Leadership of the Holy Spirit

Elder Charles H. Crouch

Following is an outline of the sermon preached at 11:00 A.M. Thanksgiving Day at the Northern California Missionary Baptist Association, by Elder Charles Crouch, on the Leadership of the Holy Spirit. The most completely covered that I have ever heard on the subject. TEXT: Acts 2:22

TWO THINGS INVOLVED IN THIS TEXT

1. The Spirit Moved, 2. Then God Said.

If we keep in mind the thing stated in the word, it is no trouble to see and understand the teaching of in Gen. 1:1-3. In this we see that there was a beginning, a creation, a condition of darkness, and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters and God said: "Let there be light, and there was light." In other words, "The Spirit of God moved, and God spoke, and there were results. Things happened according to the moving of the Spirit and the spoken word of god.

Eph. 6:17 informs us that the Word of God is the sword of the Spirit. The Spirit uses the Words of God to effect his purposes. The Spirit moves, God speaks and the work is done.1 John 4:1 We are commanded to try the spirits, whether they are of God: because many false prophets have gone out into the world. II Tim. 3:16,17 informs us that the Scriptures furnish us unto every good work. They are to reprove, indoctrinate, correct and instruct: furnishing the man of God completely unto every good work. With the Scripture the man of God is perfectly furnished unto all good works. We are therefore to try the spirits with the Word of God.

THE CALL TO PREACH

Some say, "If we do not have a definite feeling or moving of the Holy Spirit apart from the Word of God, how do we know that we are called to preach? This very theory has put many men and women into the ministry, whom God has not called to preach, and very likely Satan has moved them to enter the ministry giving them SOME MYSTERIOUS FEELING, or causing them to think they heard God speak, and in such manner gotten them into the ministry, unprepared and unqualified, and brought hurt to the cause of Christ by their misunderstanding or false interpretation of the written Word of God. We are clearly taught in the Word of god, that Satan has preachers and prophets. (See Jer. 23:12,21; Matt. 24:4,11,24; John 10:10;II Cor. 11:13-15, others could be cited.)

I. HOW IS ONE TO KNOW HE IS CALLED TO PREACH?

Jer. 20:9 gives the answer." But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay." How different this from the reason given by some: "I WAS NOT LIVING AS I SHOULD HAVE LIVED, and Bro ...suggested that God was calling me to preach." May I say, Bible evidence is: God calls the high class: men of high ideals and good character, men who are consecrated to His service. We have no Bible evidence to the contrary. I Timothy 3:1, we find that the ministry is a desire of the heart. "THIS is a true saying, if a man desire the office of a Bishop, he desireth a good work." I Cor. 9:16, "For though I preach the gospel I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel! "YES BRETHREN THE BIBLE TELLS YOU IF GOD CALLS YOU TO PREACH. If you can't find it in the Bible you better stay out of the ministry.

II. HOW IS ONE TO KNOW WHICH CHURCH TO TAKE THE OVERSIGHT OF, IN CASE OF DIFFERENT CALLS? 1 Pet. 5:1,2 answers: "Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, (compulsion or force, unwillingly) but willingly, not for filthy lucre, (not for the pay in it), but of a ready mind." THIS SCRIPTURE TELLS YOU EXACTLY WHICH CHURCH TO ACCEPT. Compare Acts 20:28. This shows that it is for the welfare of the church, not oneself that one is to accept the oversight of a church. This being the Scriptural method makes it so important that one is not to run every time someone who doesn't care for the church welfare gets out of sorts.

MINISTERIAL QUALIFICATIONS

I Tim. 3:1-7. Free from blame. Only one wife. Wakeful, watchful and devotional. Sober. Good behavior. Hospitable. Fit and qualified to teach. Not given to wine. No striker. Not greedy for money. Patient. Not a brawler, or quarrelsome. Not covetous. One in control of his home. Not a beginner. A good report of outsiders. IF CHURCHES DEMANDED THESE QUALIFICATIONS BEFORE SETTING MEN APART TO THE WORK OF THE MINISTRY THERE ARE MANY WHO WOULD NEVER BE ORDAINED, AND THE LORD'S CHURCHES WOULD BE IN FAR BETTER CONDITION EVERY WAY.

THE HOLY SPIRIT OPENS DOORS

Acts 16:8,9 shows that the Holy Spirit will open the door where he wants us to go and preach. Suppose no door opens? If the Word of God is burning in your heart as a fire shut up in your bones, present it to every one you see till the Spirit opens a special door. If not do something else. You may say, I want to preach, but I don't know the Word. God has nothing else for you to preach. Learn the WORD OR STAY OUT OF THE MINISTRY. How can one serve God If he doesn't know God's Word and how to handle it? Can one succeed as a soldier untrained? I Cor. 1:17,18; Matt. 28:19 II Tim. 4:24 are clear on this. God quit giving men messages when His Word was completed in writing. I Cor. 13:8, Things in part ceased. The Scriptures furnish God's men for every good work. II Tim. 3:16,17.

GOD DOES NOT BLESS CONTRARY TO HIS WORD

Gen. 4:15; Heb. 11:4 and John 4:24 show that man must worship in harmony with the teaching of God's Word, or it is not worship. The Spirit strove with Cain, but Cain would not repent.

GRACE

Noah found grace in the eyes of God. Found Jesus. Gen. 6:8; Jn. 1:17. Cain and his offspring brought shame and disaster to the world. Gen. 6:17; Rom. 1:28.

SPIRIT LEADS BY FAITH

Gen. 12:1; Heb. 11:8-19; Eph. 1:10. Faith is the factor that causes one to honor God. Faith works by love. Gal. 5:6. Joseph WALKED BY FAITH IN EGYPT. Gen. 37:28-49; 26; and Heb. 11:22.

PHARAOH HARDENED

The Holy Spirit sent Moses with the Word of God to Pharaoh. When the Spirit strove with Pharaoh he hardened his heart against God. God delivered by His Word, by the blood and by the Holy Spirit. Like the cloud was present three days before they were to leave Egypt, through the Red Sea, so the Holy Spirit leads the saved to baptism. Ex. 12:19; I Cor. 10:24.

HOLY SPIRIT AND WORD OF GOD

TO SINNERS: Isa. 1:18, "Come let us reason together." Heb. 1:1,2, God spoke by His Son.

PERSONAL RIGHTEOUSNESS

Isa. 64:6, As filthy rags before God.Jer. 23:6, Christ is our righteousness. Acts 10:43, All prophets preached Christ. John 6:44, The Holy Spirit draws to repentance. John 14:6, Christ the only way to the Father.

CHRIST'S PERSONAL MINISTRY

Isaiah 45:22, "Look unto me and be ye saved all ye ends of the earth." Matt. 11:28, "Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. "John 3:16-18, Salvation in Christ for all men. Num 21:9 The FIERY SERPENT WAS TO SAVE EVERY ONE BITTEN: NOT AN ELECT FEW. CHRIST IS SAVIOR OF ALL MEN, NOT AN ELECT FEW. I Tim. 2:4; Tit. 2:11.Acts 2:14-36, Peter preached Christ, and the Holy Spirit convicted them of sin. Vs.37 They were pricked in their hearts. Jesus was not spared.Rom. 8:32, "He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not freely give us all things." IN THIS IT IS EASY TO SEE THAT THE WORD OF GOD GUIDES IN ALL THE SPIRIT LEADS US TO DO.

& Reprinted from The California Missionary Baptist January 15, 1950 Volume 10 - no. 8

Bible Missionary Baptist Church
108th and East Burnside
Portland, Oregom

Tom Blalock
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