Deeper Experiences of Famous Christians

I have uploaded this wonderful biography to Scribd for your downloading and reading pleasure. It was written by James Gilchrist Lawson in 1911 and contains biographical sketches of men and women of faith from Old Testament times through the 20th Century. It was a labor of love to convert the scanned book image PDF file to Word. I had to delete pics from the document because they did not convert (pics became series of numbers and letters). You can now download this book in either PDF, Microsoft Word, or plain text formats.
Enjoy and be blessed.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/62621076/Deeper-Experiences-of-Famous-Christians

The only person described in the book that held to a "second blessing" theology is Wesley. So don't throw out the entire book because of one person who doesn't fit with your idea of sound doctrine.

Thank you very much for uploading this edition!

PS: I like second blessings. And third, fourth, fifth,... blessings. I hope you all have more than one blessing in your christian life.

let me explain why I did this:

here in germany many (mostly conservative baptist/mennonite/lutheran) christians think something as a second blessing is total heresy. they argue: if we have grace/bornagainexperience/baptism we have it all

than you have all the pentecostals/charismatics/neocharismatics, they say: if you have the second blessing (tongues/gifts/power/whatever), you have it all. you need no third, fourth, etc blessing.

No I believe both are totally wrong. Their lifes testify that both groups have no changed life (fruit of the spirit), very little spiritual gifts and no power.

You see in Acts that the apostles had more than two blessings. and Pauls says, we have to be filled with the spirit always.

NOWHERE IN THE BIBLE IT SAYS THAT ONE OR TWO EXPERIENCES IN THE PAST ARE SUFFICIENT TO ALWAYS LIVE A HOLY LIFE. YOU HAVE TO BE FILLED NOW - IF NOT ALL YOUR PAST EXPERIENCES ARE WORTHLESS.

thats why you have more than one encounter with the spirit. most of us were filled with the spirit at some point in their life and after a short while they lost it (because of sin, pride, judging, etc) - was the same with me. What do you do then? You go hard after God to have another encounter with him. you confess your sin before others. you humble yourself... and then god will give you grace, and you sure will have another "Blessing".

Dear Brenda,

Thank you for your words. I can agree whole heartedly with them. You are a great encouragement.

Thank you, too, "TrueWitness" for your love in uploading "DEEPER EXPERIENCES OF FAMOUS CHRISTIANS", which I shall eagerly read (by the way, didn't Frances Havergal burn with the message of the 2nd blessing? And didn't George Muller write of the night when "the old George Muller died and the new George Muller began to live" long after he had began God's great work in Bristol? -- but what does terminology mean anyway, it's the lived-out life that counts, isn't it...the crucified-with-Christ life).

And thank you, too, "Aussiedler" for your comments about the need for ongoing blessings. As an Englishman living in Germany for most of my life I can certainly understand the comments made about Germany.

Germany has had it's "completely-surrendered" servants, too - Gerhard Tersteegen, Johannes Gommel and Basilea Schlink to name but a few who have inspired and encouraged me - especially the latter, who, as far as I know, didn't use the terminology of 2nd blessing, but much more so emphasized the DAILY WALK in repentance, surrender of the will, and the first love, bridal love for Jesus. Bridal love was her central theme and still is that of the Evangelical Sisterhood of Mary, which she founded, today.

It was a great surprise for me about 2 years ago, to have my own personal experience of what some call "the 2nd blessing"! It took me completely by surprise. For 41 years I had been a Christian (experiencing my new birth when I was 18 years old at an outdoor meeting in England -- again, completely by surprise and by God's grace). And of those years 35 had been in full-time service for the Lord.

My experience happened after hearing an audio-sermon by Duncan Campbell on this very website (what a blessing this website is). Of course, the 2nd blessing was an integral part of his preaching (a 2nd work of grace in the heart of a child of God, usually later on in his or her life and often at a moment of crisis, as Duncan could himself testify). I prayed the simple prayer with him at the end of his message, not even thinking that my compromised Christian walk could change at such a late stage in my life. But in the days that followed the Holy Spirit became free to do His work. I would awake earlier and earlier each morning with a deep hunger for the Word of God. Sometimes there was no time for sleep, and the hours in precious fellowship with the Lord went by unnoticeably. I know that this was a work of grace. There is no way I could have worked this up. I can only be ashamed for all the years that I had shared my heart with other things and had not surrendered it completely unto God.

