Ⅱ
“Having the same spirit of faith according to that which is written, ’‘I believed, therefore I spoke,' we also believe, therefore we also speak”—2 Cor. 4:13:
A
Speaking by the spirit of faith in our practical life is a great, crucial point.
B
Spirit of faith is a very particular expression used only once in the Bible—v. 13.
C
The spirit of faith is a mingling of the Holy Spirit with our regenerated human spirit—1 Cor. 6:17:
１
The phrase spirit of faith places spirit in apposition to faith—2 Cor. 4:13.
２
Faith is of the spirit; therefore, the spirit of faith is faith—v. 13.
３
Our faith is the mingled spirit—1 Cor. 6:17; 2 Cor. 4:13.
D
We must exercise such a spirit to believe and to speak, like the psalmist, the things we have experienced from the Lord, especially His death and resurrection—Psa. 22:1-22.
E
Faith is in our spirit, which is mingled with the Holy Spirit, not in our mind; doubts are in our mind—1 Cor. 6:17; Rom. 8:6; Eph. 4:23.
F
Our believing faith becomes the speaking faith; when we turn to the spirit, we believe—2 Cor. 4:13b.
G
Second Corinthians 4:10-13 indicates that it is by the mingled spirit that the apostles lived a crucified life in resurrection for the carrying out of their ministry:
１
From the context of verse 13, we know that Paul was talking about his experience concerning the Lord's death and resurrection:
ａ
The apostle Paul testified concerning the putting to death of Jesus that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body—v. 10.
ｂ
In verse 11 he went on to say that we who are alive are always being delivered unto death for Jesus' sake so that the resurrection life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh.
ｃ
Paul also said that death operated in us in order that His resurrection life may be dispensed into others—v. 12.
２
Paul spoke all these things in the spirit of faith—v. 13.
H
Faith comes from hearing, and hearing comes from the preaching of the word—Rom. 10:14:
１
The source of faith is the word; this is why we must get into the Word—v. 17.
２
The more we get into the Word, the more we will have faith, and this faith is the spirit—2 Cor. 4:13.
３
By the spirit of faith we may speak the Word that is the source of our faith.
４
Here is a cycle: the Word produces faith, faith is the spirit, and by this spirit we can speak the Word—Rom. 10:14, 17; 2 Cor. 4:13.
Morning Nourishment
2 Cor. 4:10 Always bearing about in the body the putting to death of Jesus that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.13 And having the same spirit of faith according to that which is written, “I believed, therefore I spoke,” we also believe, therefore we also speak.
Christians today have paid much attention to the speaking in the Holy Spirit in 1 Corinthians. But to my knowledge, no one has ever paid much attention to the speaking by the spirit of faith.
In 2 Corinthians 4:7 Paul speaks of the treasure in earthen vessels, the very Christ as the radiance of God who was radiated into his being. Following this, he says that the putting to death of Jesus was working on the apostles and that the life of Christ was manifested in them (vv. 10-11). At this point he mentions the same spirit of faith [v. 13]. In the ancient time the psalmist had the spirit of faith (Psa. 116:10). Now the apostles also had the spirit of faith. They believed, therefore they also spoke… They spoke their experience. It was not just a certain doctrine, a certain point concerning the Triune God, but the experience of the death, life, and resurrection of Christ. (CWWL, 1985, vol. 3, “The Divine Speaking,” p. 301)
Today’s Reading
Even though Paul was not speaking with his tongue, he was speaking by his pen. When he was writing, he had the spirit of faith. He wrote with boldness, with the spirit of faith… This makes quite a difference. Regrettably, in many of the meetings the dear ones who share speak in [a] poor way. When they speak, there is no spirit. When they speak, there is no faith.About one hundred years ago Henry Alford wrote concerning the spirit of faith: “Not distinctly the Holy Spirit,—but still not merely a human disposition: the indwelling Holy Spirit penetrates and characterizes the whole renewed man.” What is referred to here as the human disposition is actually the human spirit… The Holy Spirit mingles Himself with our human spirit. The spirit here is not only the Holy Spirit but the Holy Spirit with our human spirit (Rom. 8:16).
Marvin Vincent in his word study of the New Testament follows Henry Alford, saying the same thing: “Spirit of faith: not distinctly the Holy Spirit, nor, on the other hand, a human faculty or disposition, but blending both.” He uses the word blending. There is a blending between the Holy Spirit and our human spirit. This is what we call the mingled spirit. We have the mingled spirit of faith.
Faith is a wonder, a miracle, within us. Every genuine Christian has such a wonder, a miracle, within him… We have illustrated this by the action of a camera. The camera has a lens outside and film within. Opposite the camera there is scenery. Also, light is needed. When you click the shutter, the light shines onto the film. There is an exposure, and a picture is produced. This exposure describes the operation of faith. We are just like a camera. The gospel described in the New Testament is the scenery, the Holy Spirit is the heavenly light, and our spirit is the film. When you hear the speaking of the gospel once, twice, even four or five times, there is a click within you. Whatever is described in the speaking would then be in your spirit. No one could ever remove it from you. That is faith.
Now by this faith you could go everywhere to tell people that Jesus is the Savior. One may ask, “How do you know?” You just know. They do not believe it, but you believe… Once this click occurs in you, it remains forever. Now wherever we go, we would tell people that Jesus is the Savior: “He is living, and He lives in me!” In this way you speak by the spirit of faith… Why am I so bold? I have the spirit of faith. I speak, not by my mind but by the spirit of faith. (CWWL, 1985, vol. 3, “The Divine Speaking,” pp. 301-302)
Further Reading: CWWL, 1985, vol. 3, “The Divine Speaking,” chs. 2-4; CWWL, 1983, vol. 2, “The Divine Dispensing of the Divine Trinity,” chs. 31-32