1 00:00:00,650 --> 00:00:05,310 How we need to be filled with the 2 00:00:05,310 --> 00:00:05,630 Spirit. 3 00:00:06,630 --> 00:00:08,210 Now what I want to do is to 4 00:00:08,210 --> 00:00:10,970 give a similar address following the same theme, 5 00:00:11,770 --> 00:00:14,750 only this time an Old Testament picture. 6 00:00:15,730 --> 00:00:17,730 The 2nd of Kings chapter 4. 7 00:00:18,790 --> 00:00:22,090 The 2nd of Kings chapter 4 reading from 8 00:00:22,090 --> 00:00:22,630 verse 1. 9 00:00:24,050 --> 00:00:26,290 Now there cried a certain woman of the 10 00:00:26,290 --> 00:00:28,550 wives of the sons of the prophets unto 11 00:00:28,550 --> 00:00:34,740 Elisha, Thy servant my husband is dead. 12 00:00:36,400 --> 00:00:38,940 And thou knowest that thy servant did fear 13 00:00:38,940 --> 00:00:39,500 the Lord. 14 00:00:40,900 --> 00:00:43,380 And the creditor is come to take unto 15 00:00:43,380 --> 00:00:43,820 him. 16 00:00:48,730 --> 00:00:51,950 And Elisha said unto her, What shall I 17 00:00:51,950 --> 00:00:52,670 do for thee? 18 00:00:53,610 --> 00:00:56,930 Tell me, what hast thou in the house? 19 00:00:57,830 --> 00:01:00,530 And she said, thy handmaid hath not anything 20 00:01:00,530 --> 00:01:04,610 in the house, save a pot of oil. 21 00:01:06,300 --> 00:01:09,620 Then he said, go borrow thee vessels abroad 22 00:01:09,620 --> 00:01:12,060 of thy neighbours, even empty vessels. 23 00:01:14,870 --> 00:01:16,490 And when thou art come in, thou shalt 24 00:01:16,490 --> 00:01:20,070 shut the door upon thee and upon thy 25 00:01:20,070 --> 00:01:20,450 sons. 26 00:01:21,030 --> 00:01:23,930 And shalt pour out into all those vessels. 27 00:01:24,990 --> 00:01:28,530 And thou shalt set aside that which is 28 00:01:28,530 --> 00:01:28,870 full. 29 00:01:30,310 --> 00:01:32,490 So she went from him and shut the 30 00:01:32,490 --> 00:01:35,630 door upon her and upon her sons, who 31 00:01:35,630 --> 00:01:38,010 brought the vessels to her and she poured 32 00:01:38,010 --> 00:01:38,410 out. 33 00:01:39,450 --> 00:01:47,400 And it came to pass, bring me yet 34 00:01:47,400 --> 00:01:47,860 a vessel. 35 00:01:48,840 --> 00:01:51,760 And he said unto her, there is not 36 00:01:51,760 --> 00:01:54,720 a vessel more, and the oil spayed. 37 00:01:55,960 --> 00:01:58,320 Then she came and told the man of 38 00:01:58,320 --> 00:02:01,640 God and he said, Go sell the oil, 39 00:02:02,980 --> 00:02:06,340 pay thy debt, and live thou and thy 40 00:02:06,340 --> 00:02:08,380 children of the rest. 41 00:02:08,380 --> 00:02:10,860 And the Lord will bless to us. 42 00:02:14,500 --> 00:02:17,720 The days of Elisha were dark and dismal. 43 00:02:19,000 --> 00:02:22,180 The dark shadows of Ahab were still on 44 00:02:22,180 --> 00:02:22,640 the land. 45 00:02:24,180 --> 00:02:29,120 The wicked seduction of Jezebel was still corrupting. 46 00:02:30,500 --> 00:02:33,000 The people were in a state of depression. 47 00:02:34,400 --> 00:02:37,700 The light in the temple was almost out. 48 00:02:39,260 --> 00:02:42,260 And in the midst of all this apostasy 49 00:02:42,260 --> 00:02:47,880 and sin, this man Elisha moved before God 50 00:02:47,880 --> 00:02:49,320 in the power of the Spirit. 51 00:02:51,480 --> 00:02:54,260 You will notice from the Old Testament particularly, 52 00:02:55,100 --> 00:02:58,180 that all the miracles of Elijah were nationalistic, 53 00:02:59,200 --> 00:03:00,800 with one or two exceptions. 54 00:03:02,120 --> 00:03:06,020 All the miracles of Elisha were domestic, and 55 00:03:06,020 --> 00:03:07,580 they referred to individuals. 56 00:03:08,680 --> 00:03:11,560 And therefore we can see through this man, 57 00:03:12,040 --> 00:03:16,820 how to act and react in days of 58 00:03:16,820 --> 00:03:17,340 declension. 59 00:03:18,460 --> 00:03:22,400 And we see in this miracle, a mighty 60 00:03:22,400 --> 00:03:25,280 explanation of what it means for a few 61 00:03:25,280 --> 00:03:29,660 people to be genuinely filled with the Holy 62 00:03:29,660 --> 00:03:30,140 Spirit. 63 00:03:32,120 --> 00:03:34,360 You will agree with me, I feel sure, 64 00:03:34,360 --> 00:03:39,480 that every movement of restoration has been when 65 00:03:39,480 --> 00:03:41,860 God's people have got back to the upper 66 00:03:41,860 --> 00:03:44,980 room and rediscovered the power. 67 00:03:47,800 --> 00:03:49,860 And I believe tucked away in this Old 68 00:03:49,860 --> 00:03:52,500 Testament story, we see... 69 00:03:56,570 --> 00:03:58,430 Now the way I'm going to tell the 70 00:03:58,430 --> 00:04:00,070 story will be quite simple. 71 00:04:00,990 --> 00:04:02,850 First of all I want to speak to 72 00:04:02,850 --> 00:04:04,590 you on the woman's predicament. 73 00:04:08,660 --> 00:04:10,700 Then I want to get right into the 74 00:04:10,700 --> 00:04:13,620 sanctuary and hear this woman praying. 75 00:04:16,070 --> 00:04:18,029 And then we want to get right into 76 00:04:18,029 --> 00:04:21,630 her home to see her poverty and her 77 00:04:21,630 --> 00:04:22,270 extremes. 78 00:04:24,320 --> 00:04:26,820 And then we want to hear Elisha speaking 79 00:04:26,820 --> 00:04:29,420 to her so as to see her provision. 80 00:04:31,200 --> 00:04:33,180 And then right at the end, and forgive 81 00:04:33,180 --> 00:04:36,800 the heading, but I've justified this, we're going 82 00:04:36,800 --> 00:04:39,840 to look at her pension, the way in 83 00:04:39,840 --> 00:04:43,360 which the Lord permanently blessed her. 84 00:04:44,360 --> 00:04:45,440 Her predicament. 85 00:04:46,640 --> 00:04:49,220 She comes to the prophet and she says 86 00:04:49,220 --> 00:04:50,520 something like this. 87 00:04:51,560 --> 00:04:58,450 Thy servant, my husband, is dead. 88 00:05:00,690 --> 00:05:02,850 And the creditors have come to take my 89 00:05:02,850 --> 00:05:03,990 sons as bondmen. 90 00:05:05,110 --> 00:05:07,830 I believe that you will agree with me, 91 00:05:07,930 --> 00:05:12,090 apart from unfaithfulness in marriage, the greatest blow 92 00:05:12,090 --> 00:05:17,780 that can ever come to a human... 93 00:05:17,780 --> 00:05:20,140 No, I do not want to cause tears, 94 00:05:20,780 --> 00:05:22,940 but when I look over a company like 95 00:05:22,940 --> 00:05:25,120 this, there must be a number of people 96 00:05:25,120 --> 00:05:27,620 and you have felt the bitter blow of 97 00:05:27,620 --> 00:05:27,960 belief. 