Examples of judgment (40)

  Date:August 19, 1948

Testimony by brother T. S.

  I accepted the Lord in the midst of a sickness in 1932. The next year my mother consecrated me to be a preacher. I dropped many of my bad habits after I believed in the Lord. I began to love reading spiritual books. After I read them, however, I would feel condemned for not being able to practice what I read. Later I got a word: “Whereunto we have attained, by the same rule let us walk,” and I was at peace. In 1935 I attended the Overcomer Conference by Brother Nee in Chuanchow. In January of 1948, my right eye became blurred, and I was reminded of Matthew 6:23, which says, “If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!” I gave this matter to the Lord. Although I did not have the Lord’s word, I trusted that I would be healed by His mercy. I did not expect that I would be able to come to the mountain this time. I have had some realization that I was incapable. But this time I want to know how incapable I actually am, so that God will have mercy on me and grant me deliverance.

Brother Nee’s comment

  We are incapable in the sight of the Lord, and we are also incapable in the sight of God’s work. Even if we think that we are capable, it does not mean that we can make it on our own. Those who think they can make it are incapable, and those who think they cannot make it are also incapable. This is a basic qualification for the work. On the negative side we have to see that we are incapable. On the positive side we have to learn to look to the Lord. The principle of 2 Corinthians 1:9 is always with us. Once we acknowledge our poverty in everything, having the sentence of death in ourselves, we will no longer trust in ourselves. Rather, we will look to the Lord who raises the dead. Only then will the work be the Lord’s. When the Lord shows us that we cannot do anything, then we will be able to take up God’s work. We have to realize that all works are done by God Himself. God’s work is God’s business. Any work that is done by man can only be called man’s work. I cannot call Chang-san’s work Lee-shi’s. Anyone who puts his hands to a work can claim that work to be his. What is God’s work? God’s work is God working. God’s work is not done by you and me, but by God Himself. Many people claim that they are doing God’s work. This is not only wrong but actually impossible, because if it is truly God’s work, this means that you and I are not the ones who are doing the work. If a work is done by a man, it is certainly not done by God. Many people have to waste much time before they find out that no work of God is done by man. We have no part in God’s work; we are not related to His work, and we are absolutely useless in His work. Only when God shows us that we can do nothing will we look up to Him and acknowledge that no work is ours; all the works are His alone. Once we have this knowledge, the way is clear. God has no desire to mix man’s work with His work. He is waiting for the day when no one will be confused, when everyone will see that all works are done by Him alone and that we have no share in them at all.

  Many people struggle and wrestle for power because they cannot accept weakness. As a result, the Lord cannot build up anything in them. How God wants to work on us and build us up is His business. We only need to accept our weakness. The problem with man is that he tries to be strong and refuses to be weak. However, Paul was so weak that he despaired even of living. Many people still seek power to overcome their weakness when they are excessively burdened beyond their power. We should be like Paul, who did not put his confidence on himself “but on God, who raises the dead” (2 Cor. 1:9). He did this when he was excessively burdened beyond his power and despaired even of living, having the response of death in himself. If we do this we will be able to rest as Paul did, and we will no longer struggle to overcome our weaknesses. We will know that all works are the Lord’s. We will find these works to be apart from us and absolutely of the Lord. When this happens, we will be filled with joy and peace.

  Our brother also should be more released in his speaking. When the Lord’s dealings are not deep enough, a man can hold back himself. But if the wound of the Lord’s dealing is deep enough, our speaking should be more released. Unfortunately, when some people release themselves, unclean and mixed elements also are released. Therefore, on the one hand, we should not release ourselves easily. On the other hand, we should release ourselves when it is the right time. The most important thing is that we should accept the discipline of the Holy Spirit, and we should have wounds, that is, the mark of the cross. If we have these things, it will be easy to release the spirit.