(James Smith, “The Great Comforter” 1858) Play Audio! Download Audio
“It is the Spirit who quickens; the flesh profits nothing.” John 6:63
All real religion begins with the quickening of the Spirit.
When we experience this . . .
we begin to breathe after spiritual things,
open our eyes in a new world,
hunger and thirst after righteousness,
and at length taste that the Lord is gracious.
We then have . . .
new thoughts,
desires,
hopes,
fears,
joys, and
new sorrows.
The eye fixes on Christ,
the heart goes out to Christ, and
the chief desire of the soul is to be like Christ.
The Spirit not only quickens us at first, but all through life we need and are dependent on the Spirit’s quickening. He quickens us to pray, and He quickens us in prayer. It is His quickening which puts . . .
life into our graces,
energy into our prayers,
confidence into our expectations, and
enables us to resist Satan, steadfast in the faith.
If His quickening power is withheld—we soon grow dull, cold, lifeless, and inactive!
We have . . .
no power in prayer,
or enjoyment in ordinances,
no liberty in speaking to the saints,
nor profit in reading God’s Word.
Every duty becomes a task,
every privilege becomes a burden,
and every cross appears insupportable!
While under the quickening operation of the Spirit, we can do all things; but without His quickening we can do nothing.
Often, very often, have we to cry out from bitter experience, “My soul cleaves unto the dust; quicken me according unto Your Word!” Psalm 119:25
Quickening Spirit, daily quicken my soul!