438 The Spiritual Man
all your soul, and with all your mind” (Matt. 22.37). “All” denotes
every ounce of it for the Lord. He enjoins us to reserve not one tiny
particle of affection which we ourselves can direct. He calls for all.
He is a jealous God (Ex. 20.5), therefore He does not allow anybody
to steal the love of His children.
Yet how many dearly beloved ones have their claim on the
believer’s affections besides God! Perhaps an Isaac, a Jonathan, or a
Rachel. Wherefore God insists we lay our beloved ones on the altar.
He cannot tolerate any competition. Our all must be on the altar. This
is the Christian’s way to spiritual power. And shortly after the
sacrifice is laid on the altar—nay, after the last sacrifice is duly
placed thereon—fire will come down from heaven. Without the altar,
there can be no heavenly fire. How, then, will one ever have the
power of the Holy Spirit if he does not take up his cross and offer
everyone whom he loves to the Lord? This is not an empty altar, for
fire consumes the sacrifice on it. What can the fire consume if there
is no sacrifice? Brethren, neither our mental understanding of the
cross nor our endless talk about it will give us the power of the Holy
Spirit; only our laying everything on the altar will. If we continue to
harbor some secret rope uncut, if our heart secretly retains some oxen
and sheep and an Agag, we will still not experience the manifestation
of the Holy Spirit’s power in our lives.
How much the work of God has suffered because of our failure to
let the Lord be the Lord of our affections. Many parents cling to their
children for themselves and permit the kingdom of God to incur loss.
Countless husbands or wives are unwilling to make sacrifice and thus
the harvest is left ungathered. Numerous Christians are so attached to
their friends that they sit back and let their brethren fight at the front
alone. It is deplorable how many think they can love their dear ones
and the Lord simultaneously, not comprehending that by loving
these, they cannot love the Lord. We persist in living in the soul if
we cannot say with Asaph: “Whom have I in heaven but thee? And
there is nothing upon earth that I desire besides thee” (Ps. 73.25).