Second, prior to us there may never have been anyone who paid adequate attention to the seven Spirits in Revelation. Today we not only see that the Holy Spirit is part of the Triune God-the Holy Father, the Holy Son, and the Holy Spirit-nor do we only see the Spirit of Pentecost who enables people to have the manifestation of different gifts, including speaking in tongues-but we also see that the resurrected Christ is the life-giving Spirit and that in the darkest hour of the church age this Spirit has become the sevenfold intensified Spirit. God-the Father, the Son, and the Spirit-is triune. Doctrinally-speaking this is absolutely correct. Furthermore, on the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was poured out, people did receive gifts and spoke in tongues. This, too, is correct. However, it is not sufficient to see only these two matters; we must go on to see that the resurrected Christ is the life-giving Spirit in resurrection. On the one hand, the Lord resurrected and ascended to the heavens, but on the other hand, He remained on the earth after His resurrection. From the aspect of ascension, He has already been made both Lord and Christ. From the aspect of remaining on the earth, He is the life-giving Spirit in resurrection. In the heavens He is the Lord, and on the earth He is the life-giving Spirit. This involves a great deal more than His simply being the Holy Spirit and the One giving gifts at Pentecost. Furthermore, today in the church’s darkest hour He is the sevenfold intensified Spirit, the seven Spirits before the throne of God. We must add up all four of these aspects: the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Pentecost, the Spirit of Pentecost is the life-giving Spirit, and the life-giving Spirit is the seven Spirits.
What is our conclusion? Our conclusion is that today this Triune God is the very Spirit. In this Spirit there is the Holy Father; in this Spirit there is the Holy Son; in this Spirit there is the Holy Spirit; in this Spirit there is divinity; in this Spirit there is the uplifted, resurrected humanity; in this Spirit there is the Lord Jesus’ all-inclusive death with its efficacy; and in this Spirit there is His resurrection with its power. In this Spirit there are all the glory of divinity and all the virtues of humanity.
This Spirit is what the New Testament calls “the Spirit.” John 7:39 says, “But this He said concerning the Spirit, whom those who believed into Him were about to receive; for the Spirit was not yet, because Jesus had not yet been glorified.” Ephesians 4:3 says, “Being diligent to keep the oneness of the Spirit.” The Spirit spoken of in these passages is the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Pentecost, the life-giving Spirit, and the sevenfold intensified Spirit. When we speak about one Body, one new man, and one Spirit, the one Spirit refers to the Spirit. The Spirit is life with respect to the Body of Christ, and the Spirit is the person with respect to the new man. The Spirit is the life of the Body and also the person of the new man.
My burden at this time is on how to enjoy the Spirit. The secret to enjoying the Spirit is found in 1 Corinthians 12:13. We all must believe that we have experienced the first half of 1 Corinthians 12:13. In one Spirit, that is, in the Spirit, we were all baptized into one Body, whether Jews or Greeks. The Spirit and the Body are connected. We must believe that we believers of the Lord were in that one Spirit baptized into one Body. Do you believe that you are in the Body today? Since you believe that you are in the Body, then you must also believe that you are in the Spirit. It does not matter whether or not you speak in tongues. Do not be bothered by this point. The fact is that all of us believers in the Lord have been baptized in one Spirit into one Body.
Today the problem is with the second part of 1 Corinthians 12:13: “And were all given to drink one Spirit.” The Greek text here is very difficult to translate. The meaning of the original language is that you have been placed in a position to drink. It is as if there is a drinking fountain outside, and you bring me to it and set me in the right position. Then I am enabled to drink from that drinking fountain. From the first day that we were baptized into the Body, we were placed in a position in which we were given to drink one Spirit. We all have the position to drink the Spirit.
Anyone can tell from reading 1 Corinthians 12:13 that it is not a small verse but a great verse in the Bible. We have all been baptized into the Spirit, and now we need to drink this Spirit. Drinking is the way we receive Him. We have already been baptized into the Body and have been put in this position, so now we need to drink.
The problem in Christianity is that many people think too much and do not drink enough. The theology and teaching in Christianity are all on thinking, not on drinking. However, I have found a secret: I do not need to think, study, discuss, or quote the Bible; I simply drink. Consider a glass of water. No matter how much you try to study, analyze, and describe the water, not even the scientists among us who may have written ten books on the subject can give a clear explanation of what water is. Moreover, the scientists may eventually divide into different groups and fight among themselves. When I drink from a glass and take the water into my being, my thirst is quenched and I am strengthened, but not even someone with five Ph.Ds is able to research, discuss this glass of water, and clearly explain it. If the tiny human brain cannot explain a simple glass of water, how can it thoroughly explain the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Pentecost, and the sevenfold intensified Spirit? It is impossible.
I exhort you all not to think, discuss, or write about drinking; simply come to drink. Here is the easiest way: Come to drink the glass of water. I am afraid that you may go out to speak about the water, but none of you will drink the water. You do not get a drink by talking about it, nor do you get a drink by understanding it or by speaking about it correctly. I could be a country person who cannot say anything correctly, but I can constantly drink this water. Let us all drink this water!
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