When a believer is full of the Holy Spirit, where will he look? And what will mark his testimony? We are told that Stephen, “being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God” (Acts 7:5555But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, (Acts 7:55)). Thus we learn that the Holy Spirit led him to look away from his present trial to the Lord Himself, where He now is in the glory of God. He was thus led by the Spirit to gaze steadfastly on that blessed One who loved him and gave Himself for him. He was occupied with the glorified Man who a short time before had suffered at the hands of His betrayers and murderers, who no doubt was strengthening His servant’s faith and encouraging his heart, by presenting to his view a martyr’s crown. It was not now Stephen remembering a finished work done for him on the cross, blessed as it always is, but occupation with the Person who had done the work. Thus the Spirit of God directs us to look to Christ in glory.
The Person
Stephen’s testimony to others, therefore, was concerning this wondrous Person who now filled his soul’s vision, occupied every faculty of his mind, and filled every chamber of his heart. He was absorbed with the Lord Himself, so that he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing on the right hand of God” (vs. 56). Of what else could he speak at such a moment, but the glorified Man? What a testimony! It was not abstract doctrine, however true or important in its place, but what he saw and was occupied with was the Lord Himself.
We shall find that the secret of our walking as Christ walked, of growing in grace, of sustaining the life of faith and joy — blessings which we all so desire — are realized in personal relationship and communion with Christ glorified.
Like the Master
The effect of Stephen’s being occupied with Christ in heaven, in all the attractiveness of His grace and glory, was that he acted like his Master, and that under the most trying and distressing circumstances. The suffering martyr was able to pray for those that hated him and despitefully used him: “He kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge.” We also find that when the stones of his cruel murderers were rolling in upon his body and crushing him to death, he quietly and confidingly committed himself to the Lord, saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit”! Thus the suffering servant on earth, looking up steadfastly into heaven and occupied with the Lord Himself, was able in measure to walk as He walked, who, when suffering all the agonies of the cross, prayed for His murderers, saying, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do,” and who also closed His path of suffering with “Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit.” If we are to manifest the ways of Christ on earth, we must be taken up with Him who is now on the right hand of God!
The effect of our being occupied with Him there by the Spirit, as He is made known to us through the Scriptures, is that we become more and more changed according to His own mind. “We all, looking on the glory of the Lord, with unveiled face, are transformed according to the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Lord the Spirit” (2 Cor. 3:18 JND). Thus we have seen not only that the Holy Spirit directs us to look up to a glorified Christ and occupies us with Him, but also that then our ways will be like His ways, our testimony will be of Him, and our progress will be according to His own mind — “from glory to glory.” How encouraging to our hearts to look up to Him!
H. H. Snell, selected from
Things New and Old, Vol. 25, p. 38