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Scripture Reading: Eph. 1:17-23; 3:16-19
We can see the matter of prayer throughout the entire New Testament. We see the Lord’s prayer in the Gospels, which focuses on the principles of prayer. We also see the Lord’s prayer in Gethsemane and the two prayers of the apostle Paul in Ephesians. Among all these prayers, the two prayers in Ephesians can be said to be the most practical and complete prayers in the New Testament.
There are two prayers in Ephesians—one in chapter 1 and the other in chapter 3. The prayer in chapter 1 focuses on revelation, and the prayer in chapter 3 focuses on experience. In the prayer in chapter 1, the apostle asks God for spiritual revelation that we may see that God has to work in us to the extent that we become the inheritance of His glory. In the prayer in chapter 3, the apostle asks God to strengthen us through His Spirit into our inner man that we may experience the power in us that has already been manifested. This power is all that God has accomplished in Christ. There is no other passage like Ephesians 1 that is able to tell us in such a precise and complete way what God has accomplished in Christ.
Ephesians 1:19-23 says, “And what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the operation of the might of His strength, which He caused to operate in Christ in raising Him from the dead and seating Him at His right hand in the heavenlies, far above all rule and authority and power and lordship and every name that is named not only in this age but also in that which is to come; and He subjected all things under His feet and gave Him to be Head over all things to the church, which is His Body, the fullness of the One who fills all in all.” There is a power in Christ that caused Him to be raised, to ascend, to be far above all things, and to be Head over all things and that also caused the church to become His mystical Body, the fullness of the One who fills all in all. Today this accomplishing power is also toward us who believe. However, we may not be able to see all the matters that God in Christ is working out in us. For this, the apostle prayed to God that we would have revelation.
Then in chapter 3 the apostle prayed that God, according to this revelation, would grant us the experience, because it is one thing for God to work something out in us, but it is another thing for us to experience it personally. God gives us the revelation and seeing in order that we may have the experience. Many of us, however, not only do not have the experience but also do not have the seeing. Regarding the two prayers in Ephesians, we may be absolutely inexperienced. There are many Christians who are able to recite the Lord’s prayer but who do not have any understanding of the apostle’s prayers. They often recite the Lord’s prayer, but they do not care for these two prayers that are of the highest spiritual standard. Today we who are in the Lord’s recovery must know these two prayers.
These two prayers are centered on the same matter, which is God in Christ working Himself into us. The emphasis of the first prayer is on revelation and seeing, and the emphasis of the second prayer is on experience and enjoyment. This is what we must see clearly. These two prayers touch the same matter, which is the mysterious God in Christ working out an exceedingly great mystery in us. This matter first requires our seeing and then our experience.
For us to have the seeing and the experience, the apostle uttered two special prayers—one in chapter 1, which is a prayer for revelation, and the other in chapter 3, which is a prayer for experience. These two prayers touch only one thing. The most obvious point of similarity is that the issue mentioned at the end of both prayers is the filling. The first prayer ends with the church being the fullness of the One who fills all in all, and the second prayer ends with us being filled unto all the fullness of God. From this we see that even though the wording of these two prayers is different, their result—that God in Christ is filling us—is absolutely consistent. God and we, we and God, will be completely mingled together, and we will be filled unto all the fullness of God. The ultimate result of these two prayers touches this same matter.
As for us, first we need the seeing, which is why the apostle prayed for us regarding revelation, and second, we need the experience, which is why the apostle prayed for us regarding experience. Both prayers touch the great mystery of God mingling with man. The first one is regarding revelation for our seeing, and the second is regarding experience for our enjoyment.
