12 life-changing quotes from Johan Oscar Smith

Johan Oscar Smith was a God-fearing man who had wisdom and a deep insight into God’s Word. We can get a small glimpse of this wisdom by reading a few of Johan Oscar Smith’s quotes below. Small sayings like these, taken from his books, messages, and daily conversations, show not only a deep spiritual life in Christ but also a deep-rooted humility and poverty of spirit.

The truth

Because there is liberating power in each and every truth, the one who walks in the truth in all his ways will be set free. A lie, no matter how "little," gives the powers of darkness an opening for attack, but the truth chases them far away.

Righteousness

Only few know what righteousness is. It is righteous to suffer for your own foolishness. When you sin, it is righteous to bear the consequences of your sin without complaining. Saying what you mean and what is on your heart when you deal with other people, that is righteous. One who hungers and thirsts for righteousness will be filled – and being filled with righteousness is something very great.

On the cross and at the foot of the cross

Those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires, but you can't do that at the foot of the cross. Those who pierced Him also stood at the foot of the cross. Standing there does not bring any pain to the flesh; but when you are crucified together with Jesus, you will come to know the fellowship of His sufferings.

Hear and do

James says that you deceive yourself if you only hear the Word but do not do it. How many people live in this deception their whole life – hearing and hearing, but never even trying to do what they hear!

Do His works

God implants Spirit and zeal into our hearts in order to accomplish a work. When the work is done, a quiet rest remains. We do not have to push one another aside because God has prepared our works so that each one can keep out of one another's way. We only have to take heed that we do His works.

False liberty

False liberty is also a reason that people fabricate doctrines that say that you don't need to suffer. One such doctrine is the one that states that Jesus has done everything, so we need not do anything that opposes our flesh or self-will. False liberty is also manifest when people scorn souls who are striving to live a God-fearing life, saying that these live in bondage.

Perdition

This is perdition: the things to which the heart was attached pass away while the person himself, who is an eternal being, is filled with nothing but emptiness when he should have been filled with God Himself. That is why it is so very important that we turn our focus inward to the source of life that lives forever, even as we ourselves will live forever.

Inner battle

An inner life and inner enemies to conquer, battle and destroy. These enemies are the various desires that seek to distract our concentration by causing our thoughts to cling to outward things, things that will pass away.

The fight of faith

No one can be transferred from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God without a great battle and by the good fight of faith. No one receives full light in a single day. Great faithfulness is required for us to receive more light.

Longsuffering

A longsuffering person will endure where others give up. He always thinks about how God has been longsuffering toward him, and he counts God's longsuffering as salvation. Longsuffering endures where no one else can endure, and it always hopes for a happy result at the end.

Use your time

People could achieve much more if only they would put in more effort. You must take responsibility for your own life. Be conscious of how you use your time! Be conscious of how you listen! Be conscious of how you manage all of your affairs, so that God can look upon you and be well pleased. Seek God's honor in everything you do.

Faithfulness in the light

If a person forges ahead in the light and yet has lost his care for the others, the purpose of the light is wasted. God does not give us light for its own sake, but for the purpose of doing something in the light.