Abiding in the Lord to Enjoy His Life Witness Lee ISBN: 0-7363-0834-2

CONTENT Abiding in the Lord and Enjoying His Life Living by the Lord in Spirit Unceasingly Praying and in Everything iving Than!s Not "#enching the Spirit or Neglecting the Lord$s %ord Not a &atter of Sin b#t a &atter of '(' (n the Holiest Place) Live %ithin the *eil E+periencing the Cleansing of the Lord$s ,lood and Enjoying the Anointing of the Holy Oint-ent This boo! is a translation of -essages given by ,rother %itness Lee in the Chinese. spea!ing -eetings in Anahei-) California on the Lord/s 0ays fro- October 1 thro#gh Nove-ber 23) 41567 These -essages 8ere not revie8ed by the spea!er7

CHAPTER ONE ABIDING IN THE LORD AND ENJOYING HIS LIFE

Script#re 9eading: 4 ;ohn 4:4.6< 2:2=.25< ;ohn 4>:?.>

FOUR MYSTERIOUS MATTERS Let #s first consider the -ain points of the Script#re verses cited in this -essage7 (n the first passage) 4 ;ohn 4:4.6) are three very precio#s verses7 They are precio#s beca#se they refer to fo#r -ysterio#s -atters) all of 8hich are divine7 These fo#r divine) -ysterio#s -atters are 4@ the %ord of life) 2@ the life having been -anifested) 6@ the eternal life being reported to the believers) and ?@ the believers having fello8ship 8ith the apostles and the apostles/ fello8ship being the fello8ship 8ith the Aather and 8ith His Son ;es#s Christ7 The life here is the divine) eternal life) 8hich is a -ystery7 Then this eternal life prod#ces another -ystery) that is) the -ystery of the fello8ship of the divine life7 Therefore) the -ysterio#s fello8ship of the eternal life is the s#bject of this Epistle of ;ohn7 THE WORD OF LIFE At the very beginning of ;ohn/s Epistle) he spea!s of Bthe %ord of life7C This -eans that 8hen 8e hear Bthe %ord of life)C 8e obtain eternal life and never die7 BThe %ord of lifeC refers to the Lord of grace 8ho is od incarnated to be a -an called ;es#s) 8ho- -en

co#ld approach and #pon 8hose boso- His disciples even reclined7 The fo#r ospels tell #s that of all the ti-es He -et 8ith people) there 8as not even one ti-e 8hen they had a so.called 8orship service7 The ,ible never says that this incarnated od displayed His po8er by sitting in the highest place) telling people to 8orship Hi-) b#t instead it says that every ti-e He -et 8ith people) He 8as infor-al7 %e -ay all have the religio#s concept that 8henever 8e co-e into a -eeting 8e sho#ld be very D#iet7 (f so-eone sho#ts) BHallel#jah)C 8e -ay thin! he is o#t of order7 Ho8ever) the Psal-s tell #s that 8e sho#ld sho#t lo#dly and joyf#lly to the Lord: B&a!e a joyf#l noise to ;ehovah) all the earthC E433:4@7 To -a!e a noise is to spea! not in a nor-al voice b#t to sho#t lo#dly7 %hen 8e co-e to the -eetings every Lord/s 0ay) 8e sho#ld not !eep religio#s rit#als and perfor- orderly cere-onies7 %e have to realiFe that 8e are co-ing to the Lord of grace to hear and enjoy the %ord of life) so 8e sho#ld not feel restrained and re-ain D#iet< 8e all sho#ld sho#t praises together7 (n 41>? ( held a conference in Hong Gong7 A %estern -issionary fro- the ,rethren 8ho 8as teaching in ;apan had contacted the brothers7 He 8as attracted by the brothers and therefore ca-e to the conference7 After8ard he said) B( really ad-ire this conference7 ,#t there 8as one thing ( did not agree 8ith7 (n yo#r -eetings the prayer after the singing of hy-ns is too lo#d and noisy7C ( said) B,rother) sho#ting is tr#ly in the ,ible7 Please loo! at the record 8here the children of (srael reb#ilt the te-ple after their ret#rn frocaptivity) 8hen the fo#ndation of the te-ple 8as laid7 All the people sho#ted 8ith a great sho#t and the noise 8as heard far off7C &oreover) the boo! of (saiah says) BCry o#t and give a ringing sho#t) H O inhabitant of Iion)C and B%ith a voice of sho#ting declareC E42:J< ?5:23@7 The Ne8 Testa-ent also says that 8hen the Lord ;es#s entered ;er#salefor the last ti-e) riding on a don!ey) Bthe cro8ds 8ho 8ent before Hi- and those 8ho follo8ed cried o#t) saying) Hosanna to the Son of 0avidK ,lessed is He 8ho co-es in the na-e of the LordK Hosanna in the highestK AndLall the city 8as stirredC E&att7 24:1.43@7 The religio#s people s#ch as the chief priests) the scribes) and the Pharisees held these things in disdain7 They 8ere indignant abo#t 8hat they sa8) and said) B0o yo# hear 8hat these are sayingMC Evv7 4>.4J@7 The Lord ans8ered and said) B( tell yo#) (f these shall be silent) the stones 8ill cry o#tC EL#!e 41:?3@7 This is the -ystery of the %ord of life7 ABIDING IN THE LORD BEING THE SUBJECT OF JOHNS WRITINGS The second passage is 4 ;ohn 2:2=.257 *erse 2=a says) BThe anointing 8hich yo# have received fro- Hi- abides in yo#7C The 8ord for abide here and the 8ord for abide in ;ohn 4>:? are the sa-e ree! 8ord7 The e-phasis of these t8o verses is that 8e -#st abide in the Lord by the teaching of the anointing so that 8hen the Lord is -anifested 8e -ay have boldness and not be p#t to sha-e7 The third passage is ;ohn 4>:?.>7 These t8o verses contain t8o -ain points) 8hich are really t8o sides of one i-portant point: the believers need to abide in the Lord) and the Lord 8ill also abide in the believers7 This is o#r general s#bject: BAbiding in the Lord to Enjoy His Life)C and it is also the s#bject of ;ohn/s 8ritings7 ;ohn 8rote the ospel of ;ohn) the Epistles of ;ohn) and the boo! of 9evelation7 (n his ospel and Epistles) he partic#larly #sed the 8ord abide7 The Chinese Union *ersion of the ,ible is one of the

best translations) b#t regretf#lly the 8ord abide is not properly translated in the ospel of ;ohn) and it is correct in only a fe8 places in 4 ;ohn7 0#e to this !ind of carelessness in translation) it is #navoidable that -#ch of the tr#e -eaning of this 8ord is lost7 Aor e+a-ple) in ;ohn 4>) by rendering Babiding in the LordC as Bal8ays being in the Lord)C the translators altered the -eaning of the entire verse7 %e than! the Lord that by His -ercy and by o#r o8n e+perience 8e 8ere grad#ally enlightened by Hi- to see that this is not a -atter of Bal8ays being inC b#t a -atter of act#ally Babiding in7C %e 8ere not the first ones to see the tr#th concerning abiding in the Lord< there have been -any saints 8ho p#rs#ed the Lord thro#gho#t the ages 8ho all sa8 this tr#th and 8rote -any boo!s abo#t it) the -ost fa-o#s of 8hich is Andre8 &#rray/s Abide in Christ7 Altho#gh -any saints thro#gho#t the ages have seen the -atter of abiding in the Lord) according to 8hat 8e have read and to o#r !no8ledge of the tr#th in the ,ible) 8e can say that there has not yet been a boo! 8ritten 8hich covers the -atter of Babiding in the Lord and enjoying His life7C Even the 8ord enjoy is seldo- #sed in the spirit#al boo!s that have been 8ritten thro#gho#t the ages7 EATING, DRINKING, AND ENJOYING THE LORD So-e people -ay say that the Ne8 Testa-ent does not #se the 8ord enjoy7 ,#t the ,ible does spea! of eating and drin!ing7 Anything related to eating and drin!ing -#st be a -atter of enjoy-ent7 The Lord Hi-self said) B( a- the bread of life< he 8ho co-es to &e shall by no -eans h#nger) and he 8ho believes into &e shall by no -eans ever thirstC E;ohn J:6>@7 He also said) B(f anyone thirsts) let hi- co-e to &e and drin!7 He 8ho believes into &e)Lo#t of his inner-ost being shall flo8 rivers of living 8aterC E=:6=. 65@7 (n addition) the apostle Pa#l said that the (sraelites 8ho follo8ed &oses in the 8ilderness) Ball ate the sa-e spirit#al food) and all dran! the sa-e spirit#al drin!C E4 Cor7 43:6.?@7 Then in the boo! of 9evelation 8ritten by ;ohn) the Lord ;es#s pro-ised) BTo hi- 8ho overco-es) to hi- ( 8ill give to eat of the tree of lifeC E2:=@7 He also said) BTo hi- 8ho overco-es) to hi- ( 8ill give of the hidden -annaC Ev7 4=@7 These verses cover the -atters of eating and drin!ing) 8hich are certainly -atters for enjoy-ent7 The 8hole ,ible ends 8ith a pro-ise concerning eating: B,lessed are those 8ho 8ash their robesCNthat is) those 8ho 8ash their cond#ct in the precio#s blood of the Lord ;es#sN Bthat they -ay have right to the tree of lifeC E22:4?@7 The entire ,ible also ends 8ith a call concerning drin!ing: BAnd the Spirit and the bride say) Co-eKL7And let hi8ho is thirsty co-e< let hi- 8ho 8ills ta!e the 8ater of life freelyC Ev7 4=@7 Therefore) altho#gh the Ne8 Testa-ent does not #se the 8ord enjoy) the fact of enjoy-ent is there7 Li!e8ise) the ,ible does not #se the e+pression the Tri#ne od) b#t the fact of the Tri#ne od is there7 %hen 8e baptiFe people into the na-e of the Aather and the Son and the Holy Spirit) 8e i--erse the- into the Tri#ne od7 Li!e8ise) 8hen 8e eat and drin! the Lord) 8e enjoy Hi-7 Sorry to say) the nat#ral h#-an -ind does not have the concept of eating the Lord as the tree of life and drin!ing Hi- as the 8ater of life7 Even 8e o#rselves had to pass thro#gh -any years of e+perience and needed the Lord/s leading before 8e co#ld have the

boldness to spea! this !ind of tr#th7 ,efore 41>5 8e rarely #sed the ter-s enjoying the Lord and eating and drin!ing the Lord7 (t 8as not #ntil the spring of 41>5 8hen 8e had a series of -ore than forty conference -eetings over a period of a little -ore than a -onth that 8e spo!e of eating) drin!ing) and enjoying the Lord7 Aro- that ti-e on8ard 8e have been spea!ing abo#t enjoy-ent7 The -ore 8e spo!e) the -ore the ,ible 8as opened to #s on this point) #ntil 8e sa8 that the entire ,ible is abo#t eating the Lord) drin!ing the Lord) and enjoying the Lord7 enesis tells #s fro- the o#tset that after od created -an) the first thing He did 8as not to give -an the Ten Co--and-ents or to say to -an) BAda-) yo# -#st 8orship &e and not forget yo#r so#rce7 (n addition) ( a- a proper od 8ho is righteo#s) -oral) holy) and f#ll of light) so yo# -#st also behave accordingly and not disobey7C This !ind of concept is a prod#ct that evolved fro- h#-an c#lt#re< it 8as not od/s revelation to -an7 After od created -an) the first thing He did 8as to bring -an to the tree of life and say to hi-) BOf every tree of the garden yo# -ay eat freely) b#t of the tree of the !no8ledge of good and evil) of it yo# shall not eat< for in the day that yo# eat of it yo# shall s#rely dieC E en7 2:4J.4=@7 Here od -ade a covenant 8ith -an) and this covenant 8as abo#t the -atter of eating7 (n other 8ords) eating is the -ost i-portant -atter related to -an/s e+istence< if -an eats the right things) he 8ill live longer) b#t if he eats the 8rong things) he 8ill jeopardiFe his health and invite death7 Aor this reason) after od finished creating -an) He i--ediately spo!e to -an abo#t the -atter of eating7 Ho8ever) beca#se Eve sa8 that the fr#it of the tree of the !no8ledge of good and evil 8as good for food) she 8as te-pted and ate 8rongf#lly7 This res#lted in the fall of -an7 After -an fell) od ca-e to save hi- and again bro#ght in the -atter of eating7 E+od#s sho8s #s that the children of (srael not only received od/s rede-ption thro#gh the blood of the la-b) b#t they 8ere also strengthened to leave Egypt by eating the flesh of the la-b and the #nleavened bread7 Then after they 8ere delivered) they 8ent into the 8ilderness and ate -anna every day #ntil they entered the land of Canaan7 After entering Canaan) there 8as still the -atter of eating7 od 8anted the- to go #p to ;er#sale- three ti-es a year for the feasts) bringing the best tenth of their prod#ce fro- the land to eat) drin!) and enjoy before od E0e#t7 4?:22.26@7 Th#s) 8e see that the entire ,ible spea!s of the -atter of eating) b#t regrettably -ost Christians overloo! this point7 ABIDING IN THE LORD AND ENJOYING HIS LIFE Eating is an enjoy-ent) and abiding is also an enjoy-ent7 The p#rpose of o#r spea!ing abo#t abiding in the Lord at this ti-e is that 8e -ay enjoy the Lord/s life7 There is a hy-n in Chinese that says) BAbiding in the Lord) His fatness to enjoy< H Abiding in the Lord) His light 8ill brightly shine7C This is 8onderf#lK ,efore 8e spea! of the Lord/s life) 8e -#st -ention the Lord/s rede-ption7 The ,ible reveals that od has an econo-y in this #niverse7 The ree! 8ord for econo-y is oi!ono-ia 8hich -eans a ho#sehold ad-inistration) so it is also an arrange-ent7 Pa#l/s #se of the 8ord i-plies that od established an econo-y) that is) a plan) an arrange-ent)

to have a great enterprise7 Salvation is od/s #niversal econo-y applied to #s7 od/s salvation is that He 8ants to 8or! Hi-self into #s7 od is a od of p#rpose7 According to His eternal p#rpose) He has a plan< this plan is His econo-y7 (n His econo-y od created the heavens and the earth and then created -an in s#ch a 8ay that He co#ld 8or! Hi-self into -an in order to prod#ce an entity of d#al nat#re) h#-an and divine) to e+press Hi-self7 %hen this econo-y reaches #s) it beco-es o#r salvation7 This is the central revelation of the entire ,ible) especially of the Ne8 Testa-ent7 The center of the entire Ne8 Testa-ent is the revelation to #s of od/s eternal econo-y7 Aor the acco-plish-ent of His econo-y) od especially created a spirit in #s that He -ight dispense Hi-self) the Tri#ne od) into #s to be o#r life) so that 8e co#ld be one 8ith Hi- and beco-e a d#al.nat#red entity) an entity 8ith both h#-anity and divinity) for His e+pression7 This concept does not e+ist in religion) philosophy) or ethical teachings7 (n the history of the h#-an race) 8hether 8ith Conf#ci#s in the East) the philosophers in the %est) or the religionists thro#gho#t the ages) no one has spo!en of this7 This concept is fo#nd only in the ,ible7 ,#t even in the Old Testa-ent) this vie8 is -ysterio#sly hidden in types and prophecies7 (t is only in the Ne8 Testa-ent) especially in the 8ritings of the apostle Pa#l) that the 8ord econo-y is #sed e-phatically to reveal to #s od/s plan and p#rpose7 A CONTRAST BETWEEN RELIGION AND GODS SALVATION The nat#ral h#-an concepts) especially those of the Chinese 8ho have been steeped in and infl#enced by the ethical and -oral teachings of Conf#ci#s and &enci#s) are f#ll of the idea of h#-an ethics7 The so.called h#-an ethics are those principles that disting#ish #s fro- beasts) principles that are nor-al and nat#ral according to h#-an nat#re7 (n addition) people have been infl#enced by society and philosophy in general7 Th#s) there is not a trace of the concept of od/s econo-y in o#r -inds7 Even 8hen 8e believe in the Lord) 8e -ay thin! that 8e have joined a religion7 %hen ( 8as in ele-entary school) ( had a class on religion 8hich ta#ght that Breligion reg#lates -an/s heart7C A deeper saying is that Breligion teaches according to its beliefs7C This !ind of concept is 8ithin #s) even if 8e do not spea! it7 &any of #s 8ere not clear 8hen 8e believed in the Lord) and 8e did not !no8 8hat 8e 8ere doing 8hen 8e believed7 ,#t as to another -atter 8e 8ere clear: %e !ne8 8e 8ere -iserable sinners 8itho#t the Lord and 8itho#t rest) and as soon as 8e believed and prayed) 8e i--ediately had joy and peace< o#r b#rden of sin 8as rolled a8ay) and o#r -isery disappeared7 %e than! the Lord for this7 ,#t after believing in the Lord) even tho#gh 8e -ay not have said it alo#d) 8ithin #s 8e had the concept that 8e 8ere believing in a religion) and in o#r living 8e practiced a religion) 8hich -eans that 8e practiced Breg#lating o#r heart7C Aor e+a-ple) before 8e believed in the Lord) even tho#gh 8e -ay not have co--itted great cri-es) 8e still li!ed to ta!e the easy 8ay o#t or ta!e advantage of others< then after believing in the Lord) 8e felt in o#r heart that 8e

had believed in a religion) so 8e sho#ld not do anything bad7 This is to practice Breg#lating o#r heart7C %hen so-e children get baptiFed) their parents tell the-) BOo# #sed to spea! evilly to people) b#t no8 that yo# are baptiFed) yo# cannot do that any-ore7C This is to control the hearts of yo#r children7 So-eti-es 8e reb#!e the brothers and sisters) saying) BOo# have been going reg#larly to the -eetings< ho8 co#ld yo# still do s#ch a thingMC This is religion 8hich reg#lates the h#-an heart< it is not od/s salvation7 The Lord/s salvation is not a -atter of practicing a religion for the reg#lating of o#r heart7 (n o#r nat#ral -an) it is very easy for #s to have a religio#s concept7 The ,ible says that 8ives sho#ld s#b-it to their h#sbands and that h#sbands sho#ld love their 8ives7 (t is very easy for #s to -a!e s#ch 8ords religio#s practices for controlling o#r heart7 Ho8ever) this is absol#tely not od/s salvation7 od/s salvation is to dispense Hi-self into #s as o#r life to beco-e o#r salvation7 Aor e+a-ple) 8herever ( go) a n#-ber of people say that -y ties are too plain7 ( reply) B( 8ear these not beca#se ( a- #nder a religio#s restriction b#t beca#se ( abide in the Lord and He reg#lates -e by His life7C Any practice that co-es fro- h#-an teaching or g#idance belongs to religion) 8hile any action that arises fro- the inner sense of life is an iss#e of od/s salvation7 THE MANIFESTATION OF THE ETERNAL LIFE The Lord/s salvation is that He dispenses Hi-self into #s as o#r life7 This is thro#gh the -ysterio#s %ord of life7 Airst ;ohn says that this life 8hich is the eternal life and 8hich has been -anifested today is ;es#s Christ Hi-self7 The eternal life is -ysterio#s) abstract) and invisible and cannot be felt or to#ched by anyone) yet this life has been -anifested) sho8n to) and seen by -en7 The 8ord for seen indicates that so-ething is not only loo!ed at b#t also observed distinctly and investigated clearly in a thoro#gh -anner< it co-pares 8ith the e+a-ination by a doctor to diagnose a patient/s condition7 ;ohn says that the Lord ;es#s) 8ho is the %ord of life and the inner life) 8as -anifested) and ;ohn sa8 Hi- and even to#ched Hi- 8ith his o8n hands7 ,oth ;ohn and his brother ;a-es 8ere ran!ed 8ith the t8elve disciples of the Lord ;es#s) and their -other 8as &ary/s sister) so they 8ere the Lord/s co#sins in the flesh7 Aor three and a half years they 8ere 8ith the Lord ;es#s7 They not only sa8 the Lord ;es#s b#t also observed and to#ched Hi-7 To#ched indicates that this life 8as real and s#bstantial to the apostles7 THE CONVEYING OF THE ETERNAL LIFE %hen the Lord ;es#s 8as on earth) He said) B( a- the bread of life)C B( have co-e that they -ay have life)C and B( a-Lthe lifeC E;ohn J:6>< 43:43< 4?:J@7 ;ohn said that the Lord ;es#s is this life and that he sa8) handled) and 8as -ade s#re of Hi-< then ;ohn reported this eternal life to #s7 He did not report -erely by spea!ing and preaching abo#t it) b#t he conveyed and trans-itted it into #s7 (t is j#st as the electricity in the electric plant< by o#r t#rning on the s8itch the electricity is conveyed into the lightb#lbs to -a!e the- shine7 The Lord ;es#s is od incarnated to be a -an of flesh and blood so that -en co#ld see and to#ch Hi-7 %e than! the Lord that He did not stay in the flesh< He 8ent thro#gh the processes of death and res#rrection to beco-e the life.giving Spirit E4 Cor7

4>:?>@ in order to trans-it Hi-self into #s7 Every ti-e 8e -eet) 8e receive the trans-ission of this Spirit into #s7 This Spirit is the Lord ;es#s and the eternal life7 THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE ETERNAL LIFE The conveying of the %ord of life brings in a fello8ship) a flo87 This -ay be co-pared to lightb#lbs< if there is no electricity in the-) they are not related to one another or in fello8ship 8ith the electric plant7 ,#t once the electricity is trans-itted into the lightb#lbs) the flo8 of electricity brings the lightb#lbs into one electric c#rrent) 8hich -a!es the- shine and ca#ses the- to have fello8ship 8ith the electric plant7 (n other 8ords) the flo8 of electricity ca#ses the lightb#lbs to have fello8ship 8ith one another and 8ith the electric plant7 Then) if the lightb#lbs 8ant to -aintain their fello8ship) they -#st abide in the electricity and not c#t off the s8itch7 %hen the lightb#lbs abide in the electricity) they enjoy the electricity) and the electricity constantly trans-its and s#pplies the lightb#lbs) -a!ing the- shine and f#nction7 (f a lightb#lb b#rns o#t) it cannot f#nction properly beca#se it is not abiding in the electricity< it sho#ld only be thro8n into the garbage can7 This is 8hat the Lord ;es#s said: BHe 8ho abides in &e and ( in hi-) he bears -#ch fr#it<L(f one does not abide in &e) he is cast o#t as a branch and is dried #p< and they gather the- and cast the- into the fire) and they are b#rnedC E;ohn 4>:>.J@7 %hen 8e abide in the Lord) 8e enjoy the Lord as o#r life7 (f the lightb#lb abides in the electricity) it 8ill shine by enjoying the so#rce of po8er) and the o8ner 8ill not thro8 it a8ay7 (n the sa-e 8ay) if 8e 8ant to shine and f#nction) 8e -#st abide in the Lord and enjoy Hi- as o#r s#pply and so#rce7 GODS SALVATION BEING FOR US TO ABIDE IN THE LORD AND ENJOY HIS LIFE od/s goal in creating #s 8as not for ethics or -orality b#t for o#r containing Hi-7 od desires to enter into #s to be o#r life so that 8e can enjoy this life7 Ho8 do 8e enjoy this lifeM (t is by abiding in the Lord7 Today the Lord as the Spirit E2 Cor7 6:4=@ abides in o#r spirit7 Therefore) 8e need to abide in the Lord7 This is not an o#t8ard -atter of having a religion to reg#late the h#-an heart b#t an in8ard la8 of life7 %henever 8e are 8rong) the in8ard life gives #s a sense to re-ind #s 8e are 8rong7 (n this 8ay 8e 8ho abide in the Lord do not live a life of ethics and -orality b#t instead live a life that is the Lord/s7 O#r living -#st be the e+pression of the Lord Hi-self7 (t is not that 8e are h#-ble beca#se the ,ible teaches #s to be h#-ble< instead) 8e are h#-ble beca#se 8hen 8e abide in the Lord and enjoy His life) 8e live Hi- o#t and He Hi-self beco-es o#r h#-ility) ethics) and -orality of a higher standard7 This !ind of ethics and -orality is of life and is the flo8ing o#t of life7 (t is not of religion) and it is not prod#ced fro- ethical reg#lations7 Hy-n P?=J in o#r Chinese hy-nal says) BLive in the light of life) fello8ship 8ith the Lord< H aFe at the Lord/s dear face) follo8 the Spirit/s -ove< H Path8ay of glory ta!e) praising Hi- day by day< H Live in the light of life7C ( hope that 8e can all e+perience abiding in the Lord and enjoying His life in this 8ay #ntil o#r living is transfor-ed and 8e are blessed by the Lord/s grace7

CHAPTER TWO LIVING BY THE LORD IN SPIRIT

Script#re 9eading: ;ohn 4?:41.23< J:>=< al7 2:23< Phil7 4:24a< 9o-7 5:?

