The mystery was made known to me by revelation. (Ephesians 3:3 ESV)
As we take account of the situation today we feel more and
more deeply convinced that the greatest need of the hour is for men of vision
and courage. But we use the word "vision" in the specific sense in which it is
used in the Bible and not in the general sense, of enterprise. That is, what is
needed above all else is men who have had a Divine revelation by the Holy Spirit
in their own hearts as to God's purpose in this dispensation, and the particular
Divine emphasis for the present hour. There can be much enthusiasm and zeal put
behind a more or less generally conceived idea of what needs to be done, with a
resultant activity and "movement." The opposite of this, and that which we are
seeing to be so much more needed, is a burdening of the hearts of "chosen
vessels" with God's own most pressing concern at this time, resulting in an
all-consuming passion which will accept all the cost of its realization....
There are very few men in our day of whom it can be truly said, "That man has
had a revelation from God." There is all the difference between being saved and
then going into Christian service with the resultant studying of the Bible, the
preparation of sermons, addresses, lessons; collecting material, mastering
themes and subjects; etc., etc., and giving this out as required or as
opportunity affords – there is all the difference between this and an open
heaven, an anointing, a revelation by the Holy Spirit. It is the difference
between our laboring to get, in order to meet a constantly recurring demand, and
the Holy Spirit continually revealing Christ in us. This is a general
difference, but it is a very great one, and it may represent all the difference
between bondage and liberty, between limitation and fullness, even between Life
and death in ministry. But this is not our particular point. The need of the
hour is not only for a higher spiritual level of ministry in general, it is for
men with a specific revelation which will meet the situation as it is now.