Author: Billy Conrad

November 7

To one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit. — 1 Corinthians 12:8

Scripture reading: Ecclesiastes 7:1–12

One day I went out of my house and saw a friend of mine named John who lived opposite me. He crossed the road, came up to me, and said, “Now, Smith, how are you?”

“Very well, John,” I said.

“Well,” he said, “my wife and I have been praying and talking together about selling our house, and every time we think about it in any way, your name is the only one we think about.”

That was a strange thing to me.

“Will you buy it?” he asked.

Now, if you remember, when David went wrong he only went wrong because he violated the holy communion and knowledge of what kept him. What was it? What was the word that would have saved him? “You shall not covet your neighbor‟s wife” (Exodus 20:17). He had to break that law to commit sin.

I was not dealing with a sin; however, looking back, I see that there were many questionable things about the situation, so that if I had thought about it for a moment, I would have been saved from many weeks of brokenheartedness and sorrow.

What was the first thing that I should have asked myself? “Can I live in two houses? No. Well, then, one is sufficient.”

The next thing was, “Do I have the money to buy the house? No.

That is sufficient in itself, for God does not want any person to be in debt, and when you learn that secret, it will save you from many sleepless nights. But I was like many people; we are all learning, and none of us is perfect. However, I do thank God that we are called to perfection, whether we come into it at once or not. If you miss the mark of holiness ten times a day, fortify yourself to believe that God intends for you to be holy, and then stand again.

Thought for today: Do not give in when you miss the mark.

November 6

To one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit. — 1 Corinthians 12:8

Scripture reading: 1 Corinthians 2:6–16

The Scripture does not say “the gift of wisdom” but the gift of “the word of wisdom.” You have to “rightly [handle] the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). The gift of the word of wisdom is necessary in many instances. For example, when you want to build another church building, maybe larger than the one you are in, so that everybody can speak and be heard without any trouble, a word of wisdom is needed regarding how to build the place for God‘s service.

When you are faced with a choice and it is difficult for you to know in what direction to go, that word can come to you in a moment and prepare you for the right way.

The gift of the word of wisdom is meant for a needy hour when you are under great stress concerning some business transaction; provided it is a godly transaction, you can ask God what to do, and you will receive wisdom.

I have been trying to show you that if you are filled with the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit can manifest any gift. At the same time, you are not to forget that the Word of God urges you to desire earnestly the best gifts; so while the best gift might be to you the word of wisdom, or some other gift, you should not be lacking in any gift.

This is a remarkable statement for me to make, but Scripture lends itself to me to be extravagant. When God speaks to me He says, “Anything you ask.” (See John 15:7.) When God is speaking of the world‘s salvation He says, “Whosoever believes.” (See John 3:16.) So I have an extravagant God with extravagant language to make me an extravagant person—in wisdom.

To this end, we pray that God will show us now why we really need the word of wisdom and how we may be in a place in which we will surely know it is of God.

Thought for today: The trouble with so many people is that they have never gotten out so He could get in.

November 5

I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. — 1 Corinthians 14:15

Scripture reading: Hebrews 7:11–28

I am going to give you a very important word about the usefulness of praying in the Spirit. Lots of people are still without an understanding of what it is to pray in the Spirit. I am going to tell you a story that will help you to see how necessary it is that you be so lost in the order of the Holy Spirit that you will pray in the Holy Spirit.

Our missionary work in the center of Africa was opened by Brothers Burton and Salter, the latter being my daughter‘s husband. When they went there, there were four of them: Brothers Burton and Salter, an old man who wanted to go to help them build, and a young man who believed he was called to go. The old man died on the road and the young man turned back, so there were only two left.

They worked and labored. God was with them in a wonderful way. But Burton took sick, and all hopes were gone. Fevers are dreadful there; mosquitoes swarm; great evils are there. There he was, laid out; there was no hope. They covered him over and went outside very sorrowfully, because he truly was a pioneer missionary. They were in great distress and uttered words like this: “He has preached his last sermon.”

When they were in that state, without any prompting whatever, Brother Burton stood right in the midst of them. He had arisen from his bed and had walked outside, and he now stood in the midst of them. They were astonished and asked how and what had happened.

All he could say was that he had been awakened out of a deep sleep with a warm thrill that went over his head, right down his body, and out through his toes. “I feel so well,” he said. “I don‘t know anything about my sickness.”