ABIDING IN THE LORD BEING A CRUCIAL TRUTH IN THE NEW TESTAMENT (n the preceding chapter 8e said that to abide in the Lord is to enjoy the Lord/s life7 ( re-e-ber that not long after ( 8as saved) ( 8as helped to !no8 that the Lord 8as in -e and ( 8as in the Lord7 Altho#gh ( !ne8 this) ( 8as very p#FFled by it7 Li!e today/s yo#ng people) ( did not 8ant to be one 8ho j#st says 8hat others say and follo8s -indlessly< ( 8anted to #nderstand clearly7 Therefore) ( so#ght to #nderstand 8hat it is for -e to be in the Lord and for the Lord to be in -e7 At the ti-e) ho8ever) ( did not !no8 ho8 to see!) and ( felt that this 8o#ld be very diffic#lt beca#se to -e the Lord 8as vag#e) inco-prehensible) and abstract7 ( lived in a ho#se) and after eating ( 8o#ld have food in -y sto-ach7 These -atters 8ere easy to #nderstand) b#t ho8 co#ld ( say that ( a- in the LordM %hat 8as the Lord really li!eM Ho8 co#ld ( be in Hi-M (n addition) the -ost -ysterio#s part 8as ho8 co#ld He be in -eM ( tr#ly co#ld not fig#re these things o#t7 ( pondered over these !inds of D#estions) and ( also prayed to the Lord7 Ho8ever) the -ore ( pondered and prayed) the -ore ( 8as conf#sed7 ( also st#died the ,ible) b#t ( felt that it 8as hard to #nderstand< the ,ible gives #s only facts 8itho#t any e+planations7 (t tells #s only that 8e are in the Lord and the Lord is in #s) b#t it does not give any e+planations7 ( spent -#ch ti-e and effort in this st#dy7 rad#ally) ho8ever) ( began to #nderstand a little7 The Ne8 Testa-ent #ses the 8ord in -any ti-es7 This little 8ord is insignificant in Chinese) b#t the -ysteries and the -ain tr#ths in the Ne8 Testa-ent all hinge on it7 This 8ord is en in ree!) and it is #sed -ainly to spea! of o#r being in the Lord7 THE FOUR STEPS OF ABIDING IN THE LORD ACCORDING TO THE TRUTH Act#ally) in the Chinese lang#age 8e do not #se the e+pression inL7 Aor e+a-ple) 8e say that 8e sho#ld 8al! by love< if 8e 8ere to say B8al! in love)C it 8o#ld so#nd to #s li!e a foreign lang#age for-ed 8ith Chinese 8ords7 This !ind of e+pression does not so#nd Chinese at all7 Strictly spea!ing) the ree! does not have 8ords for by or depend #pon< it has only en Ein@) and dia Ethro#gh@7 A#rther-ore) the Chinese 8ords for in and thro#gh are -ostly #sed as verbs) b#t in ree! the 8ords en and dia are al8ays #sed as prepositions) having the sa-e -eaning as the English 8ords in and thro#gh7 %hen the %estern -issionaries 8ere translating the Chinese Union *ersion of the ,ible) altho#gh they 8ere bold to coin a fe8 ne8 e+pressions) they 8ere not bold eno#gh to properly translate inL in -any places7 Aor e+a-ple) Philippians ?:46 says) B(Lin Hi-

8ho e-po8ers -e7C ,eca#se this so#nds too -#ch li!e a foreign lang#age) the Chinese Union *ersion translated it) B(Lby Hi- 8ho e-po8ers -e)C again #sing the 8ord by7 This so#nds Chinese) b#t the -eaning is 8rong7 The -ore ( st#died this tr#th) the clearer ( beca-e7 Ho8ever) ( also felt that this -atter beca-e -ore co-plicated7 Later ( -ade another discovery) that the Ne8 Testa-ent not only -entions the 8ord in b#t also #ses the 8ord abide7 ;ohn 4> says that 8e sho#ld BabideC in the Lord) b#t the Chinese *ersion says that 8e sho#ld Bal8ays beC in the Lord7 This disregards the -ain verb7 Here it does not -ean to be in the Lord al8ays< it -eans to abide in the Lord7 (n ;ohn 4> the 8ord abide is not a light 8ord b#t a very i-portant one< it -eans to d8ell) not -erely to stay a8hile7 (n ree! the 8ords for ho-e are oi!os and oi!ia7 %hen Pa#l 8rote 9o-ans and 4 Corinthians 6:4J) the 8ord he #sed for d8ells has the no#n oi!os as its principal root) and it 8as -ade into the verb for- oi!eo 8hich -eans B-a!es ho-e7C Then in Ephesians 6:4=) Pa#l strengthens the -eaning of this 8ord by adding the preposition !ata E-eaning Bdeep do8nC@) -a!ing it !atoi!eo) 8hich -eans Bdeeply -a!e ho-e7C This sho8s #s that the -atter of abiding -entioned in the ,ible is not so si-ple7 There are altogether fo#r steps: the first is Bin)C then Babiding in)C then B-a!ing ho-e in)C and finally Bdeeply -a!ing ho-e in)C that is) -a!ing ho-e by sin!ing in deep roots7 THE EXPERIENCE OF ABIDING IN THE LORD Altho#gh ( st#died the tr#th of this -atter #ntil ( beca-e clear) ( still did not #nderstand the fact#al and e+periential aspects7 Ho8 co#ld 8e be in ChristM ( #nderstood these 8ords in the original ree!) b#t ( still did not !no8 8hat they -eant in reality beca#se ( lac!ed the e+perience7 ( co#ld only do -y best to read spirit#al boo!s) hoping to obtain an ans8er7 (n the 4163s ( p#rchased Andre8 &#rray/s boo! Abide in Christ) b#t after st#dying it) ( still did not get the e+planation7 Andre8 &#rray did not present the -atter in a thoro#gh -anner7 At the end of 41?4) beca#se of the 8orld sit#ation) ( had an opport#nity to b#y -any ree! dictionaries and spirit#al boo!s to st#dy7 Ho8ever) after reading the-) ( still did not get the ans8er7 Later ( 8ent to Tai8an) and ( contin#ed to pay -#ch attention to this s#bject) b#t beca#se ( lac!ed the e+perience) ( 8as not able to spea! on this aspect of the tr#th7 Aro- 416> #ntil today) nearly fifty years) ( can say that ( have thoro#ghly st#died the co--entaries and lang#age of the ,ible concerning this -atter of Babiding in the Lord)C b#t ( 8as #nable to find a boo! that clearly and deeply e+plained this tr#th7 (n the beginning the best boo! ( co#ld find concerning this e+perience 8as the biography of H#dson Taylor7 Aro- 8hat this boo! describes abo#t his e+periences of ;ohn 4>) 8e can say that #p to that ti-e he had the deepest e+perience of anyone in the history of Christianity7 9egretf#lly) tho#gh) the lang#age in this boo! is not clear eno#gh) so ( -yself co#ld not find the 8ay in7 Th#s) for the 8hole of thirty.five years ( al8ays felt that ( had a lac! 8henever this -atter 8as -entioned7 Ainally 8hen ( ca-e to A-erica) ( to#ched on this basic and central tr#th in the ,ible yet again) and beca#se ( had -ore e+perience) ( 8as able to #nderstand it a bit -ore clearly7

No8) nearly t8enty -ore years have passed) and ( can say 8ith ass#rance that it is easy to spea! on this -atter beca#se ( feel that ( co-pletely #nderstand it7 Aor e+a-ple) in the past ( did not !no8 that to abide in the Lord is to enjoy the Lord/s life) nor did ( !no8 that the real enjoy-ent of the Lord is to abide in Hi-7 No8) not only do ( !no8 this) b#t ( also can spea! abo#t it clearly7 Aor e+a-ple) 8hen electric 8ires are connected 8ith the electric po8er) the lightb#lbs and the electrical appliances all BabideC in the electricity7 To say BabideC -ay not be so clear) b#t if 8e change the 8ord to BenjoyC or Bapply)C then it beco-es clearer7 %henever the electrical appliances BenjoyC or BapplyC the electricity) they can operate7 %hen the electrical appliances BenjoyC or BapplyC the electricity) they BabideC in the electricity7 (n the sa-e 8ay) 8e) the saved believers) have not joined a religion b#t have been BconnectedC 8ith the Lord7 The Lord is the spirit#al electricity) the electricity of life7 %e are the electrical appliances) and the 8ord of the gospel is the electrical 8ire7 %hen 8e hear the gospel and by the Lord/s -ercy believe and receive the Lord as the electricity) i--ediately) j#st li!e electrical appliances) 8e are connected 8ith the Belectricity)C and 8e are saved7 Therefore) to be saved is to be connected 8ith the BelectricityC after the 8ires have been laid and the appliances have been installed7 After the electrical connection has been -ade) 8e) the appliances) sho#ld ta!e another step to BenjoyC and BapplyC the electricity7 (n other 8ords) Christ has already entered into #s) so 8e sho#ld ta!e another step) 8hich is to abide in the Lord7 TO ABIDE IN THE LORD BEING TO LIVE BY THE LORD %e have said that to abide in the Lord is to enjoy the Lord7 %e can ta!e this one step f#rther by saying that to abide in the Lord is to live by the Lord7 %hen 8e spea! of this) there are not -any doctrines involved7 %e can spea! only abo#t the practical e+perience7 Here ( 8o#ld li!e to as! the yo#ng people: Oo# have all been saved) the electrical connection has been -ade) and yo# all !no8 that today the Lord is in yo#< yo# #nderstand all these doctrines) b#t do yo# have the e+perienceM The Lord ;es#s said) BHe 8ho abides in &e and ( in hi-C E;ohn 4>:>@7 Ho8 do yo# practically abideM Here is an e+a-ple7 Every -orning as soon as yo# rise #p) 8hen yo# enter the bathroo-) yo# sho#ld first sh#t the door and for half a -in#te pray) BO Lord) than! Oo# for giving -e a ne8 day7 O Lord) give -e the grace to 8holly live by Oo# today7 Even as ( 8ash) ( do not 8ant to 8ash by -yself< ( 8ant to 8ash by Oo#7C ;#st pray a si-ple prayer li!e this7 Then 8hen yo# t#rn on the 8ater) yo# can pray) BO Lord) ( live by Oo#) and ( 8ash -y face by Oo#7C So-e elderly ones have been saved for a longer ti-e) and perhaps they are thin!ing in8ardly) B( a- already a person 8ho is s#ccessf#l and fa-o#s) and here ( have to listen to this preacher teach -e ho8 to 8ash -yself7C ,#t this is really practical7 ( have no8 passed the age that the Chinese call Bancient)C that is) seventy years of age7 ( a- al-ost to the age &oses spo!e of 8hen he said) B(f beca#se of strength) eighty yearsC EPsa7 13:43@) and ( have had a rich e+perience of h#-an life7 Ho8ever) ( a- here testifying to yo# that ( a- li!e a little child every day7 Aor e+a-ple) this -orning ( 8o!e #p before si+ o/cloc!7 ,eca#se ( had received an inspiration) ( i--ediately rose #p and D#ic!ly sat do8n)

praying to the Lord silently) BO Lord) it is a ne8 day) and ( still 8o#ld live by Oo#7C (t is very diffic#lt to describe -y feeling) b#t it 8as in s#ch a spirit) s#ch a heart) that ( began to 8rite the footnotes to the ospel of &ar!7 As ( 8rote) ( loo!ed to the Lord) saying) BO Lord) ( a- not 8riting by -yself) ( a- 8riting by Oo#7C This is the 8ay ( practice living by the Lord7 S#ppose -y 8ife sa8 -e 8riting there and said) BA little over a -onth ago yo# 8ere so tired that yo# co#ld not spea!7 This -orning 8hy can/t yo# stay in bed and rest #ntil =:33MC Ho8 sho#ld ( reactM ( co#ld get angry and ans8er) B%hatM %hat are yo# trying to doMC Or ( co#ld follo8 Conf#ci#s/s -oral theories and try to hold -y te-per and !eep D#iet) saying in -y heart) BAorget it) yo# are al8ays li!e this7C Or ( co#ld neither react nor be annoyed< rather) ( co#ld be tolerant) considering -yself to be a strong hero) a -anly person 8ho sho#ld not act li!e a 8o-an) so ( sho#ld forgive her and let her go7 Ho8ever) 8e Christians have the Lord in #s) so o#r reaction sho#ld neither be to get angry) nor to behave in a c#lt#red -anner) nor to be tolerant7 O#r reaction sho#ld be that Bthe Lord abides in -e7C Not only is the Lord abiding in -e) b#t ( also live by Hi-7 %hen ( co-e to -y des!) ( do not 8rite footnotes first< instead) ( first pray to the Lord) saying) BLord ;es#s) than! Oo# for a ne8 day< ( 8ant to live by Oo#7C Then 8hen -y 8ife co-es) it is not ( b#t Christ 8ho lives in -e7 No -atter 8hat she says) ( do not get angry) nor do ( live according to c#lt#re or forbearance7 This is beca#se it is no longer ( 8ho live) b#t it is the Lord 8ho lives7 (n this 8ay ( live by the Lord7 %hen ( live by the Lord in this 8ay) the res#lt is that ( abide in the Lord7 (f ( do not live by the Lord in this 8ay) even tho#gh ( a- a saved person) ( a- neither in the Lord nor abiding in the Lord) b#t ( a- totally in -yself7 (n the end ( 8ill react by being polite) by getting angry) by being tolerant) or by arg#ing #ntil ( a- red in the face7 %hether ( apolite or angry) 8hether ( a- tolerant or D#arrelso-e) ( a- still in -yself7 (f 8e are in the Lord) then 8e 8ill not have these !inds of reactions7 %e are in the Lord) and the Lord is in #s) so 8e can live by Hi-7 A PROPER CHRISTIAN LIVING BEING A LIFE IN WHICH WE LIVE BY THE LIVING PERSON WITHIN US Aor this reason) the Lord ;es#s in ;ohn 4? told His disciples) B( 8ill as! the Aather) and He 8ill give yo# another Co-forter) that He -ay be 8ith yo# forever) even the Spirit of reality<LHe abides 8ith yo# and shall be in yo#C Evv7 4J.4=@7 The disciples heard the 8ord b#t 8ere #nable to #nderstand the -ystery of this 8ord7 Therefore) the Lord ;es#s contin#ed by e+plaining) BOet a little 8hile and the 8orld beholds &e no longer) b#t yo# behold &e< beca#se ( live) yo# also shall live7 (n that day yo# 8ill !no8 thatLyo# QareR in &e) and ( in yo#C Evv7 41.23@7 This -eans that after a short 8hile the 8orldly people 8o#ld not see the Lord any longer beca#se He 8as going to be cr#cified) b#t the disciples 8o#ld see Hi- beca#se He 8as going to be res#rrected7 After His res#rrection He entered into His disciples to live in the-7 Hence) Bin that day)C He lived) and they also lived7 A#rther-ore) they !ne8 that they 8ere in the Lord) and the Lord 8as in the-7

The teachings of Conf#ci#s and &enci#s can to#ch people in a 8ay that their conscience is activated7 %ang Oang.-ing) a Chinese philosopher) said that -an -#st develop his instinctive -oral sense and innate ability to do good7 He said that if -an/s actions are only a response to o#t8ard teachings and ethical reg#lations b#t are not fro- his inner conscience) -oral sense) and ability to do good) then those actions are trees 8itho#t roots and 8ater 8itho#t a fo#ntain7 %e see by this that %ang Oang.-ing also ta#ght the doctrines related to the in8ard aspect of -an7 ,#t s#ch teachings -erely develop the potential ability in the od.created -an7 As Christians) 8e do not act according to the f#nction of o#r conscience or according to the infl#ence of any teaching7 %e have the living Lord ;es#s living in #s7 %e 8ho are saved s#rely have this !ind of e+perience and !no8 that there is One 8ho lives in #s7 There are so-e people 8ho are not very clear abo#t this tr#th< nevertheless) they can vag#ely feel that there is another One 8ho lives in the-7 %hen they 8ant to do certain things) it see-s He al8ays disapproves and prohibits the-7 The story of a Christian/s in8ard being is not a -atter of being -oved in the conscience by so-e teachings b#t a -atter of having a real Person living in hi-7 ,efore 8e 8ere saved) 8e did not have this !ind of e+perience< 8e only had the str#ggle in o#r conscience bet8een reason and l#st7 Ho8ever) after 8e 8ere saved) even tho#gh in the beginning 8e 8ere not very clear that there is One living in #s) grad#ally 8e beca-e clearer that 8e tr#ly have a Person inside of #s7 No8) if 8e 8o#ld live a nor-al Christian life) 8e -#st live by this One 8ho is living in #s7 %hen 8e live by Hi-) 8e enjoy Hiand spontaneo#sly abide in Hi-7 (f 8e spea! and act by Hi-) then 8e re-ain in Hi-) and that is o#r abiding in Hi-7 %hen the electrical appliances re-ain in the c#rrent of electricity to enjoy the s#pply of electricity) they abide in the electricity7 (n the sa-e 8ay) 8hen 8e live by the Lord and e+perience Hi-) 8e abide in the Lord7 (f 8e neglect living by the Lord in o#r daily life b#t only try to p#rs#e abiding in the Lord according to its literal -eaning) o#r efforts 8ill be in vain7 TO ABIDE IN THE LORD BEING TO LIVE BY THE LORD WITHIN US %e cannot #nderstand this tr#th -erely according to the literal) doctrinal -eaning of the 8ords< instead) 8e -#st #nderstand it fro- o#r e+perience7 According to the letter) it is Bto abide in the Lord)C b#t according to e+perience) it is Bto live by the Lord 8ithin #s7C %e -#st live by the Lord in both big things and s-all things7 This is not easy7 According to -y e+perience) it is easy for #s to be in the Lord 8hen 8e enco#nter big or diffic#lt things) b#t 8hen 8e enco#nter s-all things or fine details in o#r living) 8e often neglect to abide in the Lord or live by Hi-7 Aor e+a-ple) 8hen the elders fello8ship abo#t the affairs of the ch#rch) they are very 8atchf#l) in fear and tre-bling before the Lord and not daring to spea! loosely7 Ho8ever) in their daily living 8ith their spo#ses and children) they do not first inD#ire of the Lord7 %e often have this !ind of old ail-ent) beca#se 8e pay attention to abiding in the Lord only in big things b#t not in s-all things7 This is 8here 8e fail7

&ay the Lord have -ercy on #s to sho8 #s that today 8e are one 8ith the Lord) and 8e sho#ld live together 8ith the Lord7 %e have already been -arried to the Lord) so 8e sho#ld live the -arriage life 8ith the Lord7 (f a h#sband and 8ife do not arg#e abo#t big things b#t al8ays D#arrel abo#t little things) their -arriage life is not nor-al7 (n a gen#ine -arriage life) there sho#ld not be any arg#-ents abo#t big -atters or even abo#t little things7 The h#sband sho#ld be the head in both the big things and the s-all things) so the 8ife sho#ld live by hi-7 (n the sa-e 8ay) 8e cannot pay attention to abiding in the Lord only in big things b#t not in little things7 (nstead) 8e sho#ld as! o#r H#sband abo#t all things) ta!ing Hi- as o#r Head) living by Hi-7 To abide in the Lord is to live by the Lord7 %henever 8e live by the Lord) 8e are abiding in Hi-7 &any brothers have testified that they gain -#ch benefit 8hen they enjoy the Lord every -orning beca#se this gets the- into the Lord) b#t as soon as they get to the office) they -ay not be in the Lord any-ore7 The sisters are also li!e this< it is so good for the- to rise early to pray and fello8ship 8ith the Lord and really get into Hi-) b#t once they leave the ho#se to go shopping) they -ay no longer be in Hi-7 Th#s) abiding in the Lord sho#ld not be j#st a -atter that happens 8hen 8e have -orning 8atch) pray) or fello8ship 8ith the saints< abiding in the Lord sho#ld be a living7 %hen the brothers p#t on their ties and 8hen the sisters co-b their hair) they sho#ld pray) BO Lord) ( do not 8ant to do this by -yself< ( 8ant to do this by Oo#7C (n this 8ay) they 8ill e+perience abiding in the Lord7 TO LIVE BY THE LORD BEING TO LIVE AND WALK BY THE SPIRIT Pa#l said) B( a- cr#cified 8ith ChristC E al7 2:23a@7 To be cr#cified does not -ean to s#ffer) as -ost people 8o#ld say< that is 8rong7 To be cr#cified does not -ean to s#ffer) b#t it -eans to die and be ter-inated7 Cr#cifi+ion does not ca#se yo# -erely to s#ffer< instead) it is to ter-inate yo#7 Ho8ever) -any Christians today do not #nderstand 8hat this -eans) and they e+plain that to be cr#cified is to s#ffer7 Therefore) they say that to s#ffer all the ti-e is to Bbear the cross daily7C H#sbands) 8ives) and children consider one another as crosses 8hich they have to bear) and even landlords and tenants consider one another in the sa-e 8ay7 (n the ch#rch life) yo# consider the elders) the brothers) and the sisters as yo#r crosses< they all appear to be joined together to give yo# tro#ble7 Ho8ever) this is not the cross7 A person 8ho is tr#ly cr#cified does not feel tro#bled) beca#se he has no -ore feeling7 Th#s) cr#cifi+ion does not -a!e yo# s#ffer< it ter-inates yo#7 The res#lt of being cr#cified 8ith Christ is that Bit is no longer ( 8ho live) b#t it is Christ 8ho lives in -eC Ev7 23b@7 ( have been ter-inated) and no8 it is Christ 8ho lives in -e7 Th#s) ( can say) BTo -e) to live is ChristC EPhil7 4:24@7 This e+perience eD#als to live and 8al! according to the Spirit7 %here is the SpiritM The Spirit is 8ithin #s7 %e do not need to be ta#ght ho8 to e+perience this< every saved person !no8s this7 Every saved person !no8s that the Spirit is living 8ithin hi-7 This Spirit is the Lord Hi-self E2 Cor7 6:4=@ living in the h#-an spirit7 Th#s) to live by the Lord is to live and 8al! by the Spirit7 9o-ans 5:? says) B0o not 8al! according to the flesh b#t according to the spirit7C (n ree!) the 8ord 8al! here -eans Blive and -ove7C (t is not only to -ove and 8al! b#t also to live7 This -eans that o#r living and -oving sho#ld all be according to this Spirit

