"Prerequisites to Divine Fullness." Jesus said, "Behold I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye here in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high." Luke 24:49. The final instructions of the Master to His disciples before His ascension are significant. They must wait for the outpouring of the Spirit of God before engaging in the work of the Lord. He knew there were areas of heart and attitudes of spirit which must be refined and purged prior to their public ministry. Whatever the circumstantial differences between the lives of Christ's disciples in the upper room and our lives in this day and age, one principle prevails: the outpouring of the Spirit requires preparatory seeking. Waiting on God for the blessing of Full Salvation allows the Spirit opportunity to do the groundwork in the soul. No-one is better equipped to guide the seeking soul to the fountain of cleansing and the baptism of power from on high. This is his duty and his design. In his sermon on "The Holy Ghost" John Wesley said, "The title Holy, applied to the Spirit of God, does not only denote that He is holy in His own nature, but that He makes us so." How does He accomplish His mission? By bringing the seeker to Heart Confession. God has laid down heart confession as a prerequisite to blessing. "If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9. Adam Clarke, commenting on these words said, "Guilt, to be forgiven, must be confessed; and pollution, to be cleansed, must be confessed. . . In order to get a clean heart a man must know and feel its depravity, acknowledge and deplore it before God in order to be fully sanctified. Few are pardoned, because they do not feel and confess their sins and few are sanctified or cleansed from all sin because they do not feel and confess their own sore and the plagure of their own hearts." Before the young prophet Isaiah experienced the purging fire he cried out, "Woe is me! for I am undone, because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips. . ." Isaiah ch.6. Dr Andrew Murray said, "The believer must be convicted and brought to confession of his being in the carnal state." The inmost recesses where envy, pride, impurity and selfishness reside must be brought to the light. Some burining resentment or retribution yet unsettled must be addressed in faith and courage. Wash me oh Lamb of God, wash me from sin. By Thy atoning blood, oh, make me clean. Purge me from every stain, let me Thine image gain. In love and mercy reign o'er all within. If you are serious about the experience of heart purity you will be honest with yourself. You will cast out every foe and break down every idol. An uttermost confession of inward uncleanness will prepare your heart for the sacred fire of the Spirit. If you would like spiritual counsel and feel you would like to talk to our pastor then click HERE to e-mail him directly. Written for this Web Site by Rev. E. Stewart. Due to be updated: Sunday 21st May Archived Messages. 09/04/00 Prerequisites To Divine Fullness 22/04/00 Easter Message