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Back to Messages for Men 
The Spiritual Man
by Watchman Nee
Table of Contents
Preface
Second Preface
Preface
To the Lord whom I serve I offer my heartfelt thanks, for He has given me
the privilege of writing this book. I had always hoped another more capable
would undertake this work, yet it pleases the Lord to call me to it. If the
choice were left to me I should be the last of all to write; for I have the
least desire to do such a book. My hesitation lies not in withdrawal from
duty but rather in the realization that such a book touching on the way of
spiritual life and the stratagem of spiritual warfare is surely beyond the
possibility of one whose experience of the Lord has been less than ten years
long. The Bible does permit a believer to relate his experience; the Holy
Spirit even leads one to do so; how much better though if such experiences
as "caught up into the third heaven" be mentioned after "fourteen years."
Now I do not have a "third heaven" experience, neither have I received great
revelation, but I have learned through His grace to follow the Lord in the
small things of the day. In this work, therefore, my attempt is but to
impart to the children of God that which I have received from the Lord in
these years.
It was about four years ago that I felt called to write such a book. At that
time I was resting from physical weakness in a small hut by the river,
praying and reading the Word. I felt the urgent need for a book based on the
Word and on experience which would give God's children a clear understanding
of spiritual life in order that the Holy Spirit might use it in leading the
saints onward and in delivering them from groping in darkness. It was then
that I knew I was commissioned by the Lord to undertake this task. I began
to compose the chapters which discuss the differentiation of spirit, soul
and body, a chapter on the body, and also the first part of the chapter
dealing with soul life. But I soon discontinued writing. I had many other
claims upon my time besides this one. That was not the main deterrent,
however, for I could still find opportunity to write. I lay down my pen
chiefly because up to that time many truths were yet to be written which had
not been fully proven in my experience. This lack I knew would lessen the
value as well as the power of the book. I would prefer to learn more before
the Lord and prove His truths through experience. What I wrote would then be
spiritual realities instead of merely spiritual theories. Thus the work was
suspended for three years.
I can say that during these three years I had the book daily in my heart.
Although some might consider the publishing of this work long overdue, I
could clearly see the hand of the Lord. Within these few years the truths
contained in this book, especially those in the last volume, have liberated
many from the power of darkness, demonstrating that we had touched spiritual
reality. By the special grace of the Lord I was enabled to understand more
of the purpose of God's redemption in dividing the new and the old
creations. I praise the Lord for that. The Lord also gave me opportunities
to meet many of his choicest ones during my various travels. This increased
my observation, knowledge and experience. In my contacts with people the
Lord showed me not only what is genuinely lacking among His children but
what is the revealed remedy in His Word as well. Let me therefore tell my
readers that this is a manual on spiritual life, every point of which can be
experimentally proven.
Due to my special experience in the physical body during these few years, it
has been given me to know more of the reality of eternity and, likewise, the
great debt I owe the church of God. Thus I hoped I would be able to finish
this book within a short period. Thanks to God the Father and to some of my
friends in the Lord, I was provided with a quiet place for resting and
writing. Within a few months I had finished Parts I through IV. Although I
have not yet begun the other parts, I am sure God the Father will supply the
necessary grace at the needed time.
Now that this volume is shortly to be published and the other volumes will
soon follow, let me speak frankly: learning the truths in this book was not
easy; writing them down was even harder. I may say that for two months I
lived daily in the jaws of Satan. What battling! What withstanding! All my
powers of spirit, soul and body were summoned to contend with hell. Such
battles are now temporarily suspended, but more parts must be written. You
who are Moses on the hill, please do not forget Joshua in the plain. I know
the enemy hates this work deeply. He will try every means to prevent it from
reaching people's hands and to hinder them from reading it. Oh, that you
would not allow the enemy to succeed here.