8ithin #s7 To 8al! according to the Spirit is to live by the Lord7 %hen 8e live by the Lord) 8e abide in the Lord) and 8e enjoy the Lord Hi-self7 %hen 8e vie8 it fro- this angle and #nderstand it fro- this !ind of e+perience) 8e can realiFe -ore the -eaning of Babiding in the Lord7C (f yo# reason even j#st a little 8ith yo#r spo#se) then yo# !no8 that yo# are not in the Lord beca#se yo# have not lived by the Lord7 This is j#st li!e the lightb#lb 8ith a s8itch that is not sec#rely installed7 %hen the s8itch is t#rned on) the lightb#lb flic!ers and gets in and o#t of the electricity7 (n the sa-e 8ay) if yo#r in8ard lightb#lb does not shine b#t is flic!ering) it -eans that yo# are not in the Spirit) nor are yo# abiding in the Spirit< yo# are a Bflic!eringC Christian 8ho is not fir-ly in the Lord7 (f yo# 8ant to be in the Lord fir-ly) then yo#r in8ard s8itch -#st be fir-) and it -#st be al8ays s8itched on7 As a res#lt) yo# 8ill re-ain in Christ as the BelectricityC to enjoy His s#pply) and yo# 8ill shine brightly7 This is the proper living that 8e Christians sho#ld have7 Th#s) to abide in the Lord is to live by the Lord in all things7 Even little things) s#ch as co-bing o#r hair and 8ashing o#r face) 8e sho#ld do by the Lord7 %e 8ho are saved have not received -erely another life 8ithin< in reality this life is a Person) 8ho is the e-bodi-ent of the Tri#ne od and 8ho is the eternal living Lord abiding in #s7 This is od/s salvation7 After 8e receive od/s salvation) 8e sho#ld learn to let the Lord live in #s) and 8e sho#ld allo8 Hi- to be -agnified in #s7 %hen 8e live by the Lord 8ho lives in #s) 8e abide in the Lord7 Hallel#jah for od/s salvationK

CHAPTER THREE UNCEASINGLY PRAYING AND IN EVERYTHING GIVING THANKS

Script#re 9eading: 4 Thes7 >:4=.45< Col7 6:4J.4=< Eph7 >:45b.23

ABIDING IN THE LORD CONTINUOUSLY (n chapter one 8e said that to abide in the Lord is to enjoy the Lord/s life7 (n chapter t8o 8e sa8 that for #s to abide in the Lord and enjoy His life) 8e need to live and 8al! by the Spirit7 After s#ch a fello8ship so-e brothers and sisters -ay not #nderstand and still 8onder ho8 8e can re-ain in spirit all the ti-e7 Aor e+a-ple) a lightb#lb f#nctions properly 8hen it BenjoysC and BabidesC in the electricity7 Ho8ever) if the s8itch 8as not sec#rely installed) the lightb#lb does not f#nction properly and) therefore) does not shine steadily7 (f one is a careless Christian) he is indifferent abo#t contin#o#sly abiding in the Lord and does not thin! there is a proble-7 A see!ing Christian) ho8ever) 8o#ld consider) BHo8 can ( abide in the Lord contin#o#slyMC As those 8ho p#rs#e the Lord) 8e sho#ld al8ays pray and petition) longing to abide in the Lord contin#o#sly and enjoy His life that 8e -ay shine and f#nction every day in a nor-al 8ay7 Ho8ever) o#r e+perience is that 8e flic!er every day7 The reasons for o#r flic!ering are #s#ally not the big things b#t the s-all things7 Partic#larly) o#r fa-ily life and o#r -arried life ca#se #s to flic!er freD#ently7 Aor e+a-ple) both a h#sband and 8ife

-ay shine nor-ally i--ediately after their -orning revival) b#t 8hen they co-e to the dining table) the h#sband co-plains that the -il! is too hot) 8hile the 8ife co-plains that the h#sband is too hard to be 8aited on7 (--ediately both of the- begin to flic!er7 The ne8ly -arried ones are not the only ones 8ho are in this condition< even those of #s 8ho have been -arried thirty to fifty years are in the sa-e condition7 %e can sy-pathiFe 8ith one another as fello8 s#fferers of the sa-e ail-ent7 ( have been saved for al-ost fifty years and have e+perienced -ore proble-s than yo#< the proble-s 8hich yo# e+perienced ( have also e+perienced7 Hence) ( !no8 all the proble-s in yo#r practical living7 ( also !no8 that to s#ffer a relapse fro- an old disease is easy b#t to c#re it co-pletely is diffic#lt7 Ho8 then can 8e solve the proble-s) the flic!ering) in o#r daily lifeM %hen yo# repair a flic!ering lightb#lb) yo# -#st first repair the s8itch and then t#rn it on< after it has been t#rned on) do not t#rn it off again7 (n yo#r ho-e life) ho8ever) yo#r spo#se and children) needless to say even yo# yo#rself) are capable of t#rning off yo#r spirit#al electricity7 So-eti-es yo# are doing 8ell fro-orning #ntil noon by having fello8ship 8ith the Lord and abiding in Hi-7 (n the afternoon) ho8ever) 8hen the children co-e ho-e fro- school and j#-p aro#nd the ho#se) right a8ay yo# cannot stand it) and yo#r spirit#al electricity is t#rned off by their j#-ping7 Then yo# D#ic!ly repent and confess) praying to the Lord for the cleansing of His precio#s blood7 (n this 8ay the s8itch is t#rned bac! on7 ,#t after another five -in#tes) yo#r electricity is t#rned off again7 This is o#r proble-7 UNCEASINGLY PRAYING AND IN EVERYTHING GIVING THANKS ENABLING US TO ABIDE IN THE LORD CONTINUOUSLY Hence) the best 8ay to !eep the spirit#al electricity fro- being t#rned off is to install a safety bo+ and loc! the s8itch in7 Ho8 do yo# loc! it inM The 8ay is to B#nceasingly pray and in everything give than!s7C This is not doctrinal b#t e+periential7 (n doctrine) no one can connect B#nceasingly pray and in everything give than!sC 8ith Babiding in the Lord7C There is one boo! in the Ne8 Testa-ent that specifically covers the -atter of abiding in the Lord) and that is the first Epistle of ;ohn7 Oet in s#ch a boo! there is no -ention at all of #nceasingly praying and in everything giving than!s7 Gno8ledge is one thing) 8hile e+perience is another7 Often those 8ith a Ph707 are inferior to those 8ho are e+perienced7 Therefore) ( a- not telling yo# abo#t !no8ledge or doctrine< ( a- spea!ing abo#t e+perience7 The secret) the !ey) to re-aining in the enjoy-ent of the Lord is prayer and than!sgiving7 %e all can #nderstand 8hat it -eans to pray and to give than!s7 %hen 8e pray) 8e are shining 8ithin) b#t if 8e also give than!s) 8e 8ill beco-e enlivened 8ithin7 Prayer -ay be li!ened to connecting the 8ires) and than!sgiving) to shining the light7 So-eti-es o#r B8iresC have been connected) yet it see-s that 8e do not sense any reaction7 The light does not shine if there is only prayer b#t no than!sgiving7 Therefore) if 8e 8ant to have a life that is al8ays shining 8itho#t flic!ering) 8e need to pray #nceasingly and give than!s in everything7 According to o#r e+perience) if 8e pray and also give than!s) even if before 8e 8ere not abiding in the Lord) 8e 8ill spontaneo#sly enter into the Lord and

abide in Hi-7 (f 8e 8ant to get in and not co-e o#t b#t re-ain inside all the ti-e) 8e need to pray #nceasingly and give than!s in everything7 A vile sinner needs only to believe and repent) praying to the Lord) BLord ;es#s) ( atr#ly a vile sinner7 ( pray that Oo# save -e7C (--ediately the BconnectionC is -ade) and Christ enters into hi-7 This sinner) ho8ever) still has to say) BLord ;es#s) ( really than! Oo#7C Then the light in hi- 8ill shine) and he 8ill abide in the Lord7 Hence) 8hether 8e are believers or sinners) 8e all need to abide in the Lord thro#gh prayer and than!sgiving7 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE ULTIMATELY BEING A MATTER OF GIVING THANKS IN EVERYTHING Apparently) 8e cannot find the tr#th of giving than!s in everything thro#gho#t the 8hole ,ible7 Act#ally) the ,ible) 8hich is a boo! of -ysteries) contains an #ntold -eas#re of light beneath the s#rface7 A-ong the t8enty.seven boo!s of the Ne8 Testa-ent) only threeN4 Thessalonians) Colossians) and EphesiansN-ention the -atter of giving than!s in everything7 All three of these boo!s 8ere 8ritten by the apostle Pa#l) and their contents sho8 a seD#ence that is -ysterio#s and 8onderf#l7 The first of these boo!s) 4 Thessalonians) spea!s of ho8 8e can be saved and ho8 8e sho#ld have a holy life so that o#r spirit) so#l) and body -ay be 8holly sanctified) -a!ing #s ready to -eet the Lord at His co-ing7 This concerns a proper) general Christian life7 The second boo! is Colossians) 8hich concerns Christ and 8hich event#ally spea!s abo#t e+periencing Christ7 The life of e+periencing Christ is a life of giving than!s in everything7 Not only is the proper) general Christian life a life of giving than!s in everything) b#t also the life of e+periencing Christ is #lti-ately a -atter of giving than!s for all things7 The third boo!) Ephesians) 8hich is a sister boo! to Colossians) concerns the ch#rch) and at the end it spea!s abo#t the e+perience of the ch#rch7 %e can have the ch#rch life only by living in the spirit7 Li!e8ise) s#ch a ch#rch life is a -atter of giving than!s in all things7 Hence) 8e can see clearly that 8hether it is the proper Christian life) the life of e+periencing Christ) or the ch#rch life) each concl#des 8ith giving than!s in all things7 O#r Christian life is of three stages: the general Christian life< the life of e+periencing Christ) abiding in Christ) and living Christ< and the ch#rch life) the life of e+periencing the ,ody7 Every stage of o#r Christian life involves the giving of than!s in everything7 O#r Christian life beco-es defor-ed 8henever it is separated fro- the -atter of giving than!s in all things7 The first ten years after ( 8as saved 8as a life in 4 Thessalonians7 As a saved one) ( desired to learn to be sanctified in everything and to preserve -yself daily fro#ncleanness that -y spirit) so#l) and body -ight be preserved and ( co#ld be ready to -eet the Lord7 This 8as the initial stage of -y Christian life7 As ( grad#ally progressed) ( began to st#dy the ,ible and so-e of the boo!s concerning the inner life< th#s) ( gained -ore !no8ledge concerning Christ7 ( began to !no8 Christ as -y life7 ( also began to realiFe that the life 8hich od 8ants #s to live is not -erely a life of holiness that is

8itho#t #ncleanness b#t a life of being filled 8ith and sat#rated by Christ7 Unless ( live a life of being filled 8ith and sat#rated by Christ) -y living is not -#ch different fro- the living based on the -oral teachings of the Chinese philosophers7 These philosophers ta#ght people to develop their Bbright virt#eC and to be bla-eless and p#re) yet they did not have Christ in the-7 %e) ho8ever) have Christ in #s7 Hence) Christ sho#ld be o#r all) and o#r living -#st be Christ7 This is the second stage of the Christian life7 After e+periencing Christ in a deeper 8ay) ( began to realiFe that the life of e+periencing Christ is not for -e individ#ally b#t for His ch#rch and for the testi-ony of the ch#rch7 %e have all received Christ by grace) and the res#lt is that 8e are the ch#rch7 Hence) event#ally 8e need to live in the ch#rch) to have the ch#rch life7 This is the deepest stage of the Christian life7 All these three stages of life concl#de 8ith the -atter of giving than!s in everything7 %itho#t giving than!s in all things) 8e cannot live the proper Christian life7 PRAYER AND THANKSGIVING BEING A CHRISTIANS SPIRITUAL FEET Prayer and than!sgiving are li!e o#r t8o feet< one foot cannot 8al! 8itho#t the other7 Prayer 8itho#t than!sgiving 8ill not 8or!< than!sgiving 8itho#t prayer also 8ill not 8or!7 Hence) 8e -#st not only pray b#t also give than!s) and 8e -#st give than!s 8ith prayer7 %e -#st do both si-#ltaneo#sly7 (t does not -atter 8hich co-es first7 As long as yo# have both) yo# can conveniently 8al! on the path8ay of yo#r Christian life7 Li!e8ise) 8hen 8e ta!e care of and no#rish the ne8 ones) 8e sho#ld teach the- not only to pray b#t also to give than!s7 As yo# 8al! on the spirit#al path8ay) do not as! 8hether yo# sho#ld start 8ith yo#r right foot or 8ith yo#r left7 Act#ally) to this day ( still do not !no8 8hich foot goes first 8hen ( 8al!7 (f yo# pay yo#r attention to trying to decide 8hich foot sho#ld go first) yo# 8ill probably have diffic#lty in 8al!ing7 Therefore) in o#r Christian life 8e sho#ld pray and give than!s) and 8e sho#ld give than!s and pray< 8e sho#ld al8ays 8al! this 8ay7 Perhaps before yo# go to bed) yo# pray first and then give than!s) b#t in the -orning 8hen yo# get #p) yo# give than!s first and then pray7 Prayer and than!sgiving are the Christians/ spirit#al feet7 (f one foot is -issing) 8al!ing beco-es e+tre-ely diffic#lt< if both feet are -issing) 8al!ing beco-es i-possible7 (f Christians do not pray and give than!s) they cannot have a proper Christian life7 UNCEASINGLY PRAYING Ho8 can 8e pray #nceasinglyM %hen ( first beca-e a Christian) ( 8as a-aFed 8hen ( read in the ,ible that 8e sho#ld #nceasingly pray7 ( as!ed -yself) B0oes this -ean that ( sho#ld devote all -y ti-e praying and not do anything elseM Then 8hat sho#ld ( do abo#t eating) 8ashing) going to 8or!) and sleepingMC (n the literal sense) this is illogical7 (f Pa#l 8ere here) ( 8o#ld as! hi-) B,rother Pa#l) yo# told #s to pray 8itho#t ceasing7 Ho8 is it possibleMC Pa#l did not say) BPray constantlyC or Bpray contin#allyC< instead) he said) BPray #nceasingly7C BPray #nceasinglyC is a stronger e+pression than Bpray constantlyC or Bpray contin#ally7C Constant or contin#al conveys only a sense of contin#ation7 Aor

e+a-ple) ( eat three -eals a day< this is contin#al7 ( release a -essage every 8ee!) that is) ( preach once every seven days7 This is a contin#al preaching7 Ho8ever) if ( eat or preach #nceasingly) this -eans that ( eat or preach all the ti-e) t8enty.fo#r ho#rs a day7 Therefore) ho8 can 8e pray 8itho#t ceasingM Since -y yo#th ( tried to solve this proble-) yet ( co#ld not find the ans8er7 Ho8ever) every spirit#al -atter can be confir-ed by practical things7 %e than! the Lord for this7 This is od/s sovereign arrange-ent7 Aor e+a-ple) Hy-n P264 in the Chinese hy-nal borro8s the good 8ine and s8eet honey of o#r daily life) the great sea and vast ocean on earth) and the s#n and -oon in heaven to depict the Lord/s love7 All these things describe the Lord/s love7 A#rther-ore) the third stanFa of Hy-ns) P?52) says) BThis the secret nat#re hideth) H Harvest gro8s fro- b#ried grain< H A poor tree 8ith better grafted) H 9icher) s8eeter life doth gain7C This is tr#e7 Then) 8hat can 8e find in nat#re to signify #nceasing prayerM Event#ally) ( fo#nd that there is only one thing: o#r breathing7 There is no 8ay that 8e can do anything contin#o#sly) 8itho#t interr#ption7 According to od/s la8) 8ithin t8enty.fo#r ho#rs there -#st be a night) and 8e -#st have eight ho#rs of sleep7 (f yo# go to bed and rise #p every day at a reg#lar ti-e) yo# 8ill have a healthy body7 eorge &Sller) 8ho lived to be over ninety years of age) said) B%e Christian 8or!ers travel freD#ently) b#t 8e -#st avoid traveling at night beca#se od has ordained nightti-e for o#r sleep7 (f 8e 8or! at night instead of sleeping) 8e act against od/s ordination7C This is tr#e7 ,y practicing a reg#lar sched#le of sleep at night 8e 8ill not feel tired 8hen 8e 8or! d#ring the day7 ,#t if 8e 8ere to sleep d#ring the day) 8e 8o#ld not sleep 8ell7 Also to 8or! #ntil deep into the night 8o#ld be very tiring) yet to sleep at night is very fitting7 This is od/s la87 Not only is there a night for rest 8ithin each day) b#t there is also a day for rest every seven days7 This is not a ;e8ish reg#lation< this is od/s ordination7 Ho8ever) today -any people r#in s#ch a day of rest and beco-e even -ore tired by their ind#lgences7 (n od/s creation al-ost everything has an inter-ission) b#t in od/s ordination there is one thing that has no interr#ption) and that is o#r breathing7 Eating) drin!ing) and sleeping are inter-ittent< only breathing is not inter-ittent7 %hen breathing is interr#pted) the res#lt is death7 %hile yo# are eating) drin!ing) and sleeping) yo# -#st still breathe7 Therefore) o#r #ninterr#pted breathing is act#ally a pict#re of o#r #nceasing prayer7 THE PRACTICE OF UNCEASING PRAYER (t is easy to e+plain the tr#th concerning #nceasing prayer) b#t it is very diffic#lt to practice it7 %e can breathe contin#o#sly) b#t ho8 can 8e pray #nceasingly in the sa-e 8ay 8e breatheM Oes) ( have fo#nd o#t that breathing is a secret in nat#re 8hich is very logical) beca#se it is the only thing a-ong the great things of h#-an life that is #nceasing7 Ho8ever) ( co#ld not #nderstand ho8 8e can pray #nceasingly as 8e do in breathing7 %e cannot #se o#r physical organs incessantly< if 8e do) 8e 8ill have proble-s7 Aor e+a-ple) after tal!ing too -#ch) o#r throat is tired and needs a rest7 %hen

o#r hands beco-e too tired after carrying a heavy load for a long ti-e) they need a rest7 ,#t a-ong the organs of o#r body created by od) there is one that is #sed contin#o#sly) and that is o#r nose) 8hich 8e #se for breathing7 %e have never heard anyone say that he has been #sing his nose for breathing all the ti-e and) therefore) his nose is tired and needs a rest7 All o#r organs get tired) b#t 8e than! and praise the Lord that o#r breathing organ never gets tired7 Therefore) 8hat does it -ean to B#nceasingly prayCM %e -#st #nderstand and realiFe that 8e have a spirit 8ithin #s) 8hich is o#r spirit#al breathing organ7 The reason 8e do not 8ant to pray or cannot pray is that 8e basically do not #se o#r spirit7 To pray) 8e -#st #se o#r spirit7 %henever 8e #se o#r spirit) 8e are enlivened7 The first f#nction of o#r spirit is to pray7 Oo#r spirit prays a#to-atically even 8itho#t yo#r pro-pting7 Hence) in order to pray #nceasingly) yo# -#st not interr#pt yo#r spirit/s activity7 (nstead) yo# -#st allo8 yo#r spirit to be active all the ti-e7 The spirit/s activity is to pray to the Lord7 Even 8itho#t opening -y -o#th to -a!e a so#nd) -y spirit a#to-atically BbreathesC in -e to have fello8ship 8ith the Lord7 So-eti-es ( -ay feel deflated< at that ti-e ( need to ta!e a deep breath and call) BO Lord ;es#sKC ( -ay not -a!e a so#nd) b#t still ( a- breathing in the Lord7 %e all sho#ld practice this !ind of ina#dible yet #ninterr#pted prayer7 %hen ( 8as ne8ly saved) ( felt that it 8as very hard to pray #nceasingly7 So-eti-es ( stopped 8hat ( 8as doing in order to pray7 Others tho#ght it 8as strange and 8ondered 8hy ( 8o#ld stop in the -iddle of -y tas! and go a8ay to pray7 At that ti-e ( did not !no8 8hat it -eant to e+ercise -y spirit< ( never even heard of s#ch an e+pression7 (t 8as not #ntil later that ( realiFed that there is no need for #s to p#t aside the tas! at hand in order to devote o#rselves to pray7 To pray #nceasingly -eans that 8e sho#ld al8ays e+ercise o#r spirit to contact the Lord7 %e are fallen people fro- o#r birth) and the spirit of a fallen -an is dead7 %e have the organ) b#t it is dead and has lost its f#nction< 8e basically do not #se it7 Hence) 8hen 8e 8ere yo#ng) 8e did not #se o#r spirit7 %hen 8e 8ent to school) no one ta#ght #s to #se o#r spirit) and 8e did not #se o#r spirit in o#r daily 8al!7 (t 8as not #ntil 8e heard the gospel and o#r conscience 8as enlightened by the shining of the light of the gospel that 8e 8ere to#ched in o#r conscience) 8hich is a part of o#r spirit7 %e then began to repent and confess7 %hen 8e repented and confessed) that 8as the e+ercise of o#r spirit7 (t 8as at that -o-ent that o#r spirit 8as activated) 8as -ade alive) and 8as no longer deadened7 (n this 8ay 8e 8ere saved7 At the ti-e 8e 8ere saved) o#r spirit 8as -ade alive7 Ho8ever) 8e still did not beco-e acc#sto-ed to e+ercising this organ) and even 8hen 8e prayed) 8e did not #se it very -#ch7 (n that period of ti-e 8e had t8o !inds of prayer7 One !ind 8as that 8e closed o#r eyes and prayed in a ro#tine 8ay to the heavenly Aather for several -atters and then as!ed Hi- to give #s peace7 Another !ind 8as 8hen a great cala-ity ca-e #pon #s7 At s#ch a ti-e) even a Christian 8ho does not !no8 ho8 to pray 8ill be able to cry o#t) BO Lord ;es#s) resc#e -eKC %hen 8e are so hard pressed) o#r spirit is stirred even tho#gh 8e

-ay not !no8 ho8 to #se it7 This !ind of prayer is a gen#ine prayer beca#se o#r spirit tr#ly has been e+ercised7 All of #s need to be re-inded that 8e sho#ld not 8ait #ntil a cala-ity co-es to call on the Lord7 Today 8e -#st e+ercise o#r spirit to pray7 %e sho#ld not pray fro- o#r -ind or only beca#se of an o#t8ard circ#-stance7 Aorty years ago) by the Lord/s -ercy) ( learned to practice praying by e+ercising -y spirit7 No8 ( can say that ( a- acc#sto-ed to #sing -y spirit7 ;#st as 8e 8al! 8hen o#r feet -ove) so 8e pray 8hen o#r spirit -oves7 Hence) 8e all need to e+ercise o#r spirit that it -ay beco-e living and strong7 The secret to o#r abiding in the Lord and enjoying His life is that o#r spirit is living7 ;#st as o#r eyes are o#r seeing organ) so o#r spirit is o#r praying organ7 The f#nction of o#r eyes is to see) and the f#nction of o#r ears is to hear7 Li!e8ise) the f#nction of o#r spirit is to pray7 od created s#ch a spirit for #s7 Therefore) 8e need to practice #sing o#r spirit that o#r spirit -ay be living7 A#rther-ore) 8e need to practice doing everything in o#r spirit and according to o#r activated spirit7 (f 8e do not -ove according to o#r activated spirit) 8e 8ill practice religion7 %hen o#r spirit is active) that is prayer< 8hen o#r spirit is inactive) that is religion7 Even 8hen eating and drin!ing 8e need to practice having an active spirit7 %hen o#r spirit is active) 8e pray7 %hen 8e live and 8al! in o#r activated spirit) 8e pray #nceasingly) and spontaneo#sly 8e abide in the Lord and enjoy Hi- as o#r life7

CHAPTER FOUR NOT QUENCHING THE SPIRIT OR NEGLECTING THE LORDS WORD
Script#re 9eading: 4 Thes7 >:4=.24< Col7 6:4J.4=< Eph7 >:45b.23

