Follow Paul’s Pattern to Live Christ for His Magnification as His Continuation Today

The apostle Paul, as a pattern to all the believers, lived Christ for His magnification as His continuation; he was a disciple of Christ, a chosen vessel who lived in his mingled spirit, was filled with the Spirit, rejoiced in the Lord, was allied with God and assisted by God, and cherished and nourished the saints as he lived Christ. Amen!

On the one hand, the book of Acts shows us the continuation of Christ, and this continuation was prophesied in the Old Testament and also in the New Testament by the Lord Jesus. On the other hand, we are not left without a pattern when it comes to the continuation of Christ, for the apostle Paul was a pattern to the believers in this matter.

The New Testament has a considerable portion regarding the history of Paul, the life of Paul, the work of Paul, and the pattern of Paul.

He started as a persecutor of the church, breathing murder against the disciples of Jesus, but he was met by the Lord Jesus Himself on the road to Damascus, and he was converted to Christ.

Acts 9 relates the conversion of Paul; he was met by the Lord with a blinding light while he was on the way to Damascus to bind those who believed into Jesus and followed Him.

The Lord Jesus appeared to him and he had a conversion to Christ. Then, being blinded by the light, he waited in a house on the street called, Straight, in Damascus until Ananias, a member of the Body, was sent by the Lord to bring him into the fellowship of the Body.

Ananias was reluctant to come to Saul (later called Paul) since he heard that he was there to persecute and imprison the followers of Jesus.

But the Lord assured Ananias that Paul was a chosen vessel, even a pattern to those who believe, who will suffer much for the Lord’s name. Very interesting to see this.

The Lord took this person who hated Him and those who followed Him, and He made this one into a pattern to all those who believe.

Paul’s living and work was a continuation of Christ, for he magnified Christ as a disciple of Christ.

He was a chosen vessel who lived in his mingled spirit, depended on the Body, lived by the all-inclusive Spirit of Jesus, was filled with the Spirit of joy, exercised himself to have a pure and a good conscience, lived a life of rejoicing in the Lord, and was allied with God and assisted by God to speak the gospel.

We need to see the pattern of Paul as one who was made by God the continuation of Jesus.

The Apostle Paul as a Pattern to all believers Lived Christ for His Magnification as His Continuation

1 Timothy 1:16 says that Paul is a pattern to all the believers; the apostle Paul lived Christ for His magnification as His continuation (see Phil. 1:19-21a; Acts 9:4-5, 15; 26:18-19).

How can we be the continuation of Christ today? How should we live as the continuation of Christ? We need to look at the pattern of Paul who lived Christ for His magnification as His continuation.

Paul was a Disciple of Christ – Seeing Christ, Hearing Christ, and Learning Christ as the Reality is in Jesus

One of the outstanding features of Paul was that he was a disciple of Christ by seeing Christ, hearing Christ, and learning Christ as the reality is in Jesus (see Acts 9:1-19, 25-27; 22:14-15; Eph. 4:20-21).

At the time of his conversion, Paul saw Christ, and he saw a clear vision of who this wonderful One is.

Then, throughout his life, he continued to enjoy Christ, see Christ, hear Christ, and learn Christ as the reality is in Jesus.

He lived Christ for His magnification as His continuation, for Christ was reproduced in Paul. As he beheld Christ and learned Christ, Christ lived in him.

Paul was a Chosen Vessel of Christ and a Man of Prayer

From the very beginning of his Christian life, when the Lord converted Paul, he realised that he was a vessel.

Paul was not primarily an instrument but a vessel to be filled with Christ; this was the reality of his daily living and work, and this also came out in his writings (Acts 9:15; 2 Cor. 4:7; Eph. 1:22-23; 3:19).

We believers in Christ are vessels to be filled with the Lord. We are vessels to contain God, be filled with God, and overflow with God for His fullness.

May we open our vessel to the Lord to be filled with Him.

Paul was also a man of prayer (see Acts 9:11; 13:1-3; 14:23; 16:13, 25; 20:36; 21:5; 22:17; 28:8; Eph. 6:18; Col. 4:2).

