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Scripture Reading: Eph. 5:18-19; Col. 3:16
Ephesians 5:18-19 says, “Be filled in spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and psalming with your heart to the Lord.” In these verses being filled in spirit and speaking, singing, and psalming are mentioned. According to the grammatical structure in Greek, these are not two separate things but two aspects of one thing. It is difficult to say whether being filled comes first or whether speaking, singing, and psalming come first. It seems that either one can be the cause or the effect of the other. On the one hand, when we are filled in spirit, we spontaneously praise God with overflowing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs; psalms are long poems, hymns are shorter poems, and spiritual songs are poems that are even shorter. On the other hand, speaking to one another and singing and psalming cause us to be filled in spirit.
Colossians 3:16 says, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to God.” The word of Christ here is a word that is living, fresh, and present; it is not doctrines. Ephesians 5:18-19 mentions speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs first and then singing and psalming. Colossians 3:16 mentions teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs first and then singing to God. In our religious concept, we think that psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs are for singing only; however, Ephesians and Colossians show that psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs are also for speaking to one another and for teaching and admonishing one another. Hence, we can speak to one another, teach one another, admonish one another, and then sing and psalm to the Lord. If we speak to one another until we are inspired, we will spontaneously psalm to God; this is different from our traditional, religious concept. We must see that psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs are useful not only for singing but also for speaking, teaching, and admonishing.
Since it is a concept in Christianity that psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs are related only to singing and that singing is related to music, people have studied music in depth. Almost every chapel has a choir leader, but the choir is focused only on the melody and rhythm of the songs, not on the inspiration of the spirit. We are just the opposite. We focus on the spiritual utterance, teaching, and admonition in the words, not on just the music itself. It is not easy to speak, teach, and admonish with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, because we often focus on spiritual things only with our mind as if we were studying mathematics. Therefore, we must call attention to the matter of speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs so that we can turn to be in the Holy of Holies in order to touch the throne of grace. Unsuitable speaking cannot turn a person from wandering in his mind, but speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs will bring us into the Holy of Holies.
The Bible reveals that entering into the Holy of Holies is a matter of turning to our spirit (Heb. 4:16; Eph. 2:22; Rom. 8:10). The Holy of Holies is in the third heaven (Heb. 9:12, 24); however, today the Lord dwells not only in the third heaven but also in our spirit (2 Tim. 4:22). Our spirit is the Holy of Holies that reaches the heavens. The Lord’s throne, which is a throne of grace, is in the Holy of Holies, and a river of water of life proceeds out of this throne to supply us with grace (Heb. 4:16). If we only sit and listen to messages, we will be in our mind most of the time; however, if we speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, we will turn from our mind to our spirit as we speak. Whether we are literate or illiterate, we can all enter into the Holy of Holies and touch the throne of grace.
When we studied Ephesians in a training in Taipei in 1953, I did not see the matter of speaking to one another in chapter 5. In 1968 in Jakarta, Indonesia, however, the phrase speaking to one another shined out to me. I immediately fellowshipped with the brothers about practicing the speaking of hymns to one another. Everyone enjoyed the Lord very much in that meeting. After I went back to Taiwan, I fellowshipped this matter with the churches, but there was not much response; everyone still gave messages according to routine.
Brother Watchman Nee emphasized repeatedly in his Kuling training that if a person gives a message from his mind, it can only touch people’s mind; only that which is of the spirit can touch people’s spirit. Brother Nee spent a long time to fellowship with us about paying attention to our spirit and releasing our spirit. This is needed in order to touch people and to touch their spirit. Although the co-workers have been paying more attention to releasing their spirit when speaking, much of the time they are still in their mind and do not release their spirit fully. We often speak messages according to our mind; this shows that we are under the influence of the traditions of Christianity. Instead, we should encourage people to speak to one another in spirit. Speaking hymns to one another is the easiest way to release the spirit. If we become experienced in speaking to one another, every hymn will be able to touch us.
Thus, we should not select hymns based on our old experiences but on the present “season.” This is like choosing some clothes for winter and different clothes for summer. Similarly, our speaking in the church must match the audience as well as the season. Some words are suitable for a father to speak but not for a mother; other words are suitable for a mother to speak but not for a sibling. We should not lead the church only according to our experiences. On the one hand, we cannot lead without experience, but on the other hand, we cannot lead merely according to our experience. Even when we teach, we cannot rely on experience alone. Lastly, we should not be disappointed because we cannot do everything well. Everything is in God’s hands; He is able to deliver us from the influence of Christianity.
