Our Activation by Jehovah’s Spirit

A GUATEMALAN full-time minister of Jehovah, after a trip by bus, walked twenty-five miles to get to his ministerial assignment. This he accomplished even though the road was rocky and led over mountains and he was burdened down by a seventy-pound suitcase. Another like minister in Southern Rhodesia, after going as far as the bus would take him, walked a hundred miles in five days to get to his territory. A Christian witness in Russia was brought before a community court because of her preaching Bible truth. In spite of many threats and jeers by the court and other onlookers she remained firm and calm, saying to her opposers: “I am dedicated to serve the God who rules the universe, and I will never desert him under any conditions.” A Hawaiian minister, eighty-four years old and severely bent, devotes 150 hours monthly to the public ministry. What enables all these to perform such things in order to preach the Kingdom message? Activation by Jehovah’s spirit.—2 Cor. 4:7; Phil. 4:13.

The foregoing are but a few of the many incidents reported in the 1962 Yearbook of Jehovah’s Witnesses. It gives eloquent testimony to the fact that the Witnesses are activated by Jehovah’s spirit, that they are indeed “aglow with the spirit.”—Rom. 12:11.a

What does it take to receive this dynamic force of Jehovah, this holy spirit of God? What is required, first of all, is a good heart condition. No one can have God’s spirit if his motive is selfish.—Acts 8:17-22.

Secondly comes the hearing of the Word of God. As the apostle Paul shows: “This alone I want to learn from you: Did you receive the spirit due to works of law or due to a hearing by faith?” Yes, there must be a hearing of the Word of God, coupled with faith, for it is a word that “is alive and exerts power.”—Gal. 3:2; Heb. 4:12.

However, this hearing by faith must be a live faith, not a dead faith. That means it must be backed up by works, works consistent with and in demonstration of our faith: “As the body without breath is dead, so also faith without works is dead.”—Jas. 2:26.

More than that, for one to receive holy spirit he must also be in touch with God’s channel of communication. Just as in the days of Jesus and the apostles receiving of holy spirit was dependent upon contact with God’s channel of communication, his earthly representatives, so also today. The facts show that that channel is found with the New World society of Jehovah’s witnesses.—Acts 19:1-7.

Nor is prayer to be overlooked. As Jesus said: “If you, although being wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more so will the Father in heaven give holy spirit to those asking him!” But we must keep on asking.—Luke 11:5-13.

Important also is one’s mental attitude. To the extent that one really wants to receive God’s spirit and to be guided by it, to that extent he may expect to receive more of it. He must not grow careless, thus “grieving God’s holy spirit.”—Eph. 4:30.

What are the results of this activation by Jehovah’s spirit? Many and miraculous. First of all there is the understanding of God’s will and direction in obeying it today. Included also is the carrying out of the worldwide witness work, preaching the good news in the homes and from the public platform and training ministers in Kingdom Ministry Schools and at the Watchtower Bible School of Gilead.

Their activation by Jehovah’s spirit has also resulted in the fearless stand taken by the witnesses of Jehovah in regard to issues involving their worship, be those issues nationalism, blood or anything else. They obey God as ruler rather than men regardless of the cost.

By reason of the fact that God’s spirit is upon them and they manifest the fruitage of God’s spirit in their lives, their unity is unparalleled. In spite of all the world’s divisive factors—racial, national, political, economic, social and religious—they remain in union with one another and with their God. In them Jesus’ prayer is finding fulfillment: “I make request . . . that they may all be one.”—John 17:20, 21.

During the month of April Jehovah’s witnesses will be giving proof of their being activated by Jehovah’s spirit by zealously proclaiming the name and purposes of Jehovah God and by helping others to do the same.

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