98 00:05:30,710 --> 00:05:34,110 That bony monster has come into your little 99 00:05:34,110 --> 00:05:37,070 Bethany and struck a loved one. 100 00:05:38,250 --> 00:05:39,610 And you know the hurt. 101 00:05:40,750 --> 00:05:43,570 You know the bleeding of death. 102 00:05:45,780 --> 00:05:48,520 When death takes place to a believer or 103 00:05:48,520 --> 00:05:51,980 even to an unbeliever, the Christian should be 104 00:05:51,980 --> 00:05:53,140 profoundly kind. 105 00:05:55,370 --> 00:06:00,410 True Christianity is to visit the fatherless and 106 00:06:00,410 --> 00:06:00,750 the widow. 107 00:06:02,210 --> 00:06:04,310 And I trust we all do this. 108 00:06:05,410 --> 00:06:07,690 But here is a woman and she loses 109 00:06:07,690 --> 00:06:09,830 a husband, but he's a good husband. 110 00:06:11,230 --> 00:06:13,590 And there are three qualities here that I 111 00:06:13,590 --> 00:06:14,810 want to share with you. 112 00:06:15,210 --> 00:06:17,670 First of all, she says, thy servant. 113 00:06:19,030 --> 00:06:21,110 That was his commercial life. 114 00:06:22,250 --> 00:06:26,190 My husband, that was his matrimonial life. 115 00:06:27,190 --> 00:06:28,590 He feared the Lord. 116 00:06:29,510 --> 00:06:31,370 That was his spiritual life. 117 00:06:33,190 --> 00:06:35,310 You know it's a wonderful thing when a 118 00:06:35,310 --> 00:06:37,770 man can go out to work and in 119 00:06:37,770 --> 00:06:40,170 the place where he works, he has the 120 00:06:40,170 --> 00:06:41,330 esteem of a Christian. 121 00:06:43,650 --> 00:06:45,870 So easy to be a Christian, isn't it, 122 00:06:45,890 --> 00:06:46,630 in the assembly? 123 00:06:48,250 --> 00:06:50,970 So easy to be a Christian in your 124 00:06:50,970 --> 00:06:51,930 Christian home. 125 00:06:53,270 --> 00:06:57,030 But very difficult sometimes to be a Christian 126 00:06:57,030 --> 00:06:58,850 in the place where you work. 127 00:07:00,530 --> 00:07:03,430 This man was a servant of Elisha. 128 00:07:04,510 --> 00:07:06,950 And she could say with a sense of 129 00:07:06,950 --> 00:07:09,570 esteem, thy servant. 130 00:07:10,470 --> 00:07:13,230 In other words, she put the spiritual first 131 00:07:13,230 --> 00:07:14,370 before her husband. 132 00:07:15,550 --> 00:07:18,170 And any man of God who has the 133 00:07:18,170 --> 00:07:21,450 preeminence of Christ in his life will be 134 00:07:21,450 --> 00:07:25,070 a wonderful witness in the sphere where he 135 00:07:25,070 --> 00:07:25,490 works. 136 00:07:26,610 --> 00:07:29,450 Now you say, Brother Brandon, that's very elementary. 137 00:07:29,750 --> 00:07:31,090 Yes, but very important. 138 00:07:32,330 --> 00:07:35,410 You see, the moment he speaks about being 139 00:07:35,410 --> 00:07:38,170 filled with the Spirit, he doesn't put you 140 00:07:38,170 --> 00:07:50,110 on the platform, but he speaks about 141 00:07:50,110 --> 00:07:51,670 the nitty-gritty of life. 142 00:07:52,750 --> 00:07:56,150 He speaks of the servants working for the 143 00:07:56,150 --> 00:07:58,090 honour of God before their masters. 144 00:07:58,970 --> 00:08:02,990 And then he speaks of the masters serving 145 00:08:02,990 --> 00:08:08,590 the servants with humility and understanding and care. 146 00:08:09,450 --> 00:08:12,170 And I'm sure of this, that if the 147 00:08:12,170 --> 00:08:16,730 Christian testimony was strong in the workplace, we 148 00:08:16,730 --> 00:08:19,230 would see thousands born of God of the 149 00:08:19,230 --> 00:08:19,930 Holy Spirit. 150 00:08:20,530 --> 00:08:23,330 It's there where the light should shine. 151 00:08:24,270 --> 00:08:28,070 Then she says, my husband. 152 00:08:29,050 --> 00:08:31,770 The scholars inform me that the word my 153 00:08:31,770 --> 00:08:35,390 is enshrined with endearment. 154 00:08:35,890 --> 00:08:42,630 It could be translated, my, my, my beloved 155 00:08:42,630 --> 00:08:43,270 husband. 156 00:08:44,290 --> 00:08:46,230 You see, she loved him. 157 00:08:48,270 --> 00:08:49,330 He loved her. 158 00:08:50,910 --> 00:08:55,430 And when he breathed his last, the bottom 159 00:08:55,430 --> 00:08:57,130 of her world fell to pieces. 160 00:08:58,730 --> 00:08:59,770 She was shattered. 161 00:09:01,790 --> 00:09:04,230 I wonder, dear friends, if there's someone like 162 00:09:04,230 --> 00:09:09,990 that, and you've come to this conference, and 163 00:09:09,990 --> 00:09:15,010 somehow you can't get it. 164 00:09:15,010 --> 00:09:17,650 You feel the whole of life is dark. 165 00:09:18,770 --> 00:09:21,310 You feel that people don't understand. 166 00:09:23,010 --> 00:09:26,650 And you're sitting there at that moment with 167 00:09:26,650 --> 00:09:28,510 a heart that aches. 168 00:09:28,530 --> 00:09:31,350 God has a special word for you today. 169 00:09:32,030 --> 00:09:37,280 He's going to bless you. 170 00:09:37,420 --> 00:09:39,300 You know, I think it's true to say 171 00:09:39,300 --> 00:09:41,420 that you can never tell a man from 172 00:09:41,420 --> 00:09:41,980 the platform. 173 00:09:42,980 --> 00:09:43,940 Can I repeat that? 174 00:09:45,100 --> 00:09:48,420 You can never tell the spirituality of a 175 00:09:48,420 --> 00:09:49,580 man from the platform. 176 00:09:50,760 --> 00:09:53,300 A man can be a saint on the 177 00:09:53,300 --> 00:09:55,400 platform, but he can be a sinner in 178 00:09:57,280 --> 00:09:57,380 the platform. 179 00:09:57,380 --> 00:10:01,640 You can tell the spirituality of a man 180 00:10:01,640 --> 00:10:04,240 by the way in which he acts. 181 00:10:07,720 --> 00:10:12,040 That's where you see the godliness of a 182 00:10:12,040 --> 00:10:14,380 man of God, his activity. 183 00:10:18,470 --> 00:10:20,630 Then it says, he feared the Lord. 184 00:10:20,730 --> 00:10:23,490 Now, there are so many connotations to that. 185 00:10:30,260 --> 00:10:33,240 He was filled with awe and esteem for 186 00:10:33,240 --> 00:10:33,940 the Lord God. 187 00:10:37,360 --> 00:10:40,360 Every time the name of the Lord was 188 00:10:40,360 --> 00:10:43,480 mentioned, this man would drop his head and 189 00:10:43,480 --> 00:10:44,440 say, Yahweh. 