The first prayer is for a spirit of wisdom and revelation (1:17-18). Revelation is for seeing, and wisdom is for understanding. For example, suppose there is a radio sealed in a box so that we are not able to see it. Since we cannot see the radio, we have no revelation concerning it. If we open the box and put the radio in front of us, we will be able to see it. This is to have revelation. However, for us to understand what is inside of the radio, we still need wisdom. A person who has studied electricity would be able to understand the radio by looking at it, but someone unlearned in electricity would be unable to understand it no matter how much he looked at it. Even though he may see it, he would not understand it. This is to have revelation but no wisdom. A person who has studied electricity has the wisdom before he has the revelation because his mind has been trained to have the knowledge of electricity. We can say that he has the wisdom of electricity in his mind. When the radio is “revealed” to him, he is able to understand it immediately. This is to first have the wisdom and then the revelation. After he sees the radio, he is able to understand it.
The mystery that God is working out in us in Christ is so great and wonderful that it requires not only our seeing but also our understanding. Hence, we need revelation, and we also need wisdom. Regarding many spiritual matters, we often hear of them but lack the inward understanding. The reason is that we are short of spiritual wisdom, and our mind is not exercised enough and is not experienced in spiritual matters. Thus, even though we may have heard these things again and again, inwardly we still may not understand.
When some people first learn how to sing, they think that every musical note is the same. Their ears can hardly tell the differences in pitch because their ears are not experienced. Some people’s ears are experienced in listening to gossip but not to music, because their ears have been exercised for several decades to listen to gossip but not to music. When you talk about business trade with some brothers, they can fully understand you, even if you mention only a few words. They are able to say things in a more precise, concise, and thorough way because their minds are experienced in business. When some saints get angry and scold people, their voices are loud, forceful, and full of confidence because they are experienced in this matter. But if we asked them to speak for God and to speak the grace of God, they would be speechless. Even though they may say something, they would not say it clearly and to the point. This shows us that we are most experienced in the matters in which we exercise our mind and our understanding. For this reason our mind has to be exercised in the spiritual matters.
In the prayer of Ephesians 1 Paul mentions three great points. When these three great points are put together, we can see that the burden is that we would truly know God. First, we have to know His calling. Second, we have to know that He wants to gain us as His inheritance. Third, we have to know His power toward us (vv. 18-19). The power of God toward us is the power of God toward Christ. In other words, the kind of power that God had toward Christ is the kind of power God has toward us. This means that today the work that God is doing in us is nothing less than the work that God did in Christ. The power of God toward Christ in the past was exactly the same as the power of God toward us today. What God did in Christ in the past is what He is doing in us today. What God is doing in us is what He did in Christ. The power of God toward Christ is now also toward us.
The power of God toward Christ accomplished several major events in Christ. First, it raised Christ from the dead. Second, it seated Him at God’s right hand in the heavenlies. Third, it caused Him to be far above all rule and authority and power and lordship and every name that is named not only in this age but also in that which is to come. Fourth, it subjected all things under His feet. Fifth, it gave Him to be Head over all things to the church. Sixth, it caused the church to be His Body, the fullness of the One who fills all in all (vv. 20-23).
The power of God that operates in us is the power that He caused to operate in Christ. This power caused Christ to be raised, to ascend, to be far above all things, and to be Head over all things to the church. It also caused the church to be His Body. Now the power that God caused to operate in Christ is also being applied to us. This power still has the same effect on us today. Hallelujah! The power that caused Christ to be raised from the dead, to ascend to the heavens, to be far above all, and to be Head to the church is also toward us. This power is so great!
Since the church is the Body of Christ and our service is the service of the church, we have the realization that the service of the church is the service of the Body, the service in coordination. When we come to the meeting hall, you may sweep the floor, I may arrange the chairs, and another brother may clean the door. This kind of coordination is the service of the Body, the service of the church. One time at the meeting hall we saw that many saints were busy cleaning and tidying up the meeting hall. One brother marveled and said, “Look, what a beautiful scene! Some are sweeping the floor, some are arranging the chairs, and some are cleaning the windows.” This is an example of the service of the Body of Christ being realized by us.
