In Colossians 3:17 Paul goes on to say, “And in everything, whatever you do in word or in work, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” What does it mean to do all things in the name of the Lord? To act in a person’s name is to be one with him and even to become him. If I am not one with a particular person, how can I do anything in his name? If we are to do everything in the name of the Lord, we must be one with Him and even become Him. To do this is to live Christ.
The more we take the Word by reading, pray-reading, and especially sing-reading, the more the riches of the Word will saturate us and make us one with the Lord. Then we shall do things not in our own name, but in the name of the Lord Jesus.
The way to live Christ is to take the Word by exercising our spirit. It is not sufficient merely to use our mind to read the Word. We must also exercise our spirit by praying the Word and singing it. I hope that in the church meetings we shall spend more time singing the Word of God. Let us first read the Word and then pray-read it. Following this, let us sing the Word. Then we shall become thoroughly saturated with the riches of the Word.
Because the Word is the embodiment of the riches of Christ, to be saturated with the Word is to be infused with and permeated by the elements of Christ. This infusion and permeation causes us to become one with Christ and to do everything in His name. In all that we say and do, we shall be one with Him. As we are permeated by the enriching Word, we become one with the Lord Jesus and do everything in His name. This is the way to live Christ.
God’s intention is to have a people who are one with Him, not in His Godhead, but in His life and nature. Those who are one with God in the divine life and nature are able to express Him. What God is seeking today is a group of people who live Christ by taking the rich Word into them.
Whenever we are saturated with the riches of the Word, the Word within us becomes the bountiful Spirit. This takes place through our unceasing prayer. Perhaps you are wondering what this kind of prayer has to do with singing. Singing is an excellent way to pray. When you sing by exercising your spirit, you pray. Often the best prayer we can offer to God is our singing unto Him. Suppose you sing “Oh, what a life! Oh what a peace! The Christ who’s all within me lives.” This is an excellent prayer.
We also pray when we thank God. When we do things in the name of the Lord Jesus, we should also give thanks to God the Father through Him.
By praying, singing, and thanking we are infused with Christ, permeated by Him, and mingled with Him. Many of us can testify that, as we were enjoying a certain portion of the Word, spontaneously a melody welled up from within. Then we began to use this melody to sing the Word to the Lord. By singing, we were saturated with the Word and nourished by its riches. This caused us to be thankful to God. At that time we were truly one with Christ. Whatever we did in word or work was done in the name of the Lord Jesus. Again I say, this is to live Christ.
We need to see that the Word, the bountiful supply of the Spirit, and unceasing prayer with singing and thanking all go together. By our prayer with singing and giving thanks, the rich Word within us becomes the bountiful Spirit. Then because we are one with the Spirit, with the Word, and with Christ, we live Christ, we are truly one with Him in all we say and do.
Every day we must come to the Word and allow the Word to enter into us in a rich way. For this, we need more than just the reading of the Word. We also need praying, singing, thanking, and praising. When we take the Word into us in this way, the Word becomes the Spirit with the bountiful supply. Then we are saturated with the Lord, mingled with Him, and one with Him in a practical way in life and nature. Gradually, the killing element in the Word will deal with the negative things in us—the flesh, the self, and the natural life. At the same time, the Word will nourish, strengthen, and enrich us, supplying us with all the elements we need for our spiritual growth. On the one hand, we are saturated with the Word and the Spirit; on the other hand, the negative things are gradually reduced. This will cause us to live Christ and grow in Him.
Once again I would urge you to combine the rich Word, the bountiful Spirit, and unceasing prayer. Take the Word of God not only by reading, but also by pray-reading and sing-reading. Also praise the Lord and give thanks to Him. Combine the rich Word and the bountiful supply of the Spirit with unceasing prayer. Then you will enjoy the Lord, partake of Him, be one with Him, live Him, grow in Him, and magnify Him. This is what God desires today.
I hope that we shall all be deeply impressed with the need to practice what has been presented in this message. Do not pray according to the natural, human concept. Rather, exercise your spirit to pray the Word, to sing the Word, and to thank God and praise Him. In this way you will allow the Word to enter into you that you may be nourished with all its riches. These riches will then become the bountiful supply of the Spirit through your unceasing prayer. Then you will enjoy the Lord, be one with Him, and live Him.