Again and again, he prayed. He brought all things, all situations, all matters, and all saints to the Lord in prayer.

Even as he was writing his epistles, he prayed, and he remained in a spirit of prayer.

It was as a result of prayer that he was sent out by the Holy Spirit with another brother, and wherever they went, prayer was his habit.

Again and again, whether he visited a place or left a place, he prayed. He charged us to persevere in prayer, watching in it with thanksgiving.

Even as we read the Bible, we need to read and pray it, pray and read it, even watch unto prayer with all perseverance and petition concerning all the saints.

Lord Jesus, thank You for making us vessels to contain You! We open our vessel to You to receive You, be filled with You, and overflow with You. Fill our vessel today. Fill us to overflowing. Overflow through us into others also. We want to be men of prayer. We want to bring all things to You in prayer. Whether we eat or drink, do something or go somewhere, we want to pray. Keep us coming to You concerning all things and in all things. Oh Lord, make us men of prayer who unceasingly pray and persevere in prayer. May we watch in prayer with thanksgiving!

Paul Depended on the Body and Practiced Calling on the Name of the Lord

Even though he was mature in life and quite advanced in spiritual knowledge, the apostle Paul depended on the Body and did everything in the Body, through the Body, and for the Body (Acts 9:11, 17-18, 25-27; 1 Cor. 1:1; 12:14-27).

He preached the gospel, raised up churches, and appointed elders, yet he still depended on the Body.

Even from his conversion, when Ananias came to him, Paul realised he was a member of the Body, for he needed another member to bring him to the Lord, baptise him, and bring him into the fellowship of the Body.

Then, when he was persecuted because he preached the gospel, the fellow disciples helped him run from the persecutors by lowering him in a basket through the wall.

Again and again, he depended on the Body. When he wrote the Epistles, there were some brothers also with him, and he wrote the epistles in the principle of the Body.

God placed the members in the Body even as He willed, and none of us should covet others’ function, nor should we despise our function.

Each one of us is a member of the Body, and our function is necessary for the building up of the Body. Even the members who seem to be uncomely, God covers with more abundant honour.

We need to depend on the Body, live in the Body, and do all things in the Body and for the Body.

We should not be proud and say that our function is more important than others’ function, nor should we say that we should have others’ function, or else we’re not in the Body.

As a pattern to us, Paul lived Christ for His magnification as His continuation, and he practiced calling on the name of the Lord (Acts 9:14, 21; 22:16; 2 Tim. 2:22; Rom. 10:12-13; Phil. 2:9-11).

He used to persecute those who called on this name, but then he became one of those who call, and he encouraged us to be with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

Thank the Lord that there’s no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord is Lord of all and rich to all who call upon Him, for whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

May we openly confess Jesus Christ as Lord to the glory of God the Father!

Lord Jesus, we love You and we love the Body! May we be those who depend on the Body, do everything in the Body, and live for the Body! Amen, Lord, may everything we do be in the Body, through the Body, and for the Body, so that You may gain the glory! Show us that we are members of the Body, even members of one another. Show us that we depend not only on Christ as the Head but also on the members of the Body. Amen, Lord, keep us calling on Your name together with those who pursue You out of a pure heart! Oh Lord Jesus, You are so rich to us who call on Your name! Save us much more in Your life as we call! We praise You, Lord!

Paul Lived by the All-inclusive Spirit of Jesus for His Preaching Ministry

As one who lived Christ for His magnification as the continuation of Jesus, Paul lived by the all-inclusive Spirit of Jesus for his preaching ministry.

Acts 16:6-7 is a puzzling yet wonderful portion showing us that Paul was forbidden by the Holy Spirit to go somewhere, and the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them to go somewhere else. Very interesting.

This shows us that Paul and his co-workers did not go somewhere according to a schedule or personal preference but followed the leading of the Spirit.

He suffered for the Lord, and the Spirit of Jesus supplied them.

Paul lived by the all-inclusive Spirit of Jesus, who is the Spirit of a man with abundant strength for suffering (John 7:37-39; Acts 9:16; 16:7, 22-34; Phil. 3:10; Col. 1:24; 2 Cor. 6:4; 11:23; Heb. 6:19-20; 13:13).

