What is the reason for our poverty? The reason lies in the lack of discipline from the Spirit and the lack of restrictions of the Spirit. We must remember that every enlarged person has gone through some experiences before the Lord. They have a certain amount of history before the Lord. Their experiences and history become the riches of the church. Many sicknesses are present in order to increase the riches of the church. Many problems are present in order to increase the riches of the church. Many obstacles and hardships are present in order to increase the riches of the church. Many Christians live in peace, yet their end is spiritual poverty. When other brothers and sisters are faced with problems, they cannot understand and render any spiritual help to them. They do not have a history before God, and the Holy Spirit has no opportunity to manifest the reality of Christ through them or to wrought Christ into them. They may have heard many teachings, but teachings cannot replace the work of the Spirit. With those who do not have the work of the Spirit, the Lord’s riches cannot become their riches, and they have nothing to give to others. Therefore, whether or not we are useful in God’s hand depends on whether the Holy Spirit has done a work in us. A Christian must not be so fallen as to have no intervention from the Holy Spirit, as if he is destined to poverty. We believe that the Lord does not let go of anyone who commits himself into His hands. We believe that every trial is for enlarging and enriching us. Once a man passes through a trial, he becomes that much richer. Every time a man faces a distress, he knows God that much more. In this way, he becomes gradually qualified to supply God’s children in the church.

One sister was saved at the age of thirteen and lived until she was a hundred and three. When she was a hundred years old, a brother went to her and asked why God had kept her on earth for so long. She answered quietly, “God leaves me here to pray and pray.” She was indeed a rich person! Another sister was bedridden for forty years, of which thirty-five years she could not hear anything. When a brother went to see her, she said, “I was once very active, running busily here and there. But I neglected the crucial work of prayer in the church. I have been lying here for forty years and every day I fulfill the work of prayer.” She did not become angry, impatient, or murmur. On the contrary, she accomplished wonderful works. Her distress had enlarged and enriched her, and her riches had become the riches of the church.

Some brothers and sisters are not that eloquent in the church; they are not that knowledgeable, yet they can pray. Whenever they hear about something, they pray for it. They pray for the sick and pray for the saints who are in trouble. They continue to supply the church through their prayers. Some brothers and sisters only meet; they never pray. Or they only listen to messages; they never pray. These ones have nothing to give to the church. They have not passed through the discipline of the Spirit and do not know what spiritual reality is. They are poor. Some brothers and sisters, in the eyes of man, ought to have been crushed. Yet they are still not crushed because some others have been supplying them. Hence, the riches of life are not a matter of words of doctrine, but a matter of going through something before the Lord to the extent that one renders the supply to the church.

Day by day, the Spirit is seeking the opportunity to lead us into spiritual reality. If we do not accept the discipline of the Holy Spirit, He will not have the opportunity to lead us into spiritual reality. Often when difficulties come, some choose the easy way, and others try to circumvent the proper path. They may bypass the difficulties, but they have lost their opportunity for the Holy Spirit to lead them into spiritual reality. The Spirit will not have the chance to work in them to the extent that their portion becomes the church’s. If a person runs away from the discipline of the Holy Spirit, he cannot expect to enter into spiritual reality; instead, he will lose his chance of being enlarged and enriched.

Brothers and sisters, we must accept the discipline of the Holy Spirit before we can be enlarged and before we can supply the church. We need a more complete and thorough consecration so that the Lord’s Spirit can have the opportunity to do His work in us and lead us into spiritual reality. May we learn something more day by day before the Lord, and may we have more deposit day by day, so that what we have learned and deposited within will become the riches of the church. These riches will one day be manifested in the new heaven and new earth. Brothers and sisters, no gold or precious stone can escape the fire, and no pearl can come about without some pain. Let us pray that the Lord would deliver us from vain talk and all kinds of poverty, and let us ask Him to show us more and more what spiritual reality is. May the Lord lead us through His Spirit into all spiritual reality.
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