What is the Body of Christ? Before His resurrection Christ did not have a Body. He was an individual. It was after His resurrection, ascension, transcending over all things, and becoming the Head of all things and of the church that He gained a mystical Body. The church as the mystical Body of Christ is the fullness of the One who resurrected, ascended, transcended over all things, who is above all things, and who fills all in all. The Body, the church, the mystical Body of Christ, is something that has been resurrected, has ascended, and is now transcendent over all things and above all things. The church was produced after the resurrection of Christ. From Ephesians we know that the church is something very high and that the procedure through which the church was produced is marvelous. The producing of the church was not that simple.
In short, the church, the Body of Christ, was produced after Christ resurrected, ascended, transcended over all things, and was made Head over all things. Christ’s resurrection, ascension, transcending over all things, and being Head over all things are all for the church. What is the church? The church is His Body. It was in Christ’s resurrection and ascension that He became the Head of the church, and it was at this time that Christ, the Head of all things, obtained a Body. This Body is the church.
From this we see that the church was not produced from a low situation. Christ was incarnated and born in a manger, but it was not possible for the church to be produced in this way. Christ in His incarnation was born in the lowest position, but the church was not produced in the same way. The birth of the church was very high. The church was produced in the highest realm—in the realm of His resurrection, His ascension, His transcending over all things, and His being Head over all things. The status of the church is very high, and the position of the church is very noble. In other words, the church was produced in resurrection, and it was produced starting from resurrection and ending with His transcending over all things and being Head over all things. It was at that time that the Body, the church, was produced.
Without resurrection there would be no church. The church came out of resurrection and must also pass through resurrection. This is what Ephesians 1 says. If we do not see that resurrection was the realm in which the church was produced, we cannot understand the prayer in Ephesians 1. At the end of the prayer there is something mystical—the fullness of the One who fills all in all, which is the church. The church did not exist before resurrection. Before resurrection there was only Christ, and His body was finite, not mystical. It was after Christ’s resurrection, ascension, transcending over all things, and becoming the Head over all things that a mystery emerged. This mystery is the Body of Christ, which is the church.
The church, the Body of Christ, is of resurrection. The church began with Christ’s resurrection, proceeded with His ascension to the heavenlies to be far above all things and to be the Head over all things, and was eventually brought forth. Hence, the church began with resurrection and was produced from resurrection.
Resurrection produces the church. Resurrection is in the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit is in us. Suppose we all came together to serve in coordination. Some would sweep the floor, some would clean the windows, and some would visit people. All different kinds of service and work would be expressed here. We might say that this is the Body of Christ and the service of the church, but is it correct to say this? If all these activities and services are done in the Spirit, then they are the service of the church, but if they are not done in the Spirit, then they are not the service of the church. This is because it is only in the Spirit that we can touch resurrection, and it is only in resurrection that there can be the church.
Although we have been saved, have Christ’s life, and are Christians, for us to live the church life and to have the service of the church, we must live in the Spirit. When we live in the Spirit, we live in resurrection, and only when we live in resurrection can we have the service of the church. For example, when we go to a certain locality and see that the saints there are all zealous, diligent, and capable, that some are busy doing this and some doing that, and that everyone is harmonious in their coordination, we may praise them and say, “This church is very good. Their service truly expresses the Body of Christ.” If we draw the conclusion that this is the service of the church merely because of the outward condition, we are still inexperienced.
For example, suppose you take a piece of yellow metal to a jewelry shop. Would the shop owner immediately nod and acknowledge that it is gold? Of course he would not. He would examine it first. Today, however, the situation is not like this. It seems that when many people see something yellow, they say that it is gold without paying attention to whether it is bronze or gold, hollow or solid. As long as it is yellow, they say that it is gold. This is the poor condition we are in. When we see people doing things in the meeting hall and the saints busily working, we immediately praise them and say, “This church is very good. This is the service of the Body, the service in coordination, and the corporate service.” Actually, this is the speaking of an inexperienced person. We know that in order to ascertain whether something is gold, it is not sufficient to merely observe the outward color. We need to see its inner essence. Hence, we not only need to pay attention to the zealous coordination and diligent service of the saints, but we also have to see whether or not they do these things in the Spirit. If they do these things in the Spirit, then in that place there will be the church and the service of the church. But if they do these things outside of the Spirit, then in that place there will not be the church or the service of the church.
