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
Rom. 10:14 How… shall they call upon Him into whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe into Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without one who proclaims Him?17 So faith comes out of hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
Speaking by the spirit of faith in our practical life is a great, crucial point. This very particular expression is used only once in the entire Bible. The spirit of faith is a mingling of the Holy Spirit with our spirit. The phrase spirit of faith places the spirit in apposition to faith. Faith is of the spirit. Therefore, the spirit of faith is faith. Our faith is just the mingled spirit. Furthermore, faith comes from hearing, and hearing comes from the preaching of the word (Rom. 10:14). The very source of faith is the word (v. 17)… The more we get into the Word, the more we will have faith, and this faith is the spirit. Now by such a spirit we may speak the Word that is the source of our faith… The Word produces faith, faith is the spirit, and by this spirit we speak the Word. Our speaking will become the source of faith in others. The faith in them then becomes the spirit by which they speak. (CWWL, 1985, vol. 3, “Elders’ Training, Book 6: The Crucial Points of the Truth in Paul’s Epistles,” pp. 486-487)
Today’s Reading
According to the context, the apostle’s speaking by the spirit of faith [in 2 Corinthians 4:13] was related to the death and resurrection of Christ. Verses 11 and 12 say, “We who are alive are always being delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So then death operates in us, but life in you.” Paul spoke his experience of the death and resurrection of Christ. (CWWL, 1985, vol. 3, “Elders’ Training, Book 6: The Crucial Points of the Truth in Paul’s Epistles,” p. 487)Faith is in our spirit, which is mingled with the Holy Spirit… Doubts are in our mind… This is why when you preach the gospel, you should not stir up the person’s mind. If you stir up his mind, he would not believe. You should rather induce him to get into the spirit. Then you can complete the transaction… I must… give a living testimony, testifying boldly, “…Oh, the Lord Jesus is living! I want to tell you that He is living. He lives in me. And He was so living yesterday.” Then I would continue to tell you much more by the spirit of faith.
This is what the church needs for edification, for the building up… Prophesying, that is, speaking Jesus, speaking Christ, builds up the church. So Paul says, “I would rather speak five words with my mind… than ten thousand words in a tongue” (1 Cor. 14:19)… The plain words spoken by anyone by the spirit of faith and in the Holy Spirit build the church. Therefore, we all have to practice everywhere to speak. We speak on the street; we speak in the classroom; we speak in the office; we speak at home; we speak to everybody, to all kinds of persons; and, we especially speak in the meetings, even the more in the home meetings. Learn to speak this way. This kind of speaking enlivens, this kind of speaking refreshes, this kind of speaking makes people new, this kind of speaking makes people strong and happy, and this kind of speaking imparts life to others and dispenses the Triune God into the listeners. This kind of speaking will overcome any kind of opposing environment. We must speak—speak in the Holy Spirit and speak by the spirit of faith. If everyone would become a speaker, a speaking witness, the situation would be overturned. This kind of speaking is a strong testimony of the Lord’s recovery. We must not simply have a congregation with a speaker, hymns, a prayer, a speech, and so forth; we must be different. We must be revolutionized to have new meetings with everyone speaking. There should be no chairman, no one presiding. Everyone speaks everywhere, anytime, to anyone. We speak in the Holy Spirit and by the spirit of faith. (CWWL, 1985, vol. 3, “The Divine Speaking,” pp. 302-304)
Further Reading: CWWL, 1985, vol. 3, “The Living Needed for Building Up the Small Group Meetings,” ch. 5