Smith Wigglesworth - Life in the Spirit — George Stormont

Life in the Spirit and Freedom from Condemnation

This is tape number three on the spiritual secrets of the life of Smith Wigglesworth. This presentation Life in the spirit is one of four fine cassette programs. Covering the dynamic ministry of this man of God and apostle of faith sharing these secrets.

Pastor George Sormont. Chapter 8. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus. Who walked not after the flesh but after the spirit? For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh God Sending his own son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin. Condemn sin in the flesh. That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk not out of the flesh but out of the spirit.

For they that are out of the flesh do mind the things of the flesh. But they that are out of the spirit the things of the spirit. For to be calmly minded is death. But to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

Because the carnal mind is enmity against God. For it is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But you're not in the flesh, but in the spirit it should be that the spirit of God dwell in you.

Now if any man has not the spirit of Christ he is none of his. And if Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin, but the spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you.

He that raised up Christ from the dead shall quicken also your mortal bodies by his spirit that dwelleth in you. Therefore brethren we are debtors not to the flesh to live out of the flesh. But if he live out of the flesh he shall die.

But if you through the spirit you mortify the deeds of the body shall live. For as many as are led by the spirit of God they are the sons of God. Amen. Amen. In 1936 small church in South Africa the pastor.

During a week of special meetings when they had an evangelist was early in the morning in his office when suddenly The office door opened and in walked the evangelist. The evangelist didn't greet the pastor he began to prophesy and said something along this line.

A Prophetic Promise of Worldwide Outpouring

Before Jesus comes again There will be an outpouring of the spirit greater than anything in all of history. It will overflow national and denominational Boundaries it will penetrate areas where no one has ever expected it to go.

But this movement of the spirit shall be carried to the far ends of the earth. Then pointing to the young pastor. He said and you young men will be a key person in carrying this message. And you'll be misunderstood.

You'll be criticized. You'll be ostracized, but you will carry this message. The evangelist turns out and walked out. Came back later greeted the young pastor evangelist Smith Rigglesworth. The young pastor David Du Plessis.

And then at that time unknown out of South Africa. And I met him in 1947 in Zurich Switzerland when he came out of South Africa. To begin the work that God had called him to through that prophecy and it came to pass.

But in the 1960s the Spirit of God came and what we began we began to know as the charismatic renewal and David Du Plessis carried this message even to the Vatican and to the World Council of Churches and was criticized and was ostracized and was excommunicated.

Everything that Rigglesworth was told came to pass and God fulfilled his word. For a man to move in that dimension of prophecy meant that he had to live very close to God and His life in the Spirit is what I want to emphasize this morning.

Because I believe there's the key here for every one of us we can live as close to God as Smith Rigglesworth did and Though we shall not be used in the same way because God has a plan a separate plan an individual plan for each of us.

Yes, we should be moved used and moved in our own ministries in their own life to the fulfillment of God's perfect plan. And so as together we share this I want to Encourage you. I'll start by telling you right at the outset of an instance in Wigglesworth's life when he lost out.

Wigglesworth’s Backsliding and Restoration

It encouraged me to read this. Because when you talk about the man and hear talks about the man you think he was a kind of perfect man. But with the time before he was in full-time ministry. When in his plumbing business he prospered prospered.

Enormously became quite wealthy. And what were the pressure of business and the attraction of money? He began to lose out spiritually and he stopped going To the mission he stopped going to church and his wife Polly Seemed to get more enthusiastic as he grew less enthusiastic.

And She would go to the meeting and come back bubbling her with joy of a blessing and he doesn't want to hear. She came back one night So full of the blessing of the Lord. He said I don't hear it. And when she continued he pushed her out of the front door and locked her out.

But forgot to lock the back door and she just went around the house and came in laughing. And he had the sense to laugh with her. But it was her steadfastness and her Consistency and her joy and her prayer that held him.

And maybe some of us here have slipped a little maybe there are some here not where they should be spiritually. Let me encourage you. God could restore Wigglesworth from his backsliding. He can lift you from where you are and he can set your feet on the right way.

