7 Sermon Illustrations on Power of the Holy Spirit

A physician went to hear D. L. Moody. Although he had not thought of such a result, he was converted. When asked the reason for his change of heart, he said, "I went to hear Mr. Moody with no other idea than to have something to laugh at. I knew he was no scholar, and I felt sure I could find many flaws in his argument. But I found I could not get at the man. He stood there hiding behind the Bible and just fired one Bible text after another at me till they went home to my heart straight as bullets from a rifle. I tell you, Moody's power is in the way he has his Bible at the tip of his tongue."

It is impossible to overestimate, or, rather, to estimate, the power that lies latent in our churches. We talk of the power that was latent in steam, — latent till Watt evoked its spirit from the waters, and set the giant to turn the iron arms of machinery. We talk of the power that was latent in the skies till science climbed their heights, and, seizing the spirit of the thunder, chained it to our surface, abolishing distance, outstripping the wings of time, and flashing our thoughts across rolling seas to distant continents. Yet what are these to the moral power that lies asleep in the congregations of our country and of the Christian world!

— Dr. Guthrie

In some of our houses is constructed a telegraphic alarm. Every door and every window, by a telegraphic wire, is connected with a little galvanic battery in a closet, and also with a bell at the head of the sleeper's bed. When a door or window opens, the bell gives a sudden peal. After five or six months, if no precaution is taken, a serious difficulty may occur. The lever may be turned to connect the battery with the bell, and a door may be opened; but no sound will be heard. What has happened? Every wire in the house can be traced uninjured back to the battery; the platform on which stands the bell, and the lever connecting and disconnecting the wires, are all in place: but there is no response. The power is gone. What shall we do? Polish the bell? increase the number of or renew the wires? Still there would be no sound. Shall we smite upon the bell, imitating the ringing peal ourselves? But then its legitimate office, to give us warning, and to save us in the hour of danger, is gone. There is only one course to be pursued. The trouble is with the battery. It has only to be charged again as it was at first; and then the fire will run through all the lines of wire, and the response will be given at the point of contact. So also the heart must be again filled with the Holy Ghost; and every point of contact with our fellow-men will illustrate our moral power. Dr. Curry.

An eminently pious curate, in England, was accustomed, on account of the village in which he resided being at a great distance from the church, to preach on the sabbath evening in his own house. On his return from his stated parochial duties, one sabbath afternoon, he was warned by one of his neighbors to keep a strict look-out against two suspicious characters then lurking in the village, as there was some reason to apprehend that they intended that night to rob his house. They contrived however, by some means, to get within his premises while the people were assembling in considerable numbers for worship, and concealed themselves in a retired part of the house; but not being far from the room where the worthy man was preaching, they could distinctly hear his voice. The sword of the Spirit pierced their hearts; they were not only convinced of the wickedness of their meditated burglary, but of the awful criminality of sin as committed against God, and left their dark retreat under the most pungent sense of guilt. From this time, an effectual change was wrought in their minds and conduct, and the pious clergyman, after several years, could bear testimony that by their unblamable lives, they adorned the gospel of Christ.