Due to their lack of knowledge, some Christians have done strange things in order to experience the Spirit. Some have taught that to receive the Spirit we should jump, cry, quake, or even shake chairs (as practiced by a group of Christians in Taiwan). There is no need to do such things to receive the life-giving Spirit. We simply need to exercise our spirit and call on the name of the Lord Jesus. We may also share in this enjoyment by pray-reading the Word. Again I say, no matter what you are doing, call on the name of the Lord Jesus. If you call without ceasing, you will not quench the Spirit.
I can testify from my own experience that if I do not call on the Lord, I cannot live. But if I call on Him, everything is fine. Often when you greet a person and ask him how he is, he will answer, “Oh, I’m fine.” Actually, for the most part, people are not fine. Only those who call on the Lord Jesus without ceasing can truly say that they are fine. Often we are troubled by little things in our daily life. The car may not start, or a shoelace may break. Such things can be aggravating and make us angry. When you are angry over a car that will not start or over a broken shoelace, can you honestly say that you are fine? I repeat, only those who call on the name of the Lord Jesus truly are fine.
There is no need always to call on the Lord purposely or deliberately. We may call on Him subconsciously, unconsciously, and unintentionally. This is true breathing. Breathing is unintentional. Let us practice to build up a habit of calling on the Lord’s name until we call unconsciously and unintentionally.
We should be those who do not care for systematic theology, but care for the proper and rich enjoyment of our living Lord. He is God, the Word, the Lamb, the tree, and the life-giving Spirit as our breath, so present and available. He has redeemed us through His blood, and now, as the Spirit, He dwells in us. We abide in Him, and He abides in us. As branches of the vine, we are one in life with the vine and experience the inward flowing of the life of the vine. How marvelous is the salvation we enjoy today! The very Triune God has passed through a process to become our breath. Now by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus, we breathe Him in.
When we receive Him by calling on His name, we apply Him to ourselves. Then we have a deep sense that we are enjoying Him. I cannot deny the fact that whenever I call on the Lord Jesus, I have a sweet sense within. Oh, He waters, refreshes, nourishes, strengthens, and enlightens me! He is so enjoyable that sometimes I am beside myself with joy. The processed God is so great, yet He is so enjoyable and obtainable.
I encourage you to call on the Lord, saying, “Lord Jesus, I love You.” As you enjoy the Lord in this way, you may weep out of a sense of His sweetness, loveliness, and preciousness. When we call on Him, He touches us inwardly. This is the true experience of living Christ by breathing the holy breath. May we all exercise ourselves more and more to receive and enjoy the holy breath.