When I was in my early 20s, I read Watchman Nee’s book The Release of the Spirit. The content of the book came out of a long period of silence from Nee, after he was grossly mistreated by fellow Christians.
Nee was someone who never defended himself or justified his actions.
He was teachable, humble, and broken. He recognized the cross when it came into his life, and wanted God to waste nothing.
In the same way, he never defended when under false accusation and personal attack. He, like Jesus, was silent at such times, entrusting himself to God as 1 Peter 2 commands.
Nee was a broken vessel who knew the cross and thus he was qualified to preach it in all its ugly depths.
Nee suspended his ministry for a number of years. When Nee resumed his ministry, however, he delivered a series of powerful messages on brokenness.
Those messages are contained in the book, The Release of the Spirit.
I’m re-reading this book, some 20 years after I first read it as a young man. And it awakened in me an instinct for the cross. Something that only God can teach another mortal.
When I first read the book, the concepts were theoretical to me. Albeit, the book scared the liver out of me because I saw a preview of what was to come for me if I continued to be obedient to the Lord’s calling on my life.
Today, I am reading it with different eyes. I am reading it as one who has tasted the message in my own experience. And the words are life to me.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who believes that God has called them to the Lord’s work. It will give you a preview of what awaits you, and most importantly, how to respond when it comes.
Here’s an excerpt:
So the Treasure is in the earthen vessel, but if the earthen vessel is not broken, who can see the Treasure within? What is the final objective of the Lord’s working in our lives? It is to break this earthen vessel, to break our alabaster box, to crack open our shell. The Lord longs to find a way to bless the world through those who belong to Him.
Brokenness is the way of blessing, the way of fragrance, the way of fruitfulness, but it is also a path sprinkled with blood. Yes, there is blood from many wounds. When we offer ourselves to the Lord to be at His service, we cannot afford to be lenient, to spare ourselves. We must allow the Lord utterly to crack our outward man, so that He may find a way for His out working.
Each of us must find out for himself what is the mind of the Lord in his life. It is a most lamentable fact that many do not know what is the mind or intention of the Lord for their lives. How much they need for Him to open their eyes, to see that everything which comes into their lives can be meaningful. The Lord has not wasted even one thing.
To understand the Lord’s purpose, is to see very clearly that He is aiming at a single objective: the breaking of the outward man.
However, too many, even before the Lord raises a hand, are already upset. Oh, we must realize that all the experiences, troubles and trials which the Lord sends us are for our highest good.
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See also The Unbroken Christian
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Frank I appreciate this post. I recently when through a breaking process with our Lord. Though it was extremely hard he has gained so much in me. I feel it was the biggest blessing in my life I truly am a blessed man to be broken. Broken and a contrite spirit is a gift from God. Though I’m personally not going to ask for it, whenever he brings brokenness again in my life I do look forward to him gaining more and knowing him more.
It’s a great book speaking to an overlooked need within the life of believers in today’s Body (America). Watchman Nee’s books were part of my early influence, along with The Calvary Road (Roy Hession) & Continuous Revival (N Grubb). Also, I was greatly influenced by a British preacher (now with the Lord) who was mostly unknown, but had a similar message. I miss him to this day.
Thanks for the reminder.
Watchman Nee was one of the authors which heavily influenced my early walk with Christ. This is one I need to go back and read again. I also recommend his “The Normal Christian Life.”
What a beautiful passage! Thank you for sharing that. Nee is one of the far too overlooked authors.
Thank you so much for this! Since just last week I’ve been trying to think of some resources and scripture related to this kind of brokenness. This blog post was a direct answer to what I needed.
It was one of the first Christian books I read 40 years ago, as a new Christian. The message is still fresh in my mind
It’s funny you should mention the Release of the Spirit – I just started listening to the audio book a day or two ago. It strikes me as a good, radical book but so far I’m finding it pretty hard to understand what he means. A lot of the terminology he uses is quite foreign to me, so maybe that’s why.
I find myself asking questions like: what does he mean by brokenness? Am I already broken, or not? If not, what do I do about it? If yes, how do I know? And I’m trying to figure out how the brokenness he talks about (as a secondary thing that happens after you get saved) relates to the work of the cross.
Hopefully it will start to make more sense to me towards the end of the book 🙂
I deal with brokenness a good bit in “God’s Favorite Place on Earth.” It’s easy to understand. https://www.frankviola.org/godsfavoriteplace – would love to get your take on it.
Hello Frank I am fairly new to your blog, but not to Watchman Nee nor T. Austin Sparks. Re. today’s book – my copy is dated 1965 from Ministry of Life, Ind. It is falling apart. Not sure if I found it first or Spark’s “What is Man?” first. Sparks book was a library book and since I could not find it in print back in the 1970’s, I copied it page for page and still have it in a folder. Thanks to your blog I now have it also on my Kindle. May God continue to bless your ministry. Joyce
Amen Frank. This book is one of my all-time top 10.
I read it about 10 years ago, and 2 things that I remember coming through that really meant a lot to me, and are still alive inside were: 1. The need for brokenness, and 2. How long it can take for the Lord to really effect that brokenness in a believer’s life, and the incredible trials that it can take.
In the midst of a dark night, the Lord said that “vision gives purpose to pain”, and that word and this book helped to shift my perspective from avoiding pain, to embracing the Lord’s growth process, and even having a hopeful & joyful expectancy of what He’s accomplishing at the end of the difficult season.
My oh my! How relevant it is… Nee became a hero through suffering, courage and simple, vital Christ-centered faith. I also read the volume some 25 or so years ago. This prompts me to pick it back up again.
Thank you as usual Frank!