190 00:10:47,460 --> 00:10:50,280 He revered and reverenced the Lord. 191 00:10:52,370 --> 00:10:54,810 When he came into the presence of God, 192 00:10:55,210 --> 00:10:57,830 figuratively his sandals were off his feet. 193 00:10:58,930 --> 00:11:01,250 And he feared the very name of the 194 00:11:01,250 --> 00:11:01,450 Lord. 195 00:11:03,840 --> 00:11:07,380 His heart was filled with holy awe whenever 196 00:11:07,380 --> 00:11:11,660 he turned his eyes towards the Lord. 197 00:11:11,680 --> 00:11:16,520 He reverenced, feared him in holy awe. 198 00:11:17,740 --> 00:11:20,700 He did not fear his judgment, for that 199 00:11:20,700 --> 00:11:21,440 was past. 200 00:11:23,360 --> 00:11:26,940 But he feared less he should grieve the 201 00:11:26,940 --> 00:11:32,760 sensitive and loving heart of the almighty God. 202 00:11:35,280 --> 00:11:37,880 With awe there's a sense of worship and 203 00:11:37,880 --> 00:11:38,440 adoration. 204 00:11:39,420 --> 00:11:42,080 Sometimes you can apply the word to worship. 205 00:11:42,780 --> 00:11:45,240 And every time he looked up and saw 206 00:11:45,240 --> 00:11:47,880 the glory of God and heard the scripture, 207 00:11:47,880 --> 00:11:50,480 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with 208 00:11:50,480 --> 00:11:51,380 all thy heart. 209 00:11:51,660 --> 00:11:55,240 And his heart would be filled with worship 210 00:11:55,240 --> 00:11:56,000 and love. 211 00:11:56,420 --> 00:11:57,580 And it poured out. 212 00:11:59,940 --> 00:12:00,740 That's awe. 213 00:12:02,770 --> 00:12:05,750 And mingled with awe and mingled with worship 214 00:12:05,750 --> 00:12:09,070 and honor and reverence and love, there would 215 00:12:09,070 --> 00:12:10,410 be functional faith. 216 00:12:11,810 --> 00:12:14,530 So that when he moved into the presence 217 00:12:14,530 --> 00:12:17,690 of God as a servant of Elisha and 218 00:12:17,690 --> 00:12:20,690 he prayed, he touched the very throne of 219 00:12:20,690 --> 00:12:21,910 God with living faith. 220 00:12:24,630 --> 00:12:29,930 The materialism of the day, the filth of 221 00:12:29,930 --> 00:12:34,050 the idols had not rubbed off upon his 222 00:12:34,050 --> 00:12:34,610 soul. 223 00:12:36,030 --> 00:12:41,470 Faith was functional in the presence of the 224 00:12:41,470 --> 00:12:42,510 almighty God. 225 00:12:43,210 --> 00:12:46,030 And this man had died. 226 00:12:48,200 --> 00:12:50,620 When I was pausing upon this a few 227 00:12:50,620 --> 00:12:54,300 days ago, forgive my emotion, I almost wept. 228 00:12:57,020 --> 00:13:01,640 You see, when godly men are taken, so 229 00:13:01,640 --> 00:13:03,340 few are being replaced. 230 00:13:04,080 --> 00:13:05,120 Can I repeat that? 231 00:13:06,520 --> 00:13:12,560 When godly men are taken, so few are 232 00:13:12,560 --> 00:13:13,460 being replaced. 233 00:13:14,920 --> 00:13:17,340 May I say this to my young brothers 234 00:13:17,340 --> 00:13:18,180 and sisters? 235 00:13:18,980 --> 00:13:20,540 Go in for godliness. 236 00:13:23,030 --> 00:13:26,190 Don't bother about being an outstanding teacher. 237 00:13:27,430 --> 00:13:29,830 That's all given to you by grace. 238 00:13:31,210 --> 00:13:35,570 Don't even bother about being an outstanding teacher 239 00:13:35,570 --> 00:13:36,410 of the word. 240 00:13:37,050 --> 00:13:38,890 That's a gift from the risen Lord. 241 00:13:40,970 --> 00:13:43,210 But set your mind to go in for 242 00:13:43,210 --> 00:13:50,250 godliness and holiness, without which no one shall 243 00:13:50,250 --> 00:13:51,190 see the Lord. 244 00:13:51,870 --> 00:13:55,410 We do need God to raise up a 245 00:13:55,410 --> 00:13:58,910 community of men and women who will live 246 00:13:58,910 --> 00:14:02,550 godly, holy lives. 247 00:14:03,090 --> 00:14:03,670 That's vital. 248 00:14:05,290 --> 00:14:07,630 Then you will notice that there is another 249 00:14:07,630 --> 00:14:08,830 predicament. 250 00:14:09,490 --> 00:14:10,290 The creditor. 251 00:14:11,650 --> 00:14:14,710 Now, first of all, this creditor was unscriptural. 252 00:14:14,790 --> 00:14:14,890 Why? 253 00:14:15,630 --> 00:14:18,310 Because, quite frankly, he had no right to 254 00:14:18,310 --> 00:14:20,770 take a Hebrew servant to be a bond 255 00:14:20,770 --> 00:14:21,110 slave. 256 00:14:21,550 --> 00:14:24,950 Leviticus 25 makes that absolutely clear. 257 00:14:24,950 --> 00:14:32,180 But this man was beyond failing. 258 00:14:35,300 --> 00:14:37,860 When I read this narrative a few days 259 00:14:37,860 --> 00:14:40,680 ago, quite frankly, what our brother was talking 260 00:14:47,430 --> 00:14:49,730 about, here is a woman that's lost her 261 00:14:49,730 --> 00:14:53,490 husband, and here is a creditor that's coming 262 00:14:53,490 --> 00:14:56,670 in, and with his ugly hands, he wants 263 00:14:56,670 --> 00:14:58,590 to make the two sons bondmen. 264 00:15:00,780 --> 00:15:03,520 In other words, he wants to bring the 265 00:15:03,520 --> 00:15:05,240 blow of bereavement himself. 266 00:15:07,840 --> 00:15:09,280 What a callous brute. 267 00:15:11,870 --> 00:15:14,810 I have no doubt that this creditor is 268 00:15:14,810 --> 00:15:16,190 a direct type of Satan. 269 00:15:17,850 --> 00:15:18,650 And note this. 270 00:15:20,090 --> 00:15:24,730 When godly men are taken, that's when the 271 00:15:24,730 --> 00:15:25,410 enemy comes. 272 00:15:27,290 --> 00:15:28,330 Can I repeat that? 273 00:15:29,590 --> 00:15:33,670 When godly men are taken, that's when the 274 00:15:33,670 --> 00:15:34,330 enemy comes. 275 00:15:36,090 --> 00:15:37,890 You see, as we shall see in a 276 00:15:37,890 --> 00:15:40,650 few moments, godly men have holy hands. 277 00:15:42,030 --> 00:15:44,790 And in the sanctuary of God, they can 278 00:15:44,790 --> 00:15:46,890 bring down the strongholds of Satan. 279 00:15:48,510 --> 00:15:50,890 And if God has given to you a 280 00:15:50,890 --> 00:15:54,170 group of godly elders, thank God for it 281 00:15:54,170 --> 00:15:56,970 and pray for them, because those men can 282 00:15:56,970 --> 00:15:58,410 keep out the power of Satan. 283 00:16:01,360 --> 00:16:03,320 This man was taken. 284 00:16:04,380 --> 00:16:06,200 And in comes the creditor. 285 00:16:08,520 --> 00:16:10,800 Do you know, brothers and sisters, as we 286 00:16:10,800 --> 00:16:13,620 travel various parts of the world, I must 287 00:16:13,620 --> 00:16:16,840 share this with you. 288 00:16:16,840 --> 00:16:18,980 My wife and I are heartbroken. 