This could be the beginning of days for someone here. You could catch a vision of what God can do with failures. He lifts them. Do you remember when Peter? Walked on the water. Peter had a foot shaken off and when Jesus walked he said if it be thou bid me come.

Jesus said come. And I think Peter might have wished he hadn't spoken. He was committed and he stepped over the side of the boat and he put his foot down on the water. It didn't give way it congealed into a stepping stone.

And he walked says the scripture to go to Jesus. He walked to go to Jesus. And then comes the preacher's pet point. Peter took his eyes off Jesus. And began to sing. He did but he had more sense than most people.

Most of us wait till we're going down the third time. Peter cried instantly Lord save me. And the Lord put out his hand and saved him. And they walked back to the boat together. Jesus didn't carry Peter.

They walked back together. He was not only saved from drowning, but he was brought back to the place of faith. And maybe sinking saints this morning need a word from the Lord. He'll lift you and he'll put his faith in you and you can begin to walk on the water again.

And you can begin to move in the power of the holy spirit. After this bigglesworth came to a place where he realized he need not have gone away from God. He need not have lost out. To a friend of mine tom kemp.

He said a young man like you should always be on top of things. And he learned the secret of staying on top of things. A man named gordon robert gordon wrote this we like peter should be capable in the holy spirit.

First of giving to God what in worship? What is his due? And second to men in ministry. What is their need? And that seems to sum up for me in ministry spiritual life and ministry of widdlesworth. He gave to God in worship.

What was God's view? He gave to men in ministry. What was their need? And that should be the pattern for all of us. Giving to God what is his due in worship and giving to others in ministry? What is their need?

Being Filled With the Holy Spirit

One of his favorite texts and you'll know it so well ephesians 5 18 was be filled with the spirit. And I love what he said on one occasion. That means he said be soaked with the spirit. So soaked. That every thread in the fabric of your life will have received the requisite hero of the spirit.

Then when you're misused and squeezed to the wall, all that will ooze out of you will be the jesus nature. Be filled with the spirit. Another case occasion. He said be filled with the spirit be crammed with the spirit.

Be so filled with the spirit. There's no room for anything or anyone else. And this is where he sought to live. I knew him for about seven years the last seven years of his life. And in those seven years, I never once knew him out of touch with God.

I mentioned earlier his nephew rather his grandson son his grandson. Leslie widdlesworth a missionary for many years. I said leslie, what was grandpa like in the house? Was he ever any different? He said I knew him for well over 20 years.

And he was always in tune with god. He was never moving. He lived in a relationship of god. That was constant and harmonious. And you know that challenges me. And i'm reaching up and day by day i'm discovering more and more.

There's a place where we can live an abiding harmony with the love of god and being filled with the spirit of god. You see widdlesworth used to say god has no favorites. I remember the friend of my wife.

She came from switzerland to london to the bible college there where she met my wife. Her name was martha ackard. And one day she was talking with ruth and me and she said Do you know I was crossed with jesus one day?

I said martha. What do you mean cross with jesus? Why were you crossed? Well, she said I thought he had favorites. I said why would he have favorites? But he asked me that too. Why are you cross with jesus favorites?

He said why did you say that? Well jesus. She said you let john put his head on your bosom. And you know what jesus said to me martha said no. Jesus said martha. They all could have put their head on my bosom if they'd wanted to.

Only john wanted to and we all can get where wigglesworth got if we want to. Let it not be said that only wigglesworth wanted to. That we want to move in and discover the power of god in our lives and an abiding life in the spirit that shall not fail.

Real Salvation as the First Key

Let me try to be a little orderly this morning. Number one. I believe the first key is this. That smith wigglesworth enjoyed a real salvation. He was only a boy of eight. He went with his grandma to an old wesleyan methodist chapel.

They had a pot and it stove as the only means of heat. And if ever you went into a mission hall and found one of those when you were near it. You were cooked when you're away from it. You were cold and in that Wesleyan methodist chapel they were singing in a methodist chapel Choruses and they were dancing as they sang.

And they were dancing around the potbellied stove singing. The lamb the lamb the bleeding lamb the lamb of calvary. And wigglesworth said at eight years of age. I suddenly saw That jesus had died for me.

