The Gospel of John reveals that, as those who believe in Christ, we need to live Christ. John 6:57 says, “As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats Me shall also live because of Me.” Just as the Lord Jesus lived because of the Father, we should live because of Him. As we have pointed out, the Lord Jesus, referring to the day of His resurrection, said, “In that day you shall know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you” (John 14:20). He also said that because He lives, we shall live also (v. 19). According to John 14:19 and 20, we live in Christ in the way of coinherence. He lives in the Father, we live in Him, and He lives in us. We not only coexist with Christ—we coinhere with Him. This means that He lives in us and we live in Him. How wonderful is this life of coinherence!
We have a life of coinherence with Christ because He is not only the Word, the Lamb, and the tree, but also the breath, the Spirit. If He were only the Word, the Lamb, and the tree, we could not live in Him, and He could not live in us. Praise Him that today He is not merely the Word, the Lamb, and the tree, but also the pneuma,the breath, the Spirit!
In 1 Thessalonians 5:17 Paul charges us to pray without ceasing. What does it mean to pray unceasingly? Although we may eat several meals a day and although we may drink many times during the day, no one can eat and drink without ceasing. But we certainly breathe unceasingly. Paul’s command to pray without ceasing implies that unceasing prayer is like breathing. But how can our prayer become our spiritual breathing? How can we turn prayer into breathing? The way to do this is to call on the name of the Lord. We need to call on the Lord Jesus continually. This is the way to breathe, to pray without ceasing. Because we are not accustomed to this, we need to practice calling on the Lord’s name all the time. To live is to breathe. Spiritually speaking, to breathe is to call on the Lord’s name and to pray. By calling on the name of the Lord Jesus, we breathe the Spirit.
After Paul charges us to pray without ceasing and to give thanks in everything, he tells us not to quench the Spirit (1 Thes. 5:19). This indicates that if we do not pray and give thanks, we quench the Spirit. To stop praying is to stop breathing. Thus, to quench the Spirit is to cease from breathing.
In 1 Thessalonians 5:19 Paul speaks of the Spirit, not of the Spirit of God nor of the Holy Spirit. We have seen that, according to the New Testament, the Spirit is the Triune God processed to become the life-giving Spirit. If we do not call on the Lord’s name, we shall quench the Spirit.
Just as we must breathe in order to live physically, we must breathe spiritually in order to live Christ. The way to breathe spiritually is to call on the name of the Lord. From my experience I have learned that the way to live Christ is to call on Him continually. It is not sufficient simply to pray several times during the day, in the morning, in the afternoon, and at night. If we pray at these times but do not call on the Lord continually, we shall quench the Spirit. All day long, no matter where we are or what we are doing, we need to call on the Lord. Whatever we are doing, we should call on the Lord Jesus. I can testify that even when I speak for the Lord I call on Him and breathe of Him deep within.
Call on the Lord’s name in every situation, even when you are about to lose your temper. By calling on the Lord, you will live Christ. However, if you make up your mind not to lose your temper, you will be defeated. Your temper will be worse. Instead of trying to control your temper, turn to the Lord and call on Him. Say, “Lord Jesus, I love You. Lord, I am going to lose my temper. Be one with me in this.” If you do this, you will be saved from your temper, and you will live Christ.
To pray without ceasing by calling on the Lord’s name is to live Him. By calling on the Lord, we automatically take Him as our life and spontaneously live Him. If we pray, we shall not do things by ourselves, apart from Christ. Instead, by praying without ceasing, we shall live Christ.
Christ is not only our life, but also our breath. Have you ever realized that Christ is your breath? If you breathe Him all the time, you will live Him. After years of groping, I have discovered that the way to live Christ is to breathe Him, and the way to breathe Him is to call on Him without ceasing.
In 1 Timothy 6:12 Paul says, “Lay hold on the eternal life to which you were called.” We have been called to eternal life. Now we must lay hold on this life by calling on the Lord all day long. By calling on Him, we breathe Him.
The Bible reveals that our God today is very wonderful. He created the universe and all things in it according to His plan. One day Christ, who is the very God, was incarnated, born of a virgin. After living on earth for thirty-three and a half years, He was crucified on the cross to redeem us by taking away our sins. On the cross, the Lord Jesus also destroyed His enemy, the Devil. Then He was buried in the tomb and went into Hades. After touring the region of death, He came forth in resurrection. According to Acts 2:24, Hades exercised its power to hold Him, but to no avail. As the very resurrection life, He could not be held by death. When He entered into resurrection, His physical body was transformed into a glorious spiritual body. It is a fact that Christ in resurrection still has a body. Nevertheless, the Bible also reveals that in resurrection He became the life-giving Spirit: “The last Adam became a life-giving Spirit” (1 Cor. 15:45). This Spirit is now our breath.
Second Corinthians 3:6 says, “The letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life.” According to Darby’s New Translation, verses 7 through 16 are in parentheses. This indicates that Darby regards verse 17 as the direct continuation of verse 6. Verse 17 declares, “Now the Lord is the Spirit.” The Lord is the Spirit who gives life, and this Spirit is our breath.
On the one hand, the Lord is on the throne in heaven. We worship Him, adore Him, and praise Him as our ascended and enthroned Lord. On the other hand, He is with us on earth. Whenever a person believes in Him, He comes into that one and seals him. This seal is actually the Lord Himself. This means that when we call on the Lord and believe in Him, He attaches Himself to us and causes us to be attached to Him. From that time onward, He and we are one. “He that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit” (1 Cor. 6:17).