Revival: Seeking the Outpouring of God's Spirit

In the Christian church at this moment there is a very general desire for a Revival of religion, you may go where you may among Christian people and you will find that they are mourning over the present state of things and saying one to the other when will a greater blessing come how can we obtain it when shall we make some impression upon the masses of the ungodly when shall our houses of prayer be filled with attentive hearers when will the Lord's Kingdom Come and his right arm be made bare in the eyes of all the people. [00:44:49]

May the movement among the saints continue and deepen till it brings forth a movement among Sinners far and wide, at this time also there are manifest the most pleasing signs that God is about to work among his people, a very notable Gathering of converts has taken place in the town of Newcastle and the two brothers whom God honored to be the means of it have now moved to the City of Edinburgh, they're the Ministers of all denominations are united in helping them and in earnestly imploring the divine blessing. [01:57:19]

We must never underrate the importance of the Ascension of our Lord and the gift of the spirit which followed, God forbid that we should think lightly of Pentecost the Holy Spirit then descended and we have no record that the spirit has since ascended and departed from the church, he is the church's Perpetual Heritage and abides with us always, I like to sing the holy spirit is here where Saints in prayer agree as Jesus Parting Gift he's near each pleading company not far away is he to be by prayer brought near but here in present Majesty as in his courts on high. [06:57:36]

We want the Holy Spirit poured upon those who have him not upon the dead in sin that they may be quickened upon the desponding that they may be consoled upon the ignorant that they may be illuminated and upon Seekers that they may find him who alone is our peace, we being evil give good gifts unto our children and therefore we are persuaded that our heavenly father will give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him, we do but enlarge upon the prayer of the apostolic benediction when we cry for the blessing peculiar to the Holy Spirit. [07:30:00]

Without the spirit of God we can do nothing we are as ships without wind or chariots without steeds like branches without sap we are withered like colds Without fire we are useless as an offering without the sacrificial flame we are unaccepted, I desire both to feel and to confess this fact whenever I attempt to preach I do not wish to get away from it or to conceal it nor can I for I am often made to feel it to the Deep humbling of my spirit. [13:39:00]

The certain result of the outpouring of the spirit is the upspringing of spiritual life, wherever the water comes in Palestine as I said before the grass will be sure to follow it and vegetation becomes Lively at once, wherever the spirit of God comes there will be life in the church and life in the ministry life in prayer life in effort life in Holiness life in brotherly love, the next effect will be seen in the calling out of numerous converts by the Holy Spirit. [24:13:00]

These conversions will come from all quarters the text says one shall say and another shall call and another shall subscribe, here is one who is the son of a deacon we expected him to give his heart to Jesus, there is another but he is not the child of a religious Professor but comes right out from an ungodly family, ah here is another he had grown up and come to ripe years having followed after Folly and confirmed himself in sin yet he comes forward for the grace of God has called him. [29:51:00]

One memorable thing about the conversions wrought by the Holy Ghost is this that these converted people shall be led to avow their faith, they shall not like Nicodemus come to Jesus by night they shall not hope to go to heaven creeping all the way behind the Hedge but they shall avow their allegiance, one shall say I am the Lord's and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord and surname himself by the name of Israel. [33:06:00]

If we would obtain these floods of blessing we must confess how dry how thirsty how Wilderness like we are, humble yourselves therefore under the hand of God and he will exalt you in due time, he hath filled the Hungry with good things but the rich he hath sent empty away, oh for the spirit of humiliation throughout the church, next to that let us cultivate prayer for this will I be inquired of by the house of Israel to do it for them. [39:31:00]

Next to that if we want the blessing we must put forth our own personal effort, it would be a most absurd thing for a man to pray for a harvest and neither plow nor sow, I cannot conceive anything more insulting to the Majesty of God than for us to pray and meanwhile fold our arms, it is not thus that we prove our sincerity, I desire to preach to you as if the conversion of these Sinners around us depended wholly upon me. [41:18:00]

O beloved ones who are not saved all our concern is about your salvation, we are always preaching and praying about you, how can you obtain saving faith, I would urge you to labor after a clear idea of your real position, oh unconverted people try to know where you are and what you are, in my perhaps arouse you from your present indifference, if you would really and distinctly understand that you are out of Christ condemned already an enemy to God by Wicked works with the wrath of God abiding on you and in danger of Eternal petition. [43:18:00]

Remember the gospel command is believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shall be saved, every minute you remain an unbeliever you are adding to your sin you are increasing your iniquity and confirming yourself in condemnation, oh that you would believe the Divine testimony concerning Jesus for that is the object of faith, what you are asked to believe is true, he whom you are commanded to trust in is able to save you and the promise that you shall be saved if you trust is assure and certain one. [44:47:00]