Those were the nights! And the days were a walking side by side in a sort of constant fellowship with my Father - a closeness to Him, that I would not have thought possible. Yes, it was a "one-time" Calvary moment for me. But I have learned since then that the blessing does not remain automatically. God in His loving jealousy will not share my heart with anything or anyone else. And He is quick to withdraw whenever I decide to willingly sin and turn my attention to things I should not do. In His love He has been thus teaching me to stay completely in His will. Obedience (DOING His will) is for me at this present moment the key word, and the thing that keeps me on course. So I can understand from experience that the "2nd blessing", or "entering into the second covenant" as Andrew Murray termed it, is or can be a one-time complete surrender of the whole heart to God, but it is also a blessing that needs to be renewed daily, beginning in my early morning quiet time, soaking myself in the Word of God, and DAILY deciding afresh to lay my life unreservedly upon His altar (Romans 12:1) out of love for Him.

I cannot boast about the above experience, I can only boast of God's love and grace to me. He let me see my nothingness so that He could be my ALL. And I share it with you only as an encouragement. He can take the worst of us, no, I think He DELIGHTS in taking the worst of us and transforming us into the image of His Son. Praise and glory be to Him.

Thank you that I can fellowship with you in this way. Not many who I have met know about what I have shared with you, so it's a real encouragement to share with kindred spirits.

God bless you.

I don't know if we are really in agreement, because I will never make a formula out of this (= speaking in tongues, entire sanctification, enter his rest, callitwhateveryouwill).

Everyone made a formula, wesley did, quakers did (maybe not Fox, but his followers, pentecostals did...)

With "making a formula" I mean I put this in some theological frame so that you can say "follow step 1 - 5 and then you get it". This will never work. God never honors formulas, God honors brokeness and humility.

I concur, God cannot be placed into a formula nor can his moves. He is a creative God, it would be like tell all artist you can only use paint in your work and you can only use the color black.

There is also a danger that I see in it and that is false baptism Especially in the Pentecostal movements where speaking in tongues is so largely emphasised I came out of this type of church and it has left me a bit jaded in terms of Holy Spirit baptism. Anyone can "speak in tongues" when their acceptance hinges on it.

wonderfull testamony shorn lamb

what was the sermon called from camble

God is a God of relationship and relationship and formulas cannot live together.

Dear brothergary,

Thank you.

The sermon by Duncan Campbell that helped me was:
"Building the Walls"
- especially his words in the last 2 or 3 minutes about how "the Lord can lift you up into a whole new level, a new consciousness if you would but take His hand tonight and ask Him to do so".(my words).
You can find it among the Audio Sermons on this website under Duncan Campbell (first page), or use the link:
https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/mydownloads/visit.php?lid=383

He talks about the experience of a 2nd blessing in many of his sermons. His own experience of it on the battle field during WW I (which he shares in his personal testimony) is also very moving.

NOWHERE IN THE BIBLE IT SAYS THAT ONE OR TWO EXPERIENCES IN THE PAST ARE SUFFICIENT TO ALWAYS LIVE A HOLY LIFE. YOU HAVE TO BE FILLED NOW - IF NOT ALL YOUR PAST EXPERIENCES ARE WORTHLESS.

Ezekiel 36:26-28 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.

Experience and or blessing is not the right word for the work God wants to work.

However God does promises a dual work that dual work is

1. The giving of a New Spirit

2. The removing the Old Heart and the giving you a New Heart.

That work will cause us to walk in his statutes, and that work will cause you to keep his judgments and to do them. We will dwell in the land that he gave to our fathers, we will be his people, and I he will be your God.

Lets look at the new New Testement.....

Romans 1-5 teaches how men were justified by the Grace of God from the days of Abel, Noah, Abraham, after the giving of Law, and now today in the Church.(1. The giving of a New Spirit)

Romans 6 teaches how the believer in Christ can be rid of the still existing Adamic life. (2. The removing the Old Heart and the giving you a New Heart.)

Romans 7 teaches about how men under Law still had a struggle going on with the Adamic Life. As mentioned by the Apostle in verses 4 and 5… “when we were in the flesh”. Romans seven teaches a comparison of how a man under Law struggled to keep Law…without the Grace of God!(The believer has a New Spirit but the Stony Heart still remains)

Romans 8 teaches how the righteousness of the Law can be “fulfilled in us" by the sanctifying power of the Grace of God. Romans 8 teaches how the believer in Christ is “rid” of the Adamic Life (The stony heart). Romans 8 shows that a believer in Christ can be completely delivered from the Adamic life (The Stony Heart).

