_EVERY BELIEVER'S BIRTHRIGHT._
On every hand a lack of _something_ is being felt and expressed by God's
people. Their Christian experience is not what they expected it would be.
Instead of expected victory, it is oft-recurring, dreaded defeat; instead
of soul satisfaction, it is soul hunger; instead of deep, abiding heart
rest, it is disquiet and discontent; instead of advancing, it is losing
ground. Is this all Christ meant when He said, "Come unto Me"? Is this
life of constant disappointment the normal life of the Bible Christian?
To these sad questionings the Divine Word answers with an emphatic "No,"
and the testimony of an ever-increasing number of God's children answers
"No."
For this widely felt, though sometimes inarticulate demand, the Divine
supply is _the fullness of the Spirit_; and this Fullness is the
birthright of _every_ believer, his birthright by virtue of his new birth.
Sometimes we hear it said that to be filled with the Spirit is the
Christian _privilege_; but _birthright_ is a stronger word. Reader, it is
your birthright to be filled with the Spirit, as Peter was filled, as
Stephen was filled, as the one hundred and twenty men and women in the
upper room were filled (Acts ii. 4, and i. 14, 15), as the men and women
in Cornelius' house were filled (Acts x. 44-47). "And ye shall receive
the gift of the Holy Ghost, for to you is the promise, and to your
children, and to all that are afar off" (Acts ii. 38, 39). What have you
done with your birthright? Have you claimed it? _Are you living at this
moment in the possession and enjoyment of it?_ Or, are you, Esau-like,
"despising your birthright"? (Gen. xxv. 34). Or, if not despising, are you
neglecting it? Esau's eyes were ultimately opened to his folly in parting
with his birthright for "one mess of meat," and he then desired to inherit
the blessing, seeking it "diligently with tears;" but alas! his awaking
came too late (Heb. xii. 16, 17). May every reader of these lines have the
desire graciously awakened (if it has not yet been awakened and satisfied),
to inherit their birthright blessing, while place of repentance is to be
found. May the prediction be fulfilled in our glad experience: "The house
of Jacob shall _possess their possessions_" (Obad. 17).