It remained a mystery. Later, when he was over in England visiting, a lady said to him, “Brother Burton, do you keep a diary?”

“Yes,” he said.

“Don‘t open the diary,” she said, “until I talk with you.”

“All right.”

This is the story she told.

“At a certain time on a certain day, the Spirit of the Lord moved upon me. I was so moved by the power of the Spirit that I went alone into a place to pray. As I went there, believing that, just as usual, I was going to open my mouth and pray, the Spirit laid hold of me and I was praying in the Spirit—not with understanding, but praying in the Spirit.

“As I prayed, I saw right into Africa; I saw you laid out helpless and, to all appearances, apparently dead. I prayed on until the Spirit lifted me, I knew I was in victory, and I saw you had risen up from that bed.

“Look at your diary, will you?”

He looked in the diary and found that it was exactly the same day.

So there are revivals to come; there are wonderful things to be done, when we can be lost in the Spirit until the Spirit prays through to victory.

Thought for today: Prayer is without accomplishment unless it is accompanied by faith.

November 4

Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me. — 2 Kings 2:9

Scripture reading: 2 Kings 2:1–14

In the call of the prophet Elisha, God saw the young man‘s willingness to obey. The twelve yoke of oxen, the plow, and all soon came to nothing; all bridges had to be burned behind him (1 Kings 19:19–21). Friend, the Lord has called you, too. Are you separated from the old things? You cannot go on unless you are.

As Elisha went on with the prophet Elijah, the young man heard wonderful things about Elijah‘s ministry, and he longed for the time when he would take his master‘s place. Now the time was getting close. His master said to him, “I am going to Gilgal today. I want you to remain here.” “Master,” he replied, “I must go with you.” Other people also knew something about it, for they said to Elisha, “Do you know that your master is going to be taken away from you today?” He said, “Hold your peace; I know it.” Later on, Elijah said, “I want to go on to Bethel. You stay here.” But Elisha said, “No, I will not leave you.” Something had been revealed to Elisha. Perhaps, in a similar way, God is drawing you to do something; you feel it.

Then Elijah said, “The Lord has sent me to Jordan. You stay here.” It was the spirit of the old man that was stirring up the young man. If you see zeal in somebody else, reach out for it; it is for you. I am coming to realize that God wants all the members of His body joined together. In these days He is making us feel that when a person is failing to go on with God, we must restore that member.

When they came to the Jordan, Elijah struck his cloak on it and they crossed. No doubt Elisha said, “I must follow his steps.” And when they had gone over, the old man said, “You have done well; you would not stay back. What is the real desire of your heart? I feel I am going to leave you. Ask what you like now, before I leave you. “Master,” he said, “I have seen all that you have done. Master, I want twice as much as you have.”

I believe it is the fainthearted who do not get much. As they went on up the hill, down came the chariot of fire, nearer and nearer, and when it landed, the old man jumped in and the young man said, “Father, Father, Father,” and down came the cloak.

What have you asked for? Are you satisfied to continue on in the old way now that the Holy Spirit has come to give you an unlimited supply of power and says, “What will you have?” Why, we see that Peter was so filled with the Holy Spirit that his shadow falling on sick people healed them (Acts 5:15).

What do you want? Elisha asked, and he got it. He came down and said, “I don‘t feel any differently.” However, he had the knowledge that feelings are not to be counted as anything; some of you are looking at your feelings all the time. He came to the waters of the Jordan as an ordinary man. Then, in the knowledge in which he possessed the cloak (not in any feelings about it), he said, “Where is the God of Elijah?” and he struck the water with the cloak. The waters parted and Elisha put his feet down in the river and crossed to the other side. When you put your feet down and say you are going to have a double portion, you will get it. After he had crossed, there were the young men again (they always come where there is power), and they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” (See 2 Kings 2:1–15.)

You are to have the gifts and to claim them. The Lord will certainly change your lives, and you will be new men and women. Are you asking for a double portion? I trust that no one will “come short” in any gift (1 Corinthians 1:7). You say, “I have asked. Do you think God will be pleased if I ask again?” Yes, do so before Him. Ask again, and we may go forth in the Spirit of the cloak. Then we will no longer be working in our own strength but in the Holy Spirit‘s strength, and we will see and know His power because we believe.

Thought for today: Many people miss a great many things because they are always thinking that they are for someone else.