On the one hand, the help that we receive from others is a benefit to us, but on the other hand, if the help is not rendered properly, it can ruin and even destroy a good piece of material. Although Christianity has passed the Bible and the gospel of the Lord Jesus to us, it has also given us many traditions that have damaged our experience of the Lord. I was born in Christianity and grew up in Christianity; I received the most help from Christianity, yet at the same time I was deeply damaged by Christianity. To this day I must admit that it is hard to be rid of its influence completely.
The elders need to help the church to be up to date with the flow of the age, because the Lord is always advancing. This is not easy, because the ways of the older generation have been cultivated and set, and the younger generation is tender and inexperienced. We are in a transitional period with a gap between the generations in life and experience. Some of our crops are yellowing with age, but at the same time we do not have new green crops. In such a large church as Taipei, it would not be easy to let young brothers in their twenties or thirties be elders, but leaving the church in the hands of older elders also poses difficulties. Thus, the elders must be open to change.
I was born in Christianity and grew up under the influence of the Western culture. I was very Westernized. I learned English sixty years ago, but because of the circumstances and the atmosphere then, I was very cautious about speaking English or wearing Western-style suits. Whenever someone wore a Western-style suit, he would receive harsh criticism from those who considered themselves to be traditionalists. Hence, everyone kept the old way and followed tradition. Eventually, however, some were not afraid, and they took the lead to wear Western-style suits. Gradually, Western-style suits became more common, and on formal occasions they even began to be required. Although the elders in Taipei are older, they must take the lead to “wear Western-style suits.” Because the Lord has a new leading, the elders must take the lead to keep up with Him. If the elders do not move when they hear something concerning the Lord’s new leading, it will be difficult to keep up with the flow of the age.
From what I have seen of the young people recently, I feel that they have a heart for the Lord and that they are willing to spend the time to learn. They can release their spirit, and their spirit is fresh. I also understand that the older ones still want the young ones to follow the old ways; they are not at ease whenever the young ones do not follow the old ways. But we are in a new age, and it is difficult for the young ones to follow the old ways. The older saints must “put on Western-style suits” and be up to date, and the young saints must be patient and not have intense reactions against the older saints.
The older saints must recognize their actual condition and respect the younger generation, who should eventually surpass them. The elders should not boast in their seniority but should submit to the Lord, saying, “I have nothing, and I know nothing of the flow of Your move. Have mercy on me; I would like to start learning afresh.” If we do this, we will be blessed. The Lord is advancing in the twentieth century; He cannot go back to the nineteenth century. He is always advancing.
Shortly after the Lord Jesus was born, His parents brought Him to the temple. At that time, two elderly Jews, Simeon and Anna, were in the temple. They were devout people living before the Lord. When they saw the baby Jesus, they knew that He was the Messiah, the coming Christ (Luke 2:25-38). Although they were devout, they were also influenced by the Old Testament age, and they were strongly attached to the temple. If the Lord had called them to come out of the temple and to follow Him when He began to minister, it would have been impossible for them to do so.
Thus, when the Lord Jesus began to call people, He did not call anyone who was too old; He called a group of young men by the Sea of Galilee. The twelve apostles were young men. The Lord Himself was only thirty years old when He began to minister and only thirty-three and a half years old when He was crucified. None of His disciples were older than He was. Peter, Andrew, James, and John were not set in their ways. When the Lord said, “Come after Me,” they immediately left their nets and followed Him (Matt. 4:18-22). Would Simeon have left the temple and followed the Lord if the Lord had said, “Come after Me”? I am afraid that he would not have been able to follow the Lord. The Lord knew that Simeon was set in his ways, even though he was devout and loved God. Simeon would have been unable to keep up with the Lord’s new way. This was not only the case with Simeon and Anna but even with Joseph from Arimathea and Nicodemus, who helped bury the Lord Jesus. There is no record that either of these two remained in Jerusalem to continue steadfastly in prayer with the twelve apostles (John 19:38-42; Acts 1:12-14). When the church appeared on the earth in Jerusalem, possibly no elder was over thirty years old.