This book, which will contain three volumes, is not written in sermonic or
expositive form. Differences occur in the length of treatment of various
subjects and this the readers should notice. Although all volumes deal with
spiritual life and warfare, some sections may lay more stress on spiritual
life while others may lay more on spiritual warfare. The book as a whole is
prepared to serve as a guide; hence its emphasis is principally a matter of
how to walk in this way rather than that of persuading people initially to
take this walk. It is written not so much to urge individuals to seek the
spiritual way as to help those who are seeking to know the way. May all
whose hearts are out to the Lord find help in its pages.
I am deeply aware that the spiritual life of the readers of this book may
vary greatly. If you should therefore come to some points difficult to
understand, please neither reject them nor try to fathom them mentally. Such
truths should be reserved for more matured life. Upon re-reading that
difficult part later (say after two weeks or a whole month), you may perhaps
grasp it better. Nevertheless, this book deals wholly with spiritual life as
an experience. In no other way can it be understood. What appears to be
tasteless in the beginning may come to be most precious later. You will
understand when you reach that stage. But is it necessary to wait until
reaching that stage before understanding? If such were the case, what will
be the use of this book! A great mystery surrounds the spiritual experience
of a believer. The Lord always gives a foretaste of the outline of a deeper
life before He leads him into the full experience of it. Many believers
mistake their foretaste for the fullness, not realizing that the Lord is
just beginning to lead them in. The teaching in this book will meet the need
of those who have tasted but not yet fully drunk.
One thing we must guard against: we should never use the knowledge we
acquire from this book as an aid in analyzing ourselves. If in God's light
we see light, we shall know ourselves without losing our freedom in the
Lord. But if all day long we analyze ourselves, dissecting our thoughts and
feelings, it will hinder us from losing ourselves in Christ. Unless a
believer is deeply taught by the Lord he will not be able to know himself.
Introspection and self-consciousness are harmful to spiritual life.
It would be well to reflect upon God's redemptive design. God's purpose is
that through the new life given us at the time of regeneration He might be
able to deliver us from (1) sin, (2) the natural, and (3) the supernatural,
that is, the satanic force of evil in the unseen realm. These three steps of
deliverance are necessary; none can be omitted. If a Christian limits God's
redemptive work by being content with merely overcoming sin, he falls far
short of the purpose of God. The natural life (the good self) must be
overcome, and so too must the supernatural enemy. It certainly is well to
overcome sin, but the work is not complete if the petty self and the
supernatural evil are left unconquered. The cross can afford us such
victory. I hope through God's grace I can emphasize these points as we go
along.
Aside from the last Part of the concluding volume which will discuss the
body, this book may be considered Biblical psychology. We base everything on
the Bible and prove all by spiritual experience. The result of our findings,
both through studying the Word and through experience, tells us that for
every spiritual experience (for example, the new birth) there is a special
change in our inward man. We conclude that the Bible divides man into three
parts spirit, soul and body. We shall see further how different are the
functions and the realms of these three parts, particularly those of spirit
and soul. In this connection, a few words need to be said concerning Part
One of this first volume. The differentiation of spirit and soul as well as
the difference in their functions are necessary knowledge to those who seek
to grow in spiritual life. Only after knowing what is the spirit and what is
spiritual can we walk according to the spirit. Because of the great lack of
such teachings, I have attempted to explain in detail. To believers with
some background this first Part will not present any difficulty to their
understanding; but those who are unfamiliar with such a study need only
remember the conclusions and may then proceed to the second Part. Part One,
consequently, does not deal specifically with spiritual life; it merely
supplies us with some necessary knowledge basic to spiritual life. This Part
may be better understood if it is reread after the entire book is first
finished.
I am not the first to advocate the teaching of the dividing of spirit and
soul. Andrew Murray once said that what the church and individuals have to
dread is the inordinate activity of the soul with its power of mind and
will. F. B. Meyer declared that had he not known about the dividing of
spirit and soul, he could not have imagined what his spiritual life would
have been. Many others, such as Otto Stockmayer, Jessie Penn-Lewis, Evan
Roberts, Madame Guyon, have given the same testimony. I have used their
writings freely since we all have received the same commission from the
Lord; therefore I have decided to forego notating their many references.
