One With the Ministry to Speak the Healthy Words


	One With the Ministry to Speak the Healthy Words But there are distinctions of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are distinctions of ministries, yet the same Lord; and there are distinctions of operations, but the same God, who operates all things in all - 1 Corinthians 12:4-6. Who has also made us sufficient as ministers of a new covenant, ministers not of the letter but of the Spirit, for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life - 2 Corinthians 3:6. Which things also we speak, not in words taught by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual things with spiritual words - 1 Corinthians 2:13. Ministers and Ministry In the Bible there are the words "ministers" and "ministry." "Ministry" refers to a portion, and "ministers" refers to the persons. Ministry is something constituted or apportioned by the Lord; a minister is the person who carries out the ministry apportioned to him. In the churches there should be many ministers who are fulfilling their ministries before the Lord. The Ministry When we speak of "the ministry," we should be referring to the New Testament ministry, which is also the ministry of the Lord Jesus. All individual ministries should be but portions of the New Testament ministry. In other words, all ministries should be one with the ministry of the Lord Jesus. In the recovery, we often refer to the ministry of Witness Lee as "the ministry." This has become our common practice. According to the truth, however, many ministers have a portion in the unique New Testament ministry, which is also comprehensively the ministry of the Lord Jesus. There are many ministers in this one ministry who minister for the building up of the church. One With the Ministry Since there are few who are that mature among us, we rarely talk about our "ministries." We normally only refer to "the ministry" of Brother Lee. In a sense this is proper, for we are still relatively young when compared to Brother Lee. Until our ministries are manifested in some maturity, it is healthy and a blessing for us to be a part of the ministry of those who have gone before us and to take them as our protection. There are examples of this in the Bible. Paul, for instance, told Timothy, "But you, continue in the things which you have learned and have been assured of, knowing from which ones you have learned them" (2 Tim. 3:14). However, Paul also told his co-worker Archippus, "Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you fulfill it" (Col. 4:17). In this chapter and those that follow, we will directly examine what it means to be "one with the ministry" as it refers to the ministry of Brother Lee. The ministry of Witness Lee brings us into the New Testament ministry. In the Lord's recovery, we have been helped and perfected by the ministries exercised by Watchman Nee and Witness Lee so that we might fulfill our ministries in the New Testament ministry, which is also the ministry of the Lord Jesus. Basic Understanding and Exercise If we want to learn from the brothers who have gone before us so that we might fulfill our ministries, we must acquire some basic understanding. Such understanding should become the foundation for a healthy and adequate exercise. One Triune God, One Divine Economy, and One Ministry First of all, we have to know that there is but one Triune God, one divine economy, and one unique ministry. In other words, we have to have an understanding of this oneness in the universe. In this universe, there is but one God. It is He who created the entire universe. Therefore the universe is in oneness. There is one God, there is one economy, and there is one ministry of this one God. In Christianity, most people dare not speak of the Triune God as revealed in the Bible, and instead espouse tritheism, or the belief in three Gods. In principle, it is difficult for those in Christianity to comprehend that the Father, the Son, and the Spirit are one. We must realize that there is but one God, who is triune. Furthermore, we must realize that this one Triune God has but one economy. All of God's operation is for the carrying out of this one economy, and this divine economy is revealed and substantiated by means of one ministry. Knowing the Spirit and Receiving the Anointing, Feeding, Enlightening, and Revelation in Spirit 1. Knowing the Spirit The ministry of the Lord Jesus is the unique ministry in the universe. It is the ministry of the Spirit. This ministry is not outward, and it is not something of mere knowledge or teaching. The ministry of the Lord Jesus is absolutely the ministry of the Spirit. In 2 Corinthians Paul tells us that the New Testament ministry is "the ministry of the Spirit" (2 Cor. 3:8). In the same section he also tells us, "the Spirit gives life" (2 Cor. 3:6). If you do not know the Spirit, you cannot know the ministry. If you desire to know the one Triune God, the unique divine economy, and the one ministry, you must know the Spirit. 