November 3

You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. — James 4:3

Scripture reading: Ephesians 1:3–14

God says, “Everyone who asks receives” (Matthew 7:8). What are you asking for? What is your motive? There is a need for the gifts, and God will reveal to you what you ought to have, and you should never be satisfied until you receive it.

It is important that we know we can do nothing in ourselves. However, we may know that we are clothed with the power of God so that, in a sense, we are not in the natural man. As we go forth in this power, things will take place as they took place in the days of the disciples.

When I received the new birth at eight years of age, it was so precious and lovely. Since that time, I have never lost the knowledge of my acceptance with God. Then, brothers and sisters, God did a wonderful work in me when I waited for the baptism.

I was in a strange position. For sixteen years I had testified to having received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, but I had really only received the anointing of the Spirit. In fact, I could not preach unless I had the anointing. My wife would come to me and say, “They are waiting for you to come out and speak to the people.” I would say, “I cannot and will not come without the anointing of the Spirit.”

I can see now that I was calling the anointing the baptism. But when the Holy Spirit came into my body until I could not give satisfaction to the glory that was in me, God took this tongue, and I spoke as the Spirit gave utterance, which brought perfect satisfaction to me. When He comes in, He abides. I then began to reach out as the Holy Spirit showed me.

Thought for today: We must be willing to deny ourselves everything to receive the revelation of God‘s truth and to receive the fullness of the Spirit. Only this will satisfy God, and nothing less must satisfy us.

November 2

We make it our aim…to be well pleasing to Him. — 2 Corinthians 5:9

Scripture reading: 2 Corinthians 5:1–17

While it is right to earnestly desire the best gifts, you must recognize that the all-important thing is to be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit Himself. You will never have trouble with people who are filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, but you will have a lot of trouble with people who have the gifts but no power. The Lord does not want us to “come short” in any gift (1 Corinthians 1:7). But at the same time, He wants us to be so filled with the Holy Spirit that it will be the Holy Spirit manifesting Himself through the gifts. Where the glory of God alone is desired, you can expect that every gift that is needed will be made manifest. To glorify God is better than to idolize gifts. We prefer the Spirit of God to any gift; but we can see the manifestation of the Trinity in the gifts: different gifts but the same Spirit, different administrations but the same Lord, diversities of operation but the same God working all in all (1 Corinthians 12:4–6). Can you conceive of what it will mean for our triune God to be manifesting Himself in His fullness in our assemblies?

Imagine a large locomotive boiler that is being filled with steam. You can see the engine letting off some of the steam as it remains stationary. It looks as though the whole thing might burst. You can see believers who are like that. They start to scream, but that does not edify anyone. However, when the locomotive moves on, it serves the purpose for which it was built and pulls along many cars with goods in them. It is the same way with believers when they are operating in the gifts of the Spirit properly.

When you have a good time, you must see that the spiritual conditions in the place lend themselves to it and that the people are falling in line with you. Then you will always find it a blessing.

Thought for today: We must be careful not to have a good time in the Lord at the expense of somebody else.

November 1

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable…for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. — 2 Timothy 3:16–17

Scripture reading: Hebrews 10:11–31

Everyone who has received the Holy Spirit has within him great possibilities and unlimited power. He also has great possessions, not only of things that are present but also of things that are to come (1 Corinthians 3:22). The Holy Spirit has power to equip you for every emergency. The reason people are not thus equipped is that they do not receive Him and do not yield to Him. They are timid and they doubt, and in the measure that they doubt, they go down. But if you will yield to His leading and not doubt, it will lead you to success and victory. You will grow in grace, and you will have not only a controlling power but also a power that reveals the mind of God and the purposes He has for you.

Many believers might be far ahead of where they are now spiritually, but they have doubted. If by any means the Enemy can come in and make you believe a lie, he will do so. We have had to struggle to maintain our standing in our salvation, for the Enemy desires to beat us out of it, if possible. It is in the closeness of the association and oneness with Christ that there is no fear, but perfect confidence all the time. I see that we should stir one another up and provoke one another to good works (Hebrews 10:24).

The Pentecostal people have a “know” in their experience. We know that we have the Spirit abiding within, and if we are not moved upon by the Spirit, we move the Spirit; that is what we mean by “stirring up the Spirit.” Yet it is not we but the living faith within us—it is the Spirit who stirs Himself up.

Thought for today: The child of God does not need to go back a day for his experience, for the presence of the Lord is with him and the Holy Spirit is in him, in mighty power, if he will believe.