Your Attitude
Maintain constantly the same attitude that was necessary to receive the Spirit. You had to desire Him above all else when you were seeking His filling. You cannot desire Him less now without grieving Him. You had to humble yourself then. If you let in pride now, it will ultimately drive out the Spirit.
Your Choices
You had to separate yourself completely from evil then. You cannot go back to evil practice and maintain the Spirit's fullness now. You had to deny yourself then. You can not follow selfish choices now. You had to yield yourself fully then. You must keep yourself yielded. Complete obedience was necessary to receive the Spirit. Willful disobedience will drive Him away sorrowful. You had to consecrate your all to God then.
Your Constancy
Withdrawal of any part of that consecration now is dishonest, for you pledged everything to God forever. It is sin to withdraw your consecration. To be kept filled with the Spirit you need not less but more of those preparatory attitudes.
Your Testimony
It is faith in your heart that brings you the victory, but confession with the lips must follow. See Romans 10: 10. Do not 'boast of what you have done, or of what you are, but humbly witness to what God has done for you in words that exalt God, and tend to keep self out of sight.
—James W. Elliot, Camden, New Jersey, John Landrey, Pastor. (The Wesleyan Methodist, Feb 8,1956)
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