the visions of the heavens will be opened unto him, and the Lord will teach him face to face, and he may have a perfect knowledge of the mysteries of the Kingdom of God."
Those who develop that "hungering and thirsting after righteousness" must begin to be fed by the direction of that inner voice of God until they are prepared to behold His face. Within the contact of that Holy Spirit of Promise, which the Father sheds forth upon ALL who are just and true, His divine promises are all intensified and personalized to apply to the individual as his own pattern and needs are unfolded and revealed. As one holds to these promises, or "lays hold of them" as Paul admonished, their fulfilment must come and God's power becomes established. And then it is that the divine promises become SEALED upon the individual as he advances into a complete KNOWING. Then it is possible for him "to receive the great and last promise, EVEN THE UNVEILING OF THE FACE OF GOD."
Blasphemy you say? Not so! Christ never spoke blasphemy and these are His words. Only man's life has contained the great blasphemy of the ages as he has dragged along in the gross darkness of unbelief and unprogressiveness.
I have been commanded to write these eternal truths and to reveal the powers connected with them. It is possible "For man to evolve from the man kingdom into the God kingdom!" But man himself must do the evolving. And the only thing that is utterly impossible is for any one to do this evolving who is satisfied with himself just as he is -- and with mortal conditions just as they are. And be it here known, that it is always the most mediocre individuals who are satisfied with themselves and who therefore refuse to make the effort required to even begin to evolve or progress beyond earthbound conformity.
Into your hands I am commanded to place these sacred, divine keys that the way of overcoming be now yours -- and the road of eternal, joyous, everlasting, wondrous fulfilment as you being to take upon you His Name -- and His powers -- if you so choose.