Ministers of the Spirit
Wuat is the meaning of the expression: ‘‘The minister of the Gospel is a minister of the Spirit’’ (2 Cor. 3: 6-8)? It means : —
(1) That the preacher is entirely under the power and control of the Spirit, so that he may be led and used by the Spirit as He wills.
(2) Many pray for the Spirit, that they may make use of Him and His power for their work. This is certainly wrong. It is He who must use you. Your relationship towards Him must be one of deep dependence and utter submission. The Spirit must have you entirely, and always, and in all things under His power.
(3) There are many who think they must preach the Word only, and that the Spirit will make the Word fruitful. They do not understand that it is the Spirit, in and through the preacher, who will bring the Word to the heart. I must not be satisfied with praying to God to bless, through the operation of His Spirit, the word that I preach. The Lord wants me to be filled with the Spirit: then I shall speak aright, and my preaching will be in the — manifestation of the Spirit and power.
(4) We see this on the day of Pentecost. They were filled with the Spirit and began to speak, and spoke with power through the Spirit who was in — them.
(5) Thus we learn what the relationship of the minister towards the Spirit should be. He must have a strong belief that the Spirit is in him, that the Spirit will teach him in his daily life, and will strengthen him to bear witness to the Lord Jesus in his preaching and visiting; he must live in ceaseless prayer that he may be kept and strengthened by the power of the Spirit.
(6) When the Lord promised the Apostles that they should receive power, when the Holy Spirit had come upon them, and commanded them to wait for Him, it was as though He had said: ‘‘Do not dare to preach without this power. It is the indispensable preparation for your work. Everything depends on it.’’
(7) What then is the lesson we may learn from the phrase ‘‘ministers of the Spirit’’?? Alas, how little we have understood this! How little have we lived in it! How little have we exp-rienced of the power of the Holy Spirit! What must we do then? There must be deep confession of guilt, that we have so constantly grieved the Spirit, because we have not lived daily as His ministers; and simple childlike surrender to His leading, in sure confidence that the Lord will work a change in us; and further, daily fellowship with the Lord Jesus in ceaseless prayer. He will bestow on us the Holy Spirit, as rivers of living waters.