And while we were dancing around the potbellied stove in the wesleyan methodist chapel. Jesus came into my heart and I clapped and I sang and I jumped and I knew that I was born again. I knew that christ loved me.

I knew that christ had died for my sin. I knew that I had eternal life. He had a real salvation. I preached in a denominational church many long years ago. And was entertained for lunch by the secretary and his wife.

And he said to me I don't like to find fault with the preacher. But he said I think you're very presumptuous. Oh, I said, why would you say that? Well, he said you dare to say that you know that you are saved.

I said friend I don't want to be rude to you either. But I would suggest that it is you that is presumptuous. He said how do you make that up when I said god said These things are written that we may know that we have eternal life.

God said he that hath the son hath life. And you're telling me that you know better than god. God says I have life if I have jesus and I do have jesus. So I do have life and for you to say that presumption seems more presumptuous.

Don't you think so? He that hath the son hath life. And to know that you have a real salvation. Is it possible that here this morning or listening to me? There's someone who does not yet know. Never forget the shock I had.

I was meeting at the time with the plymouth brethren. Who're pretty strict on admitting people to the lord's table? And the lady who had been meeting with us and breaking bread with us for five years.

Suddenly realized in a gospel service that she'd never really had a salvation experience and she got saved. She had been Masquerading as a christian for five years. And discovered she hadn't got reality.

Is there someone here like that? The starting point of wigglesworth's amazing ministry was a real salvation. Get your fundamentals, right? Amen. Then he had a whole salvation. He wasn't satisfied with what I would call easy decisionism.

I get nervous. Sometimes I used to at the pastor. I get nervous. Sometimes when people raise their hands for salvation the first time they come into the church. Because i've discovered from experience.

It means they're waving. Goodbye. So very often they do that and you don't see them again. But wigglesworth meant business when he came to christ. He wanted all that god had. And if you've been on the decisionist level move down deeper and get to the place where you say oh god I must have a whole salvation.

He heard a godly man speak on holiness and he heard the holiness teaching of sanctification and Not understanding everything he grasped all he could. I told you that he was a man with a terrible temper.

And he shut himself in with god for 10 days and god dealt with his temperament. In that time and god changed him. He was determined to have a real salvation and discover the fullness of holiness. Had a young man in my church one day.

Come to me and say pastor Could I borrow your song books. I have to sing a solo tonight at another church. I said, of course you can i'm delighted. So I lent him the books two hard Cover books and he put one inside the other right there and was going to close it and I could see the spine splitting.

So I said jack you may not carry them that way just put them side by side. And he went white his eyes blazed and he turned the book on the desk. He said keep the books. I don't want them. And stomped out of the church.

I often wonder what he sang that night. To be like jesus, I think. But when the night he came and apologized. Well, I said what was bugging you jack? Well, he said it's my father. Well, I knew his dad had been dead 16 years.

So I said what you mean jack it's your father. Well, he said my father had a temper and I got one. And I looked deep into his eyes said jack. Which father are we talking about? You see if i'm born again, I have a heavenly father.

If I took off to my earthly dad because of my natural genes I'll take off to my heavenly father by the new birth. You see being born again is being regenerated. Amen. Amen. And if I have natural genes from my natural father, I got spiritual genes from my spiritual father.

To be like jesus. This is my song. And I believe that this whole salvation this full salvation. Was one of the keys he meant business with god. He wouldn't stay on the service. Then I think the third thing is this that wigglesworth Was not satisfied with less than a full Baptism in the holy ghost too often people say they speak with tongues, but you see no difference in their lives.

Baptism in the Holy Ghost and Spiritual Power

Wigglesworth wasn't satisfied with that kind of experience. He believed the purpose was power. You must must have read of his experience, but let me recount it he was in Bradford in yorkshire. The man came to him one day and said wigglesworth.

Up in sunderland, which is on the northeast coast of england up in sunderland. They're speaking with tongues like they did in the act of the apostles. Wigglesworth said I want to hear this. He was a master plumber.

He employed several men. He arranged his business and he took off for sunderland and he went into the meeting. He said I want to hear these tongues. They said you'll hear tongues when you get the baptism.

