The Holy Spirit is given us for a guide. With respect to our conduct and
our duty, we often feel the impressions of the Spirit. The Word of God
tells us to give of our goods as the Lord has prospered us, but the
Spirit may often impress us as to where to give.
We feel impressed by the Spirit to give, we feel impressed to go to a
certain place, we feel impressed to pray for such a one, we feel
impressed to fast and pray, etc. Many a precious soul that once was full
of joy and fatness is to-day in unrest and leanness because these
impressions have been resisted. But are there not impressions given by
an evil spirit? Most certainly, and these impressions have led many an
honest soul into the wildest of fanaticism. Thank God, by living very
humble, with all our motives very pure, and by acquaintance with the
Word of God, we may know the voice of the Spirit of God and that of the
evil spirit I have known people to receive and obey impressions to fast
and pray that were given by Satan. God's Word and God's Spirit favor
fasting and praying, but both are bounded by sound judgment; and in such
matters we should not follow a spirit beyond what common sense would
approve.
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