“He breathed on them” (John xx. 22).
The beautiful figure suggested by this passage is full of simple
instruction. It is as easy to receive the Holy Ghost as it is to breathe.
It almost seems as if the Lord had given them the very impression of
breathing, and had said, “Now, this is the way to receive the Holy Ghost.”
It is not necessary for you to go to a smallpox hospital to have your
lungs contaminated with impure air. It is enough for you to keep in your
lungs the air you inhaled a minute ago and it will kill you. All the pure
elements have been absorbed from it, and there is nothing left but carbon
and other deadly gases and fluids.
Therefore, if you are to be filled with the Holy Spirit, you must first
get emptied not only of your old sinful life, but of your old spiritual
life. You must get a new breath every moment, or you will die. God wants
you to empty out all your being into Him, and then you will take Him in,
without needing to try too hard. A vacuum always gets filled, an empty
pair of lungs unavoidably breathes in the pure air. If you are only in the
true attitude, there will be no trouble about receiving the Holy Ghost.