Lessons from the “Release of the Spirit” by Watchman Nee
Hello
everyone,
How
are you doing on this day? I hope well and bubbling in the Lord. It came to
mind to share some things I learnt from a book I read last year – the Release
of the Spirit written by Watchman Nee. Watchman Nee was a church leader and teacher
who lived from 1903 to 1972.
Primary Text
“The Lord is seeking to work from the inside, through
the spirit, regenerated by the new birth. Whereas, Satan is attempting to work
from the outside, through the soul, made corrupt by the Fall. Even in the
believer, the self-hyphenated strengths of the outer man, the unbroken soul,
have not yet been brought under the control of the Spirit. For this, Watchman
Nee helps us to see that in order for His life-giving Spirit to be released
through the channel of the human spirit, the ‘hard-shell’ soul of the outward
man necessitates breaking. This is largely accomplished through the dealings of
our daily circumstances which God allows and so orders.” (Preface, Release of the Spirit)
Man
is a spirit, he has a soul (comprised of his mind, emotions and will) and he lives
in his body. The inner man
is our spirit, where the Holy Spirit dwells when we are born again. Those who
are not born again also have an inner man but it is not born again and does not
have the Spirit of God dwelling in them. The outerman is our soul. For God’s
Spirit to be able to effectively move and act through the life of the Spirit,
the soul needs to become “broken”, brought into subjection. While the soul of man is important, a
life that is not subject to the Lord can be a hindrance to the work of God.
Indeed “many think their outward man is more precious than their inward man”
(p. 16). But this is not the case, as God Himself is a Spirit and they that
worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in truth (John 4v24). A broken
outward man is one whose mind, emotions and will are brought to the obedience
of Christ. In this case, our cleverness, eloquence, emotions, are subjected to
Christ. When this happens, the Holy Spirit is better able to work through us.
Supplementary Text
“But
I say, walk and live [habitually] in the [Holy] Spirit [responsive to and
controlled and guided by the Spirit]; then you will certainly not
gratify the cravings and desires of the flesh (of human nature without
God).” Galatians 5v16 (AMPC)
Prayer
Father,
we thank You for what we have learnt today. We pray that You will break our
outward man that Your Spirit may find full expression in and through us in
Jesus name, amen.
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