After receiving the Spirit's outpouring you daily need to control your
5 Further Talk on the Spirit's Outpouring∗
∗Notes of message given at Chuenchow, Fukien Province, 26 November 1935.—Translator
1. Concerning those who have received the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. After receiving the Spirit's outpouring you daily need to control your spirit. God is not a God of confusion, but of peace. So, you must learn to obey God and not overly let loose of your spirit. In this matter, you are responsible not to lose control of your spirit. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit is not for amusement. Do not ask for the outpouring if the need for it is not present. Once a brother in Chefoo received the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Then, while at mealtime he again experienced an outpouring. Since there was no need, he later on refused it. On another occasion—this time while he was on a train—he experienced a further outpouring which he declined, for there was no need at that moment. He was most powerful in winning difficult souls. He was right in following the principle that the outpouring of the Holy Spirit is to be sought after only in time of need and not to be treated as an object of amusement or for spiritual enjoyment.
When a person receives the Spirit's outpouring for the first time, I believe it most likely is genuine. I cannot be so certain of his later experiences. Jesus declared to His disciples: "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?" (Luke 11.13) If we stand on this scripture verse and ask, what we will be given by God is the Holy Spirit. Many ask God for the outpouring of the Spirit with improper motives—such as, a desire to satisfy their curiosity, to show their superiority or spirituality, and so forth. And thus, the evil spirit is given ground to counterfeit. We therefore need to be very cautious in this matter. Never ask for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit out of curiosity or to be amused. Ask only when there is a definite need.
On the other hand, concerning the testing of the spirits, we must at all times test the spirit whenever there is any kind of outpouring. We have to test each time because we are no match for the evil one in the spiritual realm.