In Romans 8 Gods Dual work is complete...

Hope that helps......

you are theologically right, but EXPERIENCALLY NO ONE HAS A PERFECT HEART since the time he got born again.

Every newborn child of god realises one month or week after his conversion, that there is still much "dirt" left in them and God still convicts them of sins and imperfections.

My focus is on the real life, not on doctrine (because we will be judged after our works, so the born again husband who's beating up his wife or who lies and steals or slanders will not excuse his deeds with Ezekiel 36 when he stands before christ...thats the same like saying "but I prayed the sinners prayer"

and you are right in explaining the old man from romans 6 - but the old man/flesh can come alive every moment, if the believer decides to do so (stop believing that the old self is dead. Paul says in him IS (present tense) still nothing good.

so we are not really contradicting, but with different focus.

Aussiedler wrote:
PS: I like second blessings. And third, fourth, fifth,... blessings. I hope you all have more than one blessing in your christian life.

God bless,
Lisa

The experience of a deeper walk with God, a 2nd blessing, a calvary moment, a being-broken - call it what you will - is indeed an experience. It is not a formula, not an emotion, nothing legalistic, but a work of grace worked in the life of an undeserving child of God by God alone. That is my belief and experience. I also believe that God's aim is that we love Him with ALL the heart, and that He wants this for us more than we do ourselves. He knows that this is the key to our true happiness. He knows that only then can His Holy Spirit really fill us. He is jealous, He will not share our hearts with other things. And He often has to wait a long time until we finally come to the end of ourselves and our own strength (especially as Christians!) so that He can at last step in and take over. This can perhaps sometimes happen at the beginning of our Christian walk, but seldom does - probably because of all the corruption and deformities of sin in our hearts that God through Christ BEGINS to cleanse. From what I have read I believe that the moment of complete surrender often comes as a conscious decision of a child of God later on in his or her walk with the Lord.

Of course it is NOT a once-and-for-all life-changing decision. It is, however, the BEGINNING of a new, deeper walk with God which, I believe and know to be true for myself, needs to be RENEWED DAILY. Daily I need to surrender my All to God before the day begins, in my prayer closet, and renew my prayer to Him to take and keep my whole heart as His throne. I for myself have found that each new day begun in this way has been a deeper journey of getting to know my Father and Friend in a way and depth that I had not known for most of my Christian life in full-time service for the Lord. The day becomes a walking with Him in almost unbroken communion.

Please forgive me. I know that I'm not eloquent or a brilliant speaker or writer, and I may well have forgotten to mention things that might be important or missing for you, but may I humbly suggest that you might read, if you have time or interest, what men more capable than I have written on this theme:

"THE TWO COVENANTS AND THE SECOND BLESSING"
By
Andrew Murray

Link: http://savior-of-all.com/The%20Two%20Covenants.pdf
(to read online or download)

...or a more recent book by John Mulinde describing the same experience. He doesn't use the term "Second Blessing", but this brother's experience is essentially the same. In a very heart-warm and up-to-date way he explains how this call to (and gift of) a deeper Christian walk came during the events of 9/11 as he was working for the Lord in the USA. He writes how it is God's call to us believers today who live in the end times, in a Church that has become compromised and almost ineffectual. It's a good read, Biblically-based and very practical - one to pass on to others:

"SET APART FOR GOD: THE CALL TO A SURRENDERED LIFE"
By
John Mulinde

ISBN: 1-85240-430-2
(as far as I know it's not online yet)

hey shortlamb ,,,,ducun was a calvinst was he not

ive herd about 6 sermons of his

chilling preacher

what are your thoughts ,loyd jones

i haventverny herd verry much ,but what i herd was verry spiritual

thanks for the link to cambles sermon

i beleievd for quite a wile in the seconed blesing

some times i call it the seconed birth

it seems like one is born again 2

i believe iv experanced it

because it over shadowed the first time i came to christ

and recieved the gift of faith and repentance

and everything that led up to the sceconed blessing

it was a serious climax
and did have much santifing power

that was when i new joy that was unspeakable that was full of glory , some how it was much stronger then my new birth

i was convictided for years before this experance ,regarding the firt few chapters in the boof of acts ,,,,and when the spirit filled me ,i thought this is what happened to those in the bible

im not happy to say ,that i lost some of that anointing

but have been convicted to to seek a fresh filling through reglar fasting and prayer

and through faith
that god is calling me to a deeper walk with him

my new birth happened out side a church
by reading my bible

and the seconed blessing happened minutes after i was witnessing to a close family member i walked in to the loung room and sat down
and he came

iv never been the same scince that day

but i strugle because i have no elder or teachers

to exort but ithink god has had much paintent with because of that ,

I found a lot of Pentecostals especially the Assemblies of Godd were off shoots and find their roots in Azuzu Street Revival as their beginnings. There was much dabate on the matters of tongues and even was a debate among some of the leaders Parham and Durham, this debate was so severe that Parham even prayed to God that the one that was wrong would die, Durham died before Parham, so Parham declared himself the victor in the debate.

