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The
Poor In Spirit
I’ve seen
people getting woke-up all over the country. I told you
about three years ago, I suppose it has been, (time gets
away) I was getting in “this lull.” God woke me up and
He told me, if I would stay awake, nobody could sleep
around me. Brother, I’ve been going ever since. I’ve
seen a lot of sleepers, but I have seen them wake up.
I’ve seen congregations of the Church of God, that were
so asleep and so dead, that they made the pastor have the
evening service at 4 o’clock in the afternoon, (this is
true!) because they had other things to do on Sunday
night. If he preached over 30 minutes he lost his job and
they got a new man.
Somebody said, what
happened? The first night I was there, I preached two
hours. About the middle of the week, they began to wake
up. People began to come to the altar; got straightened
out with God. Sisters came around and shook my hand and
said, Bro. Wilson, we never knew we were in such a pitiful
condition. It came on us so slow and easy, that we
didn’t realize we were in the shape we were in. We need
to get this old time truth out there and preach on the
true riches of God and awaken men and women. Let them get
on down and get them a lamp, and get them some oil before
Jesus comes here. My friend, there’s one way, that our
condition can be shown up---when we preach the true riches
of Christ. We need some more old Holy Ghost preaching,
about having victory over sin, the flesh and the devil. In
this day, when the devil has bound people, tied them up,
tied their hands a little more and a little more;
they’re losing their liberty; losing their freedom;
becoming slaves to the devil; going right on with their
profession. We need to cry out that, Jesus was manifested
to destroy the works of the devil, set a man free, put a
devil-proof armour on him, a sword in his hand, and send
him out to fight the devil. It’s a blessed thing, when
we can realize out spiritual condition-poor. Blessed are
the poor in spirit.
Turn to the 15th chapter
of Luke; There’s a Scripture there, but because a man
wrote a song, people teach it wrong. Jesus taught there,
that he left the 90 and 9 in the wilderness and went after
the one. Because a man wrote a song, they say, He left
them in the fold. But, it doesn’t say that. He left them
in the wilderness, and He goes on and tells you, who the
99 are. There is more joy in heaven over one sinner, that
repenteth, than over ninety and nine just persons, who
need no repentance. Who were they? The 90 and 9 were the
old Jewish nation. Who was the one He went after? He said,
I am come to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. The
ones, that would admit they were lost and needed Christ.
He left those 90 and 9, that felt they were justified and
did not need Christ---He didn’t leave them in the
fold---He left them in the “wilderness of sin and
confusion,” and we raise up against Christ as the
Laodiceans are, and say, “We have need of nothing.” He
will leave us in the wilderness of sin and confusion.
We’d better be honest when Christ shows us our state,
and do something about it. The Laodiceans say, I’m rich,
but Christ said, I say you are poor. We’re
blessed---it’s a blessed state to get in, to realize
ourselves, as we really are; all the deception dispelled.
When we realize our poor miserable wretched condition, as
it really is---up beside that which Christ can do for us,
we will admit our spiritual condition is poor and that we
need help.
The Queen of Sheba, in
first Kings, the 10th chapter, an example of somebody poor
in spirit. The Scripture said she came up there with a
great train. She traveled three thousand miles both ways,
rode a camel 75 days one way. It’s no wonder Jesus said
the Queen of Sheba would rise up and condemn this
generation in the judgment. She rode up there to hear the
“wisdom of Solomon;” and a greater than Solomon is
here! Thank God, we don’t have to ride a camel 75 days
or go 3000 miles. He’s right here, outside our heart’s
door! The effort she put forth will condemn men and women
today for rejecting Christ when He comes down to their
house. She made that trip up there, and after she saw that
the house he built and the way he set his servants; all
these things---it’s all a great message; and saw the
wisdom that God had given him, what did she say? The
Scripture said there was no more spirit in her. Brother,
she was poor in spirit. She came up there with a great
train and all her camels, brother, no doubt going to show
him up, for she thought she was about the greatest thing
as ever walked on this earth. They told her of somebody up
there greater and she was going up to see, but brother,
when she saw God’s wisdom put up beside man’s wisdom,
the Scripture said, there was no more spirit in her, so
she was poor in spirit.