Prayer: O Lord) 8e than! and praise Oo# fro- the depths of o#r heart for gathering #s once again7 Oo#r Spirit d8ells in #s) and also Oo#r 8ord is in #s7 %e tr#ly offer #p o#r 8orship to Oo# fro- the depths of o#r being beca#se Oo# have dra8n #s to see! Oo# and Oo#r 8ord7 Cleanse #s again 8ith Oo#r precio#s blood7 %e tr#st in Oo#r presence and the -oving of Oo#r Spirit< 8e do not tr#st in 8hat 8e can do7 Lord) 8e pray that Oo# bless every one of #s7 %e can so8 and plant) b#t 8e cannot give life to others or ca#se the- to gro87 Lord) only Oo# can do these things7 Aor this reason) 8e really loo! to Oo# to ta!e care of the needs of everyone) especially the ne8ly saved ones) that 8e -ay be f#ll of light 8ithin and have Oo#r 8ord as a base to !no8 ass#redly that 8e have been saved) and that every one of #s -ay beco-e living to flo8 o#t Oo#r life fro- 8ithin #s7 O Lord) give #s the #tterance and po#r o#t Oo#rself again #pon #s so that Oo#r tho#ght) Oo#r feeling) and Oo#r rich 8ord -ay d8ell in #s7 &ay 8hat 8e spea! be only Oo#rself7 %e pray that Oo# co-e to every one of #s that 8e -ay gain Oo# right no87 O Lord) 8e can never forget Oo#r ene-y) Satan) the evil one7 %e as! Oo# to cr#sh hi-) even cr#sh hi- no8 fro- 8ithin #s7 %e bind hi- in Oo#r na-e< 8e pl#nder his goods and release those 8ho are bo#nd by hi-7 O Lord) set every one of #s freeNfro- sin)

fro- the bondage of the 8orld) and fro- the oppression of Satan7 O Lord) glorify Oo#r o8n na-e7 %e give Oo# all the honor and glory7 (n Oo#r o8n lovely na-e7 A-en7 ABIDING IN THE LORD BEING A MYSTERY THAT CAN BE EXPERIENCED (n the previo#s chapter 8e clearly sa8 that a living 8ay for #s to abide in the Lord is to pray #nceasingly and to give than!s in all things7 The phrase abiding in the Lord is tr#ly a -ystery to the Chinese) b#t ( believe that fro- the previo#s chapters 8e all -#st have gained so-e #nderstanding7 Altho#gh abiding in the Lord is a -ystery) it is not an inco-prehensible -ystery7 Perhaps 8e do not thoro#ghly #nderstand it) b#t 8e can e+perience it7 Ta!e the h#-an body as an e+a-ple7 A doctor 8ill tell #s that after a lifelong st#dy) he still is very li-ited in his #nderstanding of the h#-an body7 The -ore a doctor beco-es a specialist) the -ore he feels that he #nderstands so little7 The longer a doctor practices -edicine) the -ore he feels that his !no8ledge is short beca#se the h#-an body is too -ysterio#s7 (n other 8ords) he does not !no8 all there is to !no87 Not only so) there is an abstract syste- in -an7 O#r heart) l#ngs) s!in) bones) and so forth belong to a tangible) physical syste-< b#t o#r heart) -ind) e-otion) 8ill) conscience) so#l) and so forth belong to an intangible) nonphysical) psychological syste-7 This nonphysical part is even harder to #nderstand and e+plain7 ( have lived for over eighty years) b#t today if yo# as! -e ho8 to disting#ish e-otion) feeling) senti-ent) and love) it 8o#ld be very diffic#lt for -e to ans8er7 Love is so-ething of o#r heart< hence) it is an in8ard -atter7 Then) 8hat is e-otion or senti-entM Ho8 do 8e disting#ish the- froloveM (t is really hard to e+plain7 A#rther-ore) in the deepest part of o#r being there is a spirit) 8hich is an in8ard -atter even -ore -ysterio#s7 The ,ible tells #s that od is Spirit E;ohn ?:2?@< it also tells #s that od not only stretched forth the heavens and laid the fo#ndations of the earth b#t also for-ed a spirit 8ithin -an EIech7 42:4@7 Aro- this verse 8e see that the ,ible considers the h#-an spirit as i-portant as the heavens and the earth7 The -atter of the spirit 8ithin -an is tr#ly -ysterio#s and diffic#lt to e+plain7 Altho#gh the ,ible spea!s of the heart) its e-phasis is still on the spirit7 9egrettably) the %estern -issionaries 8ho translated the ,ible into Chinese 8ere not very clear regarding the heart and the spirit) nor did the Chinese scholars 8ho helped the- in the translation clearly #nderstand these ter-s) even tho#gh these scholars had high literary degrees7 The res#lt is that they co-bined these t8o 8ords and prod#ced a co-po#nd ter-) heart.spirit7 Hence) this co-po#nd 8ord heart.spirit occ#rs freD#ently in the Chinese Union *ersion7 (t is diffic#lt eno#gh to #nderstand the heart and the spirit separately< p#tting these t8o -ysterio#s ite-s together -a!es it al-ost i-possible for #s to #nderstand the-7 So-e of the hy-ns) follo8ing the #sage of the Chinese Union *ersion) also #se this co-po#nd 8ord7 %hen 8e 8ere collecting s#ch hy-ns for o#r hy-nal) 8e tried to separate the t8o 8ords by a co--a7 The heart and the spirit are not one ite- b#t t8o separate ite-s7 0espite the fact that they are hard to disting#ish) they can be e+perienced by #s7 The sa-e is tr#e 8ith the -atter of abiding in the Lord7 ( tr#st that after considering these fe8 chapters) yo# 8ill already have had so-e e+periences of abiding in

the Lord7 Even tho#gh yo# co#ld not e+plain the-) yo# s#rely 8ill have had the taste of the-7 GIVING THANKS IN ALL THINGS (n addition to abiding in the Lord) 8e need to give than!s in all things and to pray #nceasingly7 Here 8e -#st first say so-ething abo#t so-e lang#age proble-s7 Those 8ho read the ,ible !no8 that the proble-s 8ith lang#age co-e fro- the to8er of ,abel7 (n the ree! te+t the cla#se in everything give than!s does not have the notion of blessings as the Chinese translation indicates7 The Chinese translators rendered this cla#se as in everything than! the blessings beca#se) according to its strict sense in Chinese) the 8ord than! is a transitive verb and therefore reD#ires a direct object< there 8o#ld be no j#stification for not having a direct object7 Aor this reason the 8ord blessings 8as added7 ,#t s#ch an addition distorts the -eaning of this partic#lar cla#se7 (n o#r e+perience 8e sho#ld not Bthan! the blessingsC< rather) 8e sho#ld than! the Lord Hi-self7 (t is not Bthan!ing the blessingsC< it is giving than!s7 To pray #nceasingly -eans to #se o#r spirit) to e+ercise o#r spirit7 Aor e+a-ple) 8e #se o#r feet to 8al! and o#r -o#th to eat and tal!7 Li!e8ise) 8e #se o#r spirit to pray) and 8hen 8e pray) 8e #se o#r spirit7 The -any years of -y spea!ing for the Lord in serving Hi- -ay be divided into several periods7 ,efore 41?6 the e-phasis of -y -essages leaned heavily on the tr#th7 ( spo!e on -any tr#ths) s#ch as od/s selection) predestination) sanctification) and j#stification7 Aorty.t8o of the si+ty topics in the boo! entitled ,asic Tr#ths in the ,ible 8ere 8ritten by -e in 41?6< in the previo#s year ( had spo!en on these forty.t8o topics) res#lting in a great revival7 %hen the revival ca-e) ( began to s#ffer persec#tions7 Airst) the ;apanese p#t -e into prison and tort#red -e for a -onth before releasing -e7 0#e to this !ind of treat-ent) after ( got o#t of prison) ( beca-e ill 8ith t#berc#losis) and ( rested in bed for half a year according to -y doctor/s charge7 At the ti-e of -y release the ;apanese 8o#ld not let -e go b#t still reD#ired -e to report all -y -ove-ents s#bseD#ent to the release7 ,#t then 8hen ( beca-e sic! 8ith t#berc#losis) they relented and let -e go7 After a year -y health i-proved a bit) and ( then escaped to Chingtao to rest there for another year and a half #ntil -y health 8as recovered7 0#ring the period of -y rec#peration) the Lord shined on -e) sho8ing -e that altho#gh -y preaching fro- 4162 to 41?2 res#lted in a great revival) there 8as a great shortage of life in -y -essages7 There 8as -#ch tr#th b#t too little life7 At that ti-e the Lord sho8ed -e the tree of life and that this line r#ns thro#gh the entire ,ible7 The ,ible begins 8ith the tree of life and also ends 8ith the tree of life7 The ,ible is altogether concerning life7 The Lord ;es#s said) B( a-Lthe lifeC E;ohn 4?:J@< He also said) B( a- the tr#e vineC E4>:4@7 Therefore) 8e can concl#de that He is the tree of life7 He ca-e that 8e -ight have life and have it -ore ab#ndantly E43:43@7 This enlightening and seeing ca#sed -e to have a great t#rn7

(n 41?J after -y health 8as restored and ( 8as able to travel for the -inistry) ( 8ent to Nan!ing7 At that ti-e) d#e to the flo8 of the revival in Chefoo) Nan!ing also had a revival7 ( arrived in Nan!ing and began to -inister) spea!ing the 8ord of life7 ( !ept spea!ing fro- Chefoo and Chingtao to Nan!ing) then to Shanghai) and event#ally to Tai8an and so#theast Asia #ntil 41J37 Aor abo#t t8enty years ( !ept spea!ing on life7 ,#t honestly spea!ing) altho#gh ( spo!e of life there 8as not -#ch life) beca#se) ( feel) ( 8as not that living7 Therefore) ( prayed) as!ing the Lord 8hat the proble- 8as and ho8 it co#ld be that ( spo!e of life yet ( 8as not living7 A CHRISTIAN NEEDING NOT ONLY TO HAVE THE LORD AS LIFE BUT ALSO TO LIVE IN SPIRIT Then the Lord sho8ed -e that it is not adeD#ate to have life and yet be 8itho#t the Spirit7 Aro- then on ( began to spea! abo#t the Spirit7 At the sa-e ti-e) ( also 8rote a n#-ber of hy-ns7 Under the Lord/s leading eighty.five hy-ns 8ere 8ritten 8ithin t8o -onths7 Every -orning 8hen ( rose #p) the first thing ( did after ( prayed 8as to 8rite hy-ns7 At that ti-e in -y reading of the ,ible) the light that ca-e to -e 8as all concerning the Spirit7 ( ca-e to N#-bers 24) 8hich says that 8hen the (sraelites 8ere thirsty in their jo#rney) &oses told the- to dig the 8ell for 8ater7 %hile they 8ere digging) they sang) BSpring #p) O 8ellK Sing to itK H The 8ell) 8hich the leaders san!) H %hich the nobles of the people d#g) H %ith the scepter) 8ith their staffsC Evv7 4=.45@7 As a res#lt) they d#g o#t the living 8ater7 ( received an inspiration fro- this) seeing that today 8e also -#st dig the 8ell7 Th#s) ( 8rote Hy-ns) P2>3: BSpring #p) 8ell) 8ith 8ater< H 0ig Tho#) Lord) co-pletely< H 0ig a8ay all barriers H That Thy strea- flo8 thro#gh -e7C (n this 8ay ( spo!e e+cl#sively of the Spirit7 0eep do8n in -e ( sa8 that Christians in general had -ade a serio#s -ista!e< they did not care one bit for the Spirit7 (t see-s that it does not -atter to the- 8hether or not there is the Spirit7 They thin!) B%e have already been 8ashed in the precio#s blood of ;es#s) and since He already died for #s on the cross) 8e have been saved thro#gh faith in Hi-7 No8 8e need only to loo! to Hi- to ta!e care of #s so that 8e -ay be good persons) fearing od) reading the ,ible) and praying7 This is good eno#gh) and there is no need to care for the Spirit7C Aor this reason Christians in general beca-e deadened< this led to the rise of the Pentecostal -ove-ent in the -iddle of the last cent#ry7 The birth of the Pentecostal -ove-ent 8as d#e to the fact that there 8ere so-e believers 8ho felt that Christians in general 8ere too dry7 They felt the need to pray 8ith lo#d voices and in a partic#lar 8ay) even to pray 8itho#t food or sleep) praying all day and all night contin#o#sly for several days7 They believed that by praying in this 8ay Christians co#ld obtain the partic#lar e+perience of having the Spirit of po8er fro- above co-e #pon the- s#ddenly that they -ight receive the baptis- of the Spirit 8hich 8o#ld enable the- to spea! in tong#es7 (n this 8ay they 8o#ld receive the Holy Spirit7 %hen ( first believed in the Lord) so-eone as!ed -e if ( had received the Holy Spirit7 ( felt bad and also perple+ed beca#se ( 8as not clear 8hether or not ( had7 ( as!ed hi- ho8 to receive the Holy Spirit) and he said that he did not !no8 either7 Act#ally) both of #s had the Holy Spirit b#t 8e did not !no8 it then7

%hen the Pentecostal -ove-ent ca-e to Northern China) at first those in the So#thern ,aptist deno-ination resisted it beca#se of their theological belief) b#t event#ally they s#cc#-bed to it beca#se the tide of the -ove-ent 8as too strong7 Therefore) in 4162 in a So#thern ,aptist congregation) ( attended s#ch a Pentecostal -eeting for the first ti-e 8ith the desire to receive the Holy Spirit7 Event#ally) 8hen ( sa8 the- sho#ting and j#-ping) ( si-ply co#ld not say a-en fro- 8ithin7 Therefore) ( gave it #p and set abo#t to do -y o8n research7 GOD PASSING THROUGH VARIOUS PROCESSES TO BECOME THE LIFEGIVING SPIRIT %hen the Lord led -e to sense -y need of the Spirit) ( applied special effort to caref#lly p#rs#e this -atter) praying and st#dying the ,ible diligently7 As a res#lt) ( sa8 that it 8as clearly revealed in the ,ible and also confir-ed by -y e+perience7 The ,ible tells #s that on the one hand) it is not eno#gh for #s -erely to fear od and behave properly as good h#-an beings< and on the other hand) it is also not eno#gh solely to see! for po8er froon high to be po#red #pon #s so that 8e -ay spea! in tong#es7 The ,ible reveals that the Tri#ne od has a plan7 (n the Old Testa-ent He did all the preparation 8or!7 Then at the beginning of the Ne8 Testa-ent He Hi-self 8as born to be a -an and lived on earth for thirty.three and a half years7 Event#ally) He 8ent to the cross and 8as cr#cified there in His h#-an body in order to bear o#r sins and redee- #s by shedding His blood for #s7 He also died for #s to ter-inate the old creation and to acco-plish rede-ption7 Then He 8as b#ried) and He rested) and on the third day He 8as res#rrected fro- the dead7 (n His res#rrection He 8as transfig#red fro- the flesh into the Spirit7 This is 8hat 4 Corinthians 4>:?> -eans: BThe last Ada- beca-e a life.giving Spirit7C As s#ch a Spirit) He is the breath) or pne#-a in ree!7 On the evening of the day of the Lord/s res#rrection) the disciples asse-bled in a roo- 8ith the doors and 8indo8s sh#t for fear of persec#tion fro- the ;e8s7 They 8ere sorro8f#l beca#se they had seen 8ith their o8n eyes the arrest and cr#cifi+ion of the Lord ;es#s) 8ho had been 8ith the- in His flesh) and they also had seen Hi- b#ried in a to-b7 They tho#ght no8 that all 8as finished7 (t 8as at this j#nct#re that the Lord ;es#s ca-e into their -idst and breathed into the-) saying) B9eceive the Holy SpiritC E;ohn 23:22@7 Then He disappeared7 The ,ible tells #s that after8ards the Lord ;es#s 8as 8ith the disciples for forty days in this -anner) training the- to !no8 Hi- as the Spirit7 The disciples felt that the res#rrected ;es#s 8as tr#ly -arvelo#s and -ysterio#sNs#ddenly He 8o#ld co-e and s#ddenly He 8o#ld leave< #ne+pectedly He 8o#ld appear and #ne+pectedly He 8o#ld disappear 8itho#t any trace< yet He had a physical for-7 They did not #nderstand ho8 this co#ld be7 They 8ere at a loss< they co#ld not co-prehend 8hat this 8as all abo#t) and they did not !no8 8hat to do7 This 8as all d#e to the fact that they 8ere still ignorant concerning the Spirit) that He 8as no8 8ithin the-< and they 8ere not clear that as the Spirit the Lord 8as 8ith the- and that once He ca-e He 8o#ld never leave7 So-eti-es the Lord 8o#ld -anifest His presence to the-) b#t that 8as beca#se He cared for their

8ea!ness7 (n this 8ay the Lord trained the- in their faith7 He 8anted the- to !no8 and be acc#sto-ed to His invisible presence7 To the disciples this lesson 8as very hard7 They 8ere already acc#sto-ed to the Lord/s visible presence7 %hen the Lord 8as in the flesh) they follo8ed Hi- closely7 They jo#rneyed 8ith Hi-) lodged 8ith Hi-) and follo8ed Hi- every8here in His -inistry7 To the- this !ind of visible presence 8as very good< He 8as visible and to#chable7 ,#t no8 He co#ld be visible in an instant and then invisible in the ne+t7 He had res#rrected) yet they co#ld not al8ays to#ch Hi-7 Ainally) one day Peter co#ld no longer bear it7 He) the head sheep of the floc!) said to his brothers) B( a- going fishing7C They replied) B%e also are co-ing 8ith yo#7C They 8ent and got into the boat) and that night they ca#ght nothing E;ohn 24:2.6@7 Ordinarily) night is the best ti-e for fishing) and Peter and ;ohn 8ere e+perienced fisher-en) b#t that night they ca#ght nothing7 This 8as beca#se the Lord drove a8ay all the fish by His a#thority7 They did not catch any fish) b#t they did gain the Lord ;es#s Ev7 ?@7 The Lord !ne8 that they 8ent fishing for their livelihood< they 8ere h#ngry and hoped to catch so-e fish for their food7 BThen ;es#s said to the-) Little children) yo# do not have any fish to eat) do yo#M They ans8ered Hi-) No7 And He said to the-) Cast the net on the right side of the boat) and yo# 8ill find so-e7 They cast therefore) and they 8ere no longer able to ha#l it in beca#se of the ab#ndance of fishC Evv7 >.J@7 Then ;ohn said to Peter) B(t is the LordKC %hen Peter heard that it 8as the Lord) he ca-e to his senses7 (--ediately he thre8 hi-self into the sea and 8ent D#ic!ly to the Lord7 Later 8hen the disciples got o#t onto the land) Bthey sa8 a fire of coals laid there) and fish lying on it and breadC Evv7 =.1@7 They 8ent fishing for their livelihood) yet the Lord prepared coo!ed fish for the-7 After they 8ere fed) the Lord left 8itho#t saying goodbye and disappeared7 (t 8as in this 8ay that the disciples 8ere trained by the Lord for forty days7 Then the Lord charged the- Bnot to depart fro- ;er#sale-) b#t to 8ait for the pro-ise of the Aather) 8hich) He said)Lyo# shall be baptiFed in the Holy Spirit not -any days frono8C EActs 4:?.>@7 Aollo8ing this) the Lord ascended to the heavens7 Not -any days fro- no8 refers to the feast of Pentecost 8hich 8o#ld be ten days later7 The day the Lord res#rrected 8as the Aeast of the Airstfr#its7 Then He 8as 8ith the disciples for forty days) and ten days later 8as the Aeast of Pentecost7 The disciples) after learning their lessons fro- the Lord for forty days) obeyed the Lord/s 8ord not to be scattered or to go fishing b#t to pray together in one accord for ten days7 Then 8hen the ti-e arrived) on the day of Pentecost) the Holy Spirit ca-e do8n and 8as po#red #pon the-7 THE SPIRIT TODAY BEING IN US AND ALSO POURED UPON US ( li!e to tell yo# that on that day of Pentecost od/s 8or! to save #s 8as co-pletely acco-plished7 od not only had beco-e a -an) lived the h#-an life on earth) and died on the cross to bear o#r sins) b#t He also res#rrected to beco-e the life.giving Spirit) entered into His disciples) and po#red o#t the Spirit7 Therefore) this Spirit is the Tri#ne odNthe Holy Aather) the Holy Son) and the Holy Spirit7 The creating and redee-ing Tri#ne od has beco-e the all.incl#sive life.giving Spirit) 8ho is o-nipresent7

Aro- that day to the present) for close to t8o tho#sand years) He has al8ays been on the earth and has never left7 (f 8e read 8orld history) 8e 8ill see a re-ar!able thing that fro- Christ/s ascension to the present day the na-e of ;es#s Christ has been 8idely proclai-ed as the gospel7 Aor the past t8o tho#sand years 8ar) fa-ine) and death have occ#rred incessantly on this earth) and they are on the increase7 Ho8ever) at the sa-e ti-e another thing has also been happening contin#o#sly< that is) the gospel of ;es#s Christ has been and still is being preached thro#gho#t the 8hole earth7 Therefore) it is -arvelo#s to realiFe that today the na-e of ;es#s Christ and the gospel have been preached to every race and nation in every place and corner of the 8orld7 A#rther-ore) every believer of ;es#s has the desire to preach the gospel7 Another 8onderf#l thing is that altho#gh there are oppositions to the gospel in vario#s parts of the 8orld) 8here the opposition is stronger) there the preaching of the gospel is stronger and the n#-ber of those 8ho believe is also greater7 %hy is the gospel being 8idely preachedM %hy do 8e) the saved ones) desire to preach the gospelM The reason is that 8ithin #s 8e have a -ysterio#s and #ne+plainable Spirit7 Anyone 8ho has this Spirit has the desire to preach the gospel7 As Christians) 8e all have the desire to preach ;es#s7 %e feel good 8hen 8e preach Hi-< all o#r illnesses are gone and o#r 8orries are forgotten7 %e feel healthy -entally and physically 8hen 8e tal! abo#t ;es#s7 ,elieving in ;es#s is also a 8onderf#l thing7 %e are saved ones) b#t 8e cannot e+plain 8hy 8e have believed in ;es#s7 Altho#gh 8e do not !no8 8hat this is all abo#t) 8e j#st believe in Hi- and love Hi-7 All this is a story of the Spirit7 Today this Spirit is the Tri#ne od Hi-self) 8ho passed thro#gh the steps of the creation of the #niverse) incarnation) death) and res#rrection for the acco-plish-ent of rede-ption) and 8ho also passed thro#gh ascension to beco-e the #nli-ited Holy Spirit to enter into #s) to be po#red #pon #s) and to -ove on the 8hole earth7 %herever the na-e of ;es#s is preached) He is there7 His na-e is He Hi-self) His person< ;es#s is His na-e) and His person is the Spirit7 Today the Spirit co-es to #s 8henever 8e call on the na-e of ;es#s) praying to Hi- and praising Hi-7 This is the story of the Spirit7 NEEDING TO DIG THE WELL THAT THE LIVING WATER MAY FLOW 0ear brothers and sisters) si-ply spea!ing) this Spirit has already descended7 The second stanFa of Hy-ns) P2>3 says) BChrist) the 9oc!) is riven< H Living 8ater/s flo8ing7C This 9oc! is the Lord ;es#s) and the living 8ater is the Spirit7 Today the Holy Spirit is filling the 8hole earth7 %henever and 8herever anyone 8o#ld open his heart and his -o#th to call) BO Lord ;es#sKC there and then the Holy Spirit enters into hi- 8hether or not he !no8s it7 This is the e+perience of o#r salvation) and this is the gospel of od7 The gospel is that od created the heavens and the earth< then He beca-e flesh and passed thro#gh death and res#rrection to beco-e the Spirit -oving on the earth7 %hen yo# hear the gospel and call on His na-e) the Spirit enters into yo#) and yo# beco-e one spirit 8ith the Lord7 Then it is too late for yo# to change yo#r -ind) and yo# cannot give Hi-

