Spiritual Life and Power in the Church

From: The Counsels Of God Concerning The Church By: Clarence E. Lunden

• 1 min. read • grade level: 9

Before new birth, man is morally dead —dead in trespasses and sins. God gave Adam natural life, so Christ breathed on His disciples and gave them spiritual life (John 20:22²²And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: (John 20:22)). Power for the spiritual life was given at Pentecost by the descent of the Holy Spirit.

The believer is sealed (taken possession of) by the Holy Spirit whose coming was promised to the disciples (John 14:16¹⁶And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; (John 14:16)). “In the church, the Spirit flows from the belly, deeper than knowledge.” (See John 7:37,38³⁷In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. ³⁸He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (John 7:37‑38).)

The earnest of the Spirit causes us to look forward with joy to the full blessing at the coming of Christ, while now in our trials the Spirit helps us by interceding for us with groanings which cannot be uttered (Rom. 8:26²⁶Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. (Romans 8:26)).

We have spiritual eyes, having been anointed. These eyes of our hearts are opened to see three things: (1) the hope of His calling; (2) the riches of His glory in His inheritance in the saints; and, (3) His surpassing power towards us believers — so that we may understand that this mighty power, which raised Christ from among the dead, will also raise us up in the same way.

Click here to show subject links in the text for more information.