I hope the elders would have the light, sense, and understanding to know that the Lord only goes forward; the Lord is taking a new way in this age. We must consider our service: are we set in our ways, or can we adapt to the Lord’s need in this age? Even though the Bible does not explicitly address the matter of how long a brother should serve as an elder, we often assume that it is for life. We need to consider whether our old ways merely correspond to our being old or whether we can advance with the Lord. We did not have this problem twenty-five years ago, but we have it today. The age is new, the flow is new, but we are old. If we are determined to turn from our oldness to become like children, not following old methods or giving old messages, then we can serve in the flow. We need much light and grace to be intensified to the point that we drop our old methods and follow the up-to-date flow.
We all are in about the same situation today; those who are old are too old, and those who are young are not yet able to walk according to the Lord’s new flow. The Lord’s recovery has had a good beginning in the United States, and it is moving very quickly there. Soon it will spread to other continents. Not long ago we had a conference in Europe with at least three hundred saints. There even has been a good beginning in Africa. Furthermore, the Lord’s recovery has reached Australia and New Zealand; in these places there is a fresh atmosphere that is better than the condition in the Far East. It is easy for the Lord to have a new beginning in places where there are not old roots; with half the effort in the work and in the leading, there are twice the results. Places with old roots, however, get only half the result with twice the effort, because our oldness cancels out much of the effectiveness of our work. This shows that we truly need to be before the Lord and seek to improve. On the one hand, those who are elderly must endeavor to advance in this new age, and on the other hand, the young people need to be burdened but not rash.
According to Ephesians 5:19, we should speak to one another in “psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,” and according to Colossians 3:16, we should also teach and admonish one another with “psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.” These are not ordinary words; this is an exercise involving the release of our spirit. I hope that we would practice this in our meetings and not boast in our seniority, put on airs, or give the same old messages. I am worried that we may be devout Christians who love the Lord but who never use our spirit. This is the influence of Christianity. According to the truth, we should be in spirit continuously, living and walking in our spirit rather than relying on our soul. As Christians, we must exercise our spirit. The Lord’s present flow of the age is a matter of being in spirit. Our prayer should be in spirit, our singing should be in spirit, and our speaking to one another should be in spirit. Our mind should not be our most active part; we must exercise our spirit to let the Lord live out of us.
If a person is in his mind, everything that he does will come out from his self. A certain brother, for example, may have a disposition that is naturally suited for cultivating godly characteristics. If he does not exercise his spirit, however, none of his living will be of the Lord. Furthermore, the Lord will not live out of him, no matter how much he testifies of the Lord’s mercy in regard to his godly cultivation. The present flow in this age is to let the Lord live out of us through the exercise of our spirit. Galatians 2:20 says, “It is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me.” Every method to cultivate godliness is merely a formula and an outdated routine.
Godly cultivation is not the focus of God’s will, but the pursuit of godly cultivation has been a tradition in Christianity since the first century. In contrast to this, the Lord has been doing a recovery work throughout the centuries, and today He is recovering our experience of the spirit. This is a new beginning. We should not give long messages but instead speak in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs directly from our spirit. We can also pray-read. We do not need to compose prayers; we only need to release our spirit. Whether we are speaking hymns to one another or pray-reading verses, we can release our spirit to supply and edify the saints. We do not have to speak hymns rigidly, but in principle, the way that we meet must come out of our spirit. We must flee everything of the mind, knowledge, and routine.
Among the various churches in the Far East, Hong Kong is under the Lord’s blessing for two reasons: First, the older saints do their best to give the young saints an opportunity to function. Second, the young saints are able to advance and learn lessons, while still submitting to and cooperating with the older ones. If the older saints believed that the young saints were not sensible enough and kept the service to themselves, the situation in Hong Kong would be finished. Several elders in Hong Kong have been blessed with a realization of their limitations, and they have encouraged the young people to rise up to fill up their lack. In this way the older saints are a blessing to the church, and the church has no problems. If the older saints do not give the young saints an opportunity to function, there will be much loss. Being able to advance is a strength of the young people, but the young people must learn the lesson of submission. The church profits greatly when older and younger saints coordinate with each other.
My burden is not related to outward affairs but to our inner vision. If we can see the vision clearly, we will be able to bring the churches into living in the spirit and living one with the Lord. This cannot be achieved in a short period of time. It may take quite a long time to bring the brothers and sisters into the spirit in order to practically experience Christ living in us. This requires that the elders, co-workers, and responsible brothers see the vision and pursue, fellowship, and pray together so that they may be in one spirit to bring the churches into this vision.
