The Holy Spirit THE GREATEST BATTLE
Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. Rom. 6:6.
The crisis of surrender, of cleansing, of filling by the Holy Spirit, is a subject that is sometimes debated by people because the impression has been given that conversion and surrender usually happen at the same time. But even though this may be God's ideal for us, it is still true that the initial conversion experience and absolute, or constant, surrender, are often far apart. This is not to say that conversion is not a form of surrender. But the human heart, though converted, apparently has a way of not staying in the surrender stance, but rather of swinging back and forth between total dependence upon God and dependence upon self. This painful swing leads to a crisis--the crisis of absolute surrender.
All conversations are not alike, as we know. One person has a tremendous upheaval; for another person, conversion is almost imperceptible. For those who have grown up in the church, it is comfortable to cling to the idea that conversion can be almost unnoticed, that we might never know the date or time or occasion that it happened. But notice this description of conversion: "Christ is constantly working upon the heart. Little by little, perhaps unconsciously to the receiver, impressions are made that tend to draw the soul to Christ. These may be received through meditating upon Him, through reading the Scriptures, or through hearing the word from the living preacher." Sounds pretty good so far, doesn't it? Sounds as though we'd probably not even notice anything happening. But look at the next sentence: "Suddenly, as the Spirit comes with more direct appeal, the soul gladly surrenders itself to Jesus." Did you catch the transition? Suddenly! As the Spirit comes with more direct appeal! "By many this is called sudden conversion; but it is the result of long wooing by the Spirit of God."--The Desire of Ages, p. 172. (Italics supplied.)
But even if it were possible for conversion to be imperceptible in your experience, absolute surrender will not get by you in the same way. Absolute surrender will be a crisis in your life that you will be aware of. Steps to Christ, page 43, says that the warfare against self is the greatest battle ever fought. Such a battle will not go by unnoticed.
Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. Rom. 6:6.
The crisis of surrender, of cleansing, of filling by the Holy Spirit, is a subject that is sometimes debated by people because the impression has been given that conversion and surrender usually happen at the same time. But even though this may be God's ideal for us, it is still true that the initial conversion experience and absolute, or constant, surrender, are often far apart. This is not to say that conversion is not a form of surrender. But the human heart, though converted, apparently has a way of not staying in the surrender stance, but rather of swinging back and forth between total dependence upon God and dependence upon self. This painful swing leads to a crisis--the crisis of absolute surrender.
All conversations are not alike, as we know. One person has a tremendous upheaval; for another person, conversion is almost imperceptible. For those who have grown up in the church, it is comfortable to cling to the idea that conversion can be almost unnoticed, that we might never know the date or time or occasion that it happened. But notice this description of conversion: "Christ is constantly working upon the heart. Little by little, perhaps unconsciously to the receiver, impressions are made that tend to draw the soul to Christ. These may be received through meditating upon Him, through reading the Scriptures, or through hearing the word from the living preacher." Sounds pretty good so far, doesn't it? Sounds as though we'd probably not even notice anything happening. But look at the next sentence: "Suddenly, as the Spirit comes with more direct appeal, the soul gladly surrenders itself to Jesus." Did you catch the transition? Suddenly! As the Spirit comes with more direct appeal! "By many this is called sudden conversion; but it is the result of long wooing by the Spirit of God."--The Desire of Ages, p. 172. (Italics supplied.)
But even if it were possible for conversion to be imperceptible in your experience, absolute surrender will not get by you in the same way. Absolute surrender will be a crisis in your life that you will be aware of. Steps to Christ, page 43, says that the warfare against self is the greatest battle ever fought. Such a battle will not go by unnoticed.
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