GRIEVING THE SPIRIT Part 3

The wisdom of the fathers

GRIEVING THE SPIRIT? Part 3

?II. A loss of spiritual illumination. One of the great attributes of the Holy Spirit is light. It is His mission to so illuminate the mind and all the soul-faculties, that God, Christ and Heaven will become a living reality. As the light gradually fades from the west, and darkness comes over the earth, so with the soul that has begun grieving the Spirit; the first conscious loss is that of light. The Bible, which was once an illuminated Book, and which budded like Aaron's rod, with a delightful freshness, becomes a sealed Book. The brightness leaves the countenance, the flash is gone from the eye and the heavenly throb from the heart.?

We are only saved on the condition: "If we walk in the light." New light from the Spirit always calls for more sacrifice, self-denial and a deeper conformity to Jesus. We wonder why those whom the Spirit has used for years have run aground and dried up in their experiences, when at one time they made earth and hell tremble when they preached and prayed. If the truth were known, they failed at some point to walk in the light, and refused to take the narrow way. Some whom God has given clear light on Holiness and called to preach it, have cooled off, toned down, and compromised God's truth until they have lost the lightning force from their experience. Let us remember that "light once, is light forever."

(from "Deeper Things" by J.M. Hames)