#p even if yo# 8anted to7 Not only 8ill He not leave yo#) b#t He 8ill also be in yo# to transfor- yo# contin#ally7 %e) the saved ones) have the Spirit in #s< this is an acco-plished fact7 Therefore) 8e do not need to as! again for the Spirit to co-e into #s7 &oreover) 8e do not need to as! for the Spirit to co-e #pon #s7 %hat 8e need is to Bdig the gro#nd7C To Bdig the gro#ndC is to pray and confess o#r sins7 (f 8e desire to be filled 8ith the Holy Spirit) 8e -#st pray7 %hen 8e pray) od) 8ho is light) 8ill shine on o#r condition and -a!e -anifest o#r tho#ghts and intentions7 Then 8e -#st confess and as! the Lord to forgive #s of the evil tho#ghts 8ithin #s7 This !ind of confessing 8ill ca#se o#r inner spirit to be living and strong7 The proble- today is that 8e do not pray) and as a res#lt the B-#dC piles #p and obstr#cts the flo8 of the river of living 8ater 8ithin #s7 Therefore) in the Old Testa-ent types) there is not only the 8ater flo8ing o#t of the s-itten roc! b#t also the digging of the 8ell7 %hen the -#d is d#g a8ay) the 8ater g#shes #p fro- the 8ell7 This is the e+perience 8e need today7 So-e of the largest far- lands are in Te+as7 ( 8as in Te+as for a 8hile) and ( visited a special region 8here there is good agric#lt#ral prod#ction7 The prod#ction there depends not only on the rain fro- heaven b#t also on the 8ater dra8n fro- the flo8 of 8ater #nder the gro#nd7 There is a city in Ne8 &e+ico 8hich also has a large #ndergro#nd 8ater flo87 Part of California 8as a desert previo#sly) b#t no8 all of So#thern California is irrigated by the #ndergro#nd 8ater dra8n by electric po8er7 This is a -ethod of prod#ction in the so#thern part of the United States7 (n the sa-e -anner) today 8e do not depend on the Spirit to strengthen #s fro- o#tside beca#se the Spirit is already in #s7 %e only need to pray) and even pray #nceasingly< then the Holy Spirit 8ill be flo8ing #nceasingly in #s7 (f 8e do not pray) 8e do not feel that 8e are dirty7 The -ore 8e pray) ho8ever) the -ore 8e 8ill see o#r filthiness) and the -ore 8e 8ill then confess o#r sins7 ;#st as in ho#se cleaning) if 8e do it s#perficially) 8e 8ill not see that things are very d#sty) b#t if 8e do it caref#lly) 8e 8ill see that the place is f#ll of d#st7 StanFa 6 says) B( 8ill dig by praying) H 0ig the dirt entirely) H Th#s release the Spirit) H Let the strea- flo8 freely7C %hen 8e first begin to pray) 8e are ine+perienced and a8!8ard li!e those 8ho have j#st learned to 8al!7 (f 8e practice daily) ho8ever) 8e 8ill beco-e s!illf#l7 (f 8e do not pray) 8e 8ill not beco-e s!illf#l) b#t the -ore 8e pray) the -ore s!illf#l 8e beco-e7 To pray is to dig the 8ell7 %hen yo# first practice to pray) yo# -ay not have any feeling) b#t if yo# pray a little longer) the love to8ard the Lord 8ill g#sh #p fro- 8ithin yo#7 So-eti-es yo# 8ill even 8eep beca#se yo# see that altho#gh yo# are so 8ic!ed) the Lord loves yo# so -#ch7 This is the release of the Spirit7 Then 8hen yo# contin#e to pray according to the feeling 8ithin yo#) yo# have a s8eet e+perience7 (f yo# stop praying) ho8ever) yo# 8ill be li!e a car 8hose ignition is t#rned off and needs to be restarted7 (nitially yo# -ay not li!e to pray) b#t the -ore yo# practice) the -ore yo# 8ill taste the s8eetness of praying) and the -ore yo# 8ill li!e to pray7 This is to dig the 8ell7 TO ABIDE IN THE LORD REQUIRING US NOT TO QUENCH THE SPIRIT

,y th#s digging a8ay all the obstr#ctions) the living 8ater 8ill flo8) and spontaneo#sly 8e 8ill be abiding in the Lord7 Airst Thessalonians >:41 says) B0o not D#ench the Spirit7C (n the Chinese Union *ersion this verse is translated) B0o not D#ench the inspiration of the Spirit7C Aifty years ago 8hen ( read this verse) ( felt ( did not !no8 8hat 8as -eant by the inspiration of the Spirit) so ho8 co#ld ( D#ench itM rad#ally) ( realiFed that the Spirit is inspiring #s every -o-ent7 He is in #s li!e the air7 (f 8e do not have air) 8e 8ill die7 Li!e8ise) 8ithin #s) the saved ones) is the Spirit) 8ho inspires #s every day7 &any have a -ista!en #nderstanding concerning the inspiration of the Holy Spirit7 They thin! that the Spirit/s inspiration -#st involve a great act or event7 Act#ally) the inspiration of the Holy Spirit is li!e the -ove-ent of the air 8ithin #s7 %e al8ays have air 8ithin #s for 8hatever 8e do< 8itho#t air 8e 8o#ld stop breathing and th#s co#ld not do anything7 Li!e8ise) in o#r daily living) the Holy Spirit is -oving 8ithin #s all the ti-e7 (f instead of acting according to the Spirit/s -oving 8ithin) 8e act according to o#r o8n desire) this is to D#ench the inspiration of the Holy Spirit< that is) 8e D#ench the Spirit7 Aor instance) for the sa!e of the Lord/s 8or! ( need to !no8 the 8orld sit#ation) and therefore ( read the ne8spapers7 The content of the ne8spapers is a big te-ptation< therefore) ( read only the headings to get the -ajor points and avoid reading the rest7 ,#t so-e of the brothers si-ply li!e to read the ne8spapers< the -ore they read) the -ore they li!e to read) and the -ore they read) the -ore they lose the sense of the Spirit7 The Spirit 8ithin the- is clearly saying) B0o not read any-ore)C yet they !eep on reading7 This is to D#ench the Spirit7 Another e+a-ple is that so-e sisters li!e to go shopping and enjoy the pleas#re of b#ying things) b#t they do not realiFe ho8 -#ch they D#ench the Spirit in s#ch shopping trips7 The Tri#ne od beca-e flesh and died for #s on the cross) bearing o#r sins< then He res#rrected and beca-e the life.giving Spirit7 %hen 8e called on His na-e) He ca-e to d8ell in #s and 8e 8ere saved7 This is a real fact) not a theory or philosophical doctrine7 The Spirit/s ind8elling #s is not a -atter of His being high or -ighty< instead) He is lo8ly and gentle and is often 8ronged by #s7 %e often ignore Hi-) disregard Hi-) and even D#ench Hi-< yet He re-ains 8ith #s7 Aor #s to abide in the Lord) the -ost cr#cial thing is to not D#ench the Spirit7 %hen yo# tal! 8ith yo#r 8ife) do not D#ench the Spirit7 (f the Spirit forbids yo# to contin#e tal!ing) yo# -#st not reply) BLord) let -e say t8o -ore sentences) or at least let -e finish this sentence7C (f yo# contin#e to tal! on and on) yo# event#ally 8ill co-pletely forget the Spirit7 Altho#gh the Spirit 8ill not leave yo#) yo# 8ill D#ench the Spirit7 To abide in the Lord) first of all 8e -#st not D#ench the Spirit7 Airst ;ohn 2:2= says) BThe anointing 8hich yo# have received fro- Hi- abides in yo#<L His anointingLis tr#e and is not a lie) and even as it has ta#ght yo#) abide in Hi-7C The anointing oint-ent is the Spirit) and the anointing of this oint-ent) that is) the -oving of the Spirit) never stops7 Oo# -ay D#ench Hi-) b#t He 8ill not -ind and 8ill still !eep on

anointing yo# 8ithin7 (f yo# arg#e) He anoints yo# silently< 8hen yo# cal- do8n) He -oves yo# again) ca#sing yo# to repent and confess yo#r sins7 Aor #s to abide in the Lord) 8e -#st learn to not D#ench the Spirit at all b#t to cooperate 8ith Hi- co-pletely and to not arg#e 8ith Hi-7 Sisters) 8hen yo# pic! #p an ite- in the depart-ent store and 8ithin yo# He is telling yo# to p#t it do8n) yo# sho#ld si-ply p#t it do8n D#ic!ly7 %hen He tells yo# not to b#y) yo# sho#ld D#ic!ly get into yo#r car and go ho-e7 (f yo# do this) yo# 8ill not D#ench the Spirit or reason 8ith Hi-7 (f yo# obey the Spirit) yo# -ay feel sad 8hen yo# first get into yo#r car) b#t 8hen the car starts to -ove) yo# 8ill begin to have joy and 8ill be able to open yo#r -o#th to praise the Lord7 ,#t if yo# D#ench the Spirit and b#y that ite-) yo# -ay be happy at that -o-ent7 %hen yo# get into yo#r car) 8hile driving ho-e yo# 8ill sense that yo# have a heavy b#rden and yo# 8ill beco-e sad7 Upon arriving ho-e yo# -ay consider thro8ing the ite- a8ay) b#t yo# -ay feel that this is too 8astef#l7 Ho8ever) if yo# !eep the ite-) yo# 8ill feel that it is a bothering) and 8hen yo# #se it) yo# 8ill have no peace at all7 Event#ally) yo# si-ply have to repent and confess to the Lord7 NOT TO QUENCH THE SPIRIT BEING NOT TO NEGLECT THE LORDS WORD (f yo# arg#e and D#ench the Spirit) the res#lt 8ill be that yo# cannot pray 8hen yo# 8ant to pray7 Oo# 8ill also have no peace in yo#r heart or have any desire to attend the ch#rch -eetings7 Th#s) yo# are not abiding in the Lord7 (f) ho8ever) yo# do not D#ench the Spirit) yo# 8ill abide in the Lord and 8ill not neglect His 8ords7 (n ;ohn J:J6 the Lord ;es#s said) BThe 8ords 8hich ( have spo!en to yo# are spirit and are life7C The Lord/s Spirit and the Lord/s 8ords cannot be separated7 Therefore) 8hen yo# do not D#ench the Spirit) it -eans yo# have not neglected the Lord/s 8ords< b#t 8hen yo# neglect the Lord/s 8ords) yo# D#ench the Spirit7 These t8o things are one7 Airst Thessalonians is on the Christian/s daily life) Colossians is on the life of e+periencing Christ) and Ephesians is on the life of e+periencing the ch#rch7 To have these three !inds of lives 8e need to pray #nceasingly and give than!s in everything7 Not only so) Colossians tells #s that a life of e+periencing Christ depends on o#r letting the 8ord of the Lord d8ell in #s richly ECol7 6:4J@< Ephesians says that for #s to have the ch#rch life) 8e -#st be filled in spirit EEph7 >:45b@7 %hen 8e have the Spirit of od filling o#r spirit 8ithin and the 8ord of the Lord d8elling in #s) spontaneo#sly 8e can give than!s at all ti-es for all things7 According to 4 Thessalonians) if 8e are #nable to give than!s) it is beca#se 8e have D#enched the Spirit and neglected the prophecies E>:45.23@7 Prophecies are the 8ords given by the Spirit) 8hich are also the 8ords of the Lord7 The ,ible is the Lord/s 8ord in 8ritten for-) and the prophecies are the Lord/s spea!ing in #s7 Therefore) do not D#ench the Spirit and do not despise prophecies -ean do not D#ench the Spirit of od and do not neglect the 8ords of the Lord7 %e have the Spirit) and often 8e also have the instant 8ords of the Lord 8ithin #s7 (f 8e D#ench the Spirit and neglect the 8ords of the Lord) 8e 8ill co-e o#t of the Lord7 ,#t if 8e neither D#ench the Spirit nor neglect the instant

8ords of the Lord) 8e 8ill abide in the Lord7 %hen 8e abide in the Lord) spontaneo#sly 8e can e+ercise o#r spirit) pray) and give than!s in everything7 This is a practical 8ay for #s to abide in the Lord7

CHAPTER FIVE NOT A MATTER OF SIN BUT A MATTER OF I

Script#re 9eading: ;ohn J:>=< al7 2:23< 4 Cor7 4>:43< Phil7 4:23b.24a

The title of this -essage is Not a &atter of Sin b#t a &atter of B(7C This state-ent does not so#nd Chinese) nor does it so#nd li!e a 8ord fro- the ,ible7 Ho8ever) according to -y personal e+perience) if yo# 8ant to abide in the Lord and enjoy His life) yo# -#st #nderstand that this is not a -atter of 8hether yo# sin b#t of 8hether it is yo# 8ho live7 (f it is yo# 8ho live) then even if yo# do not sin) yo# are still abiding in yo#rself7 %hen it is not yo# 8ho live) yo# are blessed7 ABIDING IN THE LORD NOT BEING A MATTER OF SINNING Even if ( do not sin and ( a- a BsaintC today) ( a- still B(C 8itho#t any change7 Then this B(C 8ill be the root of tro#ble7 As long as B(C a- here) there 8ill be tro#ble7 (f 8e see this point clearly) 8e 8ill abide in the Lord even 8hen 8e 8o#ld not li!e to7 (f it is that yo# -erely do not sin) it is highly possible that yo# are still one h#ndred percent in yo#rself7 (n other 8ords) 8hile yo# -ay not sin) it is still possible that yo# are one h#ndred percent not abiding in the Lord7 To abide in the Lord is not a -atter of 8hether or not one co--its sin7 Of co#rse) 8hen one abides in the Lord) he cannot sin7 Ho8ever) not co--itting sin is not eD#al to abiding in the Lord7 Conf#ci#s never heard abo#t Christ or !ne8 the Lord) yet he co#ld say) BOne cannot pray 8hen he sins against heaven7C He did not !no8 anything regarding the Lord) b#t his ethical speech and 8ays 8ere co--endable7 He 8as tr#ly a perfect -an7 At the age of seventy he 8as able to do the desires of his heart yet not transgress 8hat 8as right< that is) he did not sin7 Not8ithstanding) he did not abide in the Lord and had nothing to do 8ith the Lord7 This is strong proof that abiding in the Lord is altogether not a -atter of sinning or not sinning7 REPENTANCE BEING A CHANGE OF MIND As nat#ral beings 8e have o#r nat#ral concepts fro- birth7 Th#s) 8hen 8e hear the Lord/s 8ord and the gospel of od) 8e re-e-ber o#r sins7 Of co#rse) this is right7 %ith regard to the gospel of od) o#r sins certainly are a proble-7 Therefore) all those 8ho preach the gospel al8ays as! people to repent) and also the people the-selves realiFe that they are sinf#l and conseD#ently need to repent7 Ho8ever) this !ind of realiFation is too nat#ral7 According to the light of the gospel tr#th) a so.called sinless person also needs repentance7 (n ree!) the -eaning of repent is not -ainly on repentance7 (t is not that yo# have sinned and -ade -ista!es) so yo# regret and correct yo#rself by -a!ing a t#rn7 9ather) it is that yo# have done so-ething 8hich -ay not have had anything to do 8ith

sinning) b#t after8ard yo# still regret and correct yo#rself by -a!ing a t#rn7 Aor e+a-ple) so-eti-es the sisters repent after going to a store to do so-e shopping) even tho#gh shopping itself is so-ething apart fro- sinning7 The ree! 8ord for repent is co-posed of t8o parts: one part i-plies BchangeC and the other part -eans B-ind7C The co-bination of the t8o -eans Ba change of -ind7C Therefore) to repent is to have a change of -ind) iss#ing in regret7 (t is to have a t#rn in p#rpose7 GOD CREATING MAN WITH THE PURPOSE THAT MAN MIGHT TAKE GOD AS HIS CONTENT AND THEREBY EXPRESS GOD To repent -eans to ca#se o#r -ind) 8hich 8as going the 8rong 8ay) to t#rn aro#nd7 0#e to o#r -isconceptions) 8e thin! that -orality is o#r goal and is the -eaning of o#r h#-an life7 Ho8ever) the divine revelation in the ,ible sho8s #s that od is -an/s goal) -an/s center) and -an/s -eaning7 od sho#ld be his content7 The ,ible does not say that od created -an according to the i-age of -orality7 9ather) it says that od created -an according to the i-age of od7 This -eans that od created -an that -an -ay e+press od7 Aor -an to e+press od) he -#st have od as his content7 (f 8e do not have od 8ithin #s) there is no 8ay for #s to e+press od7 %hat is e+pressed o#t8ardly altogether depends on 8hat has been for-ed 8ithin7 Therefore) it is not a -atter of -orality b#t a -atter of od7 %hen -an fell) he fell into sin7 Conf#ci#s and &enci#s also 8ere born a-ong fallen -en7 Hence) their concept 8as that -an needs i-prove-ent fro- a fallen condition to a -oral condition7 ,eca#se they did not !no8 od) they tried to change -an altogether by teaching benevolence and j#stice according to their -oral concepts7 This is the 8or! of Conf#ci#s and &enci#s: teaching -orality and) in partic#lar) benevolence and j#stice7 Ho8ever) the ,ible reveals that od is the so#rce and that He created -an for His o8n p#rpose) that is) that -an -ight be filled 8ith od) ta!e od as life) and have od as his content for the e+pression of od7 MANS NATURAL CONCEPT BEING TO DO EVERYTHING BY HIMSELF %hen ( 8as first saved) ( heard abo#t abiding in the Lord7 &y concept 8as that fro-orning to evening ( sho#ld not lose -y te-per) ( sho#ld al8ays be gentle to8ard others) ( sho#ld spea! at a slo8 pace and 8ith a -oderate tone) ( sho#ld not do things in haste) and ( sho#ld 8al! neither too fast nor too slo8 and -a!e no lo#d so#nd7 At that ti-e the boo!s in the ,ible ( li!ed to read the -ost 8ere ;a-es and Proverbs7 All typical Chinese appreciate the boo! of Proverbs7 Therefore) the Chinese Ne8 Testa-ent is printed 8ith Proverbs as an appendi+7 The boo! of ;a-es rese-bles Proverbs7 ;a-es says) B,#t let every -an be D#ic! to hear) slo8 to spea!) slo8 to 8rathC E4:41@7 The elderly ;a-es tr#ly 8as e+perienced7 To only listen and not spea! -eans that one co#ld never get angry7 The best 8ay for an angry person to control his anger is to !eep his -o#th sh#t7 No -atter ho8 -#ch others -ay offend yo#) if yo# si-ply hold on to this secret of !eeping yo#r -o#th sh#t) yo# 8ill not get angry7 Ho8ever) once yo# open yo#r -o#th and the 8ords start to flo8 o#t) yo#r 8rath 8ill be released7 Therefore) ( totally agreed 8ith 8hat ;a-es said) and ( even practiced this at ti-es7

Later ( discovered that 8hat ( 8as practicing 8as neither abiding in the Lord nor enjoying the Lord/s life7 ( -is#nderstood its -eaning7 As a res#lt ( practiced -any years yet had no s#ccess7 The ,ible says that 8hen the Lord 8as s#ffering persec#tion) He 8as Bli!e a la-b that is led to the sla#ghter H And li!e a sheep that is d#-b before its shearersC E(sa7 >6:=@7 He 8as tr#ly li!e a sheep7 To abide in the Lord is to be li!e a sheep) b#t ( 8as li!e a fast horse7 Ho8 can ( be a sheepM Therefore) altho#gh ( f#lly believed in the Lord) never do#bted) and behaved as a Christian) ( 8as often disco#raged beca#se ( felt that ( co#ld not -a!e it7 Aor a period of ti-e ( 8as very disappointed7 Still ( contin#ed to practice and learn slo8ly7 %hat ( a- fello8shipping 8ith yo# is based not only #pon the ,ible b#t also #pon 8hat ( have learned7 Perhaps so-e 8o#ld say that the title of this -essage is very strange7 This is so) b#t it is thro#gh e+perience that ( !no8 the tr#th 8hich ( spea!7 According to 8hat 8as ta#ght in the past) if 8e tr#ly 8ant to practice abiding in the Lord) 8e sho#ld rise #p early) pray first) then 8ash) and then sit do8n to read the %ord7 Ho8ever) ( can g#arantee that yo# -ight be able to practice this for three days) b#t yo# 8ill not be able to contin#e it for thirty days7 &aybe yo# can do it for even thirty days) b#t yo# 8ill not be able to carry it o#t for three -onths7 ( -yself have practiced this 8ay of rising #p early to pray and read the ,ible) perhaps -ore than all of yo#7 The first t8o days ( 8o#ld do 8ell) b#t it did not last) and ( co#ld not contin#e7 Ainally) ( ca-e to realiFe that it is not a -atter of practicing certain things) not a -atter of sinning or not sinning) not a -atter of having -orning revival or not having -orning revival) and not a -atter of praying first after getting o#t of bed7 ( discovered that even tho#gh ( practiced all these things) ( 8as still B()C and ( re-ained #nchanged7 (t 8as ( 8ho prayed before 8ashing) and it 8as definitely ( 8ho read the %ord after praying7 Altho#gh o#t8ardly ( did -any things) in8ardly it 8as still (7 Altho#gh ( contin#e to enco#rage yo# abo#t thingsNbeca#se people need enco#rage-ent and cannot do 8ell 8itho#t itN( !no8 that in the end all enco#rage-ent 8ill not avail7 At the -ost yo# 8ill be b#rning only for five -in#tes7 Not only so) even 8ith #s Christians 8ho love the Lord and 8ho are Fealo#s for Hi-) o#r Feal often does not last for -ore than five days7 Therefore) -any ti-es before five days are #p) 8e have to change o#r Bgi--ic!7C (n the practice of the ch#rch life) the elders often change their gi--ic!) perhaps every five -onths) beca#se no gi--ic! can last fro- the beginning of the year to the end7 %hatever practice 8e try to -aintain) event#ally o#r Feal for it 8ill di-inish7 The reason for this is that ( a- still B(7C NO LONGER I WHO LIVE, BUT CHRIST WHO LIVES IN ME alatians 2:23 says) B(t is no longer ( 8ho live) b#t it is Christ 8ho lives in -e7C 9eligion) ethics) or any !ind of philosophical concept reD#ires #s to beco-e perfect people 8ho are 8itho#t sins or transgressions7 Only the biblical concept is s#perior to the h#-an concept< its highest goal is not for -an to be a perfect -an 8itho#t any sin or

transgression) b#t for -an to live od/s life that od -ay live in -an7 S#ch a concept is clearly revealed in alatians 2:237 B( a- cr#cified 8ith Christ7C %e have already pointed o#t that the -eaning of cr#cifi+ion is not s#ffering b#t ter-ination7 Ho8ever) -ost Christians have the 8rong #nderstanding Nthat to ta!e #p the cross is to s#ffer7 This is altogether a nat#ral concept and not the p#re revelation of the ,ible7 The cross referred to in the ,ible is not for #s to s#ffer b#t for #s to be ter-inated7 (n ;ohn 41:4> 8hen the ;e8s pointed to the Lord ;es#s 8ho 8as standing before Pilate and said) BCr#cify Hi-)C 8hat they -eant 8as) B et rid of Hi-7C Their p#rpose for p#tting the Lord on the cross 8as not that He 8o#ld s#ffer b#t that they 8o#ld get rid of Hi-7 The -eaning of B( a- cr#cified 8ith ChristC is that in Christ ( have been annihilated) ter-inated) together 8ith Hi-7 %hether ( a- good or bad) ( have been ter-inated7 %hether ( a- -oral or i--oral) ( have been ter-inated7 %hether ( hate or love others) ( have been ter-inated7 &oreover) 8hether ( disobey -y parents or honor the-) ( have been ter-inated7 Pa#l) the one 8ho 8rote this 8ord) said that before he 8as saved) before he received Christ) he beca-e bla-eless Bas to the righteo#sness 8hich is in the la8C EPhil7 6:J@7 He co#ld be considered a perfect -an according to the la87 Nevertheless) he still repented7 H#-anly spea!ing) he 8as proven to be one 8ho 8as tr#ly bla-eless) a perfect -an) 8itho#t sin or transgression< b#t s#ch a -an 8as still not 8hat od 8ants7 (t 8as not #ntil after Pa#l repented that he co#ld say that it 8as not the righteo#sness of the la8 that 8o#ld be -anifested in his body) b#t as al8ays Christ 8o#ld be -agnified in his body) 8hether thro#gh life or thro#gh death EPhil7 4:23b@7 The rendering of as al8ays is very -eaningf#l7 (t is not a short.lived -atter b#t al8ays7 Pa#l did not -agnify Christ in a short.lived 8ay li!e the night.bloo-ing flo8ers 8hich are bea#tif#l for a -o-ent b#t 8ither at the blin! of an eye7 9ather) he al8ays -agnified Christ 8hether thro#gh life or thro#gh death7 (nstead of ethics) it 8as Christ 8ho 8as -agnified in his body7 He said) BAor to -e) to live is ChristC Ev7 24a@7 0ear brothers and sisters) 8e all need to see that 8e are very -#ch governed by o#r nat#ral concepts7 Each ti-e 8e read the ,ible) 8e bring in o#r nat#ral concepts7 Every ti-e 8e spea! abo#t abiding in the Lord) 8e thin! that this refers to being bla-eless) to sinless perfection7 %e thin! that to abide in the Lord is to be a perfect person7 Act#ally this is not so7 To abide in the Lord -eans that in all things it is not yo# 8ho are doing and living) b#t it is the Lord 8ho is doing and living7 (n -y life ( have had -any e+periences) b#t 8hat ( have e+perienced the -ost is that 8hen 8e Christians do not live by the Lord b#t by o#rselves) that is the -ost dangero#s -o-ent7 Any ti-e yo# live by yo#rself) yo# -ay feel very good and that yo# do not have any proble-s) b#t act#ally this is the -ost dangero#s ti-e7 ( often say that yo# can never hate those 8ho- yo# did not once love7 Oo# 8o#ld not bother to hate the people on the streets 8ho- yo# do not !no8 and 8ho are not related to yo#7 Have yo# ever hated anyone 8ho- yo# did not love previo#slyM (n li!e -anner) those 8ho have the 8orst te-per are not those 8ho easily lose their te-per7 Those 8ho freD#ently lose their te-per are in the habit of losing their te-per) so they do not readily