For example, the saints in a certain locality may be very sincere and diligent in service and coordination, but they may do these things in their natural energy and according to their preference. They may be natural and not in their spirit. If this is the case, they may maintain their sincerity, diligence, and coordination for three weeks, but afterward, they will not be able to coordinate with one another. Experience tells us that this kind of situation happens all the time. One time we saw a group of saints coordinating in harmony, loving one another, and being affectionate toward one another, even to the degree that they seemed to be “glued” to one another and inseparable. Although this was the outward situation, we worried that they would eventually break up. As expected, they started to fight with one another in less than a month. This one accused that one, and that one accused this one, and they bit and devoured one another. What does this prove? This proves that their initial coordination was in the flesh, in the natural man, in their preference, and in their emotion, not in the Spirit.
Suppose someone comes to serve and cleans the meeting hall. Then after you compliment him, he comes again the next day before suppertime. After you praise him some more, he comes again before two o’clock on the third day, and he feels happy and sweet. Unfortunately, a few days later, due to something improper in his service, he receives some adjusting that touches his inward feeling. Then he becomes discouraged and disheartened. Not only does he come very late on the next day, but he disappears on the third day, and eventually he does not come anymore. This indicates that his serving in zeal was not in the Spirit but outside of the Spirit.
The genuine one accord does not come from gritting one’s teeth or closing one’s eyes. Some Christians maintain the oneness of the church by gritting their teeth or even closing their eyes, because once they open their eyes, they are not able to be one, and once they open their ears, they are not able to coordinate. This kind of one accord is artificial and self-made. This kind of oneness is in vain. A person may be able to shut his mouth for today and tomorrow, but two days later, he will not be able to shut his mouth any longer. Instead, “thunder” and “rain” will pour out when he opens his mouth. The oneness of the church is not like this. It is impossible to be one in the natural man, and there is no way to find oneness in the flesh and in the old creation. In other words, there is no oneness in our zeal, our diligence, our preferences, and our views. Oneness is in resurrection and in the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit is in our spirit. As long as we learn not to rely on our self, our natural man, our feelings, our views, our emotions, our preferences, our ideas, and our will and learn to turn to our spirit and live in our spirit, we will have the genuine one accord. In this way we will not only have no need to grit our teeth and shut our mouths, but we will also be able to enjoy the sweetness of the one accord. If all of us would feel in our spirit, speak in our spirit, observe in our spirit, and taste in our spirit, we would have the sweet oneness. The oneness is in the spirit and in resurrection. The church is also in the spirit and in resurrection.
The church is not in the natural realm but in resurrection. Hence, our natural mind and emotions are problems to the church because they cannot touch resurrection. What is resurrection? Resurrection has a principle—any object that is of resurrection is not the same as it was originally. Consider a flower seed for instance. Its original shape is round and small, and its color is brownish-yellow. But after it is planted into the ground, dies, and resurrects, what comes forth is unconfined, big in shape, and green in color. This is resurrection. What is planted is the original form, but what comes out is another form. Hence, we are not saying that our mind is useless but that our mind, like a seed, has to be put to death and then to live again. Then our mind will be a mind of resurrection. Similarly, we are not saying that our emotion is useless. Spiritual men are very emotional. The difference is that if our emotion is a natural emotion, it will be a spiritual harm, but if our emotion is put to death and passes through resurrection, it will become a spiritual benefit.
