Impressions, by Martin Wells Knapp, 61

In a previous excerpt, Knapp stated that there are four features of "impressions" from God. These are Scriptural; Right (consistent with good morals); Providential (in harmony with God's will); and Reasonable. His discussion of the result of living by "Convictions from Above," according to Christ's example, continues:

Next let us bear in mind that Jesus in His humanity is the Christian's model, in regard to being divinely led. His every act and word bear each of the stamps that prove them from the skies.

1. Jesus Never Said or did an Unscriptural Thing. Though born of the Spirit, filled with the Spirit, and led by the Spirit, He continually recognized the Scriptures as the rule of His conduct, and always magnified the written Word.

His mistaken followers who claim that the Spirit may lead contrary to the Bible, should learn this much-needed lesson from the Great Teacher.

The very fact that the Holy Spirit is the author of Scripture, proves that all His teachings and leadings will be in accord with it; for an infinitely wise Author will not contradict Himself. Jesus revered the written Word as a dutiful son the will of a dear father, and when He made new revelations they were simply the unfolding of the old, and were to them what the blossom and fruitage is to the bud.

His miraculous advent, the angel's message to Mary, to Joseph and to the shepherds, and all of the great events of His life, were foretold in Scripture and in harmony with it. His chief employment when a youth doubtless was the mastery of Bible truth, and in later years it was with the "sword of the Spirit" that He pierced the formality and hypocrisy of a haughty ecclesiasticism. When tempted in the wilderness to distrust God and use unlawful means to satisfy His hunger, like men do when they do wrong for a livelihood; and when tempted to test God's power by doing a presumptuous thing; and when tempted to give up His divine mission for gain, like men do when they turn from the ministry or from principle, for money or position; and, finally, when tempted to own the lordship of the devil by worshipping him; in each instance He tried the Satanic suggestion by the written Word, and thrusting the enemy through with the keen blade of a fitting Scripture quotation He put him to flight, and "angels came and ministered unto Him."

Excerpted from Impressions, by Martin Wells Knapp. Original publication date, 1892. Public domain. My source is here. The previous post in the series is here.