A brother once testified that he had fasted and prayed related to a difficult situation and a burden within. However, even after two weeks, the situation had not changed and the burden was not relieved. He thought that it was only his problem and that he needed to spend more time to deal with it before the Lord. Another week or two passed and still nothing changed. Then he went to a prayer meeting in which a brother called a hymn, “Deep down into the depths of this Thy Name.” This hymn had nothing to do with his situation, yet something marvelous happened. While everyone was singing, he suddenly became clear and enlightened; the difficulty ended and the burden was relieved. If we were to ask this brother what happened, he would be perplexed, unable to explain; however, the difficulty in him was gone.
Another brother had a weakness, a sin, that he could not overcome. He tried to deal with it before the Lord repeatedly with fasting and prayer. Although he exerted much effort, nothing seemed to work. It even seemed that the more he tried to deal with it, the deeper the sin became; the more he tried to deal with it, the more he was bound and entangled. He later fellowshipped with some brothers, telling them that he had a weakness, a sin that entangled him and that he was unable to free himself. He then asked the brothers for help. While he was fellowshipping, something marvelous happened; the sin left. After those brothers listened to him and while they were still perplexed and did not know how to help him due to their lack of experience, this brother said, “Brothers, I am no longer in need of help. Let us give thanks and praise to the Lord because this difficulty is gone.” This shows the life in the Body carrying away this brother’s difficulty.
Although I am not a doctor and do not understand biology, physiology, or even bacteriology, I do have some understanding of blood circulation. The principle of Western medicine in treating an external ailment is mainly to remove by cutting and in treating an internal ailment is mainly to kill the germs. However, the Chinese medical doctors do not advocate cutting away or killing germs; rather, they help the blood in the human body to circulate. This is marvelous. When the circulation in the body is improved, all the ailments disappear. There is logic to this.
For example, sometimes gutters in the street are filled with mud, and water cannot flow freely. However, if a powerful and strong current swept through the gutters, all “diseases” would be removed, that is, the mud and other things would be flushed away. Doctors who practice Chinese medicine often speak of the blockage of the passage of vital energy and blood. They use different treatments to clean blood vessels and clear the path for vital energy. When everything is cleared up, there is a free flow in the body. Consequently, there is a great circulation of blood that carries away and discharges everything that should not be in the body, with the result that all the ailments in the body are eliminated.
This is true also in our spiritual experience. When we encounter difficulties, we often ask the Lord to perform “surgery” in us and to kill all the “germs” in us, but this does not work. It is not until we have more fellowship with God’s children that the flow in us is increased, our difficulties are removed, and the “germs” eliminated. This is the fellowship of the Body, and this is the function of the fellowship of the Body.
We often feel that we are unable to bear a particular burden. We may feel oppressed and troubled. Although we try to fight and overcome, we still have no way. A very simple and convenient way is to go to our brothers and sisters. Do not despise their youth, for there is something in them that can increase the flow in us. This is marvelous. We can tell them our difficulty and burden, and as we speak to them, the difficulty is removed. By the time we finish speaking, the heavy burden is removed. This is the flow of life in the Body carrying away difficulties and the fellowship of the Body solving our difficulties. Those who are experienced can all testify that once they stop seeing the brothers and sisters, they can no longer live. Similarly, if we are cut off from our Head, Christ, we will be unable to continue to live.
This shows two aspects of grace: one involves fellowship with the Head, and the other involves fellowship with the members. We cannot say which aspect is more important; both are equally important. When we touch the Head, we touch life; when we touch the members, we also touch life. The fellowship among the members often causes the supply to flow into us, and it discharges whatever should not be in us. For this reason, a brother or sister who does not meet for a month will become weak and depressed inwardly.
We should never think that those standing on the podium are the only ones who can supply others and that they do not need the brothers and sisters. Actually, if the brothers and sisters are not there listening while they speak, they will probably finish speaking in only ten minutes. Hence, it is often not the speaker who is supplying the brothers and sisters but the brothers and sisters who are supplying the speaker. If there was no one listening, they would probably finish after ten sentences even if they wanted to speak over a hundred. However, if the brothers and sisters are gathered there, they may be unable to finish after a hundred sentences, even if they started with only ten. This is because the brothers and sisters are there. It is not that the more they speak, the more they are supplying the brothers and sisters; rather, the more they speak, the more they are being supplied by the brothers and sisters.
Some brothers come and thank me for giving good messages. I thank them, however, for giving me a supply. Without them I would have nothing. The brothers and sisters give me a good opportunity to release the Lord’s word by supplying me with their spirit in the meeting. This is the happiest and most satisfying thing to me. When the word is released, I feel satisfied and fed inwardly. When I go home, I can sleep very well. This is grace, and this is also fellowship. There is a flow, and it is a great flow of life in the Body.