In the matter of following and serving the Lord, we need a strong will. Our will has to be so strong that we are able to push forward despite repeated frustrations. This is to be spiritual. If our will is natural, it is like crude steel, having little use. However, if the steel is well-refined, it can be made into different kinds of springs for watches, being firm and at the same time pliable. After the steel is refined by fire and passes through hammering and high pressure, it is no longer crude steel but wrought steel. This steel is not only firm but pliable. The will of some people is natural and has not passed through the dealing of death. It is like crude steel that has not been forged or hammered. A will that is like crude steel is a problem to the church. Where there are such saints, there are problems. In fact, people with this kind of will are unbearable. However, if their will passes through death and enters into resurrection, the resurrected will becomes a spiritual will that is both firm and pliable and is a benefit to the church.
Our natural mind, emotion, and will have to pass through death and resurrection. How can this be accomplished? How can our mind, emotion, and will be put to death? Suppose you are a person who is rich in thoughts. When you serve in the church, it is easy for your thoughts to come out. At such times you have to learn to reject your mind, your thoughts, and your ideas by the Holy Spirit, putting aside your mind, your thinking, and your train of thought by the Holy Spirit. This putting aside of your mind is to put it to death. If your thoughts and mind are something that God wants, after you have put them to death, God will surely raise them up. This is the same with our emotion and will.
When we are serving together with the saints, if our mind and ideas come out quickly, we have to reject them immediately. If our emotion comes out, we have to reject it in the same way. It is the same with our will; we have to reject it. We have to learn to reject all that is natural and inborn and put it aside. If we reject our mind, emotion, and will in this way and turn to our spirit, we will touch the Spirit. In the Spirit there is resurrection, and in resurrection there is the church. This is the sequence in which the church is produced not only in Christ’s work but also in our experience.
In our experience, if we want to express the church in our living, we have to begin from resurrection. Again and again we have to learn to put our natural mind, emotion, and will aside, reject and deny them, and turn to the spirit. Once we turn to the spirit, we will touch the Holy Spirit, and once we touch the Holy Spirit, we will touch resurrection. In this way you will be in resurrection, I will be in resurrection, this brother will be in resurrection, and everyone will be in resurrection. What comes out of resurrection is the church. At that time what we live out will be the church, resurrection, and the oneness. This is also the fullness of Christ as the One who fills all in all. This is the Body of Christ. With this, our sweeping the floor will express the church, our preaching the gospel will express the church, our visiting people will express the church, and our praying will also express the church. Whatever we do will express the church. There will be no divisions, no sects, no opinions, no sin, no death, no world, and no flesh. Everything will be spiritual, of resurrection, and in oneness. All we will have will be just Christ Himself, the One who fills all in all.
Ephesians 1 is concerning revelation, and chapter 3 is concerning experience. Regarding experience, Paul asks God to grant us the power. Seeing requires revelation, and experience requires power. Paul prays that God would strengthen us into our inner man that we would be full of strength. In chapter 1 Paul shows us that Christ is in the heavenlies, but in chapter 3, for our experience, he shows us that Christ is in us as the indwelling Christ.
If the electricity at the electric plant is not connected to our home, we will not be able to enjoy it. In the same way, it is possible for us to know the Christ in the heavens without experiencing or enjoying Him; for Christ to be our enjoyment and experience, He must enter into us to be the Christ in us. Regarding revelation, we have to see that Christ is in ascension. Regarding experience, we have to see that He, as the indwelling Christ, is in us. The Holy Spirit in us strengthens us with power that the indwelling Christ may make home in us and that we may be filled unto all the fullness of God.
Hence, the two prayers in Ephesians are not for two things but for one thing. Chapter 1 shows us what this thing is, and chapter 3 tells us how to experience it. When we are in our spirit and in resurrection, the ascended Christ whom we know in our spirit becomes the indwelling Christ. This Christ becomes our content, and we become His Body. Eventually, we will be filled unto all the fullness of God, unto the Christ who fills all in all. In other words, the Body of Christ is the mingling of God and man, and when man is filled unto the fullness of God, this is the Body of Christ.
