THE BODY EXISTING IN OUR SPEAKING
We need to revolutionize our meetings by speaking. We are the Body. Nevertheless, many times the practical Body has disappeared due to our dumbness. But the Body will return in a practical way whenever we are bubbling. The Body is in our speaking, in our joyful noise. When we come together to make a joyful noise, the Body is present in a practical way. This is the Body in function. If we all function, the Body is present. But if we do not function, the Body is gone. The Body exists in our speaking.
First Corinthians 12:3 says, "Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say Lord Jesus, but in the Holy Spirit" (Gk.). In this verse we find a secret: if we do not speak, we are not in the Spirit. But if we speak, we are immediately in the Spirit. Whenever we say, "Lord Jesus," we are in the Spirit. If you do not believe this, I ask you to try it. It is easy to get into the Spirit. Simply say, "Lord Jesus," and you are in the Spirit.
First Corinthians 12 does not speak about the Body in doctrine, but about the Body in a practical way. There can be no Body if there is no practice in the Spirit. If we do not function, the Body is not present, because we are not being spiritual. But if we function, we are spiritual, and the Body is present. If we realize this and practice it, our meetings will be revolutionized. They will be full of joyful noise to the Lord. One may say, "Lord Jesus"; another, "Amen"; and another, "Praise the Lord." Still others will say, "Lord Jesus, I love You." Because some brothers and sisters are in the mind or the self, or are occupied by a dumb idol, they do not say anything in the meetings. We all must learn to be spiritual so that the Body may exist in a practical way. We all need to utter something and to function. The difficulty is that we are not accustomed to doing this because of the background and influence of today’s Christianity. Nevertheless, I hope that we shall have a change. We need to be bubbling all the time, especially when we come together for the purpose of practicing the Body. Although we are the Body, the practicality of the Body is in our speaking.
THE GIFTS MANIFESTED IN OUR SPEAKING
First Corinthians 12:4 says, "Now there are differences of gifts, but the same Spirit" (Gk.). How are these gifts manifested? They are not manifested by our silence, but by our speaking. We all must learn to speak something for the Lord. Whenever you speak, the gift will come forth. Many times I have received enlightenment as I was speaking. A number of times I have been compelled to speak by the brothers. According to my feeling, I had nothing to say. I did not even know what book, chapter, or verse to use. But as I began to speak, I received a word from the Lord. As you are speaking, you will sometimes say things of which you formerly had no understanding. Learn to utter something for the Lord. Then the gifts will be manifested.
(The Spirit and the Body, Chapter 13, by Witness Lee)