If the brothers see this vision, they should bear the burden to bring the saints into the spirit, into the flow of the age. The brothers and sisters who see this vision should come together to fellowship, pray, and pursue the Lord in one spirit. I believe that the Lord will give us a definite leading every day. Then our supply of the word in the meetings will not be the issue of our opinions but of our fellowship. In this fellowship we will have a sense of what to speak on the Lord’s Day, who should speak, and what material to use. We do not have a lack of material among us. In both English and Chinese a considerable number of messages have been released. The most important thing, however, is to fellowship and pursue together in one spirit. The brothers in the various churches should not be like public servants who carry out routines and follow old methods. This will not bring in any blessing.
If we fellowship and pursue according to this one vision, the Lord will clearly and practically lead us in the meetings of the church. The Lord’s supply is living and constant. We need to draw out the Lord’s supply from these messages by entering into them ourselves and by having fellowship with one another in order to bring the saints into them. This is the principle of Paul’s charge in 2 Timothy 2:2, which says, “The things which you have heard from me through many witnesses, these commit to faithful men, who will be competent to teach others also.” Paul wanted Timothy to be clear concerning the vision so that he could lead others, who then could teach others as well. Although the local churches are autonomous, there is only one testimony, and everyone should go forward in the flow according to one vision.
In 1 Timothy 1:3-4 Paul speaks of not teaching different things rather than God’s economy. This indicates that there was a group of people in the church who were not necessarily teaching heresy but who were teaching something different from the central vision of the apostles. Hence, Paul wanted Timothy to remain in Ephesus to charge certain ones in the church not to teach things that differ from the central vision of God. We should apply this principle in the local churches. The churches need to see the central vision and take it as their way and goal. I hope that we would see this and then fellowship, pray, and seek the Lord’s leading together with the serving ones in our locality. Then we will provide the whole church with a timely leading in one spirit. We must drop our old methods and set practices; nevertheless, we are not simply replacing old methods with new methods. Instead, we are seeking to be governed by the vision and to advance according to the Lord’s present leading.
Wherever the co-workers serve, they should not consider themselves as “message-giving” co-workers; instead, they should fellowship and seek the Lord’s leading with the brothers in one spirit. In regard to weekly meetings or the Lord’s Day meetings, the co-workers should learn to take the new way in spirit and not give old, routine messages based on old experiences. The revelation that the Lord has shown us is of our living Lord, who passed through death, resurrection, and ascension to become the life-giving Spirit in our spirit so that He can live in us, and we can live one with Him. When we live according to our mingled spirit, we are Christians who are living with the Lord.
Although we may study doctrines, methods, and formulas that are proper and even biblical, they can touch only our mind, not our spirit. Even prayer can be a work that is based on mental comprehension rather than on the exercise of our spirit in order to live one with the Lord. The same can be said concerning the giving of a message. No matter how much of our content comes from the Bible, our speaking can fall into a set formula. We should not do this any longer; our messages should come out of our living in spirit, our living and walking with the Lord.
It is not easy for us to stop relying upon methods. For example, we have picked up the practices of Brother Lawrence and Madame Guyon. This is not bad, but it is rather superficial; there is even a sense that we are borrowing someone else’s spiritual experiences. Even though we can accomplish something by working according to methods, this is not what the Lord wants today. The Lord wants to live in us. We must let Him live in us, and we must live by Him and with Him. We really need the Lord to save us from relying upon methods and formulas.
In giving a message, we should not repeat the words from reference materials in a rote manner. We must absorb the content in our spirit and release it from our spirit. Only this will provide a living supply. Furthermore, we must reject the concept that we should not repeat what others have spoken, as if it is a shame to repeat the speaking of others. This is a wrong concept. If we have such a concept, it shows that we have a lack of appreciation for what we have received. If our messages are like gold and diamonds, we should not be afraid to “display” them a thousand times. The American brothers regard the repetition of the ministry messages as an honor. They often imitate one another and practice giving the same messages. They do not have the thought that a message that has been released elsewhere does not need to be released to their locality. It is altogether fleshly to have the thought that following others is a shame.
