God gave His Son the highest place before all the host of heaven; then He sent the Holy Ghost to dwell in these (our) bodies, His temple. The Holy Ghost is a great power; He is compared to wind, water, and fire.
At Pentecost He came like a cyclone, a mighty, rushing wind; He is to come like rivers of living water. He comes as fire; tongues of the fire sat upon them at Pentecost. Wind, water and fire-the most destructive elements we have, yet the most useful.
God uses them to denote the mighty power of the Holy Ghost; and He was to be given aft Jesus was glorified. We see many demonstrations of His mighty power, and we can but “speak the things we have seen and heard,” of His glory, His Majesty. When we know these things, we are witnesses to His power. His majesty and His glory. Glory of God!
He is a mighty power, and He lives in these bodies. He lets down an “eternal weight of glory” upon us here, and when we are filled with this glory we have to give vent to it, sometimes, or we would explode. What are we? Only worms of the dust; we cannot stand the glory of God; one breath from Him lays us prostate.
In the Bible we read how men fell when they had a glimpse of God’s glory. St. Paul tells us there are those who have a form of godliness, but deny the power thereof; from such we are to turn away.
In the last day perilous times shall come, and those who have reprobate minds shall withstand God’s children to their faces, even as the magicians withstood Moses.
In the last days there will be some people living very near to God; but the devil will have his workers, too; who will attribute signs and wonders done to any power except the power of Christ. The Lamb of God, Lion of the tribe of Judah, has never lost His power, and never will lose His power, and I would hate to say by my actions that I thought the devil had more power than God.
God’s Power Unlike Any Other
There is a wonderful difference between the power of God and any of those other powers.
The Holy Ghost comes only in Christ; He only comes into the bodies of those who love God. When He takes possession of us, HE takes us away into the sweetest experience this side of heaven, alone with God. HE talks to us and reveals to us “things to come” (John 16:13).
It is wonderful! God puts us under the power, and God takes us out. No man can bestow this power upon another; it comes only through Jesus Christ.
There are two kinds of power, and people who do not know the difference will stand up today and say wisdom is foolishness.
Many people today have an intellectual faith, a historical faith; yes, they believe. Well, the devils believe and tremble. Belief is one thing, faith is another. “The letter killeth; the Spirit giveth life.”
If the truth is hid, it is hid to those who are lost.
We may have intellectual imaginations, go through a course of study, or learn the doctrines of men; yet there is none but the Holy Ghost who can give us real abiding, tangible definite knowledge of “the things of God.” They seem foolish to the natural man.
Sometimes the Holy Ghost gives a spirit of laughter, and sometimes of weeping, and every one in the place will be affected by the Spirit.
I have stood before thousands of people and could not speak, just weeping. When I was able to see, people were weeping everywhere; that is one way the Holy Ghost works. I have stood an hour with my hand raised, held by the mighty power of God. When I came to myself and saw the people, their faces were shining.
“God moves in mysterious ways His wonders to perform.” He is the God I worship.
Jesus says, “Here am I and the children Thou hast given me.” We believe in “signs and wonders,” not from beneath, but from above. We are a people to be wondered at; we are for a sign among the people.
Excerpt permission granted by Harrison House Publishers
From the Publisher: “Holy Ghost Sermons” by Mrs. M.B. Woodworth-Etter was first published in September of 1918. Harrison House is pleased to offer it as a Living Classic Edition. The text is reprinted almost exactly as it appeared in the original edition which Mr. Etter compiled and organized herself.
Readers will best understand Mrs. Etter’s message by noting her relationship with God and the time frame in which she ministered. Signs and wonders powerfully earmarked her ministry. And her message is timeless, though some of her language is dated. So please bear in mind that Mrs. Etter spoke and acted upon the revelation she possessed in her day. Her interpretations of Bible prophecy in light of World War I and the evolving technology of her day are most interesting.
We therefore recommend that CFAITH excerpts of “Holy Ghost Sermons” be read in light of present-day revelation from God’s Word. The Spirit of the Lord is continually opening the eyes of our understanding to know His mind and ways.