This book is written not only for the believers as such, but also to help
those who are younger in the Lord's service than I. We who are responsible
for the spiritual life of others ought to know from what and into what we
lead them from whence to where. If we help people, negatively, not to sin
and, positively, to be zealous; will that be all the Lord wants us to do? Or
is there perhaps something deeper? I personally feel the Bible has given a
most definite judgment. God's purpose is that His children are to be
delivered wholly from the old creation and are to enter fully into the new
creation. No matter how the old creation may appear to man, it is utterly
condemned by God. If we workers know what ought to be destroyed and what
ought to be built, then we are not the blind leading the blind.
New birth receiving God's own life is the starting point of all spiritual
life. How useless it is if the end result of all our exhortation,
persuasion, argument, explanation and study is but to induce some
understanding in the mind, some determination in the will, some feeling in
the emotion. It has not assisted people to receive God's life into their
spirit. But if we who are responsible for preaching the gospel truly
perceive that unless people receive God's life into the depths of their
beings we have not done anything profitable, then what a drastic reformation
will there be in our work! Indeed, such knowledge will bring us to the
realization that many who do profess to believe in the Lord Jesus have never
actually done so. Tears, penitence, reform, zeal and labor: these are not
the hallmarks of a Christian. Happy are we if we know that our
responsibility is to bring man to receive God's uncreated life.
As I recall how the enemy has tried to hinder me from learning the truths
written in the last volume, I cannot but be apprehensive that some, though
possessing the book, will be hindered by Satan from reading it; or if they
do read it, will be made to soon forget it. Therefore let me warn my
readers: you should ask God to keep Satan from preventing your reading it.
Pray as you read; turn what you read into prayer. Pray that God will cover
you with the helmet of salvation lest you forget what you read or simply
fill your mind with innumerable theories.
A few words to those who already possess the truths set forth in the
following pages. If God has graciously liberated you from the flesh and the
power of darkness, you, in turn, ought to bring these truths to others. So
after you have digested the book thoroughly and the truths have become your
own, will you gather a few saints together and teach them the truths. If it
is too much to use the entire book, then one or two parts would be
profitable. The hope is that the truths herein will not be left unnoticed.
Even lending the book to others to read would be a profitable thing.
Now that this small treatise is in the Lord's hand, if He is pleased with
it, may He bless it toward spiritual growth and spiritual victory in me as
well as in many of my brothers and sisters. May the will of God be done. May
His enemy be defeated. May our Lord Jesus soon return to reign. Amen.
Watchman Nee
Shanghai, June 4, 1927
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Second Preface
Most happy am I today for I have completed the last Part of the book. I
recall when I wrote the earlier preface I had completed but the first four
parts. With these last six now done I find I have much yet to share with my
readers. Hence this second preface.
Many months have passed since I commenced writing this final portion of the
book. I can truthfully say that during these months the burden of this work
has been upon me daily. It is natural for the enemy to hate the spreading of
God's truth. As a consequence I have been attacked and assaulted
incessantly. Thanks be unto God, His grace has hitherto sustained me. Often
I thought it would be impossible to continue writing because the pressure
upon my spirit was too heavy and the stamina of my body too weak; yea, I
even despaired of life itself. As often as I despaired, however, just as
often was I strengthened by the God whom I serve, according to His promise
and through the prayers of many. Today the task is finished and the burden
is discharged. What comfort I now experience!
Today I reverently offer this book to our God. Since He has performed that
which He began, my prayer before Him is that He may bless these pages to
fulfill its God-given mission in His church. I am asking God to bless every
reader that he may find the straight path and learn to follow the Lord
perfectly. My spirit together with my prayer henceforth follows the outgoing
of this work. May God use it according to His most excellent will.
Brethren, it is considered politic for a writer not to show too much
enthusiasm for his own work, but I shall now proceed to disregard this human
convention. I do this not because I wrote the book but because of the
deposit of truth in the book. Had it been written by another I think I would
be freer to draw people's attention to it. I must therefore beg your pardon
for being beside myself. I know the importance of the truths herein
contained and, according to the best of my knowledge of God's will, I feel
they will meet the urgent need of this age. No matter how mistaken I may be,
of one thing I am certain: I did not have the slightest intention of
undertaking this task: I wrote only because I was commissioned by the Lord
so to do. The truths in these pages are not mine; they were given me by God.
Even when I was writing He blessed me with many new blessings.
I desire my readers to understand thoroughly that this work is in no way to
be considered a treatise on the theory of spiritual life and warfare. I
myself can testify that I have learned these truths through much suffering,
trial and failure. It can almost be said that every one of these teachings
has been branded with fire. And these words are not used lightly; they come
from the depth of the heart. God knows from whence these truths do come.
When composing the volumes I did not attempt to group similar and related
principles together. I have simply mentioned them as the need arose. Out of
consideration for their extreme importance, I may have touched upon one
truth or another many times, hoping the children of God would thereby better
remember. Only through repetition will the truth be retained and only by
reviewing will it be learned. "Therefore the word of the Lord will be to
them precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon
line, here a little, there a little" (Is. 28.13).
I realize there are many apparent inconsistencies in the work, but the
reader should remember that they are indeed apparent, not actual. Because
this book treats of matters in the spiritual realm, there are bound to be
many apparent theoretical contradictions. Spiritual things do often seem to
be contradictory (2 Cor. 4.8,9). However, these all find their perfect
harmony in experience. Hence, though there are places which seem to defy
understanding, my request is that you try your best to understand. If anyone
desires to misunderstand, he can surely read into these pages that which I
have not intended.
I deeply sense that only one class of people will actually understand this
book. My original purpose was to supply the need of many believers;
obviously only those who have need will be able to appreciate the book. Such
ones will find here a guidebook. Others will either look upon these truths
as ideals or criticize them as inappropriate. According to the measure of
his need shall be the believer's understanding of what is written here.
Unless the reader has personal need he will not find any problem solved
through the reading of these pages. This is what the reader must guard
against.
The deeper the truth the easier is it to become theoretical. Apart from the
working of the Holy Spirit, none can arrive at deeper truth. Thus some will
treat these principles as a sort of ideal. Let us therefore be careful lest
we accept the teachings in the book with our mind and deceive ourselves into
thinking we have possessed them already. This is most dangerous, for
deception which comes from the flesh and the evil spirit shall increase day
by day.
The reader also should be watchful lest he misuse the knowledge he obtains
from these pages to criticize others. It is very easy for us to say this is
of the spirit and that is of the flesh; but do we not know we ourselves are
no exception? Truth is given to set people free, not to find fault. In
criticizing we prove ourselves to be not one bit less soulish or carnal than
the criticized. The danger is most serious; consequently we need to exercise
great caution.
In my first preface I mentioned one matter which deserves to be repeated and
elaborated upon here. It is of the utmost importance that we never try to
analyze ourselves. Upon reading such a treatise as this, we may quite
unconsciously become over-active in self-analysis. In observing the
condition of our inward life we tend to over-analyze our thoughts and
feelings and the movements of the inner man. This may result in much
apparent progress, yet actually it renders treatment of the self life that
much more difficult. If we persistently turn within ourselves we shall lose
our peace completely, for we shall soon discover the discrepancy which
exists between our expectation and our actual condition. We expect to be
filled with holiness but we are found wanting in holiness. This makes us
uncomfortable. God never asks us to be so introspective. To do so
constitutes one of the main reasons for spiritual stagnation. Our rest lies
in looking to the Lord, not to ourselves. In the degree that we look off
unto Him to that degree are we delivered from self. We rest on the finished
work of the Lord Jesus Christ, not on our own shifting experience. True
spiritual life depends not on probing our feelings and thoughts from dawn to
dusk but on "looking off" to the Savior!
Let not any reader be misled into thinking he must resist all supernatural
occurrences. My aim is simply to impress upon you the necessity of testing
whether or not something is of God. I most sincerely believe many
supernatural experiences come from God; I have witnessed a great number of
them. However, I must acknowledge that today many supernatural phenomena are
false and deceptive. I do not have the slightest intention of persuading any
to refuse everything supernatural. I merely point out in this book the basic
differences in principle between these two types of manifestation. When a
believer is faced with any supernatural phenomenon, he ought to examine it
carefully according to the principles revealed in the Bible before he
decides to accept or to reject it.
As to the matter of soul, I honestly feel most Christians swing from one
extreme to the other. We on the one hand usually consider emotion as
soulish; consequently those who are easily moved or excited we normally
categorize as soulish. On the other hand we forget that being rational does
not at all constitute one as being spiritual. This misjudgment of
spiritualizing a rational life must be guarded against equally as much as
against that of mistaking a predominantly emotional life for spirituality.
Proceeding one step further, we should never reduce the function of our soul
to deadly inactivity. Formerly we may never have viewed our soulish feeling
and excitement with any degree of concern and thus we walked accordingly.
Later, however, and recognizing our former error, we now suppress these
emotions altogether. Such an attitude to us may appear to be quite good, but
it will not make us a whit more spiritual. If my reader should misunderstand
on this point, and no matter how minor may be this misunderstanding, then I
know his life is going to become very "dead." Why? Because his spirit,
without any opportunity to express itself; will be imprisoned by a deadened
emotion. And beyond this lies a further danger; namely, that in
overly-suppressing his emotion, the believer will develop eventually into a
rational, not a spiritual, man; and thus, though in another form, he still
remains soulish. Yet the excitement of the soul, if it expresses the
spirit's feeling, is extremely valuable; and the thought of the soul, if it
reveals the spirit's mind, can be most instructive.
I would like to say something about the concluding Part of the book.
Considering the frailty of my body, I would seem to be the least qualified
to write on such a matter; perhaps, though, this very frailty affords me a
deeper insight since I suffer more weakness, sickness and pain than most
people. Countless times my courage has seemed to fail but, thank God, I have
been able to finish writing this portion. I hope those who have had similar
experiences in their earthly tents will accept what I have written as
offering some light out of the darkness through which I have gone. Naturally
innumerable are the controversies which have revolved around divine healing.
Since this is a book which deals primarily with principles, I refrain from
entering into argument with other believers on details. I have said in the
book what I feel led to say. What I now request of my reader is that in the
phenomena of sicknesses he discern and distinguish as to which come from God
and which from self.
I confess there is much which is incomplete in this work; nevertheless,
having done my best, I offer that best to you. Knowing the seriousness of
the message herein, I asked God with fear and trembling to lead me through
it all. What I have set down I present to the conscience of God's
children for them to weigh what is said.
I recognize that a work which seeks to uncover the wiles of the enemy shall
certainly incur the hostility of the power of darkness and the opposition of
many. I have not written with the thought of courting the approval of men.
This opposition I consider therefore as of no account. I also realize that
if God's children derive help from reading this book they may think more of
me than is proper. Let me speak honestly that I am but a man, the weakest of
all men. The teachings of these pages reveal the experiences of my
weaknesses.
The book is today in the readers' hands. This is wholly God's grace. Should
you have the courage and perseverance to read through the first Part and
continue on with the others, perhaps God will bless you with His truth. If
you already have finished reading the whole work, may I entreat you to
reread it after some time has elapsed. Beloved, let us turn our hearts once
again to our Father, cast ourselves upon His bosom by faith and draw from
Him His life. Let us confess anew that we are poor but He is rich, that we
have nothing but He has everything. Except we are given grace we are but
defenseless sinners. May we thank Him with gratitude in our hearts, for the
Lord Jesus has given us grace.
Holy Father, what You have entrusted to me is now here in this book. If it
seems good to You, may You bless it. May You in these last days keep Your
children from corrupted flesh and wicked spirits! Father, may You build Your
Son's Body, destroy Your Son's enemy, and hasten the coming of Your Son's
Kingdom! Father God, I look to You, I cast myself upon You, and I desire
after You!
Watchman Nee
Shanghai, June 24, 1928
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Andrew Murray