SUCCESS
E.Palmer
I have an impression as we have sat here together, beloved, that success is immediately related to the activity of the Spirit. Naturally speaking, it is fair to say that we are not unfamiliar with our own failures. These two scriptures came into my mind as we have had the blessed Person of the Spirit before us, and I believe that we would be encouraged in relation to this matter of success in seeing that it is immediately connected with His activity. This success is not for our sakes but for the Lord's sake. I wondered whether we might therefore be stimulated in the desire to have closer communion with the blessed Spirit.
It seems in chapter 8 of the Acts no singular thing that the Spirit should speak to Philip: the account seems to flow so smoothly and the verse that I read just says "And the Spirit said to Philip, Approach and join this chariot". Philip in his relations with the Spirit immediately responds and what was providentially arranged in regard of this particular Ethiopian man is guided, as were the activities of Philip in relation to him. It says later that "Philip, opening his mouth and beginning from that scripture, announced the glad tidings of Jesus to him", and may I simply say, with complete success. I believe this matter would certainly raise exercise with us all, for I can see that, as our beloved brother has said, the Spirit is essential; we cannot do without Him and there is nothing done without Him either. Therefore I would encourage my own heart and yours, beloved, that we might be more deeply concerned as to our links with the blessed Spirit. What a basis there is in the souls of the saints through the work of Christ, that One who is the Spirit of God should be free to have to say to those redeemed with the precious blood of Christ, suited persons for communications by such an One as the Holy Spirit!
This in chapter 8 is individual; in chapter 13 the Spirit is free to speak in the assembly. I think we could say very simply that this is not unknown to us. I believe the speaking of the Spirit in the assembly is a present experience with us - wonderful grace, but nevertheless an up-to-date experience. Moreover we would like to maintain it so and, therefore, there are two features to be noticed here: "they were ministering to the Lord and fasting". That is to say, they were occupied with what was for the pleasure and satisfaction of the Lord, not themselves, and there was the disallowance even of what is legitimate to man. Now I believe those two things provide a moral state in which the blessed Spirit is free. And so it says that as they were doing this "the Holy Spirit said, Separate me now Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them". They laid their hands on them in that assembly at Antioch and the Holy Spirit sent them forth with the result that that mission was marked by success. They came back to that same assembly and there related to them the details of what happened, and it was successful.
Well, beloved, I believe that we should find encouragement, exercise maybe, but nevertheless encouragement that, as the blessed Spirit is present among us at this very moment and we are aware of it, we may be concerned to give Him more place individually, and we might know what it is to give Him more place as we seek to move together in the light of the assembly, because what is in mind is success.
May the Lord bless the word.
LONDON
17 March 1981