289 00:16:23,580 --> 00:16:24,340 Heartbroken. 290 00:16:27,380 --> 00:16:29,920 We go to places where we have seen 291 00:16:29,920 --> 00:16:34,680 scores of souls saved and thy people wonderfully 292 00:16:34,680 --> 00:16:36,440 edified in the Lord. 293 00:16:37,880 --> 00:16:39,680 The elders were taken. 294 00:16:40,620 --> 00:16:49,840 A new generation came in all over the 295 00:16:49,840 --> 00:16:50,280 world. 296 00:16:51,720 --> 00:16:53,240 The enemy has come in. 297 00:16:55,720 --> 00:16:58,240 And then sometimes we look at our families 298 00:16:59,240 --> 00:17:02,100 and we see the devil attacking our families 299 00:17:02,100 --> 00:17:04,619 and we see boys and girls that were 300 00:17:04,619 --> 00:17:06,240 reared by Christian parents. 301 00:17:06,839 --> 00:17:09,020 But now they're in the world. 302 00:17:10,220 --> 00:17:11,440 The creditor has come. 303 00:17:13,190 --> 00:17:18,089 And so we see churches being closed, families 304 00:17:18,089 --> 00:17:23,720 being broken by the direct power of Satan. 305 00:17:23,720 --> 00:17:24,480 Isn't that true? 306 00:17:25,520 --> 00:17:27,000 Don't you all agree? 307 00:17:28,420 --> 00:17:30,000 Can't you say yes? 308 00:17:30,780 --> 00:17:32,920 That's happening even in Australia. 309 00:17:34,580 --> 00:17:37,280 And now notice the predicament of slavery. 310 00:17:38,420 --> 00:17:41,340 That creditor, with his evil eyes and with 311 00:17:41,340 --> 00:17:44,320 his clammy hands, wanted to put them on 312 00:17:44,320 --> 00:17:45,780 those two fine boys. 313 00:17:48,000 --> 00:17:50,760 I can almost hear him saying, I love 314 00:17:50,760 --> 00:17:52,240 them to be two slaves. 315 00:17:52,480 --> 00:17:54,660 I will get thirty pieces of silver for 316 00:17:54,660 --> 00:17:55,000 each. 317 00:17:58,190 --> 00:18:05,950 When we go through the Scripture, there is 318 00:18:05,950 --> 00:18:08,150 such a thing as a slavery to sin. 319 00:18:10,940 --> 00:18:13,500 I don't know, I think the Apostle Paul, 320 00:18:13,640 --> 00:18:16,620 when he cried out, O wretched man that 321 00:18:16,620 --> 00:18:17,220 I am! 322 00:18:26,840 --> 00:18:28,600 Beloved, can I ask a question? 323 00:18:32,810 --> 00:18:36,710 Is there someone here this afternoon and there's 324 00:18:36,710 --> 00:18:39,250 a sin that's been wrangling in your life? 325 00:18:46,880 --> 00:18:49,320 You go into the presence of God with 326 00:18:49,320 --> 00:18:52,520 tears and you say, Lord, I've done it 327 00:18:52,520 --> 00:18:52,920 again. 328 00:18:55,380 --> 00:18:58,140 My dear brother, I've been like that. 329 00:19:02,320 --> 00:19:04,760 In fact, when I was thirty years of 330 00:19:04,760 --> 00:19:08,680 age, I thought of resigning from preaching. 331 00:19:08,880 --> 00:19:11,820 I know that's an awful term because of 332 00:19:11,820 --> 00:19:17,360 defeat in my life. 333 00:19:17,360 --> 00:19:19,860 Slavery to sin. 334 00:19:21,040 --> 00:19:22,180 It may be lying. 335 00:19:23,180 --> 00:19:25,100 It may be a private lust. 336 00:19:26,280 --> 00:19:28,140 It may be sort of materialism. 337 00:19:29,400 --> 00:19:30,760 It can be anything. 338 00:19:31,820 --> 00:19:33,100 But it grips you. 339 00:19:35,620 --> 00:19:38,420 Thank God there's deliverance in the Holy Spirit 340 00:19:39,040 --> 00:19:41,640 as we shall see in a few minutes. 341 00:19:43,560 --> 00:19:46,060 Is there someone who is in slavery to 342 00:19:46,060 --> 00:19:46,460 the law? 343 00:19:46,920 --> 00:19:48,860 Now, of course, when we talk about the 344 00:19:48,860 --> 00:19:51,340 law, we're talking about the Ten Commandments. 345 00:19:51,700 --> 00:19:55,350 I'm not talking to refer to the whole 346 00:19:55,350 --> 00:19:58,350 of the Mosaic economy, but those things that 347 00:19:58,350 --> 00:19:59,590 relate to the commandments. 348 00:20:00,130 --> 00:20:03,350 Is there a person here that's trying to 349 00:20:03,350 --> 00:20:05,270 get deliverance the law way? 350 00:20:06,150 --> 00:20:07,450 Now, note this. 351 00:20:08,930 --> 00:20:11,530 The law never saved the soul and the 352 00:20:11,530 --> 00:20:13,510 law will never sanctify a saint. 353 00:20:16,360 --> 00:20:19,720 You will never get salvation by struggling and 354 00:20:19,720 --> 00:20:23,300 striving and you will never get sanctification by 355 00:20:23,300 --> 00:20:24,420 struggling and striving. 356 00:20:26,260 --> 00:20:29,220 The same principle of faith that saved you 357 00:20:29,220 --> 00:20:31,900 is the same principle of faith that will 358 00:20:31,900 --> 00:20:32,600 bring... 359 00:20:35,130 --> 00:20:37,950 You see, we have been delivered from the 360 00:20:37,950 --> 00:20:39,270 oldness of the letter. 361 00:20:39,570 --> 00:20:41,830 That's the law way of accomplishing things. 362 00:20:42,230 --> 00:20:44,570 And we have been brought into the newness 363 00:20:44,570 --> 00:20:45,310 of the spirit. 364 00:20:46,410 --> 00:20:49,130 And the spirit's way is faith's way. 365 00:20:49,450 --> 00:20:50,870 It's love's way. 366 00:20:51,310 --> 00:20:54,410 And it's doing things in the energy and 367 00:20:54,410 --> 00:20:55,350 the power of... 368 00:20:57,990 --> 00:20:59,770 Could I ask another question? 369 00:21:02,200 --> 00:21:05,340 Is there someone in slavery to the world? 370 00:21:08,800 --> 00:21:09,740 Dare I say it? 371 00:21:12,370 --> 00:21:14,530 Has the television ripped? 372 00:21:18,490 --> 00:21:21,170 Now, I'm not going to throw stones at 373 00:21:21,170 --> 00:21:21,950 the television. 374 00:21:22,370 --> 00:21:23,350 That's all wrong. 375 00:21:24,870 --> 00:21:27,750 Neither will I throw stones about the wireless 376 00:21:27,750 --> 00:21:29,150 or the newspaper. 377 00:21:29,590 --> 00:21:30,730 That kind of thing. 378 00:21:32,900 --> 00:21:34,620 But has the television hooked? 379 00:21:37,240 --> 00:21:40,640 And it's really drained all your spirit. 380 00:21:43,240 --> 00:21:44,600 May God help us. 381 00:21:47,140 --> 00:21:50,300 You see, the devil is bringing in his 382 00:21:50,300 --> 00:21:50,880 bondage. 