enjoying Christ

The water in the good land flows forth in valleys and in mountains, which indicates that Christ as living water flows in different environments; as we are under the killing of the cross in the environments sovereignly arranged by God, we can live the resurrection life and be filled with life, drink Christ as the living water and flow Him out to others also. Amen!

Throughout the Bible, we see how God in Christ flows out as the Spirit to reach man in many ways, so that He may supply man with Himself, be man’s life and everything, and then flow out of man into others. Our God is a flowing God.

He flows out from eternity into time, and He flows in us – in you and me.

When we heard the gospel, the Triune God was flowing into us through the preaching of the gospel.

When we said Amen and repented to receive the Lord, we opened to the flow of the Triune God.

From Genesis 2 we see that God as a flowing river is present wherever His people are in order to quench their thirst and fill them up with Himself as the living water.

He wants to be the fountain of living waters to us and flow into us as the river of God’s pleasures.

In John 4 in particular we see this Samaritan woman who was very thirsty, both physically and spiritually.

She came to the well to get water, but inwardly she was very thirsty.

So the Lord gave her to drink, first by confessing her sins for her and then by giving her the word of life.

She drank of the living water to such an extent that she flowed out to the people in that city, for she left her waterpot there by the well and went to tell them to come to also drink. Wow!

When we drink of the flowing Triune God as the living water, this water becomes in us a fountain springing up into eternal life.

On one hand, as we drink of the flowing Triune God our thirst is quenched; on the other hand, we flow Him out to others also.

He flows into us and He flows out of us.

We open to His living flow, He flows in, He saturates our being, and He then flows out of us to others also for them to enjoy the living water.

The river of water of life from Genesis flows all the way to Revelation, for in the New Jerusalem we see the river of water of life flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb.

Hallelujah, there is a river flowing out of eternity into time, and from God to man! If we just open to Him, if we just say Amen to Him, we enjoy this rich flow of life, and this flow of life becomes in us many rivers of water of life to spring up into eternal life.

There’s the river of joy, peace, love, holiness, and patience flowing in us and out of us. May we be those who drink deeply and let Him flow out through us!

Christ as Living Water is Flowing Forth in Valleys and in Mountains, in Different Environments

In Deut. 8:7 we are told that the good land is a land of waterbrooks, of springs and of fountains, flowing forth in valleys and in mountains.

The fact that the water is flowing forth in valleys and in mountains indicates that Christ as living water flows in different environments (1 Kings 20:23, 28).

The valleys are the experience of the cross, the experiences of the death of Christ; the mountains are the experiences of Christ’s resurrection (2 Cor. 1:9; 4:11, 14).

We need the valleys and we need the mountains; we need the experiences of the death of Christ and the experiences of the resurrection of Christ.

In Paul’s life, a great apostle much used by God to carry out His New Testament ministry, we see that he did not have a plain life, a flat life, but a life full of valleys and mountains.

It was in these valleys and mountains that Christ as living water had a way to flow.

We could even say that in Paul’s life and ministry, there were more valleys than mountains.

In 2 Cor. 4:8-12 he described the valleys and mountains; “pressed on every side” is a valley, “not constricted” is a mountain; “unable to find a way out” is a valley, “but not utterly without a way out” is a mountain.

He had the response of death in himself so that he would not base his confidence in himself but on God who raises the death.

We who are alive are always delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake.

We may think that as Christians, as those who love the Lord and pursue Him, we enjoy the Lord more, and there will be just “glory, glory, Hallelujah”.

We think that every day will be blessed by God, every road will be straight, and our pathway will be lined with roses; we may even think that every day is a day of sunshine.

But this is not what we see in Paul’s experience. Rather, what we see there is lots of valleys and some mountains.

Christ as living water is flowing forth in valleys and in mountains, in the different environments sovereignly arranged by God.

In our experience there’s a kind of suffering, persecution, or dealing that comes upon us not because of our failures, mistakes, or failing to fulfil our responsibility, but for the sake of Jesus.

There is a particular suffering that comes upon us for the sake of the Body of Christ and for the sake of the new covenant ministry.

This suffering doesn’t refer to the sufferings and troubles that are common to all human beings in the old creation, such as illness or calamity, or to punishment, correction, or discipline suffered because of sins, mistakes, or failure to fulfil our responsibility.

This putting to death of Jesus consumes our natural man, our outward man, our flesh, so that our inward man may have the opportunity to develop and be renewed.

As the killing of the cross operates in us, the result is the manifestation of the resurrection life.

The daily killing of the cross is for the release of the divine life in resurrection.

Today we live the same as the Lord Jesus, repeating His life on earth; for His sake, we are under the killing of the cross and we’re being put to death so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our mortal flesh (2 Cor. 4:11).

As we pass through valleys, we open to the Lord, and there we drink of Christ as living water; as we drink of Him, we trace Him back to the mountain, where the source is, and we are brought on the mountain of resurrection.

