We have seen that for the divine dispensing the Spirit works in the believers by enlightening them, sanctifying them, regenerating them, giving them life, saving them by renewing them, freeing them by His law of life from the law of sin and death, and giving life even to their mortal bodies. In this message we shall cover more aspects of the Spirit’s work in the believers.
Romans 8:11 says that the Spirit gives life to our mortal bodies. As the Spirit dispenses the divine element into our mortal bodies, He puts to death the practices of the body. Romans 8:13 says, “If you live according to flesh, you are about to die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the practices of the body, you will live.” The Holy Spirit is working in us to put to death the practices of the body so that we may live. But if we live according to flesh, we are about to die. Of course, this kind of dying is spiritual, not physical. If we live according to flesh, we are about to die in our spirit. However, if by the Spirit we put to death the practices of the body-that is, mortify or crucify them-we shall live in spirit.
Paul’s word in Romans 8:13 corresponds to verse 6, which says that the mind set on the flesh is death and the mind set on the spirit is life. To live according to flesh primarily means to set our mind on the flesh. In order to put to death the practices of the body by the Spirit, we need to set our mind on the spirit and walk according to spirit. When we have our mind set on our spirit, we cooperate with the Spirit’s work to put to death all the practices of the body; thus, we experience the death of Christ. The genuine experience of the co-crucifixion with Christ is in our putting to death by the Spirit the practices of the body. This does not happen once for all; rather, it is a constant, daily exercise. Every practice of the body must be put to death by our setting our mind on the spirit.
If we walk according to spirit and set our mind on the spirit, spontaneously we shall by the Spirit put to death the practices of the body. Then we shall be absolutely under the divine dispensing, and we shall participate in this rich dispensing and enjoy it. Furthermore, if we put to death the practices of the body by the Spirit, we shall automatically be in the Body of Christ in a practical way. If we do not by the Spirit put to death the practices of the body, our body cannot be presented to the Lord for the Body life (Rom. 12:1). In order to have our body presented to God for the Body of Christ, we need to put to death by the Spirit the practices of the body.
The Spirit also works in the believers to supply them with His bountiful supply. In Philippians 1:19 Paul says, “I know that for me this shall turn out to salvation through your petition and the bountiful supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.” Here in speaking of the bountiful supply of the Spirit, Paul uses a particular Greek word, choragus. The words “bountiful supply” are not simply a translation of this Greek word but an interpretation of it. Literally, this word refers to the supplying of all the needs of the chorus in ancient times by the leader or director of the chorus, who was called the choragus. Hence, this Greek word implies a bountiful supply. The choragus supplied all the needs of everyone in the chorus, the needs for food, clothing, lodging, and musical instruments. The supply of the choragus truly was bountiful, even all-inclusive. Once a person had joined the chorus, there was no need for him to be concerned about the necessities of life; the choragus would supply whatever he needed. In using the expression “the bountiful supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,” Paul likens the supply of the Spirit to that of the choragus. Therefore, to have a proper understanding of 1:19, we need the word “bountiful” with the word “supply.” This bountiful supply of the all-inclusive Spirit is for us to live Christ and magnify Him. The supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ is bountiful and all-inclusive. What we have today is not a partial supply but a bountiful, all-inclusive supply.
If the Triune God is to be our experience and enjoyment, He must be the Spirit with the bountiful supply. The Spirit in Philippians 1:19 is actually the Triune God who has passed through a divine process to become available to us as our bountiful supply. Now simply by calling “O Lord Jesus” we can experience the Spirit supplying us. When we call on the name of the Lord Jesus, we drink of the Spirit and receive His bountiful supply. Because the Spirit with His supply is subjective to us, He is with us wherever we may be. Simply by calling on the name of Jesus we receive the Spirit, enjoy the Spirit, and experience the Spirit. By calling on the Lord’s name or by praying over even a few words in the Bible, we enjoy the Spirit with His bountiful supply.
Although the Spirit is working to supply us with His bountiful supply, we need to cooperate with Him. Just as we need to breathe in the air supplied to us by God, we need to receive and enjoy the supply of the Spirit, by praying, calling on the Lord, and spending time daily in the Word. Everything we need is in the Spirit with His bountiful supply. Now we should cooperate with the Spirit. This is the reason Paul goes on in Philippians 2:12 and 13 to speak of our obedience to the inward operation of the Triune God. The Spirit’s working requires our cooperation, our obedience.
It is significant that in Philippians 1:19 Paul speaks first of the saints’ petition, then of the bountiful supply of the Spirit. The reason Paul speaks this way is to indicate that the bountiful supply of the compound Spirit is upon the Body of Christ. Paul realized that he was simply a member of this Body. As a member, he needed the supply of the Body. If the Body would be exercised to supply him, the bountiful supply of the Spirit would come to him through the Body.
According to the type in Exodus 30, the compound ointment was used to anoint the tabernacle, God’s dwelling place, as well as all furnishings and utensils used in the service of the tabernacle. Furthermore, the priests were anointed with this compound ointment. This signifies that the supply of the compound Spirit is for the Body of Christ, the church, God’s house, and also for God’s service. If we are not in the Body or if we do not care for God’s service, it will be very difficult for us to partake of the supply of the Spirit. To enjoy the Spirit we need to be part of the tabernacle and of the priesthood, part of God’s dwelling and of His service. Then spontaneously we shall be anointed with the compound Spirit and enjoy the bountiful supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.
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