383 00:21:50,880 --> 00:21:54,160 That's why in so many of our meetings 384 00:21:54,160 --> 00:21:57,720 there is a sense of hardness because there 385 00:21:57,720 --> 00:22:00,160 is a sense of bondage with the people 386 00:22:00,160 --> 00:22:00,560 of God. 387 00:22:02,220 --> 00:22:04,640 Now, come away from the predicament. 388 00:22:07,160 --> 00:22:08,460 Now, they cried. 389 00:22:11,280 --> 00:22:13,820 You see, here was a woman that lost 390 00:22:13,820 --> 00:22:16,300 her husband and here was a creditor that 391 00:22:16,300 --> 00:22:19,840 was constantly coming and she knew his evil 392 00:22:19,840 --> 00:22:22,620 eyes and his hands were upon her sons. 393 00:22:24,310 --> 00:22:26,050 And what could she do? 394 00:22:27,110 --> 00:22:29,310 We shall see in a few moments she 395 00:22:29,310 --> 00:22:31,710 got to a point of extremity where all 396 00:22:31,710 --> 00:22:32,710 her furniture went. 397 00:22:34,750 --> 00:22:35,810 He was still coming. 398 00:22:36,810 --> 00:22:39,810 And in her extremity she comes to the 399 00:22:39,810 --> 00:22:42,410 prophet and she cries to him. 400 00:22:42,870 --> 00:22:43,650 Now, that's prayer. 401 00:22:46,740 --> 00:22:51,020 You see, prayer expresses human weakness at the 402 00:22:51,020 --> 00:22:52,660 same time of repotency. 403 00:22:55,450 --> 00:22:58,310 It's a time when God's people begin to 404 00:22:58,310 --> 00:23:00,510 feel that they're in a spiritual corner. 405 00:23:01,050 --> 00:23:03,370 They begin to feel that they're being attacked 406 00:23:05,200 --> 00:23:08,380 and therefore they're thrown upon God who is 407 00:23:08,380 --> 00:23:12,630 the source of all... 408 00:23:12,630 --> 00:23:13,570 And she cried. 409 00:23:16,690 --> 00:23:19,570 Have you noticed the difference between Martha and 410 00:23:19,570 --> 00:23:23,920 Mary when Nazareth said... 411 00:23:23,920 --> 00:23:26,320 Martha comes and she says to the Lord 412 00:23:26,320 --> 00:23:29,020 Jesus, Lord, if thou had been here, my 413 00:23:29,020 --> 00:23:30,200 brother had not died. 414 00:23:30,420 --> 00:23:31,380 Now, that's correct. 415 00:23:31,700 --> 00:23:37,200 Wherever you find him, it's only when he's... 416 00:23:41,060 --> 00:23:42,920 But then she says, I know that my 417 00:23:42,920 --> 00:23:44,360 brother shall rise again. 418 00:23:44,360 --> 00:23:47,040 So the Lord Jesus said to her, I 419 00:23:47,040 --> 00:23:48,840 am the resurrection and the life. 420 00:23:48,940 --> 00:23:50,800 He that lives and believes in me shall 421 00:23:50,800 --> 00:23:51,440 never die. 422 00:23:51,700 --> 00:23:52,620 Do you believe this? 423 00:23:54,980 --> 00:23:57,320 She says, I believe that thou art the 424 00:23:57,320 --> 00:23:57,720 Christ. 425 00:24:01,480 --> 00:24:03,420 And then she went and told Mary. 426 00:24:05,880 --> 00:24:08,180 Now, when Mary got to the feet of 427 00:24:08,180 --> 00:24:11,280 the Lord Jesus, she said exactly the same. 428 00:24:14,450 --> 00:24:17,150 Lord, if thou had been here, my brother 429 00:24:17,150 --> 00:24:18,290 had not died. 430 00:24:18,950 --> 00:24:20,230 But there was a difference. 431 00:24:22,560 --> 00:24:29,190 She fell at his feet and she wept 432 00:24:29,190 --> 00:24:31,230 and wept. 433 00:24:32,050 --> 00:24:35,850 And when Jesus saw her weeping and the 434 00:24:35,850 --> 00:24:38,730 Jews also weeping, he said, Where have you 435 00:24:38,730 --> 00:24:39,230 laid her? 436 00:24:40,170 --> 00:24:42,350 And then he throwed... 437 00:24:43,980 --> 00:24:45,020 Now, can you see? 438 00:24:46,320 --> 00:24:49,760 He listened to all the Pharisaical theology of 439 00:24:49,760 --> 00:24:51,740 Martha and he was unmoved. 440 00:24:53,750 --> 00:24:56,470 But the moment Mary came and fell at 441 00:24:56,470 --> 00:24:59,270 his feet and wept with the weeping people 442 00:24:59,270 --> 00:25:03,130 around her, then Jesus said, Where have you 443 00:25:03,130 --> 00:25:03,790 laid her? 444 00:25:04,810 --> 00:25:07,130 Friends, that's where the Lord wants us. 445 00:25:09,710 --> 00:25:11,930 I am sure if I'm in the spirit, 446 00:25:12,190 --> 00:25:14,610 God is calling his people to pray. 447 00:25:15,030 --> 00:25:16,810 But not just an hour's prayer. 448 00:25:19,080 --> 00:25:22,460 Forgive me raising my voice, but I feel 449 00:25:22,460 --> 00:25:23,260 it so much. 450 00:25:23,820 --> 00:25:26,540 He wants God's people to come and cry 451 00:25:26,540 --> 00:25:27,080 to him. 452 00:25:30,690 --> 00:25:32,050 We feel the dirt. 453 00:25:33,010 --> 00:25:34,910 We feel the barrenness. 454 00:25:34,910 --> 00:25:37,370 We feel the deadness. 455 00:25:38,090 --> 00:25:39,510 Lord, we're crying. 456 00:25:39,750 --> 00:25:44,880 That's when God, he can stand all the 457 00:25:44,880 --> 00:25:45,440 theology. 458 00:25:45,940 --> 00:25:48,040 He can stand all the oration. 459 00:25:49,180 --> 00:25:52,140 He can stand all the spiritual poetry. 460 00:25:54,010 --> 00:25:56,810 But the moment he sees the church at 461 00:25:56,810 --> 00:26:05,560 his feet and people weeping, Oh, I thank 462 00:26:05,560 --> 00:26:06,840 God for this woman. 463 00:26:11,200 --> 00:26:13,440 Then I want you to note her poverty. 464 00:26:14,600 --> 00:26:17,040 He said to her, What shall I do 465 00:26:17,040 --> 00:26:17,460 with thee? 466 00:26:17,720 --> 00:26:20,900 In other words, the prophet is rather alarmed. 467 00:26:21,240 --> 00:26:22,900 He sees this woman crying. 468 00:26:23,340 --> 00:26:24,500 He can see her predicament. 469 00:26:25,340 --> 00:26:27,360 He can see her soul's distress. 470 00:26:27,640 --> 00:26:29,600 And he's moved and he says, What shall 471 00:26:29,600 --> 00:26:29,980 I do? 472 00:26:32,090 --> 00:26:34,550 Then he says something that's very potent. 473 00:26:35,890 --> 00:26:37,130 What is in thy heart? 474 00:26:41,820 --> 00:26:44,260 Do you know I was asking myself that 475 00:26:44,260 --> 00:26:44,640 question. 476 00:26:46,140 --> 00:26:49,160 Would you mind if I turn from speaking 477 00:26:49,160 --> 00:26:53,120 to you and do something that's very rude. 478 00:26:53,300 --> 00:26:54,000 Speak to myself. 479 00:26:56,390 --> 00:26:58,010 And this is how it came to me. 480 00:26:59,500 --> 00:27:00,780 What's in thy house? 481 00:27:01,280 --> 00:27:03,200 Do you mean our gospel hall, Lord? 482 00:27:04,400 --> 00:27:07,480 Well, we've got a brand new gospel hall. 483 00:27:12,060 --> 00:27:13,460 What's in thy house? 