Some young brothers are in a precarious position before the Lord because they have a different spirit, even though they have some revelation. A different spirit gives opportunity to the enemy. If we let a different spirit develop, there will be serious divisions. The young people need to advance but not be rash. Whoever goes to an extreme will lose the Lord’s presence. May the Lord give us the discernment.
May God have mercy on us so that we learn to have a proper spirit. Outward mistakes do not matter so much, but our spirit must be right. It is wrong to see a revelation and then condemn others based on this revelation. Although I may rebuke, I do not condemn. Rebuking without condemning is different from rebuking and condemning. It is better to know how to listen than how to speak. I have heard a different spirit in the words of some brothers. Even though they do not mean to dispute, something is not quite right in their words. Satan is quite deceitful; we must guard against him. If we have a different spirit and allow it to develop, we will get into trouble. This will result in a loss to ourselves and also to the church. If we have a different spirit, we need to be purified by the Lord.
We are not controlled by any method or by any person; instead, we are controlled by the vision of the Lord’s present way, the Lord’s present flow. Because we have seen this vision, we are burdened to supply this word to every place. Some places follow quickly, whereas others follow slowly, but this is not a problem. The only thing that matters is being in the flow. We should endeavor in spirit to practice the things that we have heard step by step and little by little.
We should not think that these words apply only to others; before the Lord we should apply them to ourselves. It is also dangerous to try to adjust others based on the things that we have recently seen and experienced. Satan can hide behind our “adjustment” and do a destroying work. The Holy Spirit is never rash; the brothers who have a rash disposition should pray in order to be clear concerning what to say and what not to say. The main cause of car accidents is excessive speed. When drivers lower their speed, the number of car accidents is reduced.
I have learned many lessons over the years in serving the Lord. Those who charge forward too quickly fall more easily into the hands of the devil. We should never charge forward too quickly, because our sense of urgency is often misplaced. Even if we are greatly burdened about a matter, we do not need to act hastily. If something is of the Lord, the Lord will make the best arrangement for it. Anything that is too impulsive will become unhealthy. This tendency can be seen in the Pentecostal movement. We have studied the Pentecostal movement for many years, and we have considered it in relation to the Scriptures. In our study we have found that many of the impulsive and rash elements of the Pentecostal movement are unscriptural. From reading Paul’s Epistles, we can see that he did not speak in an impulsive or rash manner; he considered what he wrote in the light of the Lord (1 Cor. 7:25, 40).
Even if we have a specific burden, we should not be impulsive when we contact others. Even if others are not where we are, impulsive and rash efforts will yield only opposite results. We must learn to let the Lord work, and we should simply move forward, walking according to the spirit without a condemning tone. We should avoid being impulsive or rash even in our own movement forward. We should be balanced and avoid being too impulsive. When we sense that we have received some leading from the Lord, we should examine whether it is of the spirit or of the self. This kind of examination applies more to speaking a word of rebuke than it does to speaking a word of supply. We must be careful not to be impulsive or rash when it comes to speaking a word that touches someone’s shortcomings. Even if we feel that we must say something, it is best to bring it to the Lord first. After waiting half a day, we may feel that we should not speak in such a way, and after another half a day, we may have a sense to speak of the matter in a different way. In this way we will avoid much trouble.
It seems as if some brothers are bearing the burden of their local church, the burden of churches elsewhere, and even the burden of the whole world. This is too much. They should be quiet in spirit and bring the church in their locality on in spirit until it becomes living and enjoys the Lord richly. There is no need for them to promote their way or to condemn others for not following them. For example, the brothers in the church in Tainan should not touch the problems of the brothers in the church in Taipei. They should just stand on the ground of the church in Tainan and advance steadily to supply the saints in spirit and to cause the young people to grow. Even when there is a conference or a training for all of Taiwan, we should speak positively without any tone of rebuke or condemnation.
It is proper to be burdened but not to the point that we condemn others. Condemnation does not help, and those who condemn are the ones who are hurt the most. It is easy to be short of maturity and to be lacking in the riches to supply the churches. Even if we have seen a little, Satan can hide behind our condition and seduce us to measure others according to what we have seen, while forgetting our own condition. We should never measure others according to a “ruler.” Instead, we should remain in what we have seen, advance steadily and quietly in our local church in a lowly spirit, experience the Lord, and grow, mature, and be filled with life.
