EXPERIENCING THE BOUNTIFUL SUPPLY OF THE SPIRIT OF JESUS CHRIST
Philippians 1:19 refers to “the bountiful supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.” The phrase the Spirit of Jesus Christ shows us that Jesus Christ is the Spirit and that the Spirit is Jesus Christ Himself. When we experience Christ, we experience Him as the Spirit, because Christ can be in us only by being the Spirit. Therefore, Jesus Christ is truly a wonderful One. He is God who became a man, Christ who became Jesus, the One in whom God and man were united and mingled. He is God and He is also Man. This is Jesus Christ. When He is experienced by us, He is the Spirit. This Spirit who is in us is Jesus Christ, the God-man, with the bountiful supply.
Today the Lord Jesus is the Spirit in us, and this Spirit has a bountiful supply. He supplies whatever we need. Furthermore, this Jesus Christ has the power of resurrection, and this power is inseparable from the Spirit of Jesus Christ; the two are one. Concerning His supply, He is the Spirit of Jesus Christ; concerning His power, He is the resurrected Christ.
EXPERIENCING THE POWER OF CHRIST’S RESURRECTION
Ephesians 1:19-20 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.” The Lord Jesus was resurrected and released from the detention of death and the grave. Furthermore, He ascended to heaven and was enthroned. This is the power of His resurrection. Is there any other force in the universe that is greater than the power of resurrection? The Spirit with the bountiful supply, who is in us, has the power of the resurrected Christ.
In Philippians 4:13 Paul said, “I am able to do all things in Him who empowers me.” Christ is the One who empowers us. The word empowers here and the word power in Ephesians 1:19 come from the same Greek word for dynamic or dynamo. Christ as the source of all power is inexhaustible; His power is unlimitedly great. In the Chinese Union Version, the Greek word for power is translated in some places as great power, in other places as strength, and in still other places as power. Regardless of whether it is great power, or strength, or power, we have it because we have Christ in us as the driving force. When the resurrection power of Christ operates in us, we become empowered. Today there are many toys that are electrically powered. For example, there is a toy dog that has batteries installed in it. If the switch is not turned on, the dog cannot move, but when the switch is turned on, the dog begins jumping around. The electricity from the batteries is what empowers the dog. Likewise, without Christ operating in us, we do not have the driving force. When the power of Christ’s resurrection operates in us, we are made alive and empowered. Christ is the resurrected One. Once the resurrection power begins to operate in us, it enables us to break through death and transcend everything.
Philippians 2:13 says, “For it is God who operates in you both the willing and the working for His good pleasure.” The willing is within; the working is without. When a person has the inward willing, he will have the outward working. Our willing and our working are the result of God’s operation in us. The word operates may also be rendered energizes, which is derived from the Greek word ergon. This word does not mean to operate outwardly; it means to energize from within. The Spirit with the bountiful supply and the Christ of resurrection are God Himself who operates and energizes in us both the willing and the working for His good pleasure.
EXPERIENCING GOD’S GUARDING US IN CHRIST
God not only energizes us within but also guards and protects our hearts and our thoughts. We have a great deal of worries in our mind. Perhaps we are able to temporarily set aside our worries at night when we go to sleep, but as soon as we wake up, our mind begins turning again. We worry about our job, our business, our health, our homework, and many other things, so that our whole being is full of anxiety and without peace. But Philippians 4:7 says that the peace of God, which surpasses every man’s understanding, guards and protects us. This peace is God Himself. When we have outward difficulties, God guards us from within so that our hearts are not troubled.
We who are lovers of the Lord can testify that many times problems come to us and we do not know what to do, yet if we would just turn our hearts to the Lord and offer praise and thanksgiving to Him, immediately there is an unspeakable peace that calms us so that we do not have any anxiety. Without peace, we cannot enter into the enjoyment of Christ. Hence, we must let God be the peace in us to guard our hearts and our thoughts. This is what the resurrected Christ is doing in us today. As the God of peace, He not only operates and energizes in us but also guards and protects our mind that we may have peace in our entire being. In this way we can then enter into Christ to enjoy Him.
THE SUBJECTIVE SALVATION OF THE TRIUNE GOD
In summary, the Triune God is in us not only as our life but also as our bountiful supply. Moreover, He is the power that overcomes death. He has ascended from Hades into the third heaven, far above all rule and authority. This power empowers us from within; moreover, the resurrected God operates in us and energizes us. Our thoughts and actions come from His energizing us within. When we have difficulties, He guards and protects our mind so that we can enjoy peace. A person who truly loves the Lord and lives in the Lord must necessarily be a man of peace. Although he is troubled with a lot of difficulties outwardly, he has the inner peace. In such a peaceful state of mind, what he lives out is love, light, holiness, and righteousness. This is God in Christ expressed in human virtues.
The subjective salvation of the Triune God is greatly different from human ethics. Human ethics teach us merely to have good behavior, but what we are speaking about is God being lived out in our humanity as love, light, holiness, and righteousness. When we live out these virtues, God is expressed. This is what Paul said, “For to me, to live is Christ,” which also means that “as always, even now Christ will be magnified in my body.” These words are not mere doctrines or exhortations but a revelation of the truth for us to truly know that the salvation which we have received is the Triune God being our enjoyment and experience in our daily living and becoming our subjective salvation.
(The Subjective Experience of the Indwelling Christ, Chapter 8, by Witness Lee)