484 00:27:14,380 --> 00:27:17,320 We've even put lovely carpet on the floor 485 00:27:17,320 --> 00:27:18,720 and it's so lovely. 486 00:27:18,720 --> 00:27:21,020 When we come in, you can't hear the 487 00:27:21,020 --> 00:27:21,860 people walking. 488 00:27:24,740 --> 00:27:26,100 What's in your house? 489 00:27:27,200 --> 00:27:29,540 We've got a brand new organ and it 490 00:27:29,540 --> 00:27:30,600 does sound lovely. 491 00:27:31,760 --> 00:27:33,680 It gives a sense of awe. 492 00:27:40,250 --> 00:27:41,350 What's in thy house? 493 00:27:42,330 --> 00:27:45,050 Oh, we have quite a large fellowship now, 494 00:27:45,150 --> 00:27:45,390 Lord. 495 00:27:45,590 --> 00:27:48,090 We have about a hundred and twenty and 496 00:27:48,090 --> 00:27:51,270 everybody seems quite happy and we have lovely 497 00:27:51,270 --> 00:27:54,210 social events and we have tea set classes 498 00:27:54,210 --> 00:27:55,690 and all things like that. 499 00:27:59,120 --> 00:28:01,020 What's in your house? 500 00:28:04,710 --> 00:28:06,410 Do you know I had to bow my 501 00:28:06,410 --> 00:28:06,770 head. 502 00:28:09,170 --> 00:28:09,950 We have... 503 00:28:14,140 --> 00:28:17,100 Now I know some of my conservative brethren 504 00:28:17,100 --> 00:28:22,450 will be shocked when I... 505 00:28:22,450 --> 00:28:31,410 I have tried every trick in evangelism but 506 00:28:31,410 --> 00:28:32,390 they've all failed. 507 00:28:35,480 --> 00:28:36,400 They've all failed. 508 00:28:38,510 --> 00:28:39,310 They've all failed. 509 00:28:41,720 --> 00:28:44,320 And this woman was saying something like this. 510 00:28:44,880 --> 00:28:47,560 Look, the creditor has come and he's taken 511 00:28:47,560 --> 00:28:49,460 the dining room and the chairs. 512 00:28:50,960 --> 00:28:53,520 The creditor has come and he's taken the 513 00:28:53,520 --> 00:28:54,740 beds and the furniture. 514 00:28:57,160 --> 00:28:59,600 The creditor has come and he's taken every 515 00:28:59,600 --> 00:29:01,980 single thing out of the house and we 516 00:29:01,980 --> 00:29:02,800 have not anything. 517 00:29:05,390 --> 00:29:10,090 And all I've got and in my extremity 518 00:29:10,090 --> 00:29:10,930 I've just that. 519 00:29:16,780 --> 00:29:19,440 Dear friends, I believe I can say this 520 00:29:19,440 --> 00:29:20,900 as a word from the Lord. 521 00:29:21,580 --> 00:29:23,840 The Lord is bringing us to the end 522 00:29:23,840 --> 00:29:24,240 of us. 523 00:29:29,450 --> 00:29:31,050 He's doing that all over the world. 524 00:29:33,670 --> 00:29:36,590 Until we say something like this, Lord, we 525 00:29:36,590 --> 00:29:37,170 have nothing. 526 00:29:41,560 --> 00:29:43,560 We only have two authorities. 527 00:29:44,840 --> 00:29:46,100 The word of God. 528 00:29:50,590 --> 00:29:53,610 And the Lord is bringing us back to 529 00:29:53,610 --> 00:29:59,700 that holy pot of oil and that's where 530 00:29:59,700 --> 00:30:00,320 we must come. 531 00:30:01,620 --> 00:30:03,700 Now let's look at her position. 532 00:30:06,420 --> 00:30:08,560 First of all, he says, I want you 533 00:30:08,560 --> 00:30:10,200 to go and borrow vessels. 534 00:30:11,260 --> 00:30:12,840 Even empty vessels. 535 00:30:13,080 --> 00:30:13,900 Borrow not a few. 536 00:30:15,260 --> 00:30:16,980 And I want you to bring them into 537 00:30:16,980 --> 00:30:17,580 the house. 538 00:30:18,720 --> 00:30:20,800 And then I want you to take the 539 00:30:20,800 --> 00:30:22,840 pot of oil and pour out. 540 00:30:23,460 --> 00:30:26,160 So we could call it the multiplication now. 541 00:30:28,650 --> 00:30:30,590 First of all, I want you to note 542 00:30:30,590 --> 00:30:31,810 that they are borrowed vessels. 543 00:30:33,780 --> 00:30:36,560 And can't you imagine those two sons going 544 00:30:36,560 --> 00:30:37,120 abroad. 545 00:30:37,260 --> 00:30:38,800 The word means go everywhere. 546 00:30:39,980 --> 00:30:40,840 Far and near. 547 00:30:41,920 --> 00:30:43,220 They're knocking on doors. 548 00:30:43,980 --> 00:30:45,320 The lady is well known. 549 00:30:46,340 --> 00:30:48,660 People know all about the creditor and the 550 00:30:48,660 --> 00:30:49,280 bereavement. 551 00:30:49,280 --> 00:30:53,110 And they're giving their vessels. 552 00:30:53,190 --> 00:30:55,330 But every vessel would be marked. 553 00:30:56,390 --> 00:30:57,430 Every single one. 554 00:30:58,630 --> 00:31:00,990 And they would bring back the vessels and 555 00:31:00,990 --> 00:31:02,770 they would place them all in the room. 556 00:31:03,230 --> 00:31:06,390 And every single vessel was borrowed. 557 00:31:06,830 --> 00:31:08,630 It didn't belong to this lady. 558 00:31:08,970 --> 00:31:10,590 It didn't belong to the sons. 559 00:31:10,990 --> 00:31:12,170 It belonged to the friends. 560 00:31:16,230 --> 00:31:16,830 Borrowed. 561 00:31:20,800 --> 00:31:23,440 Beloved, have you ever gone into the bathroom? 562 00:31:24,380 --> 00:31:25,440 Please do this. 563 00:31:26,750 --> 00:31:28,870 And look carefully at yourself. 564 00:31:32,760 --> 00:31:41,160 What know ye not that which is in 565 00:31:41,160 --> 00:31:47,730 you you have bought with a price? 566 00:31:48,750 --> 00:31:51,210 Therefore glorify God in your body. 567 00:31:54,700 --> 00:31:57,440 If every one of us realized that on 568 00:31:57,440 --> 00:32:01,180 us was the Word of the Lord and 569 00:32:01,180 --> 00:32:03,540 we have been bought with the precious blood 570 00:32:04,340 --> 00:32:05,840 and we are not our own. 571 00:32:07,780 --> 00:32:08,460 We are the Lord. 572 00:32:09,220 --> 00:32:10,480 That would be the purpose. 573 00:32:15,130 --> 00:32:25,820 When you go home, my 574 00:32:25,820 --> 00:32:27,800 own, I'm a borrowed vessel. 575 00:32:28,560 --> 00:32:30,960 Every part of me, body, soul. 576 00:32:36,730 --> 00:32:38,970 Secondly, I want you to note the variety 577 00:32:38,970 --> 00:32:39,570 of vessels. 578 00:32:40,070 --> 00:32:42,670 If you were in that room looking at 579 00:32:42,670 --> 00:32:45,290 all the vessels you would see a vessel 580 00:32:45,290 --> 00:32:48,030 of gold, a vessel of silver, a vessel 581 00:32:48,030 --> 00:32:51,050 of copper, a vessel of clay, a vessel 582 00:32:51,050 --> 00:32:54,190 of stone, and one or two rarities, a 583 00:32:54,190 --> 00:32:56,830 vessel of a primitive form of China. 