Sunday
September 10
1. WHERE DOES IT COME FROM?
a. What did Jesus give to His disciples so that they could preach the gospel in every place? John 20:22.
b. What does God promise to give to His children in order that they may accomplish His task of going into all the world and preaching the gospel? Luke 24:49; Acts 1:8; Joel 2:28–30.
“To us today, as verily as to the first disciples, the promise of the Spirit belongs. God will today endow men and women with power from above, as He endowed those who on the Day of Pentecost heard the word of salvation. At this very hour His Spirit and His grace are for all who need them and will take Him at His word.”–Testimonies, vol. 8, p. 20.
c. How do we receive this promised power? Matthew 7:7.
“The promise of the Holy Spirit is not limited to any age or to any race. Christ declared that the divine influence of His Spirit was to be with His followers unto the end. From the Day of Pentecost to the present time, the Comforter has been sent to all who have yielded themselves fully to the Lord and to His service.”–The Acts of the Apostles, p. 49.
Monday
September 11
2. THE PREREQUISITES
a. What did the disciples have before receiving the pentecostal outpouring? Acts 1:13, 14; 2:1.
“If the fulfillment of the promise is not seen as it might be, it is because the promise is not appreciated as it should be. If all were willing, all would be filled with the Spirit.”–The Acts of the Apostles, p. 50.
b. The promise of the Holy Spirit is sure, but is He given to everyone? John 14:14–17; Acts 5:32.
“Christ has promised the gift of the Holy Spirit to His church, and the promise belongs to us as much as to the first disciples. But like every other promise, it is given on conditions. There are many who believe and profess to claim the Lord’s promise; they talk about Christ and about the Holy Spirit, yet receive no benefit. They do not surrender the soul to be guided and controlled by the divine agencies. We cannot use the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is to use us. Through the Spirit God works in His people ‘to will and to do of His good pleasure.’ But many will not submit to this. They want to manage themselves. This is why they do not receive the heavenly gift. Only to those who wait humbly upon God, who watch for His guidance and grace, is the Spirit given.”–The Desire of Ages, p. 672.
c. How does the Bible emphasize obedience? Can we receive of the promised power if we do not follow God’s plan? James 4:17.
“The great outpouring of the Spirit of God, which lightens the whole earth with His glory, will not come until we have an enlightened people, that know by experience what it means to be laborers together with God. When we have entire, wholehearted consecration to the service of Christ, God will recognize the fact by an outpouring of His Spirit without measure; but this will not be while the largest portion of the church are not laborers together with God.”–The Review and Herald, July 21, 1896.
Tuesday
September 12
3. THE RIGHT REASON
a. What was the underlying reason for the disciples’ asking for the Holy Spirit? 2 Corinthians 5:14.
b. What needs to be our reason for asking for this power? Romans 5:8; 1 Peter 2:21; Philippians 2:5.
“The disciples did not ask for a blessing for themselves. They were weighted with the burden of souls. The gospel was to be carried to the ends of the earth, and they claimed the endowment of power that Christ had promised. Then it was that the Holy Spirit was poured out, and thousands were converted in a day.”–Testimonies, vol. 8, p. 21.
c. The Bible talks about this power being called by a certain name. What is it? Acts 3:19.
d. What is needed to receive this refreshing? Acts 2:38; Joel 2:12, 13.
“There are some who, instead of wisely improving present opportunities, are idly waiting for some special season of spiritual refreshing by which their ability to enlighten others will be greatly increased. They neglect present duties and privileges, and allow their light to burn dim, while they look forward to a time when, without any effort on their part, they will be made the recipients of special blessing, by which they will be transformed and fitted for service. . . .
“Those only who are constantly receiving fresh supplies of grace, will have power proportionate to their daily need and their ability to use that power. Instead of looking forward to some future time when, through a special endowment of spiritual power, they will receive a miraculous fitting up for soul winning, they are yielding themselves daily to God, that He may make them vessels meet for His use. Daily they are improving the opportunities for service that lie within their reach. Daily they are witnessing for the Master wherever they may be, whether in some humble sphere of labor in the home, or in a public field of usefulness.”–The Acts of the Apostles, pp. 54, 55.
Wednesday
September 13
4. THE EVIDENCE
a. How can I know if I have repented and converted? 2 Corinthians 13:5; Romans 6:22; 8:14; Galatians 5:22–26.
b. If I have truly received the Holy Spirit, what will be evidenced in my life? Romans 15:13; John 13:35.
