The Revival... Is the Restoration of the Holy Spirit to His Place
The sermon emphasizes the importance of faith and obedience in receiving the fullness of the Holy Spirit, who is the inward teacher and guide.
Andrew Murray emphasizes that the revival is fundamentally about restoring the Holy Spirit to His rightful place within us. He outlines three key aspects: the Spirit works from within to renew and purify our lives, He requires our complete surrender and obedience to fully influence us, and His guidance is received through faith and action. Murray stresses that true spiritual wisdom and understanding arise when we allow the Spirit to take control of our hearts and lives. This revival calls for a deep faith in the Spirit's presence and power, leading to a transformative experience of God's truth.
Text
To understand aright what this teaching of the Spirit is, there are three things we must specially remember. The first, that it is all from within. It is by influencing, by renewing, by purifying the life, that the Spirit gives the experimental knowledge of God's truth. Out of the light of life, wrought within our feeling and willing and acting, spiritual wisdom and understanding is born.
The second, that this power and energy of the Spirit is given on one condition -- that of entire possession. As a teacher can not teach unless he has the undivided attention of his pupil, the Holy Spirit demands the entire control of the life. A great deal of prayer for the teaching or the filling of the Spirit is vain, because the seeker is not faithful in obedience to that measure of the Spirit which he already has. The Spirit claims our whole being.
And the third essential element in the teaching is that it is only communicated and to be received by faith. The movings of the Spirit cannot be known or felt until we begin to act. It is when, while feeling our weakness, we believe in the hidden presence and power within us and begin to act, that his guidance and strength are known. Faith in his indwelling and most certain leading, much faith in the Father who works by the Spirit, unceasing faith in the Lord Jesus, in union with whom we have the Spirit flowing through us -- this faith will receive the fullness of the Spirit. This is the revival we must seek for, the restoration of the Holy Spirit to his place as the inward teacher, having complete possession and control of heart and life.
(Excerpted from The Coming Revival, by Andrew Murray , pg. 40)
Sermon Outline
- The Teaching of the Spirit is from Within
- The Power and Energy of the Spirit is Given on One Condition
- The Teaching is Only Communicated and Received by Faith
- Faith in the hidden presence and power within us
- Faith in the Father who works by the Spirit
- Faith in the Lord Jesus, in union with whom we have the Spirit flowing through us
Key Quotes
“It is by influencing, by renewing, by purifying the life, that the Spirit gives the experimental knowledge of God's truth.” — Andrew Murray
“The movings of the Spirit cannot be known or felt until we begin to act.” — Andrew Murray
“This is the revival we must seek for, the restoration of the Holy Spirit to his place as the inward teacher, having complete possession and control of heart and life.” — Andrew Murray
Application Points
- We must seek the restoration of the Holy Spirit to his place as the inward teacher, having complete possession and control of heart and life.
- Faith in the Father who works by the Spirit, unceasing faith in the Lord Jesus, is essential for receiving the fullness of the Spirit.
- We must begin to act on our faith, trusting in the hidden presence and power within us to guide and strengthen us.