HearingGod.ArtLicursi.Updated2/26/04

Hearing The Inner Speaking of Christ Gives Us Light

By Arthur J Licursi with some thoughts taken from Watchman Nee

Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Psalm 119:130 The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.

Psalm 36:9 For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light.

Christians have the usual number of problems, just as the folks who are not believers. These problems are often the result of inward darkness. This darkness is a lack of spiritual clarity, hindering them in following the leading of the Lord. We’re children of the light and lovers of the light, yet often we do not heed the speaking of the Christ within our spirit. We should love to abide in His light and life for fellowship and guidance in our walk. His words spoken within us are words spoken as light and life to us, to nurture and guide us in our personal, moment-by-moment, walk with Him.

The troubling situations of life are necessary for a Christian in his course of spiritual progress. Some situations are seemingly insurmountable and entirely out of our control. These problems are designed by God our Father to push us to trust Christ for our daily living in all its aspects. A Christian should not allow himself to remain in darkness and act on something when He is unclear. God does not wish to see us remain in darkness, or to live by our emotions that often are linked to desires of self-interest, pride. How then can we become clear, and come to rest in our soul?

Please note once again, as I’ve written before, Christ is “The Word”. He is the expression, explanation, and declaration of God the Father and the Father’s will in any given situation. Christ as light and life has come to dwell within our human spirit. The “Word” I speak of herein is not the Scripture, but Christ Himself, who is our life (Gal 2:20), and we are to walk by the sense of His inward speaking as “The Word”. The Scripture by itself is not the word of God. Paul said, 2 Cor. 3:6 “… for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.” It is necessary for the Spirit of God to quicken or make the written word alive for it to be life to us. Only the living Word, which in Greek is “rhema”, is the living and instant word that is useful in our seeing by the spirit in a living way.

Let’s see what the written word (logos) of God tells us, now expecting the living Word to enlighten us. Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

In Hebrews 4:12 it tells us that the word of God, by Christ’s quickening Spirit within our spirit, we will be able to distinguish between what is from the spirit (from Christ within, 1Cor 6:17, 1John 4:13) and what is from the soul (which is related to the self-life). Truly, it is Christ in us who is our only hope of the glorious expression of the God-life (Col 1:27).

We cannot discern the difference between our soul and spirit by merely rationalizing, figuring, or applying logic; this will only result in confusion. The more we look inwardly and the more we search ourselves, the more problems will arise and the greater the darkness will become. On the other hand, if we hear and listen (receive and accept) His speaking inwardly, there’s no need to ask questions. The questions will be gone, and we will become clear, very clear.

I may speak something to my wife, and although the words may be correct, yet I feel very uncomfortable and uneasy within just before and as I speak them. The words were correct and my intention was good, but inwardly I sense otherwise. This is Christ speaking within me, saying NO! An hour later I may speak with a person at length, and the words are helpful to him, even life affirming. This time I feel inwardly satisfied; I feel that a burden has been released and you have rendered a service to God. There is little difference in the words spoken on these two occasions, but there’s a great difference in my inward sense of satisfaction. In the first case I am disturbed and in the second case I am at rest. Notice that in this example that I only heard or sensed Him saying “No, don’t speak that,” but I heard or sensed nothing when all was according to His will. This is most often the case, since we do not hear or sense Him when everything is okay, much like we only sense discomfort in our body when it is not healthy, something is wrong.

This difference then becomes clear to me; it is the sense of the indwelling spirit of Christ telling me that one dialogue was spoken in spite of His attempt to restrain me, and the other was according to the indwelling Spirit. Superficially, it seems that the words spoken on both occasions were identical, but inwardly, by the spirit, we are exposed and perceive a difference – my soulish plan to speak and His spirit were divided as He spoke within in me by a sense of NO!

Thus, it’s not sufficient to speak what seems correct outwardly. In Christ there is no one shoe fits all and no one answer, He is not a principle, law or rule to be memorized and followed. Christ in us is a living person, and bears the Father’s life and innate will to us; He deals with us, and others, according to where we are in our walk and according to our need. Since we do not have proper knowledge apart from the leading of the Spirit of Christ, we must speak and act in accord with the indwelling Spirit in order to speak and act according to the Father’s heart. Note in John’s Gospel that Jesus said that He only spoke that which “He heard the Father speak.” Jesus did not live or act independent of the Father and His will, being obedient to death of the cross.

The Word of God, Christ, is in us, and we shall know from within what is from the spirit and what is from our soul when we are acting independently of the leading of the Spirit. Once we have this inward sense, there will be no more questions and we will know how to proceed in any situation. Incidentally, when there is no inward sense or prompting in a given matter or concern, I’ve learned it is best to do nothing regarding that matter.

When the word of God, the indwelling Christ, speaks by a leading inward sense, it gives light; you will become inwardly clear, and you will have assurance. The inward leading will never contradict or lead us contrary to truth of the Scripture of the Bible that is applicable to us in this dispensation of grace of God, in which we live today.

Only the living Word (Gk, rhema, living word) will divide your spirit from your soul. It is not a question of reading a book and finding what way is spiritual and what way is soulish. Only Christ alive in you is the “way.” Even if you follow the way given in the Christian “how to” books, the result will still be soulish, they are not Christ alive in you. But when the word of God speaks in you, perhaps through the Bible, or a book, or others speaking, it shines in you; it will separate your soul and spirit; it will expose the joints (soul) and marrow (spirit). You will know what is wrong and what is right for you in every instance. This is an inward knowledge. Such a person will no longer need to ask questions because there is light within him, and he sees and perceives from within.

Some people ask: “Am I living for God or for myself? Is this the will of God or my own?”

Let’s look more closely at our text.

Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Indeed, apart from the inward sense and leading, it is extremely difficult for us to distinguish which ideas and opinions are our own because we are very often deceived by our own thoughts and intentions. Nevertheless, as soon as the word of the Lord’s inward speaking is heard or sensed, it sifts through the thoughts and intentions of our hearts and immediately shows us which thoughts are perverse, which thoughts are selfish, which thoughts come from fear, and which thoughts are conjured up only to retaliate or to protect our self. Inwardly we will see and become very clear. Self-analysis will not give us light; it will only lead us into self-deception. The more we analyze ourselves, the more we will be deceived, and the more the Word of God will be hindered. When the Word of God is received, our eyes will be opened, and we will no longer need to ask any questions because we will be able to discern and differentiate the thoughts and intentions of our heart for the Lord’s desire for us. Whenever we have a problem within, we ought to look to the enlightening of God's indwelling Word. In this way, we will not be deceived. <End>