The Gipsy's Testimony

Letter from Rodney “Gipsy” Smith that appeared in The Moody Church News, September 1942.

Dr. and Mrs. Riley have asked for a word of greeting for the readers of their monthly paper. I wish I knew the very word that would be helpful both to the persons who in the meetings of the recent campaign were helped by the Holy Spirit to take Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour, and to those who were led by the same Spirit to seek a deeper spiritual experience, and also to seek the equipment of power for service.

Remember, “All is yours, since you are Christ’s and Christ is God’s.” All you need for a life of victory is in Him. There is no limit to your own fellowship in Christ, or your witness for Him, or the number you may definitely win for Him if you are only faithful. Faithfulness really means fruitfulness; but you must meet and keep the conditions of a victorious life.

Keep up your prayer life. If you neglect to pray and pray regularly, your soul life will soon be lifeless, and therefore powerless. You must pray; begin the day with prayer. Rise early enough to have a definite time with your Lord. Don’t rush that time, or you will pay for its loss all the day. Cultivate the habit of talking to your Lord all through the day, even when busy. “Watch and pray.”

Along with your prayer life, you must read and know the Word of the Lord if you are to grow in grace. “As new-born babes desire the sincere milk of the Word, that ye may grow thereby.” When I pray I talk to God; when I read His Word He talks to me. “Thy word have I hid in mine heart that I might not sin against thee.” “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to thy word.” Know His Word if you would be strong in the Lord.

One of the habits of my life which has helped me to keep close to my Lord has been the fact that from the moment of my conversion I began to witness to others of and for Christ. I simply told them what He had done for me, He could and would do for others; and it worked for me. My love for Him did not cool; it grew as I witnessed. The thrill I got when doing this, and the joy of seeing others enter into a saving relationship with Him, have kept me witnessing to His mighty power to save to the uttermost. You try it. Keep in fellowship with Him, and you will speak good of His Name. My early experience in the first days after my surrender to Christ is expressed in the following words of one of the early Methodists:

“Oh that the world might taste and see
The riches of His Grace;
The arms of love that compass me
Would all mankind embrace.”

That passion has grown with the years.

Remember, we cannot, we do not stop where we begin. We must follow on to know the Lord. Not to use is to lose. To stand still is to go back. We move, or we stagnate. Jesus is the savor of life or of death.

“Add to your faith virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; and to knowledge, self control; and to self control, patience; and to patience, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.” Remember, He never fails.