The Minister an Agent of the Supernatural
In his message to ministers the author of " The Minister and His Own Soul," places special emphasis on our imperative need of the supernatural for the accomplishment of the work to which we are called. He says:
"The preacher of the cross is not to be limited to the resources of his own natural qualities, even when these are refined and heightened by divine grace. He is to be re-enforced by direct communication of spiritual power from on high, to be made the instrument of supernatural activities. . . . The ministry must be more than natural, or it is nothing."
Perhaps a remark regarding the meaning of the word " supernatural " may be helpful to readers of The Ministry in some parts of the field where the English language is not generally spoken.
The word " supernatural " is formed by joining two words, " super " and " natural." Super means " above, over, in excess." Joined to the word " natural," it makes the word " supernatural," which means " beyond or above the power of the laws of nature; miraculous."
When applied to the gospel, the word " supernatural" relates to God our Creator, to Christ our Saviour, and to the Holy Spirit, Christ's representative and our mighty helper. In this heavenly trio reside infinite attributes and graces, such as wisdom, power, love, mercy, justice. These constitute the supernatural activities upon which our author places so much emphasis. This is made clear by the following statements:
"What a barren, hopeless ministry would be ours if the supernatural were eliminated, if we did not believe in a Holy Spirit, in a divine love, in a word of truth, in a power of God. . . . But with a divine spirit, a divine love, a divine truth, and a divine power, nothing can resist him [the minister]. He becomes God's chosen vessel ' to bear His name to all nations.
" With this divine spirit, he can bring to life those that are dead in trespasses and sin. With this divine love he can charm away hate, envy, and uncharitableness. With this divine word he can subdue stubborn wills and convince gainsayers. And with this divine power he can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth him. Infinite resources for infinite results in infinite measure are at the command of every preacher as they were at the command of St. Paul."
The readers of this paper will accept this teaching at full value. It is not new, but in this hour of peril it comes to us with new force. May it grip our hearts and renew our courage. May it lead to a cheerful, prompt compliance with the terms upon which the supernatural may be obtained and held. As to the terms, the author says:
"The ministry demands surrender. We may accept or reject the call, but we can't accept the call and refuse the surrender. This sublime calling confronts the candidate with a grim aspect, and its meaning is unmistakable. ' I have no terms to propose except immediate and unconditional surrender.' The making of this surrender is a spiritual crisis.
"There is no other way to give God a chance with us except by surrender. You may find a way to make a noise in the newspaper cymbals; you may get a conference reputation for efficiency, for popularity, and all that looks so much like power; but in the silence of your own soul you will know that if you have not love, you have not the power that prevails with God and man.
It is a great price to pay, it permits no conference with flesh and blood, and it may mean the loss of all things; but it is the only way of power. We must relax our hold on the transient if we would grasp the eternal things; we enter into joy by giving up pleasure; we must abdicate all pomp and satisfactions of worldly power before we can be made vicars of omnipotence."
None of us will question the soundness of this proposition. We know it is true. But we may be a long time in making the surrender. And this may be the secret of mediocrity.
Another writer presents the need and the way of attaining the supernatural as follows:
The minister " is or should be an agent of the supernatural." " Your supernatural status matters supremely to every soul that is in your charge; and will be the main factor in bringing other souls into your charge. And one of the chief things that will help you to develop a sense of that supernatural status, will be to keep steadily in view the great central truths of religion; training yourselves to their realization, and forming the habit of constant recourse to their healing and purifying influence."
Again:
"Only a spirituality that puts the whole emphasis on the reality of God, perpetually turning to Him, losing itself in Him, refusing to allow even the most pressing work or practical problems, even sin and failure, to distract from God — only this is a safe foundation for spiritual work."
We know, of course, that when we talk of the supernatural, we are considering a quality that belongs to God — His infiniteness in all His attributes. But it is well and helpful for us to think of God in the different words and terms that reveal Him. Often when I engage in prayer for the healing of the sick, it helps me to think of the Saviour as the supernatural one who defied all the laws and forces of nature when here among men. Every kind of sickness and disease, and even death itself, was entirely subject to the supernatural that inhered in Him. I remember that He has not changed, and that I may rely upon the manifestation of His supernatural power, even as in days of old.
O how sorely we need the working of the supernatural at this time! We need it in our own souls. We need it in our ministry for others. Truly, our supernatural standing matters supremely to every soul within our charge. How my heart yearns for the manifestation of that supernatural force that will lay hold of our great army of young people and lift them to a higher, safer realm of spiritual life. We are losing them in alarming numbers. This loss is tragic, heartbreaking. Verily, we do need to be clothed and filled and empowered with the supernatural.
" Christ, in His mediatorial capacity, gives to His servants the presence of the Holy Spirit. It is the efficiency of the Spirit that enables human agencies to be representatives of the Redeemer in the work of soul saving. That we may unite with Christ in his work, we should place ourselves under the molding influence of His Spirit. Through the power thus imparted, we may co-operate with the Lord in the bonds of unity as laborers together with Him in the salvation of souls. To everyone who offers himself to the Lord for service, withholding nothing, is given power for the attainment of measureless results."—" Testimonies," Vol. VII, p. 30.
A. G. Daniells.