The more we suffer, the more we can drink the living water and flow the Lord out.

The more we suffer, the more we will have flowing forth, if we open to the Lord as the flowing water of life.

Christ as living water is flowing forth in valleys and in mountains; it’s not mountains first and then valleys, but valleys first and then mountains.

The first place we contact the Lord is in the valleys, and in the valleys, we drink Christ as the living water.

Then, we’re brought to the mountain, little by little, to be in resurrection.

As we drink Christ as the living water in this way in the valleys – in sufferings, persecutions, and the killing of the cross – we will have something of Him to flow out to others to water them.

Lord Jesus, we come to You to drink of You as the living water. May Christ as the living water flow freely in us both in valleys and in mountains. Amen, Lord, as we bear about in the body the putting to death of Jesus, may the life of Jesus also be manifested in our body. Oh Lord, even as we who are alive are always being delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, may the life of Jesus also be manifested in our mortal flesh. We open to You, dear Lord, and we come to You in our valleys. Even as we pass through sufferings, persecutions, and the killing of the cross of Christ, we want to come and drink of Christ as living water in our spirit. Amen, Lord Jesus, may the putting to death of Jesus consume our natural man, our outward man, our flesh, so that our inward man may have the opportunity to develop and be renewed! May the killing of the cross operating in us result in the manifestation of the resurrection life! Flow in, Lord, and flow out of our being to many others to water them with the living water!

The Indwelling Christ is the Divine Source of Supply for our Christian Life and the Power for us to Live a Crucified Life for the Manifestation of the Divine Life

As seen in 2 Cor. 4:7, the indwelling Christ as the treasure within us, the earthen vessels, is the divine source of the supply for the Christian life and the excellent power for us to live a crucified life for the manifestation of the resurrection life (Phil. 4:13).

The book of 2 Corinthians can be considered as Paul’s autobiography, the autobiography of a person living in the spirit.

When we read this book, we don’t see God’s blessing in an outward way nor do we see Paul as one who is victorious, triumphant, and prevailing.

Rather, we see a person full of suffering, opposition, rejection, and sorrow.

But he had a secret: he had a treasure in his earthen vessel, and the excellency of the power was of God, not of him.

The treasure is great, excellent, and wonderful, for it is the glorious, all-inclusive Christ.

But this treasure is not placed in a crystal vase or on a silver platter but in an earthenware, in an earthen vessel.

The vessel seems to be so base, worthless, and fragile, being easily broken.

Who would put such a priceless treasure in such a cheap, worthless, fragile earthware?

This is the incomprehensible and spiritual paradox, and this is the genuine Christianity.

Genuine Christianity is not about success, blessing, power, appreciation, and honour; this is false Christianity.

This is what the people today in Christianity are looking for.

Genuine Christianity is those who have the priceless treasure kept in an earthen vessel, a vessel that is subject to fragility, to so many unfair environments.

This vessel is easily broken, and easily scratched, but within it, there’s a treasure.

Paul said that he and his co-workers were excessively burdened, beyond their power, so that they despaired even of living; this was that they would not base their confidence on themselves but on God, who raises the dead (2 Cor. 1:8-9).

Did we get to this point where we despair even of living?

We may suffer much in our situation, with our roommates, our spouse, our family, or at work; in all these things we need to contact the Lord and drink Christ as living water, and we will not base our confidence on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.

Actually, resurrection requires death, discouragement, and disappointment in order to be manifested (v. 4; 7:5-6).

The working of the cross terminates our self that we may enjoy the God of resurrection.

We do not like death, discouragement, or disappointment, but they come, whether we like it or not.

We don’t ask for these things, but they come.

What should we do? Should we give up, be disappointed, and get discouraged?

Should we “forget about it”, thinking that God doesn’t bless us, and he doesn’t want us to be a prosperous Christian?

We need to realize that these valleys are the right spot for us to be in so that the living water may flow into us, through us, and out of us.

God comforts us in our affliction so that we may also comfort others with the comfort with which God comforted us.

If we have never passed through afflictions and therefore never experienced God’s comforting, we will never be able to genuinely comfort others who are in their affliction.

The apostle Paul lived the resurrection life under the killing of the cross for the carrying out his ministry.

He was bearing about the putting to death of Jesus; this is not a one-time deal, but something that is ongoing.

We may think that, if we encounter a difficult situation or misunderstanding with a co-worker or with one of the saints, we need to bear the cross and ask the Lord to help us to go through this suffering.

But Paul speaks here not just about one time, incidentally, but the continual putting to death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in us.

Jesus, in a positive sense, is always killing all the negative things within us in order to heal and enliven us (Phil. 1:19; Exo. 30:23-25).

When we reject ourselves in the morning to receive God into us, we have the sense during the day that a killing process is going on within us (Prov. 4:18).

