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Receiving God’s Holy Spirit TodayThe Watchtower—1957 | July 15
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that those of the New World society do have the holy spirit.—Gal. 5:22, 23, NW.
15, 16. What is the most striking evidence that the members of the New World society do have God’s holy spirit?
15 The most striking evidence of all of their having the holy spirit today is their sharing in giving the witness to Jehovah’s name and kingdom. “Jehovah’s spirit is upon me, because he anointed me to declare good news to the poor, he sent me forth to preach.” Those words of Isaiah that Jesus applied to himself also apply to all his true followers. As he preached, so must they. And that Jehovah’s people, the members of the New World society, do have the holy spirit is therefore also seen by the fact that every one of them does preach.—Luke 4:18, NW.
16 Yes, God’s holy spirit upon his people is causing a world-wide educational campaign to be carried on. And although warring against the Devil and his demons, and although opposed by organized religion, big business and corrupt politics, and especially by totalitarian governments, their New World society is expanding phenomenally. They never compromise. Rather than let their preaching platforms and religious publications also serve Communist propaganda they go underground to preach. They take God’s Word literally and seriously, living by it regardless of what it requires of them. In view of their being surrounded by such a hostile world, there can be only one explanation for their prosperity, their zeal, their oneness, their purity of worship—that given by God’s Word: “Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith Jehovah.”—Zech. 4:6, AS.
17. How, in brief, can we hope to receive holy spirit today, and that in ever richer measure?
17 Appreciating that God’s holy spirit is not a third person of a trinity but God’s active force, do you, dear reader, wish to receive and enjoy the many blessings that come to those having the holy spirit? Then first of all pray to God for it, and keep on asking and it will be given to you. But not without your doing your part, by acting in harmony with your prayers. Your part is that of reading God’s Word, and not only reading it but studying it so as to understand it. Those who give evidence of having the holy spirit will be glad to assist you. Bring your life in accord with the righteous requirements set forth in that Word and tell to others the things you learn. Continuing in that course you will receive the holy spirit, and that in ever richer measure. And further, you can confidently hope for everlasting life in God’s new world in which the knowledge of Jehovah shall cover the earth as the waters cover the sea.—Isa. 11:9, AS.
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Communists Send Witnesses to SiberiaThe Watchtower—1957 | July 15
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Communists Send Witnesses to Siberia
● The New York Times of March 5, 1957, published this news dispatch from London: “Seven members of the Jehovah’s Witnesses sect have been brought to trial in the Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic on charges of ‘spying for organizations in the United States,’ a radio report from Kishinev disclosed. Kishinev is the capital of the Moldavian Republic, which lies in the southwest part of the Soviet Union. According to the report, two of the seven defendants are women.” Beneath this report the Times commented: “Officials at the international headquarters of the Jehovah’s Witnesses in Brooklyn, N. Y., said they had not been informed of the arrest of the seven members of the sect. They said the sect operated underground throughout the Soviet Union and about 7,000 Witnesses already had been sent to Siberia.”
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