continued from ... How To Experience Revival (Finney) They have temptations that they never thought of before: blasphemous thoughts, atheism, suggestions to do deeds of wickedness, to destroy their own lives, and more. If you are spiritual, you can expect these terrible conflicts. You will have greater conflicts within yourself than you ever dreamed of. You will sometimes find your own weaknesses making strange headway against the Spirit. Such a Christian (until wholly sanctified) is often thrown into consternation at the power of his own corruptions. If the Church, sinners, and the devil, oppose you, there will be One with whom you will have peace. If you are filled with the Spirit, you will useful. You cannot help being useful. If you are filled with the Spirit, you will not find yourself distressed, annoyed, or worried when people speak against you. Your will be calm under affliction. You will not be confused or worried when you see a storm coming. People will be astonished at your calm and cheerful disposition under heavy trials. If you want to have the spirit, you must be childlike and yield to His influences. Christians should be willing to make any sacrifice in order to enjoy the presence of the Spirit. I must meet the Lord frequently and feel His purity surging through my being. When I leave a person or a home, I must leave it as pure as I found it - in better shape if possible. I must be so humble I will reflect God's humility; so humble I will not be conscious that I am humble. Let me have perfect quietness of heart. Let me never be worried, irritated, angry or disappointed. I pray that I will expect nothing and wonder at nothing that is done to me. I pray that I will feel no resentment at anything done against me, feel at rest when nobody praises me, and when I am blamed or despised.I want to be so chaste that anything which savors of coarseness or suggestiveness will have no place in me. I must not shock the most refined person with anything that borders on looseness or rudeness. Let me never use language or gestures in the pulpit which could cheapen the gospel of the Son of God. Let me know when and how to stop. I fear that I sometimes preach people under conviction, then preach them out again. It is better to not finish my sermon and have a fruitful appeal, than preach ten minutes too long and lose one seeker. More than once I have started in the Spirit, and, I fear, ended in the flesh. In other words, I reached a climax and failed to quickly draw the net. Some of the fish escaped.
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