The Lord is wanting to bring us into a wealthy place, and He is working in the energies of the Holy Spirit with that in view. He has foreknown and always acts in relation to that foreknowledge; the inheritance is in view, and He by the Holy Spirit would bring us into that full place in Christ. The large place in life or vocation depends upon whether we have the Lord as our LIFE, and not things or people as such, but HIMSELF.
Our emancipation into the fulness of God's provision for us in Christ Jesus, depends upon how far we have let the Holy Spirit sovereignly apply the Cross of the Lord Jesus to all that is not of Himself, until it is only the Lord. This is the Spirit's work, and is not power or sanctification as such, not in a thing, it is the LORD; and when it is the Lord, you have come to your possession and can go in and possess. We come to it through pressure, through fire, through water, but God says:- "I HAVE GIVEN... YOU POSSESS."
(This e-book can be downloaded for free at Austin-Sparks.Net)
T. Austin Sparks (1888 – 1971)
He was ordained as a Baptist pastor at the age of 24, and from 1912 to 1926 led three congregations in Greater London. During these years, he was also closely related to Jessie Penn-Lewis and her publication and speaking ministry, the "Overcomer Testimony."Among the many books that he wrote, at least three are regarded as Christian classics: The School of Christ, The Centrality and Supremacy of the Lord Jesus Christ and We Beheld His Glory. The primary theme of Sparks' books is the exaltation of the Lord Jesus Christ. He mentored Watchman Nee for many years and was very influential in his understanding of the Church Life.
Recommends these books by T. Austin Sparks:
Daily Open Windows: Excerpts from the Messages of T. Austin-Sparks
Discipleship in the School of Christ by T. Austin Sparks
More of Christ: From "The Stewardship of the Mystery" by T. Austin Sparks
"Mr Sparks", as he was affectionately known, was born in London, England in 1888. He came to know Christ as a teenager and later became a Baptist pastor. However, his "ecclesiastical" career took a decidedly different direction when a physical crisis brought him to a place of brokenness.
At the same time God also delivered him from his previous prejudice against anything that was related to the "deeper life". As a result, he joined Jessie Penn-Lewis in the ministry of the spiritual growth of believers; a ministry to which he devoted his life and which also cost him his reputation and his career in the denominational circles of England.
He was based in southeast London at Honor Oak Christian Fellowship which is where Watchman Nee met and fellowshipped with him during a visit to England in 1933. Nee's refusal to disavow Austin-Sparks later became the grounds for him being disfellowshipped by the Taylor Brethren. It has been said that Watchman Nee considered Austin-Sparks as his spiritual mentor, and their fellowship appears to have been rich and fruitful.
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