When God works Himself into us, what we manifest, what we express, is different from individual to individual. When God worked Himself into George Müller, what was manifested through him was the establishing of orphanages. When God worked Himself into Charles Spurgeon, what was manifested through him was the powerful preaching of the gospel. God’s work in each person is manifested in a different way. The same God is working, but He is manifested in different ways through different people. Thus, we cannot imitate spiritual things but can only follow the inner principle. All imitations of outward forms are wrong.
Our study of biographies and histories is not for seeking out the outward manifestations of historical figures in order to reproduce them; rather, it is for seeking out the way God took in them and the work He did in them. When we say that God’s work in recent ages has been to build His church, our understanding may not be precise enough. Many Christians probably think that in recent ages the way God has been taking is the way of the gospel, that He is for the spreading of the gospel. They may become very zealous concerning the gospel and go forth to the whole inhabited earth. We dare not say that this is wrong, but this is at most the outward appearance. The way in which a person will be used by God is not determined by man.
When God came to Job in the Old Testament, Job was touched by God, and in him there was a manifestation, an operation, which produced a result. The results produced by God’s working in different people are not the same. We have no way of telling the young brothers and sisters what God has set out to do in this age. If we told them, it would only show that we do not know the principle of God’s work. No one knows how God will manifest His work in all the young people in five years. However, according to the Bible and the experiences of the saints who have gone before us, we know that there is one thing God has been doing throughout the ages—working Himself into us. What we do not know is what God will manifest through us after He works Himself into us.
In the past two thousand years those who have paid attention only to how God works have been destined to fail and err. The New Testament clearly shows that God desires to work Himself into us, yet this matter is beyond our natural thought. We think only of being zealous, working for God, being spiritual, receiving power, and so forth. This is especially true of those in Christianity. As soon as a person is saved, he has all these natural thoughts. The matter of God working Himself into us is beyond what we could even dream of. Within us we have neither the light nor the revelation. Even if this matter were placed right before our eyes, we would not be able to have any response within. We may be like rocks, which cannot have seeds planted in them or have ink written on them. We do not have any concept at all concerning God’s unique work.
Even the brothers and sisters who have been saved for many years and have heard numerous messages in the church may still desire to improve themselves before God every time they think of Him. We need the Holy Spirit within to open our eyes to see that improvement is not what God desires from us. Even if we were to become a million times better today, God would not want this. What God desires is to work Himself into us. This is what God has been doing in every age.
The nature of God’s work is the same in every age; the design, measure, and plan of God’s work has not changed at all—He desires to work Himself into us. The outward form, the outward manifestation, of this work is different in every person. If we would all cooperate with God, only God knows what will happen on this earth in the next five years.
That God desires to work Himself into us is a clear light among us. However, the question is, do we actually allow God to do this? Do we allow God to take this way? This is the responsibility we should bear. Are we willing to let God do what He desires to do? Here we need to consider the matter of consecration. What is consecration? Consecration is to let God pass through us. Although God’s desire is to work Himself into man, very few in the last six thousand years have been willing to allow God to do so. If our eyes are opened, we must tell God that we are willing to consecrate ourselves. It is wrong to teach people to consecrate themselves to become spiritual giants. To teach people the proper consecration is to help them to see that the great God desires to pass through man and issue out of man. When you are willing to let God work, you should tell Him, “O God, You can do whatever You want.” From this day on, what God requires of you is your submission. Whenever you feel that God is touching you concerning a certain matter, what you should do is submit. In this way you will gain a little more of God’s element within you. This is our responsibility before the Lord.
Christianity always teaches people how to make plans, how to work, and how to be zealous. However, those who have truly been enlightened and led by God would not teach people in this way. God is doing only one thing in the universe, which is to work Himself into man. What God requires of man is man’s consent and continual cooperation. This consent and continual cooperation include two things: consecration and submission. Consecration is to go through the gate. It needs to be followed by submission and then dependence. If you are willing to let God work, there will definitely be a day when God will have a manifestation through you. It is useless to desire to do something for Him. Desiring to do something for God is a concept of degraded Christianity. A person with revelation sees that God desires to work Himself into him and then work Himself out through him. What is needed is that we cooperate by letting God pass through us.
It is a pity that hundreds and thousands of people keep God outside the door and do not let Him in. They all say, “This road is blocked—please detour.” We must say, “Lord, I allow You to come through.” This is our responsibility today. If someone rises up in this way, God will have a way and will be able to do His work. Some brothers have the heart to consecrate themselves but have not found the way. Consecration is not merely something to talk about. What is the way for us to consecrate ourselves? Do we need to receive a special calling from God? These are important questions; if we could touch and enter into them, many problems would be solved.