THE CURRENT OF THE SPIRIT

W. Dickson

Acts 11: 25, 26; 16: 10–12; 18: 24–26

On Lord’s day reference was made to the verse in Psalm 46, “There is a river the streams whereof make glad the city of God”. In its application to us, that passage suggests that there is a current flowing connected with the presence of the Spirit of God here. Now it is always an exercise as to whether we are moving with the Spirit in that current. Reference was also made to the river in Ezekiel 47. In that remarkable scripture it says (Ezekiel 47: 11) that the marshes and the pools shall not be healed but be given up to salt. This would be a solemn reminder to us of the danger of stagnation through failing to keep in the current of the Spirit’s activities and movements.

I thought that these scriptures in the Acts would set out the great current of the Spirit’s activities identified with the apostles and culminating in the service of Paul, and would have a current application to us. It is interesting that when Saul of Tarsus was converted Ananias failed for a moment—without in any sense casting a reflection on him—to get into the divine current. He demurred at the message received from the Lord to go and seek out Saul. He was not aware sensibly at that moment of the current that was flowing. Then a little later even Peter had to be adjusted in regard to the current of the Spirit towards the gentiles.

Now the scriptures we have read all show a remarkable ability on the part of persons to be in the current of the Spirit. We dwell sometimes on the failure of Barnabas with regard to John Mark, but it is good to think of the very interesting side of his character which comes out in Acts 11. The Lord’s hand was with certain gentiles and a great number of Greeks “believed and turned to the Lord. And the report concerning them reached the ears of the assembly which was in Jerusalem, and they sent out Barnabas to go through as far as Antioch—who, having arrived and seeing the grace of God, rejoiced and exhorted all with purpose of heart to abide with the Lord; for he was a good man and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith; and a large crowd of people were added to the Lord. And he went away to Tarsus to seek out Saul”. How beautifully Barnabas moved in relation to the current that was flowing at that time. You would have thought that Saul would have been very well known in Tarsus, but it says that Barnabas had to seek him out. Then it says, “and having found him”. What diligence marked Barnabas, nor was there any slackening of this diligence because Saul might displace him. However, as helped by the Spirit of God to see the character of the current that was flowing at that time. Barnabas’s service resulted in this great matter of the assembly at Antioch. There was a freshness about the assembly in Antioch which was quite different from Jerusalem, as it was set up without a trace of the Judaising features which hampered and restricted even the apostles at Jerusalem. Barnabas, as in the Spirit’s current, was used to bring forward Saul of Tarsus to help this beautiful assembly.

This current was still flowing in chapter 16. This remarkable current has flowed westward right to these islands and to the place where we are at

this time. Paul and his company “immediately … sought to go forth to Macedonia”. Then it says, “we went in a straight course to Samothracia”, as if they had immediately, without hesitation, linked themselves on with the current. Once they had received such clarity of direction from the Spirit of God in the call from the Macedonian man, they immediately put themselves into the current of divine activity which resulted in the bringing to light of this fine assembly at Philippi. That current was flowing locally too, as seen in the praying women by the riverside, and this was to develop into everything that was choice in regard to the great thought of the assembly.

In Acts 18, although Apollos was an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures, he was not fully in the current. However, Aquila and Priscilla were available to help him. What a practical word that is as to whether every brother and sister, every husband and wife in our localities are so in the current of divine activities themselves that they can take a brother like Apollos and unfold to him “the way of God more exactly”.

These three choice instances show the undeviating movements of the Spirit (which continue to the present time) and that there were persons available to link themselves on with the Spirit to further and strengthen the work of God in the places where they were. The localities are specially mentioned—Antioch, Philippi, Ephesus. Well, we all of us have to ask ourselves whether we are in the current, or whether we are stagnant. Can we discern the movements of the Spirit of God and the way He is flowing at the present time? Is any ministry I give locally or generally, or any work I do in my locality, linked with the current that is flowing? Is any interest I have in the

truth related to the current? Do my thoughts for any persons I am interested in relate to the current that is flowing? These are very practical matters, because the enemy would try to divert us from the current. He would suggest that, because of the calamities and breakdown which have come in, there is a lack of direction for the christian. But that is not the case, as we can be in the current of the Spirit in relation to each of our local assemblies. The question would be whether we are among those who readily discern the flow of the current and further it by our activities in our local places. In each of these three places the work of God came to light in relation to persons who recognised the current of the Spirit. So that is the word for us in every one of our localities, and for every person in them, to test ourselves as to whether we are in the current of the Spirit at the present time. May we all be so, for His name’s sake.

Word in meeting for ministry, St. Albans
25 May 1976