Today a locality that is supplied and blessed by the Lord cannot remain hidden, because transportation and communications are so developed and extensive. Gradually, the whole Body will know what a local church has gained, and its supply will reach the whole Body. When the churches gather together for fellowship, we should just receive the fellowship, and if the Holy Spirit leads us to give a word of fellowship, we should supply others without any flavor of condemnation. If we condemn the churches based on what we have seen, we will fall into danger. It is good to see something, but we also must advance and grow in life in order to be rich in spirit; then we will spontaneously be a supply to the churches. Although there are churches in different localities, we are still one Body. If our locality has truly received revelation, this revelation will become a supply to the Body sooner or later. There is no need for impulsive promotions or rash declarations that others are wrong and only we are right. Such an improper spirit and inappropriate methods will only bring in a negative result.
Our human body is an organism of life, and everything related to life is spontaneous. A good doctor does not prescribe radical treatments, and the best medications are those that the body can absorb slowly in order to heal itself of diseases. Treatments that are too radical can be deadly to the body. If a local church, even in a remote place, has truly learned some lessons and has been richly blessed, the riches that it enjoys will eventually reach and supply other local churches.
We should never be impulsive, but instead, we should bring everything to the Lord and wait on Him. The work of the Holy Spirit does not need our impulsiveness. We should be quiet before the Lord, because the Lord always has a way. Even if churches elsewhere have needs, the Lord has a way for them. We should care for our own locality and receive for our own locality so that the Holy Spirit has the opportunity to infuse our locality with the riches and gradually strengthen the whole Body. The supply that our locality receives is for the Body, and it will spontaneously operate in the whole Body.
Over ten years ago a brother claimed that he saw a vision, and he even asked another co-worker to confirm whether or not he had the ministry of the age. I cannot say that this brother did not see anything, but his vouching for himself had no bearing on whether or not he had the ministry of the age. Only life and the issue of life can vouch for us. If a brother can supply people, then the churches in Taiwan and the churches all over the earth will be supplied gradually. Then, even if he says that he does not have the ministry of the age, others will say that he does. The ministry of the age is the ministry of the age; it does not need to be self-confirmed or proclaimed. If we see something, we do not have to “publicize” it, and neither should we feel that only we have seen something.
In our work there is no need to rush to change things. If we go to Indonesia, there is no need to touch or change the churches in Indonesia. We should only minister life whenever there is the opportunity. There is no need to change methods or to touch matters of right and wrong. We should simply minister life when we have the opportunity. Even when we minister life, we need to be pure and simple so that people may receive this life. If we do this, even if we live there for a year or two, we will not fall into right and wrong. Our going to a place should never stir up matters of right and wrong or cause problems.
The brothers frequently make the mistake of being too impulsive and rash. Even if we see that a certain church has a need, we do not need to be impulsive. Instead, we should consider our position when we speak. A sister should remember that she is a sister when she speaks, a brother should remember that he is a brother when he speaks, an older one should remember that he is an older one when he speaks, and a young one should remember that he is a young one when he speaks. Some spiritual words can come only from an elderly person, not from a young person. We should not reject the words of another based simply on his human status; there are distinctions of age and position that cannot be annulled absolutely. Furthermore, we should be aware that there are distinctions related to location as well as human status. For example, some words that are suitable for the church in Tainan are not suitable for the situation of the church in Taipei. Similarly, I can speak some words to my family but not the same words to the saints in a meeting.
May the Lord have mercy on us that we would learn these matters. Otherwise, haste will result in waste, and we will experience results that are the opposite of our intention. If I speak a strong word, this does not mean that you should go out and speak the same words in the same way, because people will receive what I say but not necessarily what you say. Some words that come from me could never come from you. If you say the same thing, you will get into trouble and even hurt yourself. It is not easy to be a doctor who can effectively treat diseases. First, one needs much study and practice in order to accumulate experience. Furthermore, there is a need for a proper examination and understanding of a patient’s condition in order for a proper treatment to be prescribed. It is the same with the church; we must be cautious in every aspect of our service. The church is the Body of Christ; we should not touch it lightly. If we do not touch it properly, we will suffer loss, and others will suffer as well. This can be seen in the history of those who claimed to have seen a vision over ten years ago but who eventually left. Today their work has not produced much fruit. In addition to damaging many people, they also damaged themselves. We must learn these lessons today.