584 00:32:58,680 --> 00:33:01,460 Then you would see big vessels, medium vessels, 585 00:33:01,680 --> 00:33:02,500 small vessels. 586 00:33:03,500 --> 00:33:06,500 Then you would see artistic vessels and inarticulate, 587 00:33:07,400 --> 00:33:08,660 inartistic vessels. 588 00:33:09,380 --> 00:33:12,780 And quite frankly, the variety would be comical. 589 00:33:15,760 --> 00:33:17,860 You would look at all those vessels in 590 00:33:17,860 --> 00:33:20,440 the room and you would say, just imagine 591 00:33:20,440 --> 00:33:23,720 that vessel being filled with oil and that 592 00:33:23,720 --> 00:33:25,320 vessel being filled with oil. 593 00:33:25,760 --> 00:33:29,280 You see, he didn't bother so much about 594 00:33:29,280 --> 00:33:30,720 the shape and the size. 595 00:33:31,500 --> 00:33:32,740 It was what was put. 596 00:33:34,700 --> 00:33:37,640 Beloved, in the Church of God, there's glorious 597 00:33:37,640 --> 00:33:38,120 variety. 598 00:33:39,970 --> 00:33:45,150 There's variety of gifts, there's variety of services, 599 00:33:46,430 --> 00:33:48,550 and there's variety of power. 600 00:33:49,470 --> 00:33:51,190 Now, may I say this to some of 601 00:33:51,190 --> 00:33:51,950 our older brethren? 602 00:33:53,330 --> 00:33:56,570 We must not put people in trends. 603 00:33:59,120 --> 00:34:02,540 We must not try and squeeze personality. 604 00:34:04,690 --> 00:34:06,830 There is a sameness of personality. 605 00:34:06,830 --> 00:34:08,929 We certainly do not want that. 606 00:34:12,170 --> 00:34:14,830 You see, there is this terrible danger of 607 00:34:14,830 --> 00:34:20,940 instead of making disciples, we make proselytes, so 608 00:34:20,940 --> 00:34:23,380 that we all look just the same and 609 00:34:23,380 --> 00:34:26,100 we all speak the same and we all 610 00:34:26,100 --> 00:34:28,280 turn left and we all turn right. 611 00:34:28,620 --> 00:34:34,830 Now, my dear friends, there is unity of 612 00:34:34,830 --> 00:34:38,850 mind and unity of heart, but there's glorious 613 00:34:38,850 --> 00:34:42,909 variety and variety of expression in the local 614 00:34:42,909 --> 00:34:43,250 church. 615 00:34:48,600 --> 00:34:51,520 It's very vital in the day in which... 616 00:34:52,830 --> 00:34:54,969 But then they were emptied this. 617 00:34:55,630 --> 00:34:58,870 You see, that simply means before they filled 618 00:34:58,870 --> 00:35:00,950 them with oil, they washed them. 619 00:35:04,470 --> 00:35:06,570 A person cannot be... 620 00:35:16,540 --> 00:35:24,520 No, I find it difficult... 621 00:35:24,520 --> 00:35:25,760 We haven't got... 622 00:35:35,900 --> 00:35:37,860 And our local church... 623 00:35:42,760 --> 00:35:45,080 And if we're going to be filled with 624 00:35:45,080 --> 00:35:48,100 the Spirit, there must be a time... 625 00:35:54,210 --> 00:35:57,790 So that we say with the sameness, Search 626 00:35:57,790 --> 00:35:59,990 me, O God, and know my heart. 627 00:36:07,210 --> 00:36:10,830 Once we're cleansed and purged, then the next 628 00:36:10,830 --> 00:36:13,410 act in being filled with the Spirit is 629 00:36:13,410 --> 00:36:16,850 to lay yourself upon the altar so that 630 00:36:16,850 --> 00:36:17,690 you are... 631 00:36:26,040 --> 00:36:29,540 Don't wait for feelings, don't wait for manifestations, 632 00:36:30,080 --> 00:36:32,420 apart from the fact the moment you're filled 633 00:36:32,420 --> 00:36:33,280 with the Spirit... 634 00:36:45,600 --> 00:36:48,120 And then they were healed vessels. 635 00:36:48,300 --> 00:36:49,300 Now, what does it mean? 636 00:36:50,480 --> 00:36:53,940 Does it mean just as they filled those 637 00:36:53,940 --> 00:36:57,860 pots with oil, the Lord Jesus fills us 638 00:36:57,860 --> 00:36:58,520 with the Spirit? 639 00:36:58,740 --> 00:36:59,260 No. 640 00:37:02,090 --> 00:37:02,530 No. 641 00:37:03,110 --> 00:37:04,310 That's not the filling. 642 00:37:06,610 --> 00:37:09,190 The Greek word is plural, and it has 643 00:37:09,190 --> 00:37:10,690 many connotations. 644 00:37:11,010 --> 00:37:13,130 And first of all, it's what our beloved 645 00:37:13,130 --> 00:37:15,270 brother was teaching this afternoon. 646 00:37:15,610 --> 00:37:18,310 When you're filled with the Spirit, the Lord 647 00:37:18,310 --> 00:37:25,530 Jesus becomes predominant, preeminent, and Lord, His fellow. 648 00:37:26,870 --> 00:37:29,710 When you are filled with the Spirit, you 649 00:37:29,710 --> 00:37:32,590 are filled with a new authority, and that's 650 00:37:32,590 --> 00:37:33,990 the authority of love. 651 00:37:37,180 --> 00:37:39,640 But when you are filled with the Holy 652 00:37:39,640 --> 00:37:43,780 Spirit, you come into maturity, and it's an 653 00:37:43,780 --> 00:37:45,200 ever-growing maturity. 654 00:37:45,740 --> 00:37:48,260 And that's the main meaning of being filled 655 00:37:48,260 --> 00:37:48,800 with the Spirit. 656 00:37:48,800 --> 00:37:52,160 It means to fill out, or come into 657 00:37:52,160 --> 00:37:52,860 maturity. 658 00:37:54,610 --> 00:37:57,230 Now, why is it that thousands of the 659 00:37:57,230 --> 00:38:00,420 Lord's people... 660 00:38:00,420 --> 00:38:02,720 Because they have never been filled with the 661 00:38:02,720 --> 00:38:02,980 Spirit. 662 00:38:04,920 --> 00:38:07,900 You never grow until you have been filled 663 00:38:07,900 --> 00:38:08,560 with the Spirit. 664 00:38:08,940 --> 00:38:11,360 And it's a command to be filled. 665 00:38:12,040 --> 00:38:13,460 It's imperative, the verb. 666 00:38:13,760 --> 00:38:16,020 It's being filled with the Holy Spirit. 667 00:38:18,120 --> 00:38:20,080 Now, how can I put this over? 668 00:38:22,160 --> 00:38:24,240 As you know, I'm very interested... 669 00:38:27,280 --> 00:38:29,560 And last year, we had our best crop 670 00:38:29,560 --> 00:38:30,040 of beans. 671 00:38:32,830 --> 00:38:34,890 And I had to pray that the Lord 672 00:38:34,890 --> 00:38:36,550 would keep me away from them. 673 00:38:42,660 --> 00:38:45,100 And I grew the biggest bean ever. 674 00:38:48,980 --> 00:38:51,700 It was 25 inches long. 675 00:38:52,440 --> 00:38:55,480 Now, I know the only time a fisherman 676 00:38:55,480 --> 00:39:03,310 tells the truth, it was 25 inches. 