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.