When we see that which
God can do for us, it will cause us to realize, that our
own righteousness is as filthy rags---ragged individuals,
and poor individuals. We will recognize our nakedness.
Self-emptying convictions, will take hold of us, that must
work before God can move upon us. We will realize that we
are void of everything pertaining to life and Godliness,
and into the emptiness, He will come with His Fullness.
The reason more people can’t get Christ in their hearts,
because they haven’t got room for Him. We want to hang
on to “all the category” that our heart is filled with
now, and give Him a little room in the attic someplace.
Say, Amen! =) I’m still preaching to that which calls
itself the church of God---the only kind you really wanted
when you want to get healed---when you need to raise fifty
dollars---when you get in a pinch. But God’s looking for
a bride that loves Him, through think and thin. If He
never did anything for her, she’d love Him just because
He’s Him…so it is a blessed thing to realize our
spiritual condition---that it is poor.
What is the next step?
We’re going to take steps to salvation here, and if you
get hung up on any of them, just realize it might be you
haven’t got it. These are the steps that it takes to get
a real experience with God. They have got it boiled down
until it is as simple as falling off a log; sign a card or
“blink your light”, but that is not the way Jesus lets
people do it. It takes some effort on our part. The next
step, He said, Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs
is the kingdom of heaven. Remember now, we are separating
the good from the bad. Blessed are they that mourn, for
they shall be comforted. Blessed are who that mourn?
Somebody said, just any one that mourns. No, there are
people that get themselves in a shape where they will
mourn and God will laugh at them when they mourn: First
chapter of Proverbs. How did they get in that shape? They
rejected His counsel. What did He say to the Laodiceans?
You say this, but I counsel you this. Buy gold tried in
the fire, get your white raiment on, anoint your eyes with
eye-salve. The Proverb writer said, God’s speaking that
you refused His counsel; you rejected His counsel. What
did He say? When your catastrophe comes out here, and you
begin to weep and mourn before God, He said He’d laugh
at you, so this Scripture cannot be put on everybody that
mourns.
Blessed are who that
mourns? Blessed are they that realize their spiritual
condition is not good and then begins to mourn over it.
That’s the next step to salvation. We have to realize
first, our spiritual condition is not good, and then, we
cannot take it so lightly. Whenever you see people take
this thing so lightly, you just watch them a few days.
There will be no fruit come. I have seen people move
sometimes with all the pride and they can hardly get down
to an altar of prayer. They think that God is really
getting something. Let me tell you, there is going to have
to be some Godly sorrow here that worketh repentance unto
salvation. We are going to have to realize our spiritual
condition is not good and if Christ doesn’t help us, we
are doomed; lost, and begin to mourn over the thing.
Blessed are those who realize their spiritual condition is
not good and then, they mourn over it; they will be
comforted.
My friend, we can surely
see that this “drag-net business” is not of God. He
talks about a straight gate; strive to enter in. I can’t
see how they’re miss-using the Gospel today---using it
as a “sweeping thing,” that’s just taking in all
kinds. It takes some unloading---some straightening
out—some humbling down, some Godly sorrow, to get a
salvation not to be repented of, one you won’t be sorry
about. This salvation today, there’s too many sorry they
got it, right after they get it. They call it making
decisions for Christ, just have them raise their hands en
masse, then, the minute they get outside they’re sorry
they ever raised their hands, because they still want to
sin. Well, Godly sorrow worketh repentance. It’s not
repentance---it works repentance. When you get Godly
sorrow working in you heart, the wheels of repentance will
begin to turn, and when the wheels of repentance begin to
turn, it will cut your tongue loose and you will go
confessing unto God, and you won’t hold back a thing,
and if you confess unto God, He will remove your sins from
you as far as the east is from the west, never to be
remembered against you again. So, it is a blessed thing to
realize your spiritual condition is not good. The next
step is to mourn over it. Let’s read the next one.
Blessed are the meek, for
they shall inherit the earth. What’s the next step?
