We know that Paul not only preached the cross as a crucified person, but he preached the cross in the spirit of the cross. In his daily life he was a crucified person; in his preaching he was also a crucified person. He announced the cross by living the cross. Paul was a person who was crucified with Christ. This was his experience in life. When he announced the cross, he did not exercise his "excellence of speech or wisdom," or "persuasive words of wisdom" (1 Cor. 2:1, 4) which he was good at. He knew that these would not serve as proper outlets for God's channel of life. Instead, he relied on the "demonstration of the Spirit and of power" (v. 4). Such preaching is one in which the word of the cross is preached with the attitude of the cross. With his genius and experience, Paul could surely have articulated the truth of the cross in persuasive words and clever theories, capturing his audience's attention and making them understand what he had to say. He could have made the cruel cross sound very interesting. He could have used many suitable illustrations and simple proverbs to expound the mystery of the cross. He could have quoted the Scripture and expounded on the philosophy of the cross, clarifying to others the substitutional death and the co-crucifixion of the cross. Paul was capable of doing these things, but he would not do them. His heart did not rely on these things because he knew that these things could not give life to others. He knew that for him to do this would be to preach the great truth of the cross with ways that are contrary to the cross. To the world, the cross is humble, low, foolish, and ugly. This is what the cross is anyway. To announce it with worldly excellence of speech and wisdom would be contrary to the spirit of the cross and would not be of any profit. Paul was willing to abandon his natural intellect and to announce the cross with the attitude and spirit of the cross. This was why God used Paul greatly.
Every one of us has our own natural gifts. Some may have more while others may have less. After we have gone through the experience of the cross, we tend to rely on or draw upon our natural gift to announce the cross which we have newly experienced. How our heart desires that our audience could see what we have seen, or would desire to acquire the same experience as we have! Yet, how cold and indifferent is our audience! How they disappoint us! Little do we realize that our experience of the cross is still immature, that our natural, excellent gifts need to be crucified with the Lord, and that the cross should work in us. We should manifest the cross not only in our lives but in our work as well. Before we reach the place of maturity, we tend to consider that our talent is not harmful but profitable. We wonder why we cannot draw upon our natural strength. It is not until we see that the work done by drawing upon our natural genius only elicits temporary acceptance from others and that it does not bring about a solid work of the Holy Spirit in others' spirits. It is then that we begin to understand that our natural gift is insufficient and that we ought to seek for greater power. How numerous are the ones who preach the cross with their own self strength!
I am not saying that these do not have the experience of the cross. It is possible that they do have the experience of the cross. While they are working, they do not declare that they are trusting in their own gifts or power. On the contrary, they pray diligently and seek after God's blessing and the help of the Holy Spirit. To a certain extent, they know that they are not trustworthy. Yet, all these realizations do not help them, because in the deepest part of their hearts they still trust in themselves, thinking that their eloquence, logic, thoughts, or parables will move others! The meaning of crucifixion is to be helpless, in weakness, and in trembling and fear. It means to die. This is what happens when a person is crucified. Hence, if we are manifesting the life of the cross in our daily lives, we should also manifest the spirit of the cross in the Lord's work. We should reckon ourselves helpless and should always consider ourselves untrustworthy, being in fear and trembling for ourselves. If we do this, we will gain fruit through trusting in the Holy Spirit.
Only those who are crucified are willing and able to trust in the Holy Spirit and His power. Whenever we have a little trust in ourselves, we will not trust in the Spirit. Paul himself was one who had been crucified with the Lord. When he worked, he manifested the spirit of the cross. He was not at all self-assured. Because he preached the Savior of the cross with the way of the cross, he had the demonstration of the Spirit and of power (v. 4). We ought to be able to say with Paul that "our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance" (1 Thes. 1:5). If the Spirit and His power are not working behind our speaking, our words are useless even if they are enticing. May we despise our natural abilities, and may we be willing to lose all to gain the power of the Holy Spirit of God!