Testimonies for the Church Vol 1 - Lansing SDA Church

570 Testimonies for the Church Volume 1[620]filthiness of the flesh and spirit, and fit them to engage in the loud cryof the third angel, they will be found wanting. The refreshing or powerof God comes only on those who have prepared themselves for it bydoing the work which God bids them, namely, cleansing themselvesfrom all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fearof God.I was shown that in some respects my husband’s case is similar tothat of those waiting for the refreshing. If he should wait for the powerof God to come upon his body, to feel that he was made whole beforehe made efforts in accordance with his faith, saying, When the Lordheals me I will believe and do this or that, he might continue to waitand would realize no change, for the fulfillment of God’s promise isonly realized by those who believe and then work in accordance withtheir faith. I saw that he must believe God’s word, that His promisesare for him to claim, and they will never, no, never, fail. He shouldwalk out by faith, relying upon the evidences that God has been pleasedto give, and work, as much as possible, to the point of becoming awell man. Said the angel: “God will sustain him. His faith must bemade perfect by works, for faith alone is dead. It must be sustained byworks. A living faith is always manifested by works.”I saw that my husband would be inclined to shrink from makingefforts in accordance with his faith. Fear and anxiety in regard tohis own case have made him timid. He looks at appearances, atdisagreeable feelings of the body. Said the angel: “Feeling is not faith.Faith is simply to take God at His word.” I saw that in the name andstrength of God my husband must resist disease and, by the power ofhis will, rise above his poor feelings. He must assert his liberty, in thename and strength of Israel’s God. He must cease thinking and talkingabout himself as much as possible. He should be cheerful and happy.* * * * *I did see, December 25, 1865, as I have many times before seen,that Elder F had often erred and had done much harm by a rash,unfeeling course toward those whom he supposed to be in fault. I hadoften seen that his work was in new fields, and that when he shouldbring out a company upon the present truth he should leave the workof disciplining them to others, as his style of dealing, arising from