go into a rage7 9ather) it is those 8ho are very gentle) 8ho are the -ost li!e la-bs) that 8hen they e+plode 8ith anger) they beco-e altogether #ncontrollable7 %hy is thisM This is beca#se they have been living by the self7 (f yo# love by yo#r self and yo# are gentle by yo#r self) event#ally) yo# 8ill hate by yo#r self and e+plode 8ith anger by yo#r self7 The ,ible tells #s at the o#tset that there 8ere t8o trees in the garden of Eden: the tree of life and the tree of the !no8ledge of good and evil7 The tree of the !no8ledge of good and evil co-prises not only the !no8ledge of good b#t also the !no8ledge of evil7 ood and evil are joined together< they are of the sa-e nat#re7 %here there is good) there is also evil< evil al8ays acco-panies good7 This is the tr#th in the ,ible7 %hen good co-es) evil 8ill certainly follo87 Aor e+a-ple) the date trees in North China have thorns7 (f there are dates) there are thorns7 There is not one tree that bears dates that is 8itho#t thorns7 (n the sa-e 8ay) evil al8ays co-es 8ith good7 A certain Christian said that if yo# have the !no8ledge of evil) act#ally that !no8ledge is sin7 (t 8o#ld be best that in o#r tho#ghts and in o#r concepts there is no s#ch thing as sin) for then it is g#aranteed that 8e 8ill not sin7 (f 8e !no8 both good and evil) the res#lt 8ill be that 8e do both good and evil7 Ho8ever) the ,ible does not tell #s to get rid of evil and to do good7 The ,ible tells #s to live 8holly by the Lord7 %hen 8e live by the Lord) not only 8ill 8e not hate others) b#t 8e 8ill also not love others in o#rselves7 %e 8ill si-ply live by the Lord7 HE WHO EATS THE LORD LIVING BECAUSE OF THE LORD The Lord ;es#s said in ;ohn J:>=) BSo he 8ho eats &e) he also shall live beca#se of &e7C %hat does beca#se of &e -eanM To say that it -eans BbyC -ay see- D#ite correct) b#t in ree! the 8ord is not by b#t a 8ord that is hard to interpret7 Even the best e+positors have not f#lly e+plained it7 E+perience is reD#ired to #nderstand this7 To e+plain this 8ord) 8e need the entire ospel of ;ohn7 The Lord ;es#s said) BAs the living Aather has sent &e and ( live beca#se of the Aather) so he 8ho eats &e) he also shall live beca#se of &eC Ev7 >=@7 The living Aather sent the Lord ;es#s7 This sending is not the sending in its ordinary sense) in that the sender stays bac! 8hile the sent one goes forth7 Aor e+a-ple) if yo# have diffic#lty in getting aro#nd) yo# -ay send so-eone to get a boo! for yo#7 This !ind of sending -eans that yo# do not -ove) 8hile the sent one -oves7 Ho8ever) the ospel of ;ohn tells #s that 8hen the Aather od sent the Lord ;es#s) the Aather od ca-e 8ith and in the Lord ;es#s7 %hen the Aather od sent the Son) He first entered into the Son) and then He sent the Son7 The Aather lives) and He lives in the Son7 The Aather/s living in the Son sends the Son7 Hence) the Son as the sent One lives beca#se there is One living in Hi-7 (n ;ohn J:>= the 8ord beca#se -eans that in the Son there is a living od and that His being and His living are the ca#se) or the reason) of the Son/s living7 Therefore) this verse -eans that the living Aather entered the Son and lived in the Son) and then He sent the Son7 %hen the Aather -oved) the Son -oved< 8hen the Aather spo!e) the Son spo!e7 %hatever the Son spo!e or did 8as beca#se of the Aather/s spea!ing and doing in Hi-7

Th#s) the living Aather is the factor of the Son/s living and -oving7 The living Aather lived in the Son and sent the Son< hence) the Son lived beca#se of the Aather/s living in Hi-) and the Son spo!e and -oved beca#se of the Aather/s spea!ing and -oving in Hi-7 (n the sa-e 8ay) those 8ho eat the Lord 8ill live beca#se of the Lord7 To eat is to ta!e food into #s as o#r life s#pply7 Th#s) to eat the Lord ;es#s is to ta!e the Lord ;es#s into #s as o#r life s#pply7 This Lord ;es#s is also living7 He al8ays lives in #s< He lives in #s daily) and He lives in #s #nceasingly7 %e are those 8ho have received the Lord ;es#s) so 8e sho#ld live beca#se He lives in #s7 %e live and -ove beca#se the living Lord ;es#s lives and -oves in #s7 He 8ho eats the Lord has the living Lord living 8ithin hi-7 Th#s) this living Lord is the factor of his living) as Pa#l said) B(t is no longer ( 8ho live) b#t it is Christ 8ho lives in -e7C Christ lives in -e as the factor of -y living7 ,eca#se He lives li!e this in -e) ( live7 Therefore) 8hen ( live) act#ally it is not ( 8ho live b#t it is Christ 8ho lives7 NEEDING TO PRACTICE IN OUR DAILY LIVING %hile this tr#th is very diffic#lt to e+plain) it is still possible to spea! it rather clearly7 The hardest thing) ho8ever) is to apply this tr#th to o#r daily living7 The yo#ng people are f#ll of energy< therefore) it is diffic#lt for the- to deny the-selves in all things and live by the Lord7 The older people tend to boast of their age and despise others7 The older they are) the -ore they thin! they are e+perienced< th#s) it is even harder for the- to deny the-selves and live by the Lord7 (n addition) in great -atters or in diffic#lt ti-es it is easier for #s to live by the Lord) b#t in the s-all things in o#r daily life it is very easy for #s to depend on o#rselves7 Nevertheless) as those 8ho love the Lord 8e sho#ld as! o#rselves) B(s it ( 8ho live or is it the Lord 8ho lives todayMC ( have -any children and grandchildren) and every ti-e ( have contact 8ith the- ( e+perience a strong correction 8ithin: B(s this yo# or the Lord ;es#sM (s this the Lord spea!ing in yo# or is it yo# yo#rselfMC (t is not a -atter of being right or 8rong b#t a -atter of 8hether or not it is the Lord7 (f yo# are spea!ing or behaving in yo#rself) then 8hat yo# -ight thin! is right is still 8rong7 (f yo# live by the Lord) then even so-e things yo# thin! are 8rong are right7 The revelation in the fo#r ospels is clear< the Lord healed the sic! on the Sabbath7 The Pharisees said that He violated the Sabbath) b#t the Lord said that He 8as not 8rong beca#se He is the Lord) He is od7 As the One 8ho established the Sabbath) He had the a#thority to p#t the Sabbath aside7 Event#ally) He said that the Son of &an 8as the Lord of the Sabbath7 He had the a#thority to establish it and the a#thority to abolish it7 Hence) 8e sho#ld all let the Lord be the Lord7 He is the Lord< 8hatever He does is right7 (f 8e do it) everything is 8rong beca#se it is not 8hat the Lord 8ants7 The Lord does not 8ant #s to do anything7 %hat he 8ants is to be in #s and to live o#t Hi-self fro- 8ithin #s7 This !ind of concept is easy to #nderstand b#t not easy to practice7 %e love the Lord very -#ch and are 8illing to live by the Lord) b#t 8henever 8e do anything) 8e al8ays live o#rselves7 %e have all received the -ercy of the Lord to at least not do sinf#l things7 (n the -atters in o#r daily life) ho8ever) especially in s-all things) it is very easy for #s to

live co-pletely by o#rselves and not by the Lord7 (t is not #ntil the -eeting ti-e that 8e -ight re-e-ber 8e sho#ld go to the -eetings by the Lord7 Even in the -eetings 8e -ay still not live by the Lord7 %hen yo# sho#ld open yo#r -o#th) yo# 8o#ld not7 The Lord #rges yo# to praise) prophesy) or pray) yet yo# are often afraid and #n8illing to lose face7 Oo# -ight feel that 8hen yo# have learned to spea! and can be an instant sensation) then yo# 8ill be 8illing to open yo#r -o#th7 Therefore) it is still yo# 8ho live7 (f yo# tr#ly live by the Lord) 8hen yo# have the inner sense to pray) yo# 8ill not care 8hether it so#nds good or bad< yo# 8ill pray7 Th#s) 8hether it is in o#r daily life or in the -eetings) 8e do not live by the Lord7 %hether 8e are ne8ly saved or 8e have been saved for -any years) all of #s are good at living o#rselves7 On the cross the Lord ;es#s 8as a La-b7 (nstead of threatening people) He 8as -istreated by the-7 After His res#rrection fro- the dead) He beca-e a dove7 Even 8e often -istreat o#r Lord ;es#s7 Nevertheless) He is patient as a dove7 He -oves contin#ally 8ithin #s so that 8e 8o#ld not do anything by o#rselves b#t instead allo8 Hi- to do everything7 ;#st as He lived beca#se of the Aather) He also 8ants #s to be transfor-ed into His i-age and live beca#se of Hi-7 %e than! the Lord that d#e to His inf#sion and infl#ence) even tho#gh 8e often live by o#rselves) 8e do have a -eas#re of His i-age7 %hether 8e are shepherding others or going to 8or! or school) 8e all need to as! for the Lord/s leading and to live by the Lord7 %henever yo# do not live by the Lord) even if yo# do good) yo# are still o#tside of the Lord and not abiding in the Lord7 This is not doctrine< this is a -atter of act#al practice and e+perience7 &ay 8e all be able to practice so that in every action) 8ord) and attit#de 8e 8o#ld entirely live by the Lord and live beca#se of the Lord7 %hether in speech or action) 8e -#st live by His spea!ing and -oving in #s7 He -#st be the factor in 8hat 8e spea! and 8hat 8e do7 (n the sa-e principle) 8e love the brothers and sisters beca#se He is in #s loving the-7 His love in #s is the factor of o#r love7 %e love the brothers and sisters beca#se He loves the-7 (t is not that He loves 8ho- He loves) and 8e love 8ho- 8e love7 (t is not beca#se He loves) so in li!e -anner 8e love7 9ather) it is beca#se the Lord loves in #s that 8e love together 8ith Hi-7 This is to live by the Lord7 The res#lt is that 8e 8ill live in the Lord and abide in the Lord7 Spontaneo#sly) 8e 8ill also enjoy the Lord as o#r life7 &ay the Lord have -ercy on #s and grant #s the grace so that 8e all can practice this7

CHAPTER SIX IN THE HOLIEST PLACE, LIVE WITHIN THE VEIL

Script#re 9eading: Heb7 43:41.23< ?:4J< 4 Cor7 6:4J< 4 Thes7 >:26

Prayer: O Lord) 8e 8orship Oo# that Oo# have gathered #s before Oo#) and 8e believe that Oo# are 8ith #s7 Ho8 good it is that 8e can be here aro#nd Oo#r 8ord) and by this 8e can dra8 near to Oo# and contact Oo# as the SpiritK O Lord) 8e really than! Oo# that) as o#r Savior) Oo# died on the cross for o#r sins) Oo# bore all o#r offenses) Oo# 8ere j#dged by od for #s) and Oo# 8ere raised fro- the dead7 O Lord) cleanse #s 8ith Oo#r precio#s blood7 ,y this blood 8e have the boldness to enter into the Holy of Holies7

Lord) 8e have no fear 8ithin #s beca#se o#r conscience has been p#rified by being sprin!led 8ith the precio#s blood7 Having peace and boldness before Oo#) 8e can hear Oo#r spea!ing7 Lord) 8e pray that Oo# reach every one of #s and visit each one7 Co-e into #s to to#ch o#r heart again) and open #p o#r spirit and the #nderstanding of o#r -ind that 8e -ay have the 8isdo- to #nderstand Oo#r 8ord and -ay also have the revelation to see Oo#r vision7 O Lord) ca#se #s all to be -oved by Oo# in o#r spirit to receive Oo#r grace7 Ca#se #s all to !no8 Oo# as the tr#e and living od and as the all.incl#sive Spirit) 8ho is in o#r -o#th and in o#r heart for #s to contact at any ti-e7 Lord) 8e believe that Oo#r Spirit is 8ith #s7 %e praise Oo# that Oo# have -ade #s Oo#r te-ple< 8e are Oo#r d8elling place7 %e and Oo# as t8o spirits have beco-e one spirit7 %e pray that Oo# bless #s for #s to have Oo# as o#r life) even ab#ndantly7 Lord) grant #s the #tterance and give #s the fresh and clear 8ord to -eet the need of the people7 %e also pray that Oo#r 8ord) bringing 8ith it Oo#r a#thority) Oo#r po8er) and Oo#rself) 8o#ld co-e to people to s#bd#e the- that they -ay repent to Oo#) t#rn bac! to Oo#) and see the corr#ption of the 8orld and the vanity of h#-an life7 O Lord) 8e also as! Oo# to shine #pon #s so that 8e -ay tr#ly !no8 Oo#7 Even -ore) 8e as! Oo# to besto8 Oo#r blessing #pon #s that 8e -ay all have life and -ay have it ab#ndantly7 A-en7 THE HOLIEST PLACE, THE VEIL, AND THE THRONE OF GRACE The title of this -essage is (n the Holiest Place) Live 8ithin the *eil7 This is ta!en fro- a line of the second stanFa of Hy-n P>>= in the Chinese Hy-ns7 The ,ible spea!s of the Holiest Place and the veil7 Ho8ever) Christians in general probably do not !no8 the -eaning of the phrase the Holiest Place7 (n addition) they e+plain the 8ord veil -erely as a c#rtain #sed to separate spaces or things) and they !no8 even less 8hat 8ithin the veil refers to7 After ( 8as saved) ( 8as p#FFled abo#t 8hat the Holiest Place 8as and 8hat 8ithin the veil -eant7 ( felt that it 8as not too hard to #nderstand these t8o 8ordsNHoliest and grace7 ,#t Holiest pl#s place eD#aling the Holiest Place referred to a location7 %hat !ind of place 8as thisM A#rther-ore) grace pl#s throne eD#aled the throne of grace7 %hat !ind of throne 8as thisM On earth there is a great -ess every8here7 %here is the Holiest PlaceM And 8here can the throne of grace beM (t see-ed that it 8as not easy to find the-7 Therefore) ( concl#ded that the Holiest Place and the throne of grace -#st be in the Bheavenly hall7C Th#s) B(n the Holiest Place) to#ch the throne of graceC -#st refer to o#r entering into the Bheavenly hall7C &oreover) the e+pression heavenly hall is definitely fo#nd in Hebre8s 1:2? in the Chinese Union *ersion) b#t in reality) heavenly hall) 8hich is altogether a ,#ddhist ter- borro8ed by the Chinese ,ible translators) does not correspond 8ith the teaching of the Script#res7 The ter- heavenly hall does not e+ist either in the Hebre8 te+t of the Old Testa-ent or in the ree! te+t of the Ne8 Testa-ent7

(n order to #nderstand the -eaning of these ter-sNthe Holiest Place) the throne of grace) and 8ithin the veilN( 8ent to -any places to listen to ser-ons for -any years7 Ho8ever) it 8as not easy to hear -essages concerning these things in the co--on Christian -eetings7 (t 8as not #ntil one day 8hen ( 8ent to the -eetings of a ,rethren Asse-bly that ( heard an e+planation of 8hat the Holiest Place is) 8hat the throne of grace is) and 8hat it is to be 8ithin the veil7 At that ti-e) they had prayer -eetings every T#esday night7 0#ring the -eeting) the 8hole congregation 8o#ld !neel do8n and pray 8ith lo#d groanings7 They said that this is to Benter the Holy of HoliesC and Bco-e for8ard to the throne of grace7C After8ard ( fo#nd o#t that these phrases 8ere D#oted fro- Hebre8s 43:41.23 and ?:4J7 ( received a great deal of help fro- the-7 After ( had had a considerable a-o#nt of e+perience) ( grad#ally #nderstood the real -eaning of Bentering the Holy of HoliesC and Bco-ing for8ard to the throne of grace7C THE TYPES OF THE TABERNACLE AND THE HOLY OF HOLIES IN THE OLD TESTAMENT (n the Old Testa-ent) 8hen the (sraelites ca-e o#t of Egypt and jo#rneyed thro#gh the 8ilderness) od co--anded &oses to b#ild a tabernacle for Hi- so that He co#ld be 8ith the children of (srael7 O#tside of this tabernacle 8as the o#ter co#rt) 8hich 8as one h#ndred c#bits in length) fifty c#bits in 8idth) and enclosed 8ith the fine linen as the c#rtains7 The tabernacle itself 8as thirty c#bits in length) ten c#bits in 8idth) and ten c#bits in height7 (t 8as divided into t8o parts: the Holy Place and the Holiest Place7 The Holy Place 8as t8enty c#bits in length and the Holiest Place 8as ten c#bits in length7 This tabernacle 8as the d8elling place of od a-ong His redee-ed people at that ti-e on the earth7 (t 8as also the prec#rsor of the te-ple< first there 8as the tabernacle) and then it beca-e the te-ple7 %hen the (sraelites 8ere 8andering in the 8ilderness) the tabernacle 8as the d8elling place of od7 After they entered into the good land) Canaan) and settled do8n there) they b#ilt a fi+ed tabernacle of stones) and that 8as the holy te-ple7 The contents of the te-ple 8ere the sa-e as that of the tabernacle) having three parts: the o#ter co#rt) the Holy Place) and the Holiest Place7 To enter the Holy of Holies) the priests had to first pass thro#gh the gate of the o#ter co#rt 8hich 8as on the east to8ard the s#nrise7 Then they passed thro#gh the o#ter co#rt into the Holy Place and then finally into the Holiest Place7 At the entrance of the tabernacle in the o#ter co#rt there 8as the altar of b#rnt offering) 8here they offered sacrifices to od7 (n bet8een the Holy Place and the Holiest Place) there 8as a very thic! veil separating the t8o7 The co--on people co#ld enter the o#ter co#rt b#t not the Holy Place7 Only the priests 8ere D#alified to enter the Holy Place7 As to the Holiest Place) only the high priest) 8ho had the highest office a-ong the priests) 8as allo8ed to enter it once a year7 (n the Holiest Place 8as the ar!) 8ithin 8hich 8ere the Ten Co--and-ents 8hich od had established 8ith His people7 Upon the ar! 8as a cover of p#re gold 8ith t8o cher#bi- e+pressing od/s glory7 This cover 8as the throne of grace7 %hen the high priest entered the Holiest Place) the first thing he did 8as to sprin!le on this cover the propitiating blood fro- the altar to -a!e propitiation before od for the sins of the

people7 (t 8as on this cover that od forgave the sins of the people< it 8as also here that od fello8shipped and spo!e 8ith the high priest7 ,eca#se this cover 8as sprin!led 8ith the propitiating blood and had there the cher#bi- as od/s e+pression and 8as the place 8here od spo!e to the high priest) it 8as called the throne of grace) the place for od to give grace to -an7 Therefore) 8e can see that the Holiest Place 8as the inner-ost part of the tabernacle) and its -ain content 8as the throne of grace) 8here od -et 8ith His redee-ed people) forgave His people) and spo!e to His people7 (t 8as here that od gave grace to people7 Hence) this 8as tr#ly a great -atter7 (n this vast #niverse there is a s-all earth7 On this earth there 8as a place called the o#ter co#rt7 %ithin the o#ter co#rt there 8as a tabernacle) the o#ter part of 8hich 8as the Holy Place and the inner part of 8hich 8as the Holiest Place7 A#rther-ore) 8ithin the Holiest Place there 8as an ar!7 Upon this ar! there 8as a cover 8here od gave grace to -an< hence) it 8as called the throne of grace7 The throne of grace 8as the center of the Holiest Place7 THE FULFILLMENT AND REALITY IN THE NEW TESTAMENT (n Hebre8s 1 the apostle Pa#l indicates that the first tabernacle) the Holy Place) signifies the old covenant and that the second tabernacle) the Holy of Holies or the Holiest Place) signifies the ne8 covenant Evv7 5.43@7 He also indicates that the Holy of Holies today is in heaven) 8here the Lord ;es#s is Evv7 42) 2?@7 Ho8 then can 8e enter into the Holy of Holies in heaven 8hile 8e are still on earthM The secret is o#r spirit) referred to in Hebre8s ?:427 The very Christ 8ho is no8 in heaven is also at the sa-e ti-e in o#r spirit E9o-7 5:6?) 43< 2 Ti-7 ?:22@7 As the heavenly ladder E en7 25:42< ;ohn 4:>4@ He joins o#r spirit to heaven and brings heaven into o#r spirit7 Hence) 8henever 8e t#rn to o#r spirit) 8e enter into the Holy of Holies7 There 8e -eet 8ith od) 8ho is on the throne of grace EHeb7 ?:4J@7 The veil 8hich closed off the Holy of Holies typifies the flesh of Christ7 %hen Christ/s flesh 8as cr#cified) this veil 8as split in t8o fro- top to botto- E&att7 2=:>4@) th#s opening a ne8 and living 8ay EHeb7 43:41.23@ for those of #s 8ho 8ere alienated frood) 8ho is signified by the tree of life E en7 6:22.2?@) to enter into the Holy of HoliesN into o#r spiritNto contact and enjoy od as o#r life and life s#pply7 The first stanFa of Hy-n P==3 says) B(n the holiest place) to#ch the throne of grace) H race as a river shall flo87C This is 8hat 9evelation 22:4 says: There is Ba river of 8ater of life) bright as crystal) proceeding o#t of the throne of od and of the La-b in the -iddle of its street7C That throne of od is the throne of grace7 %henever 8e co-e to the throne of grace) the grace of od is li!e a river flo8ing to #s7 DWELLING IN THE HOLIEST PLACE AND LIVING WITHIN THE VEIL Hy-ns) P>>4 is a Pentecostal hy-n7 (n the last cent#ry) a gro#p of Christians felt that Christianity 8as too dead and deadening and that it had fallen into rit#als and letters and 8as short of the Spirit and life7 Aro- their st#dy of the %ord they sa8 that at the

apostles/ ti-e) on the day of Pentecost) the Holy Spirit 8as po#red o#t #pon people7 Therefore) a gro#p of Christians in England began to pray and see! for the Holy Spirit7 They testified that they prayed to s#ch an e+tent that they also received the o#tpo#ring of the Holy Spirit7 This 8as the start of the Pentecostal -ove-ent7 The Pentecostal -ove-ent developed and spread to the United States in the beginning of the t8entieth cent#ry7 (t first prevailed in &assach#setts and then contin#ed on to the %est #ntil it reached the Los Angeles area7 At the sa-e ti-e) a gro#p of Christians in a certain place in Pennsylvania on the East Coast clai-ed that they had received the so. called gifts of the Holy Spirit7 Th#s) based on the acco#nt in E+od#s 4>) they called the place 8here they 8ere Eli- Ev7 2=@) indicating that they 8ere not dry b#t rather f#ll of the living 8ater7 Those 8ho -et there 8rote this hy-n7 Then in 416? this song spread to China and reached o#r hands7 (n October of the sa-e year) ,rother %atch-an Nee had an Overco-ers/ Conference in Hangcho87 ,eca#se this hy-n co#ld stir #p o#r spirit very -#ch) he as!ed -e to translate the chor#s into Chinese) and 8e sang it in the -eetings7 (n 41J6 and 41J?) 8hen 8e 8ere preparing the English hy-nal) 8e selected the entire hy-n7 Then in 41JJ and 41J=) 8hen 8e 8ere reco-piling the Chinese hy-nal) 8e translated the entire hy-n into Chinese7 The first stanFa of this hy-n says) (/ve believed the tr#e report) Hallel#jah to the La-bK ( have passed the o#ter co#rt) O glory be to odK ( a- all on ;es#s/ side) On the altar sanctified) To the 8orld and sin (/ve died) Hallel#jah to the La-bK The third stanFa says) ( have passed the o#ter veil) Hallel#jah to the La-bK %hich did once od/s light conceal) O glory be to odK ,#t the blood has bro#ght -e in To od/s holiness so clean) %here there/s death to self and sin) Hallel#jah to the La-bK The o#ter co#rt here typifies the 8orld7 Here it says that 8e sho#ld forsa!e the 8orld instead of re-aining in it7 %e need to be sanctified on the altar so that 8e can pass frothe o#ter co#rt thro#gh the first veil into the Holy Place) 8here there is the sho8bread table as o#r divine and all.incl#sive s#pply7 The fo#rth stanFa says)

