When He Is Come - Media Sabda Org

III. The Vessels Unto Honor
The Lord needs vessels and we are the vessels He needs, but before He will employ us, we must
be presented, cleansed, and filled. "If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel
unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work" (II Tim.
2:21). A vessel that is purged and sanctified (set apart for holy uses) is a "vessel unto honour." This
means that the vessel is clean, fit for use, and in its place where it may be used. It is quite immaterial
what the material of the vessel is, just so it is clean, and in its place where it will daily serve its
purpose. A vessel of gold may be treasured very highly and set on a shelf hidden from view where
the dust gathers on it and never be used. On the other hand, a tin cup may be hanging by a fountain
at the roadside, where hundreds of weary and thirsty travelers pass by and are refreshed by its use.
This is a vessel of honor. It has the honor of being employed daily. It serves a useful purpose. So it
is with men. The man who is not presented, not cleansed, but setting on a shelf is not a vessel of
honor. The man that is presented to the Lord, cleansed, in his place, filled with the Spirit, and full
of the rivers of living waters, will be "meet for the Master's use," a vessel unto honor, and many will
be refreshed through him.
IV. The Emptying of Ourselves
Before the filling of the Spirit, there must be a cleansing, and before there can be a cleansing,
there needs to be an emptying. Before one family can move into a house, the former occupants must
vacate, move out, and take all their possessions with them. For one family to move into the house
of another whose furniture is in place, who have their own regulations, would lead to confusion and
friction. The house needs to be empty so the new occupants may clean it before they occupy it. We
are the house, and before the Holy Spirit comes in to fill us, there must come the emptying of the
house for His indwelling. This is our part. We are to move all things out and vacate. There must be
a self-emptying before there will be a God-filling. The emptying process includes emptying all of
our own righteousness, our own wisdom, our strength, our will, our plans, our own ambitions, and
our own ways. There can be no reservation, not even one shelf behind the door where some
seemingly innocent things may be reserved. When the Holy Spirit comes in to abide, to make His
permanent home with us, there must be a complete emptying of self so that He may completely and
eternally have His way, arrange all on the inside to His liking, and make everything in our lives
conform to God's will and holiness. This emptying process is equivalent to that which God
demanded in the Old Testament when on several occasions He said to His people, "Sanctify
yourselves." Sanctification means to separate, that is, from all that is evil, from good-self, and to be
set apart for holy purposes, for God's use, and glory.
V. The Cleansing Process
Before the Spirit comes in to dwell, He will cleanse the vessel. This cleansing is not to be
considered as an experience in itself, nor as independent of the filling. Regeneration is but one work
of grace, being wrought instantaneously, and is twofold in its nature (even including a negative and
a positive work, that is, the forgiveness of sins which saves from going to hell, and the impartation
of divine life, which saves to go to heaven). In the experience of sanctification, which is one work