Our Need for the Spirit

The gospel is preached in the ears of all; it only comes with power to some. The power that is in the gospel does not lie in the eloquence of the preacher; otherwise men would be the converters of souls. Nor does it lie in the preacher's learning; otherwise it would consist in the wisdom of men. We might preach till our tongues rotted, till we should exhaust our lungs and die, but never a soul would be converted unless there were a mysterious power going with it -- the Holy Ghost changing the will of man. Oh Sirs! We might as preach to stone walls as preach to humanity unless the Holy Ghost be with the Word, to give it power to convert the soul.H

-- Charles Spuregon, quoted by Greg Heisler, Spirit-Led Preaching, p.126