We now come to the fourteenth experience of life, which is being filled with the Holy Spirit. This is a very complicated matter, because it is a vast subject in the Bible. In the past two thousand years, all Bible expositors as well as those with spiritual pursuit have had different views and various explanations regarding this subject. Therefore, to this very day many people, unable to find a common definition, are rather confused regarding this subject. However, if we accept the word of the Lord with a pure heart and compare our experience with it, we will feel that it is rather simple. When we presently discuss this subject, we will try to simplify it as much as possible, departing wholly from the nature of research and simply speaking about our experience in accordance with the Scripture.
When considering this matter of being filled with the Holy Spirit or the work of the Holy Spirit on us, we must be very clear that, as far as the Bible is concerned, it is divided into two periods-the Old Testament and the New Testament; and as far as our experience is concerned, it is divided into two great aspects-the outward and the inward.
A.In the Old Testament the Spirit of God came upon man outwardly, whereas in the New Testament the Holy Spirit dwells in man inwardly.
The first characteristic of the work of the Holy Spirit on man in the two periods, the Old Testament and the New, is that in the Old Testament the Spirit of God came upon man outwardly, and in the New Testament the Holy Spirit dwells within man. The Old Testament often contains such sayings as, “The Spirit of God (or the Spirit of the Lord) came upon...” a certain person. This implies that the Spirit of God came upon man and moved man to do a certain work. Although in the Old Testament this action of the Spirit of God coming upon man to move him to work for God occurred quite frequently, yet in principle at that time the Spirit of God had not entered into man nor dwelt in man and mingled with man. Since the Spirit of God merely came upon man, He may “not strive with man for ever” (Gen. 6:3), and sometimes He may be taken away (Psa. 51:11). It is not till the New Testament period that the Holy Spirit begins to enter into man and mingle with man; moreover, He will live in man forever, no more to be separated from man; thus man can enjoy the blessing of the Holy Spirit eternally. Therefore, the indwelling is the most outstanding feature of the work of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament period.
B.In the Old Testament the Spirit of God was mainly for empowering, whereas in the New Testament the Holy Spirit has come mainly to be the life (nature).
Secondly, we must see clearly from the light of the Bible that in the Old Testament period the Spirit of God descended upon man to move man to perform God’s work; the emphasis was upon the Spirit of God being the power to man. In the Old Testament, through generation after generation, the Spirit of God continually descended upon man as a divine power that moved man to work, fight, and speak for God; or as the excelling wisdom that enabled man to manage affairs for God. For example, after the Spirit of God descended upon Moses, he was empowered to fight with Pharaoh and speak for God. The Spirit of God upon him also became his wisdom, enabling him to manage the affairs for God, take charge of the house of God, lead the Israelites, rule God’s people, and build the tabernacle for God. All this work performed by Moses did not stem from his own power or wisdom, but was the result of the descending of the Spirit of God upon him.
Although people in the Old Testament received the Spirit of God upon them as power and wisdom, yet in principle they did not receive the Spirit of God into them to mingle with them and be their life. In the Old Testament times, the Spirit of God merely descended upon man as power, but did not enter into man as life; He only bestowed a divine power upon man, but did not impart to man a divine nature. Therefore, in the Old Testament we see a number who possessed the power of God, yet had nothing whatever of God’s nature. Samson is the best example (Judg. 14-16). He had the supernatural power of God upon him, but at the same time he did not have the nature of God in him at all. Here we have a strong man whose power was beyond measure, yet whose nature was totally incompatible with God. It is rather difficult to find anyone in the Old Testament who was stronger than Samson; as far as power is concerned, Samson was undoubtedly a superman. But with regard to his nature and life, Samson was the poorest among all those used by God in the Old Testament. In nature and life Moses and David had something that was somewhat close to the presence of the Spirit of God. but with Samson such a condition did not exist at all. Therefore, with respect to power, Samson was full of the Spirit of God, but with respect to life, he did not have the Holy Spirit. This is because in Old Testament times the Spirit of God descended upon man as power, not as life. He descended upon man that man might have God’s power, but not His nature. It is not till the New Testament times that the Holy Spirit formally enters into man and becomes man’s life, so that man might have God’s nature.
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