Could someone Spirit filled with the Holy Spirit of a Loving God make such a request? That one would Die to prove a point? Not to mention be incredibly racist against William Seymour who was the leader of the Azusa Street revivals? Hum I don't really think so.

I have come to this conclusion about Spirit filled Baptism, When you are Spirit filled you will show a life that lines up with the fruits of the Spirit in a new found and supernatural way Love, Joy, Peace, Faithfulness, Kindness, Goodness, Self control to name the ones on the top of my head, Not only showing forth these but also moving and operating in Holiness. One Spirit filled is enveloped in the Person Jesus Christ and so when one looks at the Spirit filled Christian they no longer see the Christian but Christ Jesus shining through far brighter. This Holy Spirit is one of Humility and Holiness.

I have seen many people abuse this Pentecostal doctrine and with it are arrogant and proud because "they are filled with the Spirit" and can speak in tongues. I reject it based off of their fruit if a Holy God truly came inside you it would humble you to the very core of your being. Your response would be that of Jeremiahs or Isaiahs of being unworthy to even know the Lord.

I say all of this I believe in the gifts of the Spirit, I wholeheartedly do, I am even Pentecostal by belief in the things that happened on the Day of Pentecost are for us today. I also know that there are many brothers and sisters that will disagree with me which I am okay with, I know also there are many who speak in tongues on here who are quite humble in the matter (I appreciate you very much) But I am only speaking from my experience and with what the Lord has shown me.

I am also aware there will be good Pentecostals and Bad ones as well that misrepresent the scriptures or enforce them with their actions. I am not seeking to offend but only to speak the truth and my testimony.

krautfrau wrote:

"(Sadly one thing I found amongst Germans is a coldness of heart generally speaking. )I missed the small kindnesses found everyday in the street from my own nationals."

I have to admit that is right for my country. There is a spiritual stronghold in germany that consists in a hatred against weakness in any form, against kindness and emotion. But God is breaking this stronghold more and more, and the hearts are melting...

..the more people start repenting, the more this stronghold breaks and satan looses his power.

Thanks brothergary for yours.

I'm not sure whether Duncan Campbell was a Calvinist or not -- it's not so important for me. He just loved the Lord with all his heart, didn't he! I loved to hear him say that if we let God fill our hearts completely, there will be no room for anything else.

And re your question about Martin Lloyd Jones. I don't know the answer to that one either. I've not had chance to listen to him yet.

Thank you for the encouragement you give in sharing your experiences.

Yes, it's one thing experiencing an anointing, and quite another to stay under that anointing. Learning the little steps of obedience has been a big help for me on that one. Andrew Murray wrote a wonderful book called Obedience.

Like you, I am still learning. And like you, I thank the Lord for His great patience.

If you have a chance to get the Book "The Argentine Revival" from Dr. R. Edward Miller and his Tapes about the holy spirit and the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. They are awesome and he shows you straight from the bible that speaking in tongues is not the full baptism (he was pentecostal), but a full baptism of the spirit and fire includes some more things (he is not against speaking in tongues, he only points makes clear from the bible that there is much more)

And he speaks from experience also, he spoke in tongues since childhood, but when he was a already a pentecostal missionary for many years and because he saw so little fruit he thought about quitting the ministry.

He wanted to say to god something like "I have tried out everything, but it didn't work, so I can go back to the states and earn a living" - then one thought came to him: you have not tried fasting and prevailing prayer.

...to make a long story short: he had a tremendous encounter with the living god, he called it later a baptism of fire (and fire speaks of the holiness of god and purging and cleansing)

after that the first argentine revival started and the rest is history...

now go and read that book, you will like it of you like "deeper experiences" ;-)

A few thoughts that may answer some of the questions asked in this thread.

The fruit of the Spirit and baptism of the Spirit are two distinctly different things for expressly different purposes.

