Churchwork
02-12-2006, 02:27 AM
Gates for the Inner Man
Let us never forget that whether or not one has a ministry depends on the dealing of the Lord’s hand. If a person’s spirit is unable to launch out, it is entirely because of his not being dealt with by the Lord. Then, too, whether his spirit is clean or not is also dependent upon God’s dealing. But upon being dealt with, his spirit will become relatively clean.
As the outward man is broken, the inward man is released, and his word can touch others’ hearts. Many think that so long as one can bring in an emotional atmosphere and stir up great enthusiasm it is an acceptable ministry. But without the outer man being wounded, a person does not have much real use. Christian service is based on brokenness. The degree of brokenness and wounds determine the degree of the Spirit’s release.
How can one speak and have his spirit released? The one and only way is to have the outer shell dealt with. Its wholeness or brokenness decides the retaining or the releasing of man’s inner spirit. For a person to have a usable spirit his outward man must be stricken. At our regeneration the Lord came into our spirit. As a result, our spirit became like the holiest of all in the tabernacle and temple of old—full of light and life. But whether the Lord is able to come forth depends on the brokenness of our outward man. But with it broken, all outward components will be outlets instead of hindrances. For instance, our mind and our emotion that have been broken (yet not destroyed) will no longer block the flow of life but will become instead the channels for the inner man to come forth. The dealt-with broken mind and emotion will turn out to be gates for the inner man. Today, whether or not Christ can be manifested through us hinges on whether or not we have been wounded and dealt with.
Let us never forget that whether or not one has a ministry depends on the dealing of the Lord’s hand. If a person’s spirit is unable to launch out, it is entirely because of his not being dealt with by the Lord. Then, too, whether his spirit is clean or not is also dependent upon God’s dealing. But upon being dealt with, his spirit will become relatively clean.
As the outward man is broken, the inward man is released, and his word can touch others’ hearts. Many think that so long as one can bring in an emotional atmosphere and stir up great enthusiasm it is an acceptable ministry. But without the outer man being wounded, a person does not have much real use. Christian service is based on brokenness. The degree of brokenness and wounds determine the degree of the Spirit’s release.
How can one speak and have his spirit released? The one and only way is to have the outer shell dealt with. Its wholeness or brokenness decides the retaining or the releasing of man’s inner spirit. For a person to have a usable spirit his outward man must be stricken. At our regeneration the Lord came into our spirit. As a result, our spirit became like the holiest of all in the tabernacle and temple of old—full of light and life. But whether the Lord is able to come forth depends on the brokenness of our outward man. But with it broken, all outward components will be outlets instead of hindrances. For instance, our mind and our emotion that have been broken (yet not destroyed) will no longer block the flow of life but will become instead the channels for the inner man to come forth. The dealt-with broken mind and emotion will turn out to be gates for the inner man. Today, whether or not Christ can be manifested through us hinges on whether or not we have been wounded and dealt with.