What are your feelings and mine toward our brothers and sisters in Christ? Our feelings toward each other, especially those who consider themselves our enemies, are one critical factor revealing whether or not we are ready for the latter rain. Ellen White, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit wrote, “I would that I had the power to present the subject to others as it has been presented to me. Just before He descended to the greatest depths of humiliation, the Saviour lifted up His eyes to heaven, and prayed that His disciples might be one. He said, ‘Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on Me through their word; that they may all be one; as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be one in Us: that the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me. And the glory which thou gavest Me I have given them; that they may be one, even as We are one: I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that Thou hast sent Me, and hast loved them, as Thou hast loved Me.’ The church will never as a whole receive the latter rain unless they shall put away all envy, evil surmising, and evil speaking. Those who have cherished hatred in the heart until it has strengthened and become part of their character, must have a different experience if they would share in the latter rain. Many are not awake to the fact that the Lord is testing and proving them to make it manifest whether or not they really love Jesus. The spirit and attitude manifested to their brethren, tells their spirit and attitude toward God. Great dishonor is done to Jesus Christ by those who claim to be His disciples. Those who are not branches of the divine Root, who are not partakers of the divine nature, will not and cannot love those for whom Christ has given His life. The evidence that we are accepted in the Beloved, that we have passed from death unto life, is that we ‘love the brethren.’ ‘He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.’ ‘He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.’ This is the decision of One who cannotlie. ‘Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.’ But notwithstanding these positive utterances, how little love is expressed among those who profess to be sons and daughters of God! ‘Hereby perceive we the love of God, because He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?’ The inference to be drawn from this question is that it is impossible for one to have the love of God, and fail to have compassion for his fellow men. The love of Jesus in the heart will always be revealed in tender compassion for the souls of those for whom Christ paid so dear a price. ‘Let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him . . . And whatsoever we ask, we receive of Him, because we keep His commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.’ There is no such thing as a loveless Christian. He who is in unity with Christ, in word, in life, and in action, bears the living testimony that he has the mind and spirit of Christ.” The Home Missionary, August 1, 1896.
“There is nothing that Satan fears so much as that the people of God shall clear the way by removing every hindrance, so that the Lord can pour out His Spirit upon a languishing church and an impenitent congregation. If Satan had his way, there would never be another awakening, great or small, to the end of time. But we are not ignorant of his devices. It is possible to resist his power. When the way is prepared for the Spirit of God, the blessing will come. Satan can no more hinder a shower of blessing from descending upon God’s people than he can close the windows of heaven that rain cannot come upon the earth. Wicked men and devils cannot hinder the work of God, or shut out His presence from the assemblies of His people, if they will, with subdued, contrite hearts, confess and put away their sins, and in faith claim His promises. Every temptation, every opposing influence, whether open or secret, may be successfully resisted, “not by might, nor by power, but by My spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.’ Zechariach 4:6.” Selected Messages, vol. 1, 124.