- 480. Easter Conference 1936 - Articles of Johan O Smith from Skjulte Skatter

480. Easter Conference 1936

To God’s honor and praise, we have to say that the conference was more blessed and glorious than we had hoped or believed it could be. On the first two days—Maundy Thursday and Good Friday—we had brothers’ meetings, and over one hundred brothers from different parts of the country were gathered. Between the meetings there was prayer and conversations about the Bible until far into the night.

The main conference started on Easter Saturday. About three hundred people were there, so all the seats were occupied, including the gallery and the entrance hall. Between the meetings there were prayer meetings everywhere, from the attic to the basement. I estimate that about thirty to forty friends were filled with the Spirit and power from on high and received the gift of tongues. There were many especially good testimonies. Sixteen friends came by car from Trysil and Lørdalen, where the young brothers have been working. They were powerfully strengthened in the faith and traveled home again happy. It is actually impossible to write down with pen and ink all the good things we heard, but I shall repeat some of it here:

2 Corinthians 3:4-11. The ministry of the Spirit is always to point out the sacrifices people must give. That is the ministry of “the life-giving Spirit.” This ministry puts to death the flesh and releases our spirit. This happens when the sword of the Spirit separates our soul and spirit, so that the blood (the soul) is brought into the sanctuary by our heavenly High Priest (Hebrews 13:11), and our spirit is made alive by the last Adam. So don’t be afraid when the ministry of the Spirit goes against your flesh, because the Spirit wars against the flesh and causes it to be crucified with Christ. There, on the cross, is the only place that all Christians become one. The old man belongs on the cross, and it is brought there by the ministry of the Spirit. This is the secret to our unity, peace, and joy. But when the old man comes down off the cross, there is dissension in the assembly. This ministry of the Spirit always meets opposition from all directions among carnal Christians. Nevertheless we do not lose heart, because we have renounced the hidden things of shame and do not handle the Word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth we commend ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. 2 Cor. 4:1-2.