He said I have the baptism. He was talking about his holiness experience. And he argued and he argued and there was one man there and he argued so warmly with him. But when they went home, they were staying in the same place.

They walked on opposite sides of the street. Their fellowship was so hot. But he spent a night in prayer with that man. And he said for four days after that I wanted nothing but god. The last day came he had to go back to his business.

And he went to see the minister who wasn't available. He spoke to the minister's wife mrs. Boddy B-o-d-d-y. And he said sister I haven't got tongues. She said you'll get tongues when you get the baptism.

He said i've got the baptism. Some people die hard, don't they? But he said before I go will you just lay hands on me. And he told me sister body put her hands on him and prayed and then she was called out of the room.

And this is how he described it. The fire fell. It was a wonderful time as I was there with god alone. It seemed as though god bathed me with power. I was given a wonderful Vision. I was conscious of the cleansing of the precious blood and cried out clean clean clean.

I was filled with the joy of the consciousness of cleansing. I saw the lord jesus christ. I saw the empty cross. I saw him exalted on the right hand of god the father as I was extolling magnifying and praising him.

I was speaking in tongues as the spirit of god gave me utterance. I know now that I have received a real baptism of the holy ghost. And that's god's promise to everybody here. And this is someone here who's enjoying the overflow of pentecost by attending pentecostal meetings.

Enjoying the liberty and the joy that comes because the spirit has come to so many. Don't be content with a second-hand blessing. Reach out and say I must have this blessing for myself. Peter said the promise is to you your children those that are far off.

Even as many as the lord our god shall call. And his promise of the baptism of the holy spirit is to you this morning. He wanted to move on from there. But he told me this he said, you know. If you're going to live in the fullness of the spirit.

You have to watch that you keep clean. You must walk humbly with god and keep clean. He said I know never saw anyone baptized in the holy ghost of power. Who wasn't first? Clean within. And maybe I have a little glide here about the tendency these days.

To tell people they can begin to speak in tongues when they like without facing up to this issue of cleansing. You see romans 6 comes before romans 8. Romans 8 is the life of the spirit. Chapter romans 6 is identifying with jesus in his death and resurrection.

And I believe experientially what peter said is true. Repent and be baptized every one of you. For the remission of sin have sin dealt with in your life and ye shall receive the gift of the holy ghost.

And while there are many who have spoken in tongues, they've lost out in power because their lives have not been clean. You see the initial evidence of the baptism is tongues. The abiding evidence is power.

Tongues the sign the evidence power. Ye shall receive power. After the holy ghost has come upon you. He asked the lord why he had baptized him. What is the purpose of the baptism? In my life. He came home from work one day.

Put his bag of tools down. So I said which way did you come in smith? He said why I came in the back door. Why what's wrong? She said they brought an old man here. Can't you hear him screaming upstairs?

And people are knocking at our door saying what are you doing to that old man? Why is he screaming? And wigglesworth said the spirit of god whispered to me. This is why I baptized you in the holy ghost.

He said I went upstairs and found this old man. Crying. I'm lost lost lost. I've committed the unpardonable sin. And he screamed and he screamed and he couldn't be comforted. And wigglesworth's wife was in distress not knowing what to do.

And the spirit of god whispered again. This is what I baptized you for. And the anointing came on wigglesworth and he said come out you lying spirit. Come out you lying spirit. And instantly the spirit of lying left that man the peace of god came.

And as he walked downstairs God said again to wigglesworth the third time. This is what I baptized you for to bring deliverance to the captives. And god doesn't baptize you in the holy ghost to give you a nice sensation up and down your backbone.

He doesn't give you the baptism of the holy ghost just to let you talk in tongues. There's tons beyond that. And I believe that this has been the tragedy. We need to move on from blessing to power. Move on from blessing to power.

Seven Effects of Baptism in the Holy Spirit

Let me just list quickly seven things that I think the baptism of the holy spirit Can do for you. It will bring you a bigger jesus. John 16 verse 14 and 15 the holy spirit takes to the things of christ and shows them unto you.

It will magnify your understanding of the person of christ. It will give a stronger assurance. Romans 8 16. As many as are led of the spirit. They are the sons of god. Assurance. It will make the bible come alive.

