Mark A. Finley, Receiving the Gift of the Holy Spirit: 10 Days in the Upper Room. Napa, Id.: Pacific Press, 2011. US $9.99.

Ron E. M. Clouzet, Adventism’s Greatest Need: The Outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Nampa, Id.: Pacific Press, 2011. US $15.99.

These two volumes are a valuable contribution to the study of the Holy Spirit in the life of the individual and the church. They are both written from a pastoral perspective and burdened by the need of the church to live by the power of the Spirit. They both explore the biblical material on the subject and enrich it through insights from the writings of Ellen G. White. The two volumes provide excellent and well-written material expressing the deep spiritual convictions of the authors. They complement each other. Here we have two study guides for individuals and groups.

Finley develops his exposition of the subject from the perspective of the experience of the disciples at Pentecost. After reading the biblical story he concludes that it contains ten important activities or experiences that could be helpful to those seeking the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in power. These are: earnest intercession, deeper faith, heartfelt repentance, honest confession, loving unity, self-examination, sacrificial humility, obedient surrender, joyful thanksgiving, and passionate witness. Each chapter is divided into three sections: Examining the Divine Counsel, Reflecting on the Counsel, and Applying the Counsel. The book is well-organized and makes the topic not only practical but also engaging.

Clouzet’s purpose is basically the same as Finley’s, but he approaches it from a slightly different perspective. He is also interested in the conditions for the outpouring of the Spirit with power and attempts to inspire church members to seek revival and reformation. He is also seeking to rectify wrong ideas about the person and work of the Spirit. Among the conditions for the endowment of the Spirit he mentions seven: repentance, implicit trust (faith), obedience, a burden to share (to be a blessing to others), persistent intercession, honoring the body temple, and a desire for Christ to abide in the heart. The book is divided into four sections: Promise, Person, Praxis, and Power. At the end of each chapter there is a list of questions that can be used as a study guide by individuals or groups.

I would certainly encourage pastors and church members to take advantage of these two volumes for their personal spiritual growth and for the instruction of the church. The times in which we live make it imperative for the church to seek the Lord and pray for a major manifestation of the Spirit among us as individuals and as a church. The proper use of these materials is also imperative. Here, I have several things to say about how to proceed in the implementation of the topic addressed by these two books.

First, these two volumes present the subject free from any legalism. They both ground the topic on the exclusive sufficiency of the sacrificial death of Christ for our salvation. This should be done by everyone addressing the topic. Revival and reformation are not instruments of salvation but the result of salvation in our lives through the power of the Spirit. Church members should never get the impression that in order to be saved we need to supplement the sufficiency of the cross with revival. They are inseparable from each other but the first determines the value and significance of the second.

Second, church members need to be properly motivated to seek revival and reformation. This is a development of what we have just said. Both authors make clear that the cross preceded Pentecost. Revival and reformation is about our constant need for Jesus as Savior and Lord and, consequently, it is by beholding Him that we would feel the need to do something about our spiritual condition and that we are transformed (2 Cor 3:18). It is at the foot of the cross that we can see the depth of suffering that God experienced in order to provide for us our eternal salvation. That unparalleled display of God’s love is the only effective power that can lead us to pray constantly for a more intense manifestation of the Spirit in our lives. The contemplation of the love of Christ for us takes place through the study of the Bible and by meditating upon it (cf. Rom 10:17) and will lead us to witness to the world.

Third, we need to activate that need for revival through repentance and confession. Acknowledging our failures and needs is important but this should be done by spending more time looking at our Savior than by lingering too long on our weaknesses. It could happen that some may look at themselves and feel that they are not too bad; that today they really did not commit any willful sin. These will not pray for the outpouring of the Spirit. When we contemplate the purity and holiness of Christ we will see ourselves as we truly are: sinners in need of repentance. Christians live in a constant state of metanoia/repentance, even if we feel that today “I have done great.” Everything we do is tainted by our sinful nature and we need the power of the Spirit to continue to overcome the sin that is embedded in each of us. This constant growth in grace is inseparable from the humility of constant repentance. For believers, every day is a day of metanoia/repentance and confession; it is part of their lifestyle.

Fourth, the conditions for the outpouring of the Spirit are a guide and not a magic formula that if applied to our lives in the proper sequence and with the proper intensity will result in the outpouring of the Spirit. This is not about formulas but about a deep personal fellowship with the Risen Lord in the power of the Spirit. It is about spending time with my gracious Lord, talking to Him, listening to Him through the Scriptures, and allowing His loving will to be effective in my life through my obedient response. The list of conditions is useful, in fact very useful, but we should not mistakenly believe that they will bring results by themselves as soon as we meet the requirements. We should learn from the experience of the disciples and humbly submit to the Lord, asking Him to empower us, through the Spirit, in the same way He did it for the disciples. The conditions contain what should be the normal experience of believers; in other words, they should be part of our lifestyle as followers of Christ.

Fifth, praying for the outpouring of the Spirit means praying for a more intense manifestation of the Spirit in our lives and in the life of the church. A word of advice may be useful: When bringing the topic of the outpouring of the Spirit to the attention of the church, we should never give the impression that the militant church is at the present time dispossessed of the Spirit. The Spirit was given to the church at Pentecost and He will remain with the church to the end. When we pray for the latter rain, we are in fact asking for the promised eschatological intensification of the unparalleled manifestation of the Holy Spirit in the life of the church. In order words, the church needs and wants more of what it already has.

Sixth, we should continue to provide and strengthen the biblical basis for revival and reformation. Unquestionably, Ellen G. White provides more material on the topic for the remnant church than the biblical writers do. This is not a hindrance but a blessing. What she has done is to develop the insights and the implications found in Scripture in order to make them more visible and more relevant for us as we approach the closing of the cosmic conflict. Let us continue to use her writings to flesh out the nature and role of the eschatological outpouring of the Holy Spirit. We have a work to do and the Lord, as always, is more than willing to enable us to do it. Ellen White’s prophetic ministry among us testifies to the fact that we have been entrusted with a glorious privilege and that the Lord wants our mission to be absolutely successful.

As leaders we should make sure that the call for revival and reformation is going out to the people and that it is being presented in the best possible way. Finley and Clouzet have provided a good model and a good beginning but, of course, there is always room for more.