2. Being Able to Receive Anointing, Feeding, Enlightening, and Revelation We should be those who know how to remain under the Lord's anointing. The anointing comes through the Lord Himself. If we are those who know how to remain with the Lord, we will be full of His anointing. To be with the Lord is to never be "dry." When we are under the Lord's anointing, we have the Lord's presence. If we sense that we are dry, we can regain the Lord's presence and anointing by calling on the Lord's name, reading the Bible, or singing a hymn. We should not be believers who know nothing of life. Those who know the anointing know life. If we desire to prophesy in life, we must know the anointing. We all need to realize that prophesying apart from life is not prophesying at all. Some speak in the meetings and think they are prophesying, but in reality they are just talking as they would anywhere else, except using different terminology. If we do not know the anointing, the teaching of the anointing, or the supply of the anointing, we will be unable to follow the Lord and we will not be able to minister for Him. There is no feeding apart from the anointing, for feeding comes through the anointing. If we are not with the Lord, that is, if we do not have the sense that He is living, that He is dear, and that He is with us, then we should realize that we do not have His anointing. In such a situation we cannot receive the proper nourishment from Him. When we experience the anointing, we are also fed by the Lord. To be fed by Him is to partake of the Lord Himself, and thus the Lord Himself becomes our satisfaction. The divine anointing brings the Triune God Himself to us. We receive this nourishment in the process of fellowshipping with the Lord, and as we are nourished through Him, we are brought under His enlightenment. The sweeter our fellowship with Him, the more we come to know ourselves, for our attitudes, motives, manner of life, and relationship with the Lord are all brought under the Lord's shining. In this fellowship, the Lord is able to enlighten every aspect of our lives. The more we experience the Lord's nourishing, the more we are enlightened by Him. Eventually, this enlightenment brings us revelation. If we live in the light, we will also live in revelation. Spiritual Persons Dispensing God Only the person who knows the Spirit and who is spiritual can dispense the economy of God to others. If you are not spiritual, you cannot dispense God in His economy to others, regardless of how eloquent you may be. By means of your natural ability you may be able to preach the gospel and to help others to love the Lord and to read the Bible or come to meetings, but you will not be able to bring them into the economy of God. Only a spiritual person can transfuse others with God in His economy. In other words, if you desire to minister and to know spiritual things, you must become a spiritual person. If you do not know spiritual things, you cannot minister spiritual things. To the person who is spiritual, however, the things that are spiritual are alive, fresh, and vibrant. Prophesying: Tearing Down or Building Up Prophesying is a sober matter, for if it is not received properly, it can produce dead knowledge and material for gossip instead of life. When the saints receive the words of the one ministering in the way of knowledge, it can become something for tearing down in the church life instead of building up. Therefore prophesying is a serious matter. It should be that you have something to say in the meetings. If you do not, it indicates that you do not experience the Lord in your daily life. If you have the Lord's presence every day, you will surely have something to say when the saints come together. Thus, you should live before the Lord, for if you do, you will have something of Him to speak. When you have something from the Lord that you would like to speak, you should still ask, "Is it appropriate? Will it help the saints? Will it build up the church? Does it convey the truth? Will it help the saints to go on? Does it bring the saints nourishment and enlightenment?" If the answer is no, then perhaps your words would not be of value in the meeting. If we do not have a healthy respect for prophesying and just say whatever we want to say, we will not be able to build up others. I am afraid that we do not adequately honor prophesying. Sometimes no one speaks in the meeting, and the leading ones have to ask someone to speak. This indicates that there is a lack of respect towards the matter of prophesying. Prophesying is a matter of building up the church, speaking for God, speaking forth God, and speaking out God's desire. Therefore we should never despise it. Through prophesying people can be built up or torn down. Therefore we must treat it soberly. By means of prophesying we can bless God and be blessed by Him. If we speak in spirit with burden and supply, others will be built up by our speaking. If we do not take prophesying seriously, however, our speaking will eventually be without any standard. Some may become addicted to it, so that they simply have to speak in the meetings, and others will compete with them over how long they can speak. In such cases prophesying becomes a thing to do rather than a spiritual matter. We cannot take prophesying lightly, for it is the oracle of the divine operation. God's operation, God's leading, and God's supply for the church come by means of prophesying. We should also realize that we cannot take back our words once they are spoken. A very spiritual brother visited Taiwan from England in 1957. He spoke a few times and supplied the saints with some light and nourishment. Then a brother asked him in a meeting about which Christian group meeting in Taiwan was truly of the Lord. His reply was, "There is no right or wrong. Whichever group has the most Christ is the right one." His answer rejected the local ground of the church. That was just with a few saints, so his word did not have much impact. He spoke in the same manner in a conference, however, in the way of reproach. He claimed that we made Christ a small Christ in order to fit the ground of locality, openly denying the local ground of the church. His speaking plunged the churches in Taiwan into a time of trial. Many good brothers were stumbled, and they began to doubt the truth concerning the local ground of the church. This example shows us the seriousness of prophesying. What you say can build up people or tear them down. When we speak, we have to ask the Lord to cover us with His blood and to be with us. We must also have a clear burden as well as