Jesus said in john 16 verse 13 When he has come the spirit of truth, he will lead you into all truth. Remember rose weyland. Remember rose weyland. She came from a group of people that had a very strange title.

They called themselves the peculiar people and she went to the peculiar people's chapel. She came into a pentecostal meeting. She got hungry for the baptism. And god mightily filled her. She said to me, you know pastor.

Before I was baptized in the spirit. I sometimes read through three chapters and not find anything that spoke to my heart. Now she said I can't read through three verses without something coming alive.

The bible comes alive as you're filled with the holy spirit. Your prayer life is enriched. Jude verses 20 and 21 praying in the holy ghost. There's a dimension of prayer when you're filled with the spirit that you never knew before.

Are you not going to say amen sometimes praise god? That was a feeble one. Thank you, brother. Number five. You enter into an experience of the fullness of the love of god. Romans 5 and verse 5 the love of god is shed abroad in our hearts by his spirit.

Number six you discover there's joy in the holy ghost. Romans 14 and verse 17 God is not righteousness and not meekness but righteousness and peace and joy in the holy ghost. Hallelujah. And the last thing I mentioned number seven.

Because of the baptism in the holy spirit, you become effective in your function in the body of christ. Acts 180 should be witnesses. You should receive power. You should be witnesses. 1 corinthians 12 verse 4 through 11.

The gifts of the spirit. You see we're all members of the body, right? Well, just save you're a member of the body. But the member of the body needs function. I got two appendages on the side of my head.

They're called ears. Thank you for not saying amen. And then said to me once, you know from behind george. He said you look like the back of a taxi with both doors left open. This isn't pretty. And without the function of hearing it doesn't even adorn Me.

But the organ of the ear with the function of hearing. Needs a significant contribution to the life of the body, right? And if you're in the body You are a member of the body. You need the baptism of the holy ghost so that you function in the body.

That your place in the body is a living place and you have a living contribution To the body of christ. Then I want to mention a fourth major thing. Smith widowsworth. Enjoyed a real salvation. Enjoyed a full salvation.

Was not satisfied with less than a full baptism of the holy spirit. And number four he nourished his life his spiritual life by his communion with god. A man named moses copeland once told us that ricklesworth gave him a bit of advice in his youth.

Communion With God and Sensitivity to the Spirit

When the child of god ceases to hunger after righteousness and purity then satan gets in. And he wasn't going to allow room for satan and so he hungered and thirsted after righteousness. And he caught the vision of a godly minister.

And everyone wondered why this minister So radiated christ so communicated the sense of the lord's presence. And after much prayer the minister shared the secret with wigglesworth and this is what he told him.

Years ago, the spirit of god began to speak to me. But I was too busy to heed his voice he persisted until I Commenced to go aside when he spoke So that I could hear what god the lord had to say. This became a manner of life.

I obeyed his pleading voice until now at the slightest breath of the spirit. I leave everyone and everything To be in his presence To hear and obey his word. My father-in-law was a very godly man. And I discovered that smith wigglesworth had stayed in his home many years before And had shared the secret my father-in-law.

He had 10 children big house busy busy busy life. Sometimes would be a family gathering And so could say where's father. He was up in his room. He had imbibed the secret so deeply That the slightest breath of the spirit he withdrew And communed with the lord.

And I think we need to be willing sometimes to break off in the middle of something And just go aside and talk to god develop this Sensitivity to the holy spirit. David said in psalm 27 and verse 8 when thou said seek ye my face.

My heart said unto thee thy face lord will I seek. And I tell you the more frequently and readily you do it the more sensitive you've done. Has anyone here ever bought a new alarm clock? Do you remember the first time it went off?

It nearly blew you out of bed. But now You can almost sleep through it. Because you've grown used to it And used to disregarding it. And so it is with the voice of the spirit when he first speaks we're aware.

But as we gradually disregard it we become less aware. We need to be keeping ourselves very sensitive to the spirit. For whittlesworth it doesn't mean long prayers in his later life. He said I couldn't pray half an hour on end to save my life.

