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Leaning into the Wind
Book by A. W. Tozer
- GenresChristian
96 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 1983
58 people want to read
About the author
A.W. Tozer
665 books2,110 followersAiden Wilson Tozer was an American evangelical pastor, speaker, writer, and editor. After coming to Christ at the age of seventeen, Tozer found his way into the Christian & Missionary Alliance denomination where he served for over forty years. In 1950, he was appointed by the denomination's General Council to be the editor of "The Alliance Witness" (now "Alliance Life").
Born into poverty in western Pennsylvania in 1897, Tozer died in May 1963 a self-educated man who had taught himself what he missed in high school and college due to his home situation. Though he wrote many books, two of them, "The Pursuit of God" and "The Knowledge of the Holy" are widely considered to be classics.
A.W. Tozer and his wife, Ada Cecelia Pfautz, had seven children, six boys and one girl.
Born into poverty in western Pennsylvania in 1897, Tozer died in May 1963 a self-educated man who had taught himself what he missed in high school and college due to his home situation. Though he wrote many books, two of them, "The Pursuit of God" and "The Knowledge of the Holy" are widely considered to be classics.
A.W. Tozer and his wife, Ada Cecelia Pfautz, had seven children, six boys and one girl.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
August 6, 2019
Before the question "How can I be filled?" has any validity the seeker after God must be sure that the experience of being filled is actually possible. (p51)
Once he is so convincd I recommend that he take time to fast and pray and meditate upon the Scriptures. Faith comes from the word of God. Suggestion, exhortation or the psychological effect of the testimony of others who may have been filled will not suffice. (p53)
After a man is convinced that he can be filled with the Spirit he must desire to be. To the interested inquirer I ask these questions: are you sure that you want to be possessed by a Spirit who, while he is pure and gentle and wise and loving, will yet insist upon being Lord of your life? Are you sure you want your personality to be taken over by one who will require obedience to the written word? Who will not tolerate any of the self-sins in your life: self-love, self-indulgence? Who will not permit you to strut or boast or show off? Who will take the direction of your life away from you and will reserve the sovereign right to test you and discipline you? Who will strip away from you many loved objects which secretly harm your soul? (p53-54)
One last thing: neither in the Old Testament nor in the New, nor, as far as my knowledge goes, in Christian testimony as found in the writings of the saints was any believer ever filled with the Holy Spirit who did not know he had been filled. Neither was anyone filled who did not know when he was filled. And no one was ever filled gradually. (p58)
To pray effectively we must want what God wants - that and only that is to pray in the will of God... Furthermore, to pray effectively we must pray within the context of the world situation as God sees it. Not what the world thinks about itself should influence us, but what God thinks about the world. (p65)
Now, even if we concentrate upon these vitally important items it is still entirely possible to ask amiss and gain nothing but leanness and utter disappointment. Why? The problem is self. Selfishness is never so exquisitely selfish as when it is on its knees. Self is the serpent in the garden, the golden wedge in the tent of Achan, and it renders every prayer ineffective until it is identified and repudiated. (p67)
Too often we pray for right things but desire the answer for wrong reasons, one reason being a desire to gain a reputation among the saints … that is to desire flesh instead of manna; and God may send leanness to our souls as a result. (p68-69)
In this as in everything else Christ is our perfect example. A prayerful, face-down meditation on the life of Christ will show us how to oppose with kindness and reprove with charity. And the power of the Holy Spirit within us will enable us to follow his blessed example. (p77)
The hope for evangelicalism lies with the individual believer, and especially with the individual Christian leader. If enough influential Christians will rethink this whole thing and turn to the New Testament for guidance, there may yet come a new birth of revival among us. These leaders must see that the believer's true ambition should not be success but saintliness. (p92)
Once he is so convincd I recommend that he take time to fast and pray and meditate upon the Scriptures. Faith comes from the word of God. Suggestion, exhortation or the psychological effect of the testimony of others who may have been filled will not suffice. (p53)
After a man is convinced that he can be filled with the Spirit he must desire to be. To the interested inquirer I ask these questions: are you sure that you want to be possessed by a Spirit who, while he is pure and gentle and wise and loving, will yet insist upon being Lord of your life? Are you sure you want your personality to be taken over by one who will require obedience to the written word? Who will not tolerate any of the self-sins in your life: self-love, self-indulgence? Who will not permit you to strut or boast or show off? Who will take the direction of your life away from you and will reserve the sovereign right to test you and discipline you? Who will strip away from you many loved objects which secretly harm your soul? (p53-54)
One last thing: neither in the Old Testament nor in the New, nor, as far as my knowledge goes, in Christian testimony as found in the writings of the saints was any believer ever filled with the Holy Spirit who did not know he had been filled. Neither was anyone filled who did not know when he was filled. And no one was ever filled gradually. (p58)
To pray effectively we must want what God wants - that and only that is to pray in the will of God... Furthermore, to pray effectively we must pray within the context of the world situation as God sees it. Not what the world thinks about itself should influence us, but what God thinks about the world. (p65)
Now, even if we concentrate upon these vitally important items it is still entirely possible to ask amiss and gain nothing but leanness and utter disappointment. Why? The problem is self. Selfishness is never so exquisitely selfish as when it is on its knees. Self is the serpent in the garden, the golden wedge in the tent of Achan, and it renders every prayer ineffective until it is identified and repudiated. (p67)
Too often we pray for right things but desire the answer for wrong reasons, one reason being a desire to gain a reputation among the saints … that is to desire flesh instead of manna; and God may send leanness to our souls as a result. (p68-69)
In this as in everything else Christ is our perfect example. A prayerful, face-down meditation on the life of Christ will show us how to oppose with kindness and reprove with charity. And the power of the Holy Spirit within us will enable us to follow his blessed example. (p77)
The hope for evangelicalism lies with the individual believer, and especially with the individual Christian leader. If enough influential Christians will rethink this whole thing and turn to the New Testament for guidance, there may yet come a new birth of revival among us. These leaders must see that the believer's true ambition should not be success but saintliness. (p92)
October 22, 2025
This packs a punch, and still speaks powerfully today.
How much do we truly desire to be filled by the Spirit of God, who when He comes will be Lord, and demand obedience?
Will we surrender to being emptied before being filled?
When all the talk was (and is) about revival, Tozer states that a mere multiplication of numbers, without a radical change in the quality of disciples, would actually increase the problem and render more harm than good.
Each paragraph is weighty, and yet wonderfully fresh.
How much do we truly desire to be filled by the Spirit of God, who when He comes will be Lord, and demand obedience?
Will we surrender to being emptied before being filled?
When all the talk was (and is) about revival, Tozer states that a mere multiplication of numbers, without a radical change in the quality of disciples, would actually increase the problem and render more harm than good.
Each paragraph is weighty, and yet wonderfully fresh.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews