This past week I was struck by three different sources with a unified and valuable message.
The first source is one of Watchman Nee’s less well-known books entitled, What Shall This Man Do? Here are excerpts from chapter 4, from the section entitled “Upon This Rock.”
Hear Him at Caesarea Philippi, as He addresses Simon Peter in these remarkable terms: “Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church” (Matt. 16:18)…. What did Jesus imply? Thou art Petros, a stone—one who is to be builded with others into the basic structure of My church (see Eph. 2:20; Rev. 21:19)—and on this Rock I will build. What then is the church? It is a structure of living stones founded upon a rock. And what is the rock? Here it is that we need to be very clear. It is a confession based upon a revelation of a Person.
Jesus, who never seemed to care what men said or thought about Him, had suddenly put the question to His disciples: “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” Then, turning from the views and speculations of others, He went a step further: “Who say ye that I am?” His challenge drew forth spontaneously from Peter the historic confession: “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Thus it is true to say that the church is built upon a confession, for to “say” is to confess, not merely to hazard an opinion. Moreover it was no empty confession such as might today be based on study or deduction or “point of view.” As Jesus made clear, Peter’s confession was called forth by a God-given revelation. “Flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.” And further, it was a revelation of the true character and meaning of Jesus, and not merely of facts about Him—not merely, that is, of what the Gospels tell us He did, but of what and who He is. As to His person, He is the Son of the living God; as to His office and ministry, He is the Christ. All this was contained in Peter’s words….
Thus the Rock defines the limits of the church. They extend wherever such a confession goes up to God from the heart—there and no further. For remember, this was not a general confession; it sprang from revelation. And not from a general revelation either, but one that concerned a Man, the Son of man. Nothing gives God greater satisfaction than confession of Himself. Jesus often said, “I am.” He loves to hear us say, “Thou art.” We do it far too little. “Thou art Lord!” When everything goes wrong and all is confusion, don’t pray, but confess that Jesus is Lord. Today, when the world is in turmoil, stand and proclaim that Jesus is King of kings and Lord of lords. He loves to hear us say what we know. The church is not only founded on revelation but on confession—on our speaking out what we know of God. The church today is Christ’s voice set down here upon the earth.
If God has not opened our eyes to see that death is the power, the weapon, of the gates of hell, we shall scarcely know the value of speaking out. But when suddenly, in some hitherto unforeseen circumstance, we find to our alarm that apparently faith does not work, prayer does not work, we shall learn the need to proclaim Christ, and in doing so shall discover what it was God was waiting for. “Thou art Lord. Thou art Victor. Thou art King.” The best prayer of all is not “I want” but “Thou art.” By the revelation given to us, let us speak. In prayer meetings, at the Breaking of Bread, alone before the Lord, in the midst of the thronging world, or in the dark hour of need, learn to proclaim, “Thou art.” This is the church’s voice, God’s voice in the earth, the voice that, above all else, hell fears.
Here are the points I’d like to emphasize from that long quote. What God has revealed to us, we too can confess within ourselves and out loud. By doing so we satisfy God. Nothing gives God greater satisfaction than confession of Himself! We also declare our membership in the universal Church and claim the ground on which we are standing for His Kingdom.
The next source is an episode on the Tent and Altar YouTube channel (“Praying the Psalms,” 7/11/2021). In this podcast, Carrie Walters talks about how the Lord put it on her heart to pray for the city of St. Louis, where she currently lives. A change in the route she uses to get to work takes her through disadvantaged neighborhoods. As she drives through, she prays psalms that have been set to music. The video highlights Psalm 99, but many of the psalms declare the nature and providence of God. Although Carrie does not pray with individual residents of the city, by proclaiming God and His sovereignty she carries His life into places where He might not otherwise be welcome. The reality is that many places are in darkness because of the oppression of invisible principalities and powers. Bringing light into those places can provide people with relief from that oppressive darkness. It can reveal to them that they are defined by Him rather than by their visible circumstances.
The third source is the opening of the first letter that the apostle John wrote:
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life—the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us—that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. 1 John 1:1-3
There is a time to hear and see, and even to touch and handle, the Word of Life. Then, when that life is real to us, will be the time to confess and proclaim it. This will lead us into a deeper fellowship with God. Also, as we confess and proclaim His life, we will establish and strengthen bonds of fellowship with each other.
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