But he said there's never a waking half hour that I don't pray sometimes. He just moved in the spirit of prayer and uttered brief prayers. He would if he wanted to retire and speak to the lord a while he'd go.

And he'd lie on his bed didn't believe in being uncomfortable. He'd take his bible stay on just see what father has to say. And he'd let the lord speak to him. Then he began to praise the lord. Then he'd talk to the lord about some need and then he'd relax and meditate.

And he'd repeat the process and go on for a while doing this, but always sweetly in communion with god. He told us in one of our services in our church He said I go to bed speaking in tongues and I get up speaking in tongues.

And he used to exhort us to do just the same for him. It was more than a relief. It was somehow as he talked with god in other tongues. He was brought into a living relationship that gave him the freedom in ministry.

Because of his lack of education. He sometimes got into sentences in his preaching that were so involved that no one knew where he was. And he himself would say well i'm stuck here. I'd better stop and start again.

And so he'd stop. And he'd begin to say jesus jesus jesus. And the spirit of god would come upon him and beautiful anointing. He'd utter a few words in tongues and then in the most remarkable english.

He would begin to prophesy. The spirit of god came on him because he lived and he moved in this area. And one of his secrets was this that he Had communion every day. I've always found it difficult To adjust myself to the american habit Of communion once a month.

We had it every week in our churches back in england. And I wonder why we are so Infrequent in our Observing of what jesus told us to do. Rutherford said to me, you know brother. He said the lord said as often as he'd do this.

That means I can do it as often as I like and I like. And so if there was no one there he'd do it on his own as you call it this house. He said brother. I was just about to break bread. Come and join me sometimes two or three times a day.

He would break bread remembering jesus. He loved to keep very very close to the cross. And because of this He was always sensitive to god. He used to say you've got to live ready. If you have to stop to get ready when the opportunity comes by the time you're ready the opportunity has gone.

You need to live ready. And then the sick man asked me to take rutherford to see him and pray for him. He was a well-to-do builder had a beautiful home. And then we were ushered into his room his bedroom by his wife we saw him in a luxurious bedroom.

And rutherford was introduced and he sat by the bedside and I sat next to rutherford. And we were talking for about three four minutes and rutherford suddenly stopped. He said god told me not to pray for you.

Not till you repent of your backsliding and your pride and your hardness of heart and your unbelief. And the man said I don't know what you're talking about. He said you do the holy ghost is not a liar.

And the man's wife said darling. It's the summit that you can get right. So that you can be healed. Why didn't you do it? And he said you keep out of this. And we also said there you are lord. He said give this man repentance and he walked straight out.

And I was the pastor. When we got outside wigglesworth said to me, why didn't I have to say that to that man? I never said it to a man in that way before. Well, I said he used to be our church secretary.

He went back on pentecost he left our church. He joined the liberal church. He's been publishing pamphlets against the pentecostal movement. But he's never stopped bursting to what he did for us when he was our church secretary.

He said then why did you take me to see him? Well, I said all that was in my mind. It was rankling. And I thought i'm only hindering his healing. So I felt you could go and god could talk to you and that would be the best way.

Well, we went home. The next day he said go see if that fellow's ready. So I went around to the house and I knocked at the door the man's wife came to you. I said yes me. She said I don't think you'd better see my husband.

The temporary then I said I think i'd rather see your husband. Whatever his temper then go back and tell wigglesworth. I hadn't seen him. So I went in. And he said you. I said yes me. They recognized me.

He said you don't believe what he said. I said, you know, it's true. I know it's true. I just didn't have the courage to tell you. He said you get out. I don't want to see you. Or that man again I said brother Pardon me.

If god showed to wigglesworth your need. Do you not realize he purposes to use you if you let that need be dealt with he said get out. And don't come back. And they got out. Very shortly after he died.

But wigglesworth was so in tune with god That he moved in this realm Of understanding. I have another friend ralph mahoney of world missionary assistance program based on burbank California. And he was in mexico.

And he said he went to see a sick man. They'd asked him to go With the evangelist to pray for the sick man, and he was totally ignorant of the situation that spanish was used. And ralph didn't understand much spanish but then the Evangelist said brother mahoney.