677 00:39:06,620 --> 00:39:09,880 It was two days before I could pick 678 00:39:09,880 --> 00:39:10,040 it. 679 00:39:13,020 --> 00:39:15,660 But the bean right near it was weathered. 680 00:39:16,780 --> 00:39:18,800 It was less than four inches. 681 00:39:20,780 --> 00:39:22,380 And it was all weathered. 682 00:39:24,210 --> 00:39:25,430 And really, it is. 683 00:39:27,490 --> 00:39:30,150 I could imagine the big bean looking toward 684 00:39:30,150 --> 00:39:32,850 it and saying, what a terrible thing to 685 00:39:32,850 --> 00:39:33,670 have that bean. 686 00:39:37,800 --> 00:39:42,700 Beloved, there are many shriveled beans among us. 687 00:39:45,170 --> 00:39:46,210 They've never been filled. 688 00:39:47,430 --> 00:39:50,290 But when a person is filled with the 689 00:39:50,290 --> 00:39:54,290 Holy Spirit, he comes into fullness and maturity. 690 00:39:54,290 --> 00:39:56,690 And would you believe it, there's no end 691 00:39:56,690 --> 00:39:57,350 to the growing. 692 00:39:58,710 --> 00:40:03,250 You grow and grow and grow until the 693 00:40:03,250 --> 00:40:05,670 fullness of Christ is seen in you. 694 00:40:06,750 --> 00:40:09,710 Now, can you see what would happen if 695 00:40:09,710 --> 00:40:12,710 we heeded our brother's ministry and we were 696 00:40:12,710 --> 00:40:13,850 filled with the Spirit? 697 00:40:14,350 --> 00:40:17,850 Just imagine a group of people gathering together 698 00:40:21,460 --> 00:40:25,220 and you see what is an imagination should 699 00:40:25,220 --> 00:40:27,340 become a living reality. 700 00:40:28,160 --> 00:40:31,540 And then you will notice she was to 701 00:40:31,540 --> 00:40:33,640 set aside that which is full. 702 00:40:34,580 --> 00:40:37,540 Now that is a lovely term for sanctification 703 00:40:37,540 --> 00:40:40,280 for that's what it means, set apart. 704 00:40:40,660 --> 00:40:43,820 And when the vessel was set apart, it 705 00:40:43,820 --> 00:40:44,380 was filled. 706 00:40:45,240 --> 00:40:53,420 And when people asked, so the pots are 707 00:40:53,420 --> 00:40:58,640 all full. 708 00:40:58,660 --> 00:41:01,100 But before she goes to the prophet, she 709 00:41:01,100 --> 00:41:02,620 heeds what the prophet says. 710 00:41:03,930 --> 00:41:06,930 So all the pots are brought in. 711 00:41:07,450 --> 00:41:08,390 Can you see them? 712 00:41:09,770 --> 00:41:15,790 A complete variety of vessels, multifarious in their 713 00:41:15,790 --> 00:41:18,990 form, multitudinous in their number. 714 00:41:19,930 --> 00:41:21,710 And they're there in the room. 715 00:41:23,470 --> 00:41:27,270 Then she says to her two boys, shut 716 00:41:27,270 --> 00:41:35,880 the door, shut the door, close the shutters. 717 00:41:36,580 --> 00:41:37,840 And they're closed. 718 00:41:39,900 --> 00:41:53,920 Then the sacred manifestation takes place and 719 00:41:53,920 --> 00:41:59,420 she goes from vessel to vessel, pouring out. 720 00:42:00,920 --> 00:42:02,700 No one sees it but three. 721 00:42:03,440 --> 00:42:04,720 The doors close. 722 00:42:07,330 --> 00:42:12,180 And when every vessel was full, the oil 723 00:42:12,180 --> 00:42:12,660 stayed. 724 00:42:13,920 --> 00:42:15,900 Can I show you a site that's more 725 00:42:15,900 --> 00:42:16,260 sacred? 726 00:42:18,720 --> 00:42:21,260 There were a hundred and twenty believers and 727 00:42:21,260 --> 00:42:26,100 they were all defeated, that all failed the 728 00:42:26,100 --> 00:42:26,480 Lord. 729 00:42:28,360 --> 00:42:30,700 And they were in another room waiting. 730 00:42:31,860 --> 00:42:33,020 The doors were shut. 731 00:42:33,560 --> 00:42:37,760 And suddenly, there came a sound from heaven 732 00:42:38,360 --> 00:42:40,400 as of a rushing mighty wind. 733 00:42:41,280 --> 00:42:43,140 And it filled the house with it. 734 00:42:45,420 --> 00:42:48,700 And cloven tongues of fire sat upon each 735 00:42:48,700 --> 00:42:49,080 of them. 736 00:42:50,060 --> 00:43:00,450 And they were all filled with that, the 737 00:43:00,450 --> 00:43:02,530 glorious baptism of the Spirit. 738 00:43:03,130 --> 00:43:10,270 When they were all joined together and every 739 00:43:10,270 --> 00:43:16,990 mighty movement of the Spirit, God's people shut 740 00:43:19,130 --> 00:43:20,550 the door, closed the shutters. 741 00:43:21,830 --> 00:43:23,990 And they don't wait for the coming of 742 00:43:23,990 --> 00:43:24,310 the Spirit. 743 00:43:26,550 --> 00:43:29,370 They want to rediscover the fullness. 744 00:43:32,050 --> 00:43:34,270 And that's when the blessing of God starts. 745 00:43:35,370 --> 00:43:39,370 Beloved, we are foolish people to do so 746 00:43:39,370 --> 00:43:40,130 much adventure. 747 00:43:44,440 --> 00:43:47,000 We are working and working and nothing's happening 748 00:43:47,780 --> 00:43:49,900 because we're not in the upper room yet. 749 00:43:51,980 --> 00:43:54,980 God wants a group of people today. 750 00:44:05,000 --> 00:44:08,940 Then she runs to the prophet and she 751 00:44:08,940 --> 00:44:11,940 tells him the whole story and he quietly 752 00:44:11,940 --> 00:44:16,160 says with dignity, Go and sell the oil. 753 00:44:16,720 --> 00:44:17,400 That's training. 754 00:44:19,680 --> 00:44:20,620 Pay the credit. 755 00:44:21,220 --> 00:44:22,040 That's doing. 756 00:44:22,660 --> 00:44:25,960 Beloved, can I share with you now a 757 00:44:25,960 --> 00:44:28,560 vision that's actually taking place. 758 00:44:31,040 --> 00:44:34,100 Groups of Christians all over the world now 759 00:44:35,100 --> 00:44:36,640 are closing the doors. 760 00:44:39,320 --> 00:44:41,800 They're not going through the process of meeting, 761 00:44:45,130 --> 00:44:47,970 but they're shutting the doors and on bended 762 00:44:47,970 --> 00:44:50,210 knees they're getting right with the law. 763 00:44:53,230 --> 00:44:57,570 Elders are getting right and beginning to see 764 00:44:57,570 --> 00:45:00,110 the responsibility of true elderhood. 765 00:45:02,790 --> 00:45:05,150 God is cleansing a few of his people. 766 00:45:07,440 --> 00:45:10,180 They're consecrating themselves to the Lord. 767 00:45:11,400 --> 00:45:15,800 They're being filled with the Spirit and just 768 00:45:15,800 --> 00:45:19,880 little groups are being blessed by him. 769 00:45:20,060 --> 00:45:22,880 May God raise up a group of people 770 00:45:22,880 --> 00:45:25,280 that will close the door.