Besides the two functions mentioned above, the law of life also has power. We have already mentioned that the law of the Old Testament is the law written outside of man, the dead law, the law of letters. It only makes demands on man; it has no power to supply man so that he can answer its demands. Therefore, it “could not do” (Rom. 8:3), and it also “made nothing perfect” (Heb. 7:19). But the law of the New Testament is the law written in our inward parts, the living law, the law of life. This life is “the indestructible life” of God, which has “power” (Heb. 7:16). Thus, the law which comes from this life also has power, and it can enable us in all things.
We should see here that the power of the law of life is the power of the life of God from which the law comes. It was this power which enabled the Lord Jesus to rise from death and ascend to heaven, far above all. It is also this power which seeks to regulate within us every day and is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think (Eph. 1:20; 3:20). This power can accomplish the following things within us:
Firstly, this power can incline our heart toward God. When we spoke of the relationship between the law of life and the heart, we mentioned that the law of life can be hindered by the heart. If our heart is not inclined toward God, the life of God cannot pass through. But, thank God, His life within us does not just stop there. It will still continue to work within us to such a degree that our heart which is not inclined toward God becomes inclined toward God. Proverbs 21:1 says: “The king’s heart is in the hand of Jehovah as the watercourses: he turneth it whithersoever he will.” Thus, we can ask God, “Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness” (Psa. 119:36). When we are willing to ask in this way, the power of the law of life of God can very naturally turn our heart back and make our heart completely inclined toward God.
Secondly, this power can make us submissive toward God. When we spoke of the requirements of the law of life, we also mentioned that the working of the law of life in us requires our submission to match it. Yet how many times we not only cannot submit, but we even do not want to submit. At such times, the power of the law of life is fully able to deal with our condition to make us submissive.
Though we who are saved and have the life of God sometimes backslide and our heart becomes hardened and unable to obey God, God is merciful to us in that His life within us will not stop its regulating work. By His power, He regulates our emotion and regulates our will; thus, regulating to and fro He enables us to obey Him again.
Philippians 2:13 says that the matter of our will before God is also due to the working of God within us. Thus, the submission of our will is also the outcome of the working of the power of the law of God’s life within us. This power can turn our disobedient will to be obedient to God.
Once there was a sister who felt she really could not obey. Not only was her mind disturbed, but her conscience also suffered accusation. She then asked God to rescue her. When she cried to God, God showed her the light in Philippians 2:13. She then knew that God could work to make her obedient. Thus, she was cheered and found rest.
Thirdly, this power can also make us do the good works which God has afore prepared that we should walk in them (Eph. 2:10). Such good is from God, and flows out from the life of God; therefore, to do such good works is to live out God Himself. Such good, which far exceeds the good of man, can never be lived out by the human life. But the life of God within us, regulating us with His power, can cause us to live out such extraordinary good.
Fourthly, this power can make us work for the Lord with all our heart and strength. The apostle Paul said that the reason he could labor more abundantly than other apostles was not due to himself, but to the grace of God bestowed upon him, or the grace of the life of God which was with him (1 Cor. 15:10). He also said that he labored, striving according to God’s working which worked in him “in power” (Col. 1:29). The word “power” can also be translated as “dynamite.” This means that his work was not dependent on his own soulish power, but on the dynamic power of the life of God which dwelt in him. In all past generations, those who were used by the Lord toiled continuously and suffered constantly in the work of the Lord. They labored not out of their individual striving, but because they loved God and inclined toward God, so that they allowed the life of God to work within them, to regulate within them, and to regulate out of them an activity, exploding out a work. This regulated-out activity or exploded-out work is the working out of the dynamic power of the life of God. When this dynamic power of the life of God regulates man from within, no one can remain inactive. Everyone who allows the dynamic power of the law of the life of God to work within him will definitely work with all his strength, measuring not his own life in any labor.
After the Sino-Japanese War, we went to work in several local churches. We were quite blessed and had much fruit. When we returned to Shanghai, Brother Nee said to me: “Brother, we are ‘troublemakers.’ We have just made trouble in other churches, and now we are going to make trouble in the church in Shanghai.” Though these were humorous words, yet, seriously speaking, all who live in the life of God and allow the law of the life of God to work are definitely “troublemakers.” This is because the life of God within them is an endless and powerful life, a positive and motivating life, a life with dynamic power. Whenever this life works and regulates within them, they will explode inside; they will carry out the work which has the dynamic power. Consequently, they naturally become troublemakers. Conversely, whenever a person working for the Lord causes no stir and makes the Lord’s work to have neither sound nor smell, it is needless to inquire—it must be that the life within him is restricted, and the law of life cannot work through.
If you would not misunderstand me, I would testify that many times I dare not spend time in prayer. If I pray only half an hour every day, the wheel of life begins turning, the law of life begins regulating, and the motivating power begins to urge within me, until I cannot bear any longer not to go to work. And even if I have to die there, I have to work. If I do not work, I suffer; but if I work, I am satisfied. Oh, here lies the motivating power of work!
Fifthly, this power can cause us to have living and fresh service. The service of the Old Testament is according to letter. Since it is old, it is dead, and it deadens man. The service of the New Testament is according to the Spirit; it is fresh, and therefore it is living and makes man alive. Old Testament service is an activity based on outward dead rules; therefore, it cannot give man the supply of life. New Testament service is the outcome of the regulating of the law of life in the spirit. It comes from life; therefore, it can give man life and cause him to receive a living supply. Take for example the activities we have in the meetings. If the law of life within us is moving, then even sharing a few words, giving a testimony, or making an announcement can be living, causing man to receive the supply of life.
We become competent ministers of the New Testament with living service, not by our own capability, eloquence or education, but by the Spirit of God (2 Cor. 3:5-6) and according to “the gift of the grace of God” (Eph. 3:7). Such a gift does not refer to the supernatural gifts, such as speaking in tongues, seeing visions, healing, casting out demons, etc., but to the gift of grace, which is given us according to the working of the power of God, and which is gained by us because of the continuous working of the power contained in the life freely given to us by God. Therefore, the apostle Paul says that this gift of grace can enable him to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ and make all men see what is the mystery hidden throughout the ages in God who created all things (Eph. 3:8-9). Oh, what a great gift this is! Yet such a great gift is given to him according to the working of the power of the law of the life of God. Therefore, the gift of grace we receive by the working of the power of the law of the life of God is fully able to make us serve God in a living and fresh way.