“Whoever has received the Holy Spirit, will make it manifest; for all his powers will be employed in the most active service. All who actually receive Christ by faith, work. They feel the burden of souls. God now calls upon everyone who has a knowledge of the truth, who is a depositary of sacred truth, to arise and impart the light of heaven to others. Those who have been illuminated by the Holy Spirit will show its office work upon life and character. They will be mediums through which the Holy Spirit will communicate light and knowledge to others. The wonderful truth revealed to us in these last days is to be revealed to others. ‘The end of all things is at hand.’ The Lord has been speaking to you in America, and may the Lord forbid that at the time of great illumination, darkness should come upon you because you fail to walk in the light that has been given. Darkness corresponding to your light will surely come upon you if you do not now arouse from your slumbers, and shake off your useless musings and selfish indulgences, and trade diligently with your Lord’s goods. Move out from your pleasant homes. Develop the talents God has given you, and tell to others what the Holy Spirit has communicated to you. God requires you to work in proportion to the light He has given.”–The Review and Herald, December 5, 1893.
c. Will an individual necessarily know if others or himself has received of this power? 2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 6:15, 16.
“There must be no neglect of the grace represented by the former rain. Only those who are living up to the light they have, will receive greater light. Unless we are daily advancing in the exemplification of the active Christian virtues, we shall not recognize the manifestations of the Holy Spirit in the latter rain. It may be falling on hearts all around us, but we shall not discern or receive it.”–The Faith I Live By, p. 333.
Thursday
September 14
5. THE EFFECT
a. What will happen in our churches when members have had a real experience with the early rain and the latter rain? Acts 2:42–47.
“There can be no growth or fruitfulness in the life that is centered in self. If you have accepted Christ as a personal Saviour, you are to forget yourself, and try to help others. Talk of the love of Christ, tell of His goodness. Do every duty that presents itself. Carry the burden of souls upon your heart, and by every means in your power seek to save the lost. As you receive the Spirit of Christ–the Spirit of unselfish love and labor for others–you will grow and bring forth fruit. The graces of the Spirit will ripen in your character. Your faith will increase, your convictions deepen, your love be made perfect. More and more you will reflect the likeness of Christ in all that is pure, noble, and lovely.”–Christ’s Object Lessons, pp. 67, 68.
b. What has happened before and will happen again when there are a people who have a deep desire to work for the salvation of souls? Acts 4:8, 13; 17:6; Ephesians 6:12–18.
“ ‘When the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.’ Christ is waiting with longing desire for the manifestation of Himself in His church. When the character of Christ shall be perfectly reproduced in His people, then He will come to claim them as His own. ”–Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 69.
c. What will happen in heavenly places when the Holy Spirit has been given to empower and to seal His people? Revelation 7:3; 8:5; John 14:3.
“By giving the gospel to the world it is in our power to hasten our Lord’s return. We are not only to look for but to hasten the coming of the day of God.”–The Desire of Ages, p. 633.
“[God] has put it in our power, through cooperation with Him, to bring this scene of misery [in the world] to an end.”–Education, p. 264.
Friday
September 15
PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS
1. Do I really want to be a missionary for the Lord? What will I do if the answer is yes? What should I do if the answer is no?
2. What must I change in my life so that the Holy Spirit will come and dwell within me and use me?
3. How can I have this deep love for souls in my heart?
4. What is the difference between fanaticism and the real outpouring of the Holy Spirit?
5. Am I being a power for good in my family, my church, and my community?
Ask in Faith. “Let Christians put away all dissension and give themselves to God for the saving of the lost. Let them ask in faith for the promised blessing, and it will come.”–Testimonies, vol. 8, p. 21.
Make Use of the Given Light. “As God gives us light, we should make use of it; God will not give us a second ray while the first is not appreciated. We must praise the Lord for the light already graciously given and reflect it upon those around us. Then more light will shine upon us, and as we praise, we shall know that ‘the path of the just is as a shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.’ Do not say, I will praise the Lord when the Holy Spirit is poured out upon us. How will you know when the Holy Spirit is poured out, unless you walk in the light day by day? You are to go about your duties, advancing step, by step, according to the counsel of the Lord, and you will find that you will have light and peace and joy, and will make melody in your heart unto the Lord. Thus the people of God will mingle their praises with those of the hosts of heaven, and sing songs of thanksgiving with the angels of God.”–The Review and Herald, October 11, 1892.
No Limit. “There is no limit to the usefulness of the one who, putting self aside, makes room for the working of the Holy Spirit upon his heart, and lives a life wholly consecrated to God.”–Christian Service, p. 254.
A Special Privilege. “It is the privilege of every Christian not only to look for but to hasten the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, (2 Peter 3:12, margin). Were all who profess His name bearing fruit to His glory, how quickly the whole world would be sown with the seed of the gospel.”–Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 69.