(/- 8ithin the holiest pale) Hallel#jah to the La-bK ( have passed the inner veil) O glory be to odK ( a- sanctified to od ,y the po8er of the blood) No8 the Lord is -y abode) Hallel#jah to the La-bK The inner veil typifies o#r self) the fallen -an) and the flesh of sin p#t on by the Lord ;es#s E9o-7 5:6@7 %hen the Lord ;es#s 8as cr#cified and died) the veil of the te-ple 8as split in t8o fro- top to botto- E&att7 2=:>4@7 This indicates that 8hen the Lord ;es#s died on the cross) o#r fallen -an) o#r nat#ral -an) 8as also cr#cified there7 This abolished o#r self) 8hich is 8hat separates #s fro- od) in order that 8e -ay have an open 8ay into the Holy of Holies to contact and enjoy od7 Th#s) not only od d8ells in the Holy of Holies) b#t 8e also d8ell in the Holy of Holies7 StanFa t8o says) (/- a !ing and priest to od) Hallel#jah to the La-bK ,y the cleansing of the blood) O glory be to odK ,y the Spirit/s po8/r and light) ( a- living day and night) (n the holiest place so bright) Hallel#jah to the La-bK This is a description of Bd8elling in the Holiest Place and living 8ithin the veil7C According to o#r Christian e+perience) the Holy of Holies today refers to o#r spirit7 Airst Corinthians 6:4J says) B0o yo# not !no8 that yo# are the te-ple of od) and that the Spirit of od d8ells in yo#MC Today 8e are od/s te-ple7 The te-ple of od has three parts: the o#ter co#rt) the Holy Place) and the Holy of Holies7 Airst Thessalonians >:26 says that as the te-ple of od 8e also have three parts: body) so#l) and spirit7 The body) 8hich is the o#t8ard appearance) typifies the o#ter co#rt< the so#l) 8hich is 8ithin the body) typifies the Holy Place< and the spirit) 8hich is enveloped by the so#l) typifies the Holy of Holies7 Only the saved ones can be the te-ple of od) beca#se the te-ple of od is the d8elling place of od) the place in 8hich od d8ells7 The #nsaved ones do not have od d8elling in the-< hence) they are not the te-ple of od7 %e all have od/s ind8elling7 Today He is the Spirit d8elling in o#r spirit7 (n the Old Testa-ent od d8elt in the Holy of Holies of the te-ple7 (n the Ne8 Testa-ent od also d8ells in the Holy of HoliesN

o#r spirit7 Therefore) 9o-ans 5:4J says) BThe Spirit Hi-self 8itnesses 8ith o#r spirit7C This proves that od d8ells in o#r spirit7 Today this od 8ho is above all d8ells in o#r spiritK This is tre-endo#s7 (f the President 8anted to co-e and stay in o#r ho-e) 8e 8o#ld all be s#rprised to receive s#ch a great honor and 8o#ld treat hi- as a disting#ished g#est7 Ho8 -#ch greater od is than the President) yet He co-es to d8ell in o#r spiritK Ho8 8onderf#l this isK %hen od d8ells in #s) o#r spirit beco-es the Holy of Holies7 ,eca#se the presence of od is in the Holy of Holies) the throne of grace is there7 The throne of grace indicates the presence of od) 8hich is od Hi-self7 od co-es into o#r spirit to give grace to #s7 ABIDING IN THE LORD AND ENJOYING HIS LIFE BY ENTERING INTO THE HOLY OF HOLIES TO TOUCH THE THRONE OF GRACE %hat does it -ean to abide in the Lord and enjoy His lifeM Airst) 8e -#st !no8 8here this Lord is 8ho- 8e 8ant to enjoy7 Today the Lord is in o#r spirit7 %hen ( 8as yo#ng) ( felt that this -atter of abiding in the Lord 8as very abstract7 Every ti-e ( prayed) ( 8o#ld !neel do8n in a definite and sincere 8ay7 %hile ( prayed) ( 8o#ld thin! that the Lord -#st be sitting high above in heaven) and hopef#lly -y prayers 8o#ld be able to reach that high7 ( believed the Lord co#ld bring -y prayers fro- the earth to heaven far above7 ,#t so-eti-es ( did not have the ass#rance that -y prayer 8o#ld reach heaven and be heard by od7 That 8as -y condition si+ty years ago7 Praise the Lord) 8e 8ho are in the ch#rch today are blessedK %e all !no8 that the Lord as the Spirit co-es into o#r spirit 8hen 8e believe into Hi-7 The Lord) 8ho is the od 8ho created the #niverse) beca-e flesh to be a -an na-ed ;es#s Christ t8o tho#sand years ago7 Aor o#r rede-ption He 8ent to the cross to die and bear o#r sins) and as the last Ada- He res#rrected to beco-e the life.giving Spirit7 No8 He is every8here j#st li!e the air7 9o-ans 43 says that 8hile 8e are preaching the gospel) this Spirit is 8ith #s reaching the listeners to be in their -o#th and even to get into their heart7 (f anyone 8o#ld open his heart and call) BO Lord ;es#sKC the Lord as the Spirit 8ill enter into hi-7 Once the Lord co-es into #s) He 8ill never leave #s7 So-eti-es 8e feel that it is good to believe in the Lord) b#t so-eti-es it is tro#bleso-e) since -any things beco-e inconvenient beca#se of the Lord7 Ho8ever) the salvation of the Lord is tr#ly 8onderf#l7 He not only redee-s #s b#t also co-es into o#r spirit7 9egretf#lly) today -any Christians do not !no8 the -ystery of the salvation they have received7 Ho8 blessed 8e are that 8e can !no8 this -ysteryK O#r Lord) 8ho is the Lord of the #niverse) 8as #ndefinable and hard to find7 Ho8ever) beca#se of His -ercy) He beca-e flesh and 8as cr#cified for #s7 Then He res#rrected to beco-e the Spirit to d8ell in the spirit of those 8ho believe in Hi-) and He ta!es #p His residence in the-7 To !no8 is one thing) b#t to enjoy is another7 This phrase) enjoying Christ) 8as #sed first by #s7 The 8ay to enjoy Christ is) B(n the Holiest Place) live 8ithin the veil7C %e have already pointed o#t that the o#ter co#rt signifies o#r body) the Holy Place signifies o#r

so#l) and the Holiest Place signifies o#r spirit7 To enjoy Christ) instead of living in o#r so#l or o#r body 8e sho#ld enter into o#r spirit and live in o#r spirit7 Aor e+a-ple) if yo# get angry and D#arrel 8ith others) yo#r body) in partic#lar yo#r -o#th) beco-es a venting organ7 (f yo# sh#t yo#r -o#th) yo# beco-e BdeflatedC and yo#r anger dissipates7 Ho8ever) if yo# contin#e to open yo#r -o#th) the res#lt is that the D#arreling beco-es -ore and -ore serio#s7 The -ore yo# spea!) the -ore yo# feel in yo#r so#l that yo# are right) and event#ally yo# even act in yo#r flesh7 At this ti-e) instead of living in the Holy Place) yo# are living in the o#ter co#rt7 %hen yo# live in the o#ter co#rt) yo# -#st be 8arned by this hy-n) B(/ve believed the tr#e report) H Hallel#jah to the La-bK H ( have passed the o#ter co#rt) H O glory be to odKC Oo# sho#ld not D#arrel any -ore) beca#se yo#r flesh has been cr#cified 8ith Christ7 Perhaps yo# feel that if yo# do not D#arrel and give vent to yo#r anger) yo#r heart 8ill not be at ease and yo#r sto-ach 8ill also h#rt7 Ho8ever) 8e all need to be re-inded that it is best not to #se o#r body) 8hich is the o#ter co#rt) as the instr#-ent for D#arreling and getting angry7 So-eti-es 8e have passed the o#ter co#rtNnot #sing o#r body as an instr#-ent of the fleshNyet o#r so#l) incl#ding o#r -ind) e-otion) and 8ill) 8hich is the part that e-ploys o#r body as an instr#-ent) is still very active and is constantly instigating #s to go o#t again to the o#ter co#rt7 As a res#lt) altho#gh 8e e+ercise control of o#rselves to not live in o#r flesh) 8e are altogether living in o#r so#l7 %e try to restrain o#rselves fro- living in the flesh) b#t the res#lt is that 8e live co-pletely in o#r so#l) and 8e beco-e so active that 8e are #nable to cal- do8n7 (t -ay be that at ti-es li!e this the Lord has -ercy on #s and co-es to re-ind #s) saying) B0o yo# not !no8 that yo#r body is a te-ple of the Holy SpiritMC E4 Cor7 J:41@7 %e belong to the Lord) and the Lord lives in #s7 (f 8e receive the re-inder and t#rn fro- o#r so#l to o#r spirit) 8e enter into the Holy of Holies7 Once 8e enter into the Holy of Holies) 8e enter into a ref#ge and reach a safe region7 (n this 8ay 8e are preserved7 %e all have this !ind of e+perience7 Every ti-e 8e t#rn to o#r spirit) 8e repent and confess to the Lord) ad-itting that 8e live so -#ch in the flesh and in the so#l7 The -ore 8e as! for the Lord/s forgiveness and pray to fello8ship 8ith the Lord) the -ore 8e receive grace7 race begins to flo8 to #s li!e a river7 This -eans that 8e have to#ched the throne of grace7 (f 8e do this) the living 8ater sat#rates #s and fills #s #ntil it overflo8s so that 8e are co-pletely in grace7 At the sa-e ti-e) the glory of od shines thro#gh o#r 8hole being so that 8e have no place to hide7 This leads #s to see o#r filthiness) to see that 8e have 8ronged o#r spo#se and o#r relatives and that 8e are 8rong in -any different things7 Then 8e beat o#r chest) 8eep) and repent7 (n this 8ay of confessing 8e receive grace i--ensely7 This is to pass thro#gh the o#ter co#rt and the Holy Place into the Holy of Holies to to#ch the throne of grace7 The -ore 8e to#ch the throne of grace) the -ore 8e have the presence of od7 The -ore 8e to#ch the throne of grace) the -ore 8e have the riches of od7 &oreover) 8e are able to enjoy the hidden -anna 8ithin the ar! and have a deeper e+perience of Christ as the life s#pply7 (n this 8ay 8e abide in the Lord and enjoy Hi- as o#r life7

CHAPTER SEVEN EXPERIENCING THE CLEANSING OF THE LORDS BLOOD AND ENJOYING THE ANOINTING OF THE HOLY OINTMENT
Script#re 9eading: 4 ;ohn 4:J.43< 2:23) 2=< Lev7 4?:4?.45

(n this -essage 8e 8ill go on to see another aspect of abiding in the Lord and enjoying His life) that is) e+periencing the cleansing of the blood and enjoying the anointing of the oint-ent7 THE PRECIOUS BLOOD AND THE HOLY OINTMENT T ! P"!#$%&' B(%%) C(!*+'$+, U' -"%. S$+ The -ain ite-s in the first t8o chapters of 4 ;ohn are the Lord/s blood and the holy oint-ent7 The Lord/s blood is for the cleansing of o#r sin) and o#r sin is of t8o aspects: the in8ard sin) the sin 8ithin #s) in o#r heart< and the o#t8ard sins) the sins in o#r actions7 The in8ard sin is o#r sinf#l nat#re that 8e have fro- birth7 Ada- fell) and sin entered into hi-7 As the descendants of Ada-) 8e 8ere born 8ith a sinf#l nat#re E9o-7 >:42@7 No one needs to go thro#gh a training after birth to learn ho8 to co--it sin< everyone sins nat#rally7 Sinning co-es fro- h#-an nat#re) fro- the fall7 ;#st as a bad tree does not need to bear bad fr#it to beco-e a bad tree) so -an does not need to co--it sin intentionally to beco-e a sinner7 (n od/s eyes) h#-an beings sin every day7 &an/s entire being is altogether a lie) and every part of hi- is a lie7 The eyes can lie) the nose can lie) and even the hair can lie< so-eti-es even his gest#res are lies7 This is beca#se the h#-an life is a lying life7 A bad tree a#to-atically bears bad fr#it 8itho#t being ta#ght) and a good tree nat#rally bears good fr#it also 8itho#t being ta#ght7 (n the sa-e 8ay) beca#se o#r nat#re is sinf#l) 8hatever 8e do) 8itho#t any special intention) is nat#rally sinf#l7 (n8ardly 8e have the sinf#l nat#re) and o#t8ardly 8e have the sinf#l actions) 8hich are the sinf#l deeds7 The precio#s blood cleanses #s fro- o#r sinf#l nat#re in8ardly and o#r sinf#l deeds o#t8ardly7 This is the efficacy of the precio#s blood7 T ! E--$#*#/ %- 0 ! H%(/ O$+0.!+0 The other ite- is the holy oint-ent7 The holy oint-ent here does not refer to the oint-ent itself or to its essence< it refers to the anointing of the oint-ent7 The English 8ord anointing here refers to the action of the oint-ent7 According to o#r #nderstanding of the Chinese 8ord for oint-ent) it can be a no#n referring to the oint-ent itself or a verb referring to the action of the oint-ent7 (n ree!) this 8ord is #sed not as a no#n or as a verb b#t as a ger#nd< it does not refer to the oint-ent b#t to the f#nction of the oint-ent7 This is a f#nction of grace) and this f#nction is the anointing of grace7 Th#s it is not bad that the Chinese Union *ersion #ses an e+pression here that -eans #nction of grace7 The Ne8 Testa-ent 9ecovery *ersion in Chinese directly #ses an e+pression 8hich literally -eans oint-ent.anointing7 %e -#st #nderstand the tho#ght of 4 ;ohn7 Airst the blood cleanses #s) then the oint-ent anoints #s7 (t is as if 8e 8ere treating a 8o#nd on o#r physical body< first 8e cleanse it)

then 8e r#b on so-e -edicinal oint-ent7 (n the sa-e 8ay) the blood first cleanses #s and then the oint-ent of od) 8hich is the Spirit of od and od Hi-self) co-es to anoint the place 8hich has j#st been cleansed by the blood7 (n this 8ay 8e obtain not only forgiveness thro#gh the blood b#t also od Hi-self by the anointing7 No8 this oint-ent re-ains in #s constantly) anointing #s contin#o#sly7 (n other 8ords) od Hi-self f#nctions 8ithin #s to anoint #s 8ith His s#bstance7 This is li!e painting< yo# apply and spread the s#bstance of the paint onto a s#rface7 (n the sa-e 8ay) od operates and f#nctions 8ithin #s to anoint His o8n s#bstance and ele-ent into #s7 This ca#ses #s to s#bjectively !no8 od Hi-self7 T ! F!((%1' $2 %- 0 ! D$3$+! L$-! &ost people !no8 od as a od o#tside of the- 8ho is on high7 This is an objective) o#t8ard !no8ing7 O#r od) ho8ever) is o#r 9edee-er today) and by the cleansing of His blood and by His beco-ing the Spirit He no8 abides in #s7 He anoints #s in8ardly) painting His s#bstance and ele-ent into #s7 Th#s) 8e have a feeling 8ithin #s and !no8 that od 8ants to do a certain thing) so 8e follo8 Hi- to do it7 At other ti-es 8e !no8 that od does not 8ant to do a certain thing) so 8e do not do it7 This !ind of !no8ing is not obtained fro- an o#t8ard) objective !no8ledge7 (nstead) it is received s#bjectively fro- the in8ard anointing7 Aor e+a-ple) s-all children li!e to eat s8eet things and hate to eat bitter things7 This !no8ledge does not reD#ire o#t8ard teaching7 9ather) it is the !no8ing a child possesses nat#rally) and this !no8ledge co-es fro- the nat#re of life7 The life of the little child nat#rally 8ants s8eet things and hates bitter things7 This !no8ledge of s8eet and bitter does not co-e fro- o#t8ard teachings b#t fro- an in8ard f#nction of life7 This f#nction is a !ind of !no8ledge that is s#bjective) not objective7 The anointing is od/s f#nctioning 8ithin #s7 He is o#r life7 As the Spirit) He dispenses Hi-self into #s as life7 Th#s) the anointing is the anointing of od) of the Holy SpiritNof the Spirit and of life7 ,y this anointing of life) 8e can 8al! in fello8ship 8ith od7 %e -#st have this anointing before 8e can have fello8ship 8ith od and before 8e can live in this fello8ship7 ;ohn/s ospel spea!s of grace and tr#th) 8hereas ;ohn/s Epistle #nveils that the fello8ship of the divine life brings #s to the very so#rces of grace and tr#th) 8hich are love and light7 The tr#th is the shining and the e+pression of light7 Aor e+a-ple) if there 8ere no shining of light here) this place 8o#ld be dar!) and 8e 8o#ld not be able to see anyone/s face< b#t once the light shines) everyone/s real condition is -anifested and everything beco-es clear7 (n the sa-e 8ay) love is the so#rce of grace) and grace is the -anifestation of love7 od Hi-self is love and also light7 Therefore) if 8e re-ain in the anointing and 8al! in the fello8ship of life) 8e enjoy od Hi-self) and the s#bstance of od) 8hich is love and light) is anointed into #s7 The e+pression of love is grace) and the -anifestation of light is tr#th7 Hallel#jah) ho8 good this isK

The anointing refers to a central -atter) that 8e 8ho believe into the Lord and are saved need to abide in the Lord to enjoy His life7 The Lord has given #s His life) and this life is si-ply Hi-self in #s as life7 %e 8ho are saved need to enjoy this life every day7 (n the preceding chapters 8e pointed o#t repeatedly the 8ay to abide in the Lord in order to be able to enjoy Hi- as o#r life7 (n this chapter o#r s#bject is BE+periencing the Cleansing of the Lord/s ,lood and Enjoying the Anointing of the Holy Oint-ent7C According to the tr#th of the ,ible) this is a solid and profo#nd -atter7 EXPERIENCING THE CLEANSING OF THE LORDS BLOOD F%",$3!+!'' *+) C(!*+'$+, E+periencing the cleansing of the Lord/s blood and enjoying the anointing of the holy oint-ent are co-pletely different fro- -ost people/s concept7 The Lord/s blood first cleanses #s) then the holy oint-ent anoints #s7 This is e+plained very clearly in the first t8o chapters of 4 ;ohn and is so-ething that is according to od/s econo-y) b#t this -atter does not e+ist in -ost people/s concept7 &any people feel that since they have offended -an and od) they -#st beg od to forgive and pardon the-7 They -ay never thin! that the blood can cleanse people7 (n -ost people/s concept) the sight of blood is frightening and any blood that is sprin!led onto people -a!es their body dirty) so they -ay 8onder ho8 the blood co#ld cleanse the-7 %e can see ho8 the -atter of forgiveness and cleansing goes against the average person/s concept7 (n od/s concept) ho8ever) 8e are fallen) sinf#l people7 O#r sin does not -erely need forgiveness< it also needs cleansing7 Aor e+a-ple) 8hen yo# get yo#r clothes dirty) it is an offense to yo#r -other7 Even tho#gh yo#r -other forgives yo#) the dirt is still on yo#r clothing and needs to be 8ashed off7 (n the sa-e 8ay) to forgive) to pardon) is one thing) 8hile to cleanse) to re-ove the stain of sin) is another7 Therefore) 4 ;ohn 4:1 says that od not only forgives #s b#t also cleanses #s7 Aorgiving is to forgive the trespass) and cleansing is to 8ash a8ay the stain of the trespass7 ,efore od and according to His la8) 8e have sins and trespasses) 8hile as to o#r person) o#r being) 8e have been stained7 Aor o#r trespasses 8e need od/s forgiveness< for o#r stains 8e need od/s cleansing) 8hich is by the precio#s blood7 Airst ;ohn 2 says that after being cleansed) 8e have received so-ething of grace fro- the Holy One7 %ithin #s there is so-ething that is constantly -oving and anointing) 8hich is the holy oint-ent7 Act#ally) this holy oint-ent is od Hi-self co-ing into #s to anoint #s based on the cleansing of the blood7 T ! T/2! $+ 0 ! O() T!'0*.!+0 0espite the fact that this -atter is clearly e+plained in 4 ;ohn) it is still not easy for #s to #nderstand beca#se the h#-an concept does not have this tho#ght and beca#se it is very deep) -ysterio#s) and abstract7 (n the Old Testa-ent) ho8ever) this tho#ght can be seen in the type of the cleansing of the leper7 Leprosy does not begin fro- the o#tside b#t fro8ithin< then it appears o#t8ardly to beco-e an #ncleanness7 Leprosy signifies sin7 Sin does not first har- o#r o#t8ard actions7 9ather) it first enters o#r nat#re to corr#pt it) and

then it brea!s forth fro- o#r nat#re and is -anifested o#t8ardly to also corr#pt o#r o#t8ard actions7 A leper 8as conde-ned before od) and his person 8as #nclean7 Therefore) he needed od/s forgiveness on the one hand and the cleansing of his being on the other hand7 Levitic#s 4? says that before he co#ld be cleansed) he had to offer a trespass offering and a sin offering Evv7 42) 41@7 The trespass offering 8as for the o#t8ard deeds) the trespasses) and the sin offering 8as for the in8ard nat#re) the sin7 Aallen -an has contracted leprosy) having an in8ard sinf#l nat#re that is -anifested as the o#t8ard sinf#l deeds7 &oreover) he is #nclean before od7 Therefore) he -#st be forgiven before he can be cleansed7 This is 8hy he first needs to offer to od t8o !inds of offeringsNthe sin offering and the trespass offering7 These t8o offerings typify the Lord ;es#s as o#r 9edee-er 8ho acco-plished rede-ption for #s7 Levitic#s 4? sho8s that 8hen the one as!ing for cleansing had been forgiven thro#gh the offering of the sacrifices) the priest too! the blood shed fro- these t8o sacrifices and p#t it on the person/s ear) th#-b) and toe Ev7 4?@7 The ear is for hearing) the hand is for doing) and the foot is for 8al!ing7 &an co--its sins beca#se of these three -e-bers7 Aor e+a-ple) a yo#ng st#dent first hears his class-ates at school describing ho8 they stole their fathers/ -oney) and the sinf#l nat#re 8ithin hi- rises #p in response7 Then he 8al!s ho-e and #ses his hands to do the sa-e thing7 Th#s) he s#ccessf#lly co--its a sin) and the leprosy has co-e o#t into the open7 %e than! the Lord that Christ died for #s) for o#r sin) and for o#r sins) o#r trespasses7 No8 thro#gh the offering of the Lord ;es#s as o#r sin offering and o#r trespass offering 8e are redee-ed fro- sin7 Ho8ever) 8e are still not cleansed) so 8e -#st apply the redee-ing blood on o#r ear) th#-b) and toe to obtain cleansing7 After the cleansing) the priest bro#ght the oil and sprin!led it seven ti-es before od7 Then he p#t it on the ear) th#-b) and toe #pon 8hich the blood had been applied< that is) he p#t the oil #pon the blood7 Aollo8ing this he po#red the re-ainder of the oil on the person/s head Evv7 4>.45@7 (n this 8ay) the person beca-e a son of oil EIech7 ?:4?@7 ,eca#se he had been 8ashed by the blood and then anointed 8ith the oil) he 8as cleansed7 The nat#ral -an cannot #nderstand this !ind of tr#th and finds it very strange7 enerally people thin! that Christianity instr#cts people ho8 to 8orship od) fear od) and honor od7 Then it teaches people to be faithf#l) righteo#s) and peaceable7 (t also teaches people to have filial respect) brotherly affection) and benevolence7 (t is tr#e that the ,ible does -ention these things and even says -#ch abo#t the-< nevertheless) the basic concept of the ,ible is foc#sed on the blood and the oil7 od 8ants to sprin!le #s sinners 8ith the blood< then He 8ants to anoint #s 8ith oil7 %herever the blood is sprin!led) there the oil is applied7 (n this 8ay 8e have beco-e those 8ho are sprin!led by the blood7 A#rther-ore) 8e have beco-e those 8ho have the anointing< that is) 8e have beco-e sons of oil7 Th#s) 8e are cleansed and can enter into the fello8ship of the eternal life7

THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE ETERNAL LIFE Hence) in the Ne8 Testa-ent) the apostle ;ohn first 8rote his ospel telling #s that ;es#s Christ 8as od 8ho ca-e in the flesh and died for #s< then in res#rrection He beca-e the life.giving Spirit to give #s the eternal life7 %hen 8e believe and receive Hi-) He co-es into #s as the life.giving Spirit and gives #s the eternal life7 Th#s) 8e are regenerated to beco-e the children of od7 Then ;ohn contin#ed his 8ritings 8ith 4 ;ohn) telling #s that 8hoever is regenerated 8ith the life of od to be a child of od has this eternal life inside hi- and that this life brings a fello8ship7 &ost people do not adeD#ately #nderstand the -eaning of fello8ship< the average Christian -ay even thin! that it -eans Bsocial contact7C The ,ible) ho8ever) does not say social contact b#t fello8ship7 (n ree!) this 8ord fello8ship is !oinonia) 8hich refers to several people or objects that can be -i+ed together and -ingled thoro#ghly7 Aor e+a-ple) lightb#lbs are -ingled into one flo8) beca#se 8ithin the- they all have the c#rrent of electricity fro- the electric plant and are all blended in one flo8< hence) they have Bfello8shipC 8ith one another7 Therefore) 8e -ay e+plain fello8ship as a flo8) b#t 8e cannot say that it is a social contact7 The best ill#stration of fello8ship is the circ#lation of blood in the body7 The blood in the h#-an body circ#lates very D#ic!ly< before 8e have finished spea!ing one sentence) the blood has already been circ#lating7 That circ#lation is a fello8ship to the body7 The circ#lation of blood is a flo8) b#t to all the -e-bers of the body it is a fello8ship7 ,eca#se of this fello8ship o#r ears and o#r feet are connected even tho#gh they do not gro8 ne+t to one another7 %hen ( a- spea!ing here) -y -o#th is not the only part 8or!ing) all of -y -e-bers are cooperating7 Even -y hair is -oving) and this is all beca#se of the circ#lation of the blood that joins all the -e-bers in one fello8ship and -a!es the- one7 REMAINING IN THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE DIVINE LIFE BY CONFESSING TO GOD The divine life) li!e the c#rrent of electricity and the circ#lation of blood) is al8ays flo8ing7 Airst ;ohn 4:= says) B(f 8e 8al! in the light as He is in the light) 8e have fello8ship 8ith one another) and the blood of ;es#s His Son cleanses #s fro- every sin7C This -eans that 8hen 8e believed in the Lord ;es#s) the eternal life entered into #s and bro#ght 8ith it the fello8ship of life7 Therefore) 8e -#st re-ain in this fello8ship) and then the Lord/s blood 8ill cleanse #s fro- o#r sins7 9egrettably) this fello8ship 8ithin -any saved ones has stopped and is interr#pted7 %ith regard to the spirit#al life) these people are deadened7 A#rther-ore) altho#gh 8e have believed in the Lord ;es#s) o#r sins have been forgiven) and 8e have been saved) o#r in8ard nat#re still e+ists and the root of o#r sinning is still there7 (n the last cent#ry) there 8ere so-e in Christianity 8ho said that once a person is regenerated) sin is eradicated fro- hi-7 This !ind of teaching still e+ists today7 Ho8ever) ;ohn says that 8e 8ho are saved and regenerated and even have od/s life 8ithin #s do

not have sin eradicated fro- o#r being7 He says) B(f 8e say that 8e do not have sin) 8e are deceiving o#rselvesC E4 ;ohn 4:5@7 (n ree!) the 8ord for sin here is sing#lar) referring to the sinf#l nat#re7 This sinf#l nat#re is the root of the sinf#l deeds Ev7 =@ 8e co--it7 ,eca#se -an has a sinning life) he co--its sins7 The older a person beco-es) the -ore ab#ndant his fr#its of sin are7 ,efore od every person has sinned< there are no e+ceptions7 Of all the people born on earth) there is none 8ho does not steal or lie7 (t is nat#ral for people to lie< it is #n#s#al 8hen they do not lie7 The so.called tactf#l people are j#st good liars7 Co#rtesy is often a ga-e of playing politics7 (f so-eone 8o#ld say that he has never stolen anything or that he has never lied) he is the top sinner beca#se he has not told the tr#th7 %e believers in Christ do not li!e to scold others7 9ather) 8e li!e to spea! the tr#th in love) and 8hat 8e act#ally 8ant to do is to preach the gospel and proclai- the tr#th7 All the people in the 8orld are cheating one another< only the Lord/s life is tr#th7 %ith the e+ception of the Lord ;es#s) 8e do not believe that there is any perfect) holy person7 Only the Lord ;es#s is absol#tely 8itho#t sin7 As those 8ho have been saved by grace) 8e have the Lord/s life and His Holy Spirit7 %e need to pray #nceasingly) to be in fear and tre-bling) and to e+ercise to 8al! according to the Spirit7 Ho8ever) 8henever 8e are a little careless or loose) o#r flesh i--ediately co-es o#t7 ( can testify that even tho#gh ( do not co--it big sins every day) at the end of each day before ( go to sleep) ( still need to confess and repent7 Altho#gh ( did not steal anything or tell any lies) ( a- not happy 8ithin7 Of co#rse) this #nhappiness is not fro- the Lord b#t fro- -yself and -y flesh7 Aor the sa!e of -y health) -y 8ife does not allo8 -e to eat carelessly7 So-eti-es people give -e things to eat) b#t she hides the- fro- -e< then 8hen the grandchildren co-e) she brings the- o#t7 %hen ( find o#t abo#t this) -y heart is not happy7 Of co#rse) it is not the Lord ;es#s 8ho is #nhappy 8ithin -e< rather) it is ( 8ho a- #nhappy7 Altho#gh ( have not co--itted a gross sin s#ch as fighting 8ith -y 8ife) ( have co--itted the c#lt#red) refined sin of being secretly angry and #nhappy 8ithin7 Therefore) every evening as ( consider) ( al8ays discover that ( did a n#-ber of things not in -y spirit and 8itho#t living Christ< ( 8as altogether in -yself7 ( confess all these things one by one7 ( believe that -any brothers and sisters love the Lord and have been in the ch#rch life for -any years) yet they have the sa-e Bsic!nessC and are in the sa-e condition that ( a- in7 This is o#r proble-7 Even tho#gh the brothers !no8 that they sho#ld live Christ and 8al! according to the Spirit) they get angry in8ardly 8hen their 8ives hide things fro- the-7 The sisters all say that they 8ant to live Christ and 8al! in the Spirit) b#t 8henever they pic! #p the telephone and begin tal!ing) they cannot p#t it do8n7 These -atters all indicate that 8e tr#ly need the Lord/s salvation7 Perhaps 8e have been saved for -any years7 %e love the Lord) are e+perienced in spirit#al -atters) and have so-e e+perience in life) b#t as soon as 8e leave the fello8ship

of the divine life) 8e have no 8ay to 8al! in the light7 %e -ay #se a lightb#lb to ill#strate this7 (t does not -atter ho8 long a lightb#lb has been shining or ho8 e+perienced it is< as soon as the electrical c#rrent is c#t off) it cannot shine7 O#r breathing is another ill#stration7 No one can say that beca#se he has breathed for -any years and is very e+perienced) he can stop breathing for a fe8 days7 (t does not -atter ho8 -#ch e+perience yo# have in breathing< as soon as yo# stop breathing) yo# 8ill i--ediately die7 (n the sa-e 8ay) 8e cannot depend on o#r years of e+perience in the -atter of the fello8ship of the divine life7 %e -#st contin#e non.stop in this fello8ship7 %e all -#st see that even tho#gh 8e have been saved) 8e -#st h#-ble o#rselves7 %e still have the sinf#l nat#re) and 8e still co--it sins7 Perhaps 8e do not co--it big sins or gross sins) b#t 8e constantly co--it s-all sins7 So-eti-es 8e get #pset j#st beca#se of 8hat other people say) and 8e beco-e #nhappy 8ithin7 All people are the descendants of fallen Ada-7 Even if 8e are -oral and righteo#s) no one is 8itho#t sin or offense before od7 O#r nat#re is j#st sin7 Therefore) 8e -#st confess o#r sins daily before the Lord7 %e have discovered all this fro- o#r act#al e+perience7 ,y 8ay of ill#stration) an apple tree is not an apple tree beca#se it bears apples< rather) it bears apples beca#se it is an apple tree7 Even if) for so-e reason) it does not bear apples for -any years) it is still an apple tree7 (n the sa-e 8ay) yo# -ay be very -oral and righteo#s today beca#se yo# are in a good environ-ent 8hich does not give yo# the opport#nity to co--it sins7 (f yo#r environ-ent 8ere to change) ho8ever) yo# -ay not be so good7 &oreover) 8e have the sinf#l nat#re 8ithin #s and are sinners by birth7 Hence) 8hether or not 8e sin in deeds) still 8e all are sinners7 This is 8hy 8e deceive o#rselves if 8e say that 8e do not have sin7 (f 8e say that 8e do not have sin) 8e consider od a liar) beca#se the ,ible clearly says) BAll have sinned and fall short of the glory of odL7Thro#gh one -an sin entered into the 8orld) and thro#gh sin) death< and th#s death passed on to all -en beca#se all have sinnedC E9o-7 6:26< >:42@7 The fact that all -en die proves that all have sinned7 Ho8 can a person say that he does not have sinM (f he really had no sin) then od co#ld be considered a liar beca#se He said that all have sinned7 GOD FORGIVING OUR SINS od cannot lie7 (f 8e spea! the tr#th) 8e -#st confess that 8e have a sinf#l nat#re 8ithin and sinf#l deeds 8itho#t7 Hence) 8e are bona fide sinners7 Perhaps in the eyes of -en) yo# are a perfect gentle-an) one 8ho is filled 8ith a sense of j#stice7 ,efore od) ho8ever) yo# cannot say that yo# have no sins or trespasses o#t8ardly) nor can yo# deny that yo# have a sinf#l nat#re in8ardly7 Th#s) 8e all need od/s forgiveness7 ,#t ho8 does od forgive #sM He does not sit on high in the heavens 8ith -ajesty and a#thority) saying) B,eca#se ( love yo#) ( erase yo#r debt of sin and forgive yo#7C (f He did it in this 8ay) He 8o#ld be a loose) careless) #nrighteo#s od7 The ,ible reveals that od is a od of principle) a od 8ho is righteo#s and holy< He cannot do things in a 8ay that 8o#ld violate His holy nat#re or His righteo#s character7 He -#st do things that are j#dicially righteo#s7

The ,ible indicates that the first step od too! in saving #s sinners 8as to be incarnated as a -an) and this -an 8as called ;es#s Christ7 ;es#s Christ 8as od incarnated) a tr#e -an 8ith a body of bones) blood) and flesh< He 8as a -an 8ith real h#-an blood7 Therefore) He 8as D#alified to be the S#bstit#te for h#-anity in shedding His blood and dying for -an7 A#rther-ore) the Lord ;es#s did not beco-e a f#ll.gro8n -an in the t8in!ling of an eye7 He 8as not born one day) cr#cified the ne+t) and raised and rapt#red on the follo8ing day7 He 8as incarnated according to the la8s of creation by being conceived in the 8o-b of a virgin7 He re-ained there for nine -onths and then 8as born as a baby7 He then lived the h#-an life on earth according to the la8s of h#-an gro8th7 (t see-s the Lord ;es#s did not do anything in His first thirty years e+cept to live as a tr#e -an in the ho-e of ;oseph) a carpenter) 8ho- others tho#ght 8as His father7 He tr#ly and act#ally passed thro#gh the trials and trib#lations of h#-an life7 %hen He 8as thirty years old) He ca-e o#t to -inister) preaching the tr#th) healing the sic!) casting o#t de-ons) and releasing the people 8ho 8ere oppressed by sin7 After -inistering for three and a half years) He personally delivered Hi-self #p to the cross as the S#bstit#te for all -en) #sing His real h#-an body 8ith its h#-an life and nat#re to vicario#sly ta!e od/s p#nish-ent on the cross for #s) shedding His real h#-an blood to cleanse #s fro- o#r sins7 (n this 8ay He acco-plished the 8or! of redee-ing #s so that od co#ld legally forgive #s7 This 8as tr#ly a -arvelo#s 8or!K THE ALL-INCLUSIVE HOLY ANOINTING OINTMENT (n the #niverse there are t8o great) -arvelo#s -atters: one is od/s incarnation and the other is His death on the cross 8ith His res#rrection in 8hich He beca-e the life.giving Spirit7 (n His incarnation the Lord beca-e a -an of flesh and blood 8ith od in Hi-) and as the last Ada- 8ho passed thro#gh death and res#rrection) He beca-e the life. giving Spirit7 Today this life.giving Spirit is both od and -an) both the Creator and the 9edee-er) even the Savior7 As the 9edee-er He died on the cross for #s to redee- #s fro- the c#rse of sin) and as the Savior He enters into #s to save #s fro- the bondage of sin) the 8orld) and the flesh7 &oreover) as the life.giving Spirit) He enters into #s not -erely to give #s life b#t also to be o#r life7 This Spirit is the all.incl#sive Spirit) 8ho co-prises od) -an) the 9edee-er) the Savior) the life.giving Lord) and the Holy Spirit7 This Spirit also incl#des all the e+periences of the trials) trib#lations) and bitterness 8hich the Lord passed thro#gh in His h#-an life on earth7 &oreover) this Spirit incl#des the Lord/s death and res#rrection on the third day 8ith their efficacy7 So no8 the Spirit is an e+traordinary Spirit) a -ingled and all. incl#sive Spirit7 (n E+od#s 63 there is a type of the SpiritNthe holy anointing oint-ent7 The holy anointing oint-ent is -ade of one hin of olive oil Esignifying the #niD#e od@ 8ith fo#r ancient spices Esignifying the fo#r living creat#res) the creation@: -yrrh and cassia) five h#ndred she!els each< and cinna-on and cala-#s) t8o h#ndred fifty she!els each7 The fo#r !inds of spices are of three #nits 8ith the -iddle #nit split into t8o) signifying that

the -iddle One of the 0ivine Trinity 8as split and died for #s on the cross) and in res#rrection He 8as co-pletely -ingled 8ith #s7 This is the holy anointing oint-ent typifying the all.incl#sive life.giving Spirit7 (n this Spirit) 8ho is typified by the oint-ent) there are od) -an) the e+perience of h#-an life 8ith its trials and trib#lations) the death on the cross) the po8er of death) res#rrection) the po8er of res#rrection) and all that He is) s#ch as His h#-an virt#es and divine attrib#tes7 All these ite-s 8ere co-po#nded into the Spirit7 Therefore) this Spirit is the Tri#ne od) o#r Lord ;es#s) the Creator) the 9edee-er) the Savior) the life.giving Spirit) and life) co-po#nded 8ith all the ite-s of His h#-an living) His death) His res#rrection) and all that He is7 &oreover) 9evelation tells #s that this Spirit has been intensified sevenfold7 %hat a SpiritK Today) all that the Lord ;es#s is and all that He has acco-plished are 8ritten in great detail in the ,ible7 This ,ible is the gospel< the content of the gospel 8e preach today is the entire ,ible7 %e than! and praise Hi- that as the Spirit He is e+perientially real7 %hen 8e preach the ,ible) this Spirit co-es along7 The sa-e is tr#e 8hen 8e read the ,ible beca#se this Spirit) 8ho is od and the Lord ;es#s) cannot be separated fro- the 8ord of the ,ible7 %hen yo# hear the gospel) 8hen yo# hear people preaching the ,ible) yo#r spirit 8ithin yo# is -oved beca#se yo#r spirit can to#ch this Spirit) 8ho is od Hi-self) that is) the Lord ;es#s Hi-self7 %hen He -oves yo# and yo#r heart t#rns to Hi-) yo# feel that yo# need ;es#s) that yo#r life is vain) and that yo# are a sinner 8itho#t hope in the 8orld7 Oo# feel that yo# have been str#ggling and laboring) and that even if yo# have so-e fa-e or acco-plish-ent) it has no -eaning7 %hat is there in the endM %hat 8ill the f#t#re beM Oo#r heart t#rns and yo# call) BO Lord) ( have sinnedK O Lord) ( need Oo#KC As soon as yo# call) yo# have believed and yo# are saved7 &any believers prayed very si-ple prayers 8hen they 8ere saved7 Nevertheless) their heart t#rned and their -o#th called7 As soon as they opened their -o#th to pray) the Spirit entered into the- and they 8ere saved7 THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PRECIOUS BLOOD AND THE HOLY OINTMENT %hat is the precio#s bloodM (t is the Lord/s blood7 The Lord/s blood indicates the rede-ption acco-plished by the Lord7 Thro#gh His incarnation) h#-an living) death) and res#rrection He acco-plished the 8or! of rede-ption7 (n the ,ible) the 8or! 8hich the Lord acco-plished by His being processed is called rede-ption) and it is sy-boliFed by the blood7 Th#s) the blood represents rede-ption) 8hich incl#des the Lord/s incarnation) h#-an living) death) and res#rrection7 %hat then is the oint-entM %e have already seen that the oint-ent is od Hi-self 8ho is the Spirit7 O#r od beca-e flesh as the Lord ;es#s< He passed thro#gh h#-an living) death) and res#rrection) thereby acco-plishing rede-ption7 Then in res#rrection) He beca-e the life.giving Spirit7 The Spirit incl#des all that Christ is7 Th#s) the blood) representing His rede-ption) refers to 8hat He has acco-plished) 8hile the Spirit) representing all that He is) refers to 8hat He is7

Oo#r being sprin!led by the blood indicates that yo# have been redee-ed7 All the negative things and the proble-s of sin can never bother yo# again7 ,eca#se of the blood) od forgives all yo#r sins and erases all yo#r offenses7 After the sprin!ling of the blood) the Spirit as the oint-entN8hat od isNfollo8s to anoint yo# in8ardly7 od is life< He is also love) light) holiness) righteo#sness) and po8er7 This anointing anoints all that od is into yo#) giving yo# all of od/s being7 The Lord/s blood cleanses #s) and the oint-ent anoints #s7 (n this 8ay the rede-ption od acco-plished and all the riches of His being are f#lly applied to #s thro#gh o#r believing7 ( a- very happy today beca#se ( a- a person 8ho has been cleansed by the blood and 8ho has obtained od Hi-self7 ( 8as a sinner) a fallen and corr#pted person) b#t -y od) 8ho acco-plished rede-ption for -e) sprin!led the blood #pon -e) a sy-bol of His rede-ption) and cleansed -y entire being for -e to receive His rede-ption and all that He has acco-plished7 At the sa-e ti-e He also anointed into -e 8hat He is) His very being) represented by the oint-ent7 Th#s) even today) 8e 8ho believe in the Lord have the precio#s blood and the holy oint-ent7 Hallel#jah) ho8 8onderf#l this isK ABIDING IN THE LORD AND ENJOYING HIS LIFE THROUGH THE BLOOD AND THE OINTMENT As soon as 8e are saved) 8e obtain the fello8ship of the divine life7 Ho8ever) the in8ard sinf#l nat#re and the o#t8ard sinf#l acts al8ays beco-e a proble- to #s) as 8e have described above7 ,oth gross sins and trivial sins bloc! o#r fello8ship 8ith od and give #s a sense of g#ilt7 Therefore) if 8e 8ant to re-ain in the fello8ship of the divine life) the first thing 8e -#st do is confess o#r sins to od7 Airst ;ohn 4:=.1 says that 8henever 8e are in the light) 8e confess o#r sins7 %hen 8e are not in the light) 8e do not feel that 8e have sin< once 8e are in the light) ho8ever) 8e feel that 8e tr#ly have sinned7 As soon as 8e confess o#r sins) the Lord forgives #s7 (f 8e are in dar!ness tho#gh) 8e 8ill only see the sins of others 8itho#t seeing o#r o8n sins7 (n that condition 8e cannot confess o#r sins) and the Lord/s blood cannot cleanse #s fro- o#r sins7 (n other 8ords) 8henever 8e co-e to od and feel that 8e are 8rong or 8e have a g#ilty feeling) that -eans 8e are in the light7 Spontaneo#sly) 8e as! the Lord to forgive #s of o#r sins7 Once 8e confess o#r sins) od is faithf#l to forgive #s of o#r sins7 He is also righteo#s) so He -#st cleanse #s fro- all o#r sins thro#gh the blood of ;es#s7 The cleansing of the precio#s blood brings in the anointing of the holy oint-ent7 This anointing teaches #s ho8 to live and 8al!7 Th#s) the ne+t ti-e yo# are abo#t to get angry) the anointing 8ill i--ediately re-ind yo# that yo# -#st 8al! by the anointing7 Oo# can be angry only 8hen the anointing is angry< 8hen the anointing is not angry) yo# cannot be angry7 %hen the anointing says) BHallel#jah)C yo# -#st also say) BHallel#jah7C All o#r deeds and actions -#st follo8 the teaching of the anointing7 (n this 8ay o#r entire living 8ill be one of e+periencing the cleansing of the precio#s blood and enjoying the anointing of the holy oint-ent7 Then 8e 8ill abide in the Lord and enjoy His life7

A life of abiding in the Lord and enjoying His life is a life in 8hich 8e constantly e+perience the cleansing of the blood and enjoy the anointing -o-ent by -o-ent7 %henever yo# have even a slight feeling that so-ething is 8rong or have the sense that yo# are living in the flesh) in the old creation) or in the self) yo# sho#ld i--ediately confess yo#r sin and as! for the Lord/s forgiveness7 %hen yo# confess according to this sense) it proves that yo# are in the light7 Then the blood cleanses yo#) and the anointing follo8s to anoint yo#) increasing the ele-ent of od 8ithin yo#7 Oo# then enjoy -ore of 8hat od is7 Oo# are practically abiding in the Lord and enjoying His life7