Whether a person is a member of the Body of Christ, a part of the Body, all depends on whether he has God mingled with him. If he does, he is a part of the Body of Christ. But if he does not have God mingled with him, though he may be saved, he is still not a part of the Body of Christ in reality. Hence, we must learn to live in the spirit. Once we turn to our spirit, we will touch the Holy Spirit as well as resurrection. In resurrection the church and the members of the Body of Christ will surely grow up. When we live in resurrection, the ascended Christ, the Christ who is on the throne, becomes the Christ in us. Christ’s being in us issues in our being filled unto all the fullness of God. This causes us to become part of the Body of Christ in reality. The Body of Christ, which is in resurrection, is the mystery in this universe.
To be in resurrection is to be in ascension, transcending over all things and being far above all things. Whenever we live in resurrection, we are not only in the realm of ascension, but we transcend over all things. At these times the problems in our coordination will not be able to touch us, the problems in our family will not be able to touch us, and the unsatisfactory circumstances in our work will not be able to touch us. None of the things on the earth will be able to touch us. We will be far above all and over all things.
There was once a brother who was dealt with by an elder and was unable to get through his feeling. This shows that he was not in resurrection but on the earth. He had not departed from the earth. If he was in the spirit and in the heavens, no matter what the elder said or how loud his voice was, since it would not have reached the heavens, it would not have been able to touch him. Sometimes we may be unable to get through regarding certain matters or even regarding certain people. This shows that we are too close to the earth. All the feelings of being “unable to get through” are because we are still on the earth. This is like an airplane taking off. When an airplane takes off, it has to fly high in the sky. Otherwise, it will hit a high-rise building. When we “airplanes” take off, we often either scratch the paint or break the fuselage because we are too close to the earth. If someone requires a small matter from us, we are not able to take it. If someone adjusts us a bit, we find it unbearable. There is much bitterness and complaining in us because we are not in resurrection, in ascension, and far above all things. A person of ascension is one who transcends over all things and is far above all things. One who is in resurrection, regardless of how people irritate him, cannot be touched, because he is in ascension, transcending over all things and being far above all things. Only this is the church, and only this produces the church.
First Corinthians 15:47 says, “The first man is out of the earth, earthy; the second man is out of heaven.” This means that whereas the first man is earthy, belonging to the earth, the second man is out of heaven and is “resurrectionly” and heavenly. When we live in the second man, we live in resurrection, and when we live in resurrection, we live in the heavens. A person who lives in the heavens transcends over all things and is far above all things. This kind of person lives in the realm of ascension and is far above all things. He has Christ indwelling and filling him. The One who fills all in all is in him. Such a person is filled unto all the fullness of God. He and God, God and he, are mingled as one.
May God be merciful to us and open our eyes to see that all these spiritual truths are not doctrines or things that are abstract and distant. Although these truths are wonderful and profound, their reality is in the Holy Spirit and in resurrection. If we live in resurrection, we will have the reality, and if we live in the Holy Spirit, this reality will be expressed through us practically. According to the two prayers of Paul in Ephesians, the Lord has already given us the revelation to see these divine and spiritual riches. May the Lord grant us grace upon grace so that we may experience and live faithfully in this vision that has been revealed to us and learn to continuously reject our natural man and our flesh so that we may live in the Spirit and in resurrection.
When we are in the Spirit and in resurrection, we transcend over all things and are far above all things. Then the Body of Christ, which is spiritual, heavenly, resurrectionly, and far above all things, and which is the mingling of God and man, is expressed. When the Body of Christ is fully expressed, the new heaven and new earth will come. When the church has this reality, the church is spiritual, has resurrection, has life, and is heavenly, having the taste of the new heaven and new earth. In such a realm God and man are mingled as one.