The FRUIT of the Spirit is to develop Christ like character in our lives.
The BAPTISM and GIFTS of the Spirit are to empower us and enable us to do ministry in the name of Jesus Christ

You may well see folks with excellent FRUIT of the Spirit in their lives.... but no power or gifts in operation. Conversely you may also see people with a powerful anointing and gifts of the Spirit in operation but not very much fruit of the Spirit in evidence. This ought not be ... but it is often the case. For example read the first few chapters of 1 Corinthians. Obviously lots of gifts, manifestations, and power... but they were shallow, factious, divisive, and not walking in love according to the Apostle Paul. Fair to say they had GIFTS... but little fruit. However, there are many today...many on this website in fact.. that exemplify wonderful fruit of the Spirit.....but have virtually none of the power of God evidenced in their life and the gifts never function through them.

Can we be mature enough to see that God wants to show extremely powerful manifestations and anointings through His people that show He is indeed alive and working the miraculous in our midst? However, may we also be mature enough to see He desires to do that through those who have established a platform of credibility by the fruit they exhibit in their lives?

If we only have fruit the world is right to question whether we actually have the relationship with a supernatural God that we say we do. If we only have gifts and no fruit then the supernatural is tainted and discredited by our rotten attitudes and lack of spiritual fruit. It must be this AND that... not this OR that!

However, we humans have made a mess of this simple thought over and over again!

As to where Duncan Cambell fell in these matters- the answers can be found in his own words on some of the sermons here on SI. He also authored a few small booklets that I purchased at one time that address these thoughts. Mr. Cambell was a Presbyterian. In Duncan's own words he said, "He was a Calvinist...but that he rejected in the strongest terms any form of Calvinism that took away man's responsibility before God". He further stated that, "One of the keys to the Hebrides revival was a definitive work of grace called the baptism of the Holy Spirit that happened subsequent to salvation. It was a supernatural empowerment from God that came after salvation". He further clarified that in the Hebrides revival folks were not normally speaking in tongues...although he was not in any way opposed to it...however, it was not something they saw much of there and that he had never personally spoken in tongues although he had a definite baptism in the Holy Spirit years after being born again. He also mentions that visions, trances, and similar phenomenon were not uncommon. A final interesting point he shared was that in the Hebrides physical healing was not seen very often. However, it is abundantly clear that God shook the land and a mighty visitation of God happened.

Again..balance. These were his observations of the Hebrides. However, he was also quick to say that might not be the way God chose to move in another location. I can get the exact references if needed..may take a bit... but I definitely have them all in my library.

Hope this helps a little to bring a balanced perspective. May we all grow up into maturity in Christ that reveals powerful anointing, gifts,and manifestations coming forth from people that are just bursting with the fruit of the Spirit in their lives!

Blessings,

Solomon101

I would add, that without the holy spirit it is impossible to have the fruit of the spirit and the power of the spirit.

But if I claim to be full of the holy spirit, than I should show BOTH, the fruit and the power, otherwise dont claim that you are FULL.

Some have power, some fruit, but very few have both = very few are really FULL.

It's a great book and I also believe in entire sanctification. Call it what you will, may we all go deeper with Christ.

Quote: but EXPERIENCALLY NO ONE HAS A PERFECT HEART since the time he got born again.

1Kgs 15:14 But the high places were not taken away: nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect with Jehovah all his days.

The heart of Asa was perfect……

2 Chronicles 16:9 For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars.

Gods searches the whole earth for them whose heart that’s is perfect towards him…..

I have given you an example of man who had a perfect heart and I have shown you an example that God searches the whole earth for them…. Them implies that there can be more than one at any given time…..

Quote: Every newborn child of god realises one month or week after his conversion, that there is still much "dirt" left in them and God still convicts them of sins and imperfections.

That’s the sad states of affairs that the church is in we are like Paul in Romans 7:18 For I know that in me dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.

Quote: My focus is on the real life, not on doctrine….

My focus also is on the real life and how the Christian can live a Clean, Holy and Victorious life completely yielded to Gods will and the best place to find the truth is in the bible and that is all I have done… I don’t attend a church and haven’t done for at least over 10 years. Most people attend bible school and start a ministry I attended bible school for two years then walked out of the church of into the wilderness I did go fed up and angry at what I saw in church and it’s leadership…

It was after leaving the church that God opened up my eyes to the sin that remained with the Christian after conversion since then I have studied and God keeps opening my eyes to the truth in the scriptures… I can claim that no man, ministry or denomination with there doctrines taught me this…

Quote: but the old man/flesh can come alive every moment, if the believer decides to do so (stop believing that the old self is dead. Paul says in him IS (present tense) still nothing good.