the divine anointing when we speak. We should realize that our speaking can give people life or death. It can build them up or tear them down. Not Being Curious or Seeking Clever Utterance Some brothers are curious and like to look for new things in the Bible. Such brothers might minister many interesting things and seem to have a lot of inspiration, but their sharing may not minister much life, burden, or spiritual commitment. Many today are possessed by curiosity and "itching ears." If you speak of the sevenfold, intensified, all-inclusive, compound, indwelling, life-giving, and consummated Spirit, such ones will not feel interested, but if you speak about the eightfold Spirit, they may perk up, even though they do not yet truly understand the sevenfold Spirit! People are curious. In order to please them some speakers try to catch their interest with novel things. This, however, is not something we should practice if we desire to prophesy for the Lord. Brother Lee's ministering is special. He can speak on the same topic a thousand times and it will seem as if it is the first time he has spoken it. He never tires of repeating the truth for our benefit. He does not seek novel utterances nor try to speak to the "itching ear." When you minister, your speaking should have an impact on those who hear you. You should not, however, attempt to impress others with your cleverness or seek to satisfy their curiosity. Not Using "Excellence of Speech or Wisdom" in Prophesying You should not employ "excellence of speech or wisdom" in your ministering. Paul wrote to the Corinthians, "And I, when I came to you, brothers, came not according to excellence of speech or of wisdom, announcing to you the mystery of God. For I did not determine to know anything among you except Jesus Christ, and this One crucified" (1 Cor. 2:1-2). What is this "excellence of speech and wisdom"? It is something which confuses and is unattainable, even though it may seem high. The truth Paul spoke was about the Lord's being, His commitment, and His accomplishment. Concerning His being and person, He is Jesus Christ. Concerning His commitment, He was entrusted to carry out God's economy. Concerning His accomplishment, He has fulfilled God's economy through His death on the cross. This was Paul's word of ministry. If you seek to impress others with something so high and heavenly that no one understands, that is to use "excellence of speech and wisdom." Brothers, do not look for such excellence or wisdom. Learn to speak with words which everyone can understand. You have to find the way to bring the saints into God's economy step by step. Brother Yu-Lan Chang told us the following story. A young brother was sent to Nanjing from Shanghai. He liked to imitate the way Brother Nee spoke. One phrase Brother Nee often used was "let me tell you." When this young brother ministered, he would also use this phrase. Brother Chang told us that when this brother imitated Brother Nee in this way, a number of them got goose bumps! This is an example of "excellence of speech." Learn not to speak that which you do not know or that which you have not experienced or substantiated. Do not speak using excellence of speech or wisdom. Not Seeking to Conquer Others with Prophesying When we minister, we should not try to subdue or conquer others with our words. There was once a serving brother who was being sent to a new place to serve. He told me that he had a heavy burden. I thought that he was referring to a spiritual burden, but what he really meant was that he was burdened about how it would turn out for him. If his first message was well received, he felt his time there would be successful, and therefore he put a lot of effort into preparing for his first time of sharing with that group of saints. His feeling was that he had to conquer the saints there with his speaking, even though he did not actually have any spiritual burden. Once when I was about to give a conference, an older brother told me that if my conference was a success, I could be assured of more invitations to speak. I was young at the time, and I did not dare to question that brother, but within me I felt that something was wrong. Why did I have to conquer people when I shared? Was this necessary in order for them to listen to me? My desire was to build up the church. If I have something to share, I must simply share it. If I have nothing to minister, then I will learn more. There is nothing shameful about supplying others according to your capacity. It is shameful, however, to try to be someone you are not for the sake of others' admiration, appreciation, or respect. Every ministering one must be careful. It is always tempting for a minister to attempt to conquer people through his ministering. We all need to tell the Lord, "I wish to minister what You have constituted into me and what I have learned of You. Keep me from relying on excellence of speech and wisdom, and do not allow me to conquer others through my speaking just for the sake of gaining their respect." Not Desiring to Impress Others When we speak, who we are goes on display. Our being, our disposition, our amount of learning, and the extent of our vision will all be exposed to those who hear us. It is easy to try to make a good impression or to avoid offending others. If this is our concern, however, we will not be someone who can speak for the Lord. If we go to a place and speak in such a way that we might be invited again, that indicates we have fallen prey to the lust of our religious flesh. The desire to be invited again is something many ministering brothers unconsciously lust after. It is possible that we might seek manifestation and effectiveness in our speaking for the wrong reasons. We must be conscious of this and seek to avoid it. May the Lord be merciful!