And all this took place before the Holy Spirit was given to any, whether good or bad. So we must look outside of sinners for the presence and wonderful work of the Spirit of God, and also outside of their conversion for its immediate and direct agency. Jesus said to his disciples, "If I go away I will send you ANOTHER comforter, even the Spirit of Truth, _whom the world can not receive_." And again, he said, "Howbeit, when he, the Spirit of Truth, is come, he shall guide you into all truth." "He will show you things to come." "He shall take of the things of mine and shall show them unto you." "He shall testify of me." Does this look like extraordinary work? Was it to be continued? Did it not belong to a creative period, that was to be followed by the existence of a system, or government, in which law and order would take the place of the extraordinary operations of the Spirit of God?
I wish to present the promise of God which relates to the baptism of the disciples in the Holy Spirit upon Pentecost, that we may discover, upon an analysis of its terms, its nature and place in the reign of favor. It is in these words: "And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophecy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; and on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my spirit; and they shall prophesy." Jesus gave his disciples the great commission to go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature, but said, "Tarry ye in Jerusalem until ye be endued with power from on high." After the Savior ascended it is said that he received the promise of the Father and shed forth that which was seen and heard on the day of Pentecost. What was the result? They spake with tongues. They prophesied. They healed the sick. They raised the dead. They bestowed spiritual gifts. They were guided into all truth. They "preached the gospel with the Holy Spirit sent down from heaven;" and in this fact we have the beautiful figure of rivers of living water flowing out of their hearts, for Jesus said, "He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly (From the Heart, inward part) shall flow rivers of living water." This, the historian says, "He spake of the spirit which they that believed on him were to receive, because the Holy Spirit was not yet given, for Jesus was not yet glorified." Hence, we are authorized to look for its fulfillment at Pentecost, and also in the preaching of the gospel of Christ. Paul says, "My speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God." Here is the basis of our faith.