My friend what God is teaching me is that the old man can be put to death once and for all and that you can be free from the old man.

The church of today is like the foolish Galatians we have been be-witched…we started in the Spirit but have then turned to the flesh to live the Christian life and all you get out of that is Christians that have a form of godliness put deny the power and what you get is the mess that we have in the church today… A church that’s mocked by unbelievers because of the un-godliness that is rampant, bringing shame to the Father, Son and the Holy Ghost and causing them to grieve…

Listen to Paul again Gal 3:3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?

No we can never be perfected by the flesh or have a perfect heart while in the flesh, so your right in a sense any Christian who walks by the flesh can never be perfect, Never Never…

But is there a work of the Spirit after conversion, do we have any hope of being perfect in the heart in this life…

We are told the heart of Asa was perfect and we are told that God searches the earth for a heart that is perfect towards him… So there must be a work that God does in a man that can cause him to have perfect heart.

The Dual work of the Spirit in the New Testament…

Gal 3:26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. 27For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

1. For we are children of God by faith in Christ
2. Baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

The man who has put on Christ has been perfected in his Heart why because its no longer I that lives. Why because we have been put to death and we have been raised from death like Christ and you find that it’s no longer I that live but Christ that lives in me … Note: This baptism mentioned above is not water baptism.

So what is this Baptism of Christ we get a clue from John the Baptist Matthew 3:11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire.

The Baptism of Christ is not water baptism.

Romans 6:3-4 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

How powerful, how amazing raised from the dead to walk in the newness of life……with a Perfect Heart why because it’s no longer I that lives the old man but Christ the new man that lives in me…

Thank you, Colin.

Knowing this, that our old man is CRUCIFIED with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:
Romans 6:6-8

And they that are Christ's have CRUCIFIED the flesh with the affections and lusts.
Gal 5:24

But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is CRUCIFIED unto me, and I unto the world.
Gal 6:14

From henceforth let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.
Gal 6:17

I, too, believe in a one-time "crucifixion" with Christ. I believe the Father will see me nailed to my cross, as He did His Son. I believe that I cannot put that last nail in by myself, but Someone else has done it - my Father. I thought my need for further surrender was then over, but after a time I noticed that my old self was still not completely dead. This shook me at first, and I became afraid I could fall back into my old compromised life.

At first, because the experience was all new for me, this seemed like a contradiction: crucified with Christ, but still somehow alive. Until the thought came which has since helped me: The crucifixion HAS really taken place, I should not doubt it - but crucifixion does NOT mean instant death. It was for our Lord and is for me, too, a drawn-out death. Yes, I'm nailed to my cross now, by the grace of God, but I am no longer surprised or come into doubting when I notice I am not yet completely dead.

Perhaps this is what Paul meant when he wrote:
"I die daily"? 1Co 15:31

The church of today is like the foolish Galatians we have been be-witched…we started in the Spirit but have then turned to the flesh to live the Christian life and all you get out of that is Christians that have a form of godliness put deny the power and what you get is the mess that we have in the church today… A church that’s mocked by unbelievers because of the un-godliness that is rampant, bringing shame to the Father, Son and the Holy Ghost and causing them to grieve…

Colin,

Love this quote!

This pretty much sums up my experience, and God's faithfulness in getting me back to inward holiness. When the Lord moves on our heart, the natural manifestation externally is the fruit of the Spirit.

When we 'eat His flesh and drink His blood' we take His life into ourselves and it cleanses us which enables us to walk closer with the Holy Spirit. Unlike the Old Testament where the blood was sprinkled on the priest and he was covered, we now have the ability through the Holy Spirit to be clean on the inside. The best way to avoid murder is to avoid anger, folks who aren't even angry have no desire to murder. :-)

Thanks for your insight and wonderful posting!

Yes, me too. Read a PDF the other day that makes a noteworthy case of that the majority actually didn't " start in the Spirit but have then turned to the flesh"

but in truth never really repented and never truly started in the Spirit. The weak spot is true conversion what makes people struggle between flesh and spirit.

Was a great read: "Kingdom Transfer" at http://www.holylivingnow.com

your welcom shorn lamb, and your right it is erelevent weather he ws calvinist

ill see what i can find out about that brother and his book ,,brenda

im in the middle of reading the persute of god by tozer

wise man of god ,