Realize your spiritual condition is not good, getting
Godly sorrow where you can mourn over it. What’s the
next position? Take a meek position before God. This is
getting rid of all the “king-fishes” here. We have to
have a meek position before God and be willing. What are
you talking about, taking a meek position before God?
Being willing to take it God’s way---just the way God
wants us to take it. Too many are laying down requirements
to God---we’re going to do this and we are going to do
that. Huh-uh! We’ve got to take a meek position before
God---be willing to pay the price, whatever it is---and
take it God’s way, if we ever get it. Blessed are the
meek. They will inherit the earth. My friend, the meek are
those who quietly submit themselves to God and follow His
directions--- comply with His instructions. When Christ
spoke these words to the people back there in Judaism, it
was like putting cold water on them. Why? They were
looking for a literal kingdom; for Christ to take a
literal sword, and go in there and cut off a few heads.
Somebody said, “How do you know?” Why, Peter showed
what was in him. He didn’t even have a sword. He grabbed
somebody else’s and cut off the man’s ear. That bunch
was all heated up; they thought they were going to have an
earthly reign, and Christ was going to come in literal
glory with a sword and kill people. He turned around and
said, “If you ever get in ‘this kingdom’ you have to
be a ‘meek fellow’.” Well, that’s the way He told
me the meek was.
People are yet, looking
for a millennium, when Christ will come with earthly
glory. Zechariah and the other prophets said, “Behold
your king cometh to you meek, riding on an ass, the foal
of an ass.” That’s the way He comes. If you’ll
permit me to digress a minute, there are some people who
have a little trouble with the habits of life, let me see
if I can give you a little treatment, by the Lord’s
help. Christ came down there and ready to enter into
Jerusalem, to be crowned king. He told them where there
was a mule, tied with a colt beside it, that no man had
ever sat on. We read in first kings and learn that the
king rode a mule; usually a white mule, and they rode that
mule until it died, and if they change kings, they still
rode the same mule. Nobody got on that mule, but the king.
When David was ready to turn his kingdom over to Solomon,
how did he do it? He got the men together and told them to
go over there and get his mule and let Solomon ride into
town on his mule, because when that boy got on that mule,
what happened? When he got to town they said, Solomon’s
been crowned king. How do you know? He’s riding
David’s mule. Nobody rides that mule, but the king.
Well, look here! When our
King got ready to be crowned, He asked for a mule that no
man had ever sat on. Why? This was a kingdom not handed
down from somebody else, but the kingdom of God that had
never been set up before. They brought that mule colt down
there that no man had ever sat on---had not been bridled,
and I told you the other day when I was speaking about
this: any one that ever worked around any mules and broke
them, know that there was power there. You just don’t
get on a mule that has never been ridden---and stay on.
You just don’t do it. Brother, you throw coats and
branches down in front of them---they are going to run
clear out of the country. This little old mule walked up
and the Son of God got on his back. There was no
rodeo---they threw a coat over his back---that was the
worst thing they could have done. They threw branches
down, and screamed Hosannas! The Scripture said, that mule
walked straight into Jerusalem. Why? It recognized its
creator. Brother, Sister, if you can recognize your
creator and be as smart as that mule, you can walk
straight into (spiritual) Jerusalem. Trouble is, you throw
Him off. Come in a meek way. My friend, the same old
spirit that was in Judaism, that wanted Peter to fight; he
was going to have a literal kingdom whether or; it has got
in preachers today---they are going to have it; there’s
not going to be any earth for them to have it.
See, you can’t measure
happiness by the acre; happiness comes on “spiritual
wings”---I’m jumping here---want to hit the high
places---I’ll get out of here---those who would be meek
are truly inheriting the earth. Come on now! Blessed are
the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. What earth?
This, earth, right here; the meek are the only rightful
occupants of this earth. God created this earth for meek
men--- holy men. God is just leaving the sinner live here
by His mercy, but when we become meek individuals, we
actually inherit it---it is ours. And not only do we
inherit this earth, we inherit the next one, glory be to
God! The Revelation said, “To him that overcometh, he
will inherit all things,” so the next step, after
realizing our spiritual condition is poor, and we mourn
over it a little, take a meek position.
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