There’s a killing that is going on as we bear the cross; bearing the cross is a continual application of the death of Christ.

As we are being put to death for the sake of Jesus, the life of Jesus is also manifested in our mortal flesh.

This is all by the power of the indwelling Christ; when we come to Him in our valleys and drink Christ as living water, we will be brought into resurrection and there will be a way for the living water to flow in us and out of us.

The apostles lived a life like the one the Lord Jesus lived on earth; the Lord’s life was under the killing of the cross for the manifestation of the resurrection life (see John 6:14-15; 12:13, 19, 23-24).

With the Lord, the life He lived was in such a way that His person was one with His ministry and His life was His ministry.

There is a great need for those who have the ministry of life today in the church life; this is not based on our gifts or knowledge but on living the resurrection life under the killing of the cross.

For the ministry to proceed and be continued, there is the need for many who are serving not by knowledge, gift, or eloquence but by living the resurrection life under the killing of the cross.

Many need to allow the death of Christ to operate in them so that life may be dispensed into and operate in others.

This is the way for us to experience Christ as the living water flowing in valleys and in mountains in our daily Christian experience.

Thank You, Lord Jesus, for being the priceless treasure in our earthen vessel. Oh Lord, though our vessel is earthen, fragile, and base, You are the glorious treasure in us. We take You as the divine source of the supply for the Christian life and the excellent power for us to live a crucified life for the manifestation of the resurrection life. Amen, Lord Jesus, as we are excessively burdened and bear about in the body the putting to death of Jesus, we base our confidence on God, the One who raises the dead. May the working of the cross terminate our self so that we may enjoy the God of resurrection. We do not ask for more suffering or discouragement – we only ask for our being to be open to You in all the situations so that we may drink Christ as the living water and live the resurrection life under the killing of the cross. May the living water flow in our being as we pass through valleys, and may there be a way for this living water to be imparted into others also through us!

References and Hymns on this Topic

• Inspiration for this article/sharing comes from the Word of God, the enjoyment in the ministry, a sharing by brother James Lee in the message for this week, and portions from, Collected Works of Witness Lee, 1961-1962, vol. 4, “The All-inclusive Christ,” pp. 227-228, as quoted in the Holy Word for Morning Revival on, Laboring on the All-inclusive Christ Typified by the Good land for the Building up of the Church as the Body of Christ, for the Reality and the Manifestation of the Kingdom, and for the Bride to make Herself Ready for the Lord’s Coming (2023 Winter Training), week 4, entitled, The All-inclusive Christ as the Good Land—a Land of Waterbrooks, of Springs and of Fountains, Flowing Forth in Valleys and in Mountains.
• Similar articles on this topic:
  – Living by Christ as the life supply, a portion from, Living In and With the Divine Trinity, Chapter 9, by Witness Lee.
  – The Preparation of our Path to New Jerusalem, via, New Jerusalem blog.
  – The All-inclusive Christ as the Good Land— a Land of Waterbrooks, of Springs and of Fountains, Flowing Forth in Valleys and in Mountains, prophesying outlines via, Church in Chennai.
  – The Indwelling Christ – the Secret of the Christian Life, via, Holding to Truth in Love.
  – Christ as the seed of life sown into us to grow within us for God’s building, article by Ed Marks in, Affirmation and Critique.
  – Plugging into the Power Supply for Our Christian Life, via, Bibles for Europe blog.
  – Concerning the experience of Christ as life, a portion from, Affirmation and Critique.
  – Living in the Mingled Spirit, The Secret of the Christian Life, via, Holding to Truth in love.
  – Genuine preaching being a life of crucifixion and resurrection to manifest Christ, a portion from, Preaching the Gospel in the Way of Life, Chapter 12, by Witness Lee.
  – What is the Significance of the Good Land? Via, the Hearing of Faith newsletter.
• Hymns on this topic:
  – Jesus, my life, Thyself apply; / Thy Holy Spirit breathe; / My vile affections crucify; / Conform me to Thy death. / Conqu’ror of hell and earth and sin, / Still with the rebel strive; / Enter my soul and work within, / And kill and make alive. (Hymns #364 stanzas 1-2)
  – Hallelujah! In the body we / Bear the death of Christ continually: / Thus His life comes forth for all to see as / The outer man is broken down, / The inner man is shining so that— / In these earthen vessels men can see / There’s the treasure of reality! / Thus the gospel’s glorious light will be / Shining out from us. (Hymns #1178 stanza 2)
  – O how well does He know that afflictions are needed; / He has a wise purpose in view, / And within the dark valley He whispers to comfort, / “Hereafter thou’lt know what I do.”… So we’ll follow Him faithfully where’er He leadeth, / The pathway be dreary or bright; / For we’ve proved that our God is the “God of all comfort, / The God who gives songs in the night. (Hymns #728 stanzas 5 and 7)