My cup is running over with pure joy, because God has filled me. I’m never happier than when I can sit by myself in peace and quiet and allow the Spirit to work. What a delight it is! Often when I’m sitting in the Navy corps office, I feel like packing up and leaving. The kingdom of God does not consist of words, but of power. I’m not boasting, but I speak the truth when I say that the power within me is so strong that I feel like I’m about to burst. This is my personal testimony in Christ Jesus. My most heartfelt wish would be to devote myself fully and completely to the Lord’s work, but in order to do that, a door has to open.

The important thing now is to keep ourselves pure—not to be a hypocrite, not to be a coward, but to lay everything on the line in order that the cross of Christ can be held in high esteem. We mustn’t quench the Spirit, and we mustn’t grieve the Spirit, for that would be the same as grieving ourselves. Instead, we are to be courageous, advancing ruthlessly against all idols and not sparing the high places. There is no retreat—only forward, forward, forward. Everything must give way before us; everything must be conquered. Everyone must get the feeling that it’s pointless to put up any resistance, because by faith, faith, faith, all fortifications must crumble. God concealed nothing from His friend Abraham, and He conceals nothing from us when we are taken into His secret counsels. Think, to sit in the counsels of God. That is certainly greater than having a seat on the city council or being a member of parliament. We have to be trained to govern in God’s administration while here on earth; this government is so great that all earthly governments are but shadows and mere images of it.

For a long time Br. Berg has prayed for the gift of tongues, in public meetings and everywhere. Our enemies have taken note of this and rejoiced. Then it became clear to me that we must never reveal our shortcomings to our enemies, but we should simply show our strong side. Br. Berg now agrees. How similar this administration is to the ones on earth. We must keep a watchful eye on our enemies, even if they go to meetings and make long prayers. They are enemies according to the Spirit. With sorrow I have watched Br. Kristoffersen accompany first the one and then the other to various meetings here and there. They drag him along in order to draw people to their meetings, but I fear that his strength will soon be sapped if he keeps allowing himself to be led around by the nose like that. Balak took Balaam by the ear and dragged him along, because Balaam had the gift of prophecy. We must be vigilant here. May God give us wisdom in all things, so that we, through this (wisdom), can sit in the secret counsels of God and be able to see through everything. Our place is outside the camp, where we can act independently. We can’t allow people to lead us around by the ear; rather, we are to lead them by the ear and whip them, if they don’t want to follow on the way. Outside the camp, with God alone, we can hear and understand what the Spirit is saying. We have to cut off from our flesh those who live in the camp; otherwise we will become just as powerless as they are. It is imperative that we take heed to this. If we go into the camp, we must go in with the words that the Lord has spoken to us outside the camp. We must conduct ourselves with authority and without wavering. We must chasten, guide, and encourage them—without getting cozy; otherwise we will become one flesh with them. On the contrary, we are to cleave to the Lord and be one Spirit with Him. Understand this, and act accordingly; then your power will increase, and your enemies will be terrified and will keep their distance.

We’re expecting Berglioth to arrive from Fredrikstad today. She doesn’t like receiving such last minute travel orders.

Mrs. Pedersen, the head carpenter’s wife from Marviken, visited us today.

Greetings to all of you in Christ, your son and brother in the Lord—outside the camp,