He carried out his ministry of suffering among human beings and for human beings in the human life for the building up of the Body of Christ.

Wherever he went, suffering was his portion, and persecution was everywhere; the Spirit of Jesus, however, supplied him, for in this Spirit there’s the supply to live the human life and endure its sufferings.

Jesus was a man who was persecuted and suffered throughout His life. The suffering element, the suffering strength, is now in the Spirit of Jesus, who is with our spirit.

We today can live the human life and the Christian life, even carry out our ministry in the Lord, by enjoying the rich supply of the Spirit of Jesus.

As we turn to our spirit, we sense there is supply in the Spirit of Jesus with our spirit; we may not be delivered from our sufferings but rather, we may be led into more sufferings, but there’s the inner supply as we suffer.

Wherever we are, whatever we do, and whatever the situation is as we live the Christian life, we need to live by the all-inclusive Spirit of Jesus for our ministry so that we may express God in all the details of our daily living.

Lord Jesus, thank You for being the Spirit of Jesus with our spirit with the suffering supply. Oh, how we need You! We exercise our spirit to be one with You and to enjoy the Spirit of Jesus with the suffering strength. Hallelujah, the Spirit of Jesus is with our spirit, constantly supplying us with the strength we need to live Christ for His magnification even in our sufferings! Oh Lord, we can’t do it but You can. We can’t make it, but the Spirit of Jesus is with our spirit, always supplying us. Keep us turning to our spirit to enjoy You and partake of the bountiful supply of the all-inclusive Spirit of Jesus!

Paul Lived in his Mingled Spirit, was Filled with the Spirit of Joy, and Exercised to have a Good Conscience

As he lived Christ for His magnification for His continuation, Paul lived in his mingled spirit.

Again and again, both in his writings and in his human living and work for the Lord, Paul lived in the divine Spirit mingled with his human spirit as one spirit (Acts 17:16; 19:21; Rom. 8:4, 6, 16; 1 Cor. 6:17).

His spirit was provoked as he saw some idols, and he purposed in his spirit to do certain things.

We need to see that the righteous requirements of the law are fulfilled in us when we live and walk according to the Spirit, not according to the flesh.

When our mind is set on the spirit, we enjoy life and peace, but when the mind is set on the flesh, we are in death.

Thank the Lord that we are joined to the Lord as one spirit, and the Spirit of God witnesses with our spirit that we are children of God. Amen!

Paul was filled with the Spirit of joy essentially for his existence, and with the Spirit of power, economically for his function (Acts 13:9, 52; Eph. 5:18).

Even though he suffered so much for the Lord, even though he was under much persecution and pressure, Paul was filled with the Spirit of joy, and he rejoiced in the Lord always, even in prison.

Many times when we meet with the saints, our countenance is not pleasant, for we do not enjoy the Lord.

How can we shepherd others when we ourselves are not filled with the Lord as our joy? We cannot shepherd others if we have a cheerless countenance.

Like George Müller, the first duty in the morning for us should be to make our soul happy in the Lord.

We may have a family with many little ones, we may have many responsibilities at work or in the church, but in all these things, we need to learn to make our heart happy in the Lord!

Paul exercised himself to always have a good and pure conscience (Acts 23:1; 24:16; 1 Tim. 1:19; 3:9); before God and before man, he exercised to have a good conscience.

This is an exercise of our spirit. As we exercise our spirit and live in the mingled spirit, we are not only filled with the Spirit of joy but also have a good conscience.

May we be those who always live a life of rejoicing in the Lord, praying unceasingly, and thanking Him in everything (Acts 16:25; 27:35; Phil. 4:4; Col. 3:16; 1 Thes. 5:16-18).

We can bring all these matters to the Lord, for in ourselves we’re not like this, but when we’re in our spirit, we simply live Christ and magnify Him!

Lord Jesus, fill us with the Spirit of joy inwardly and essentially for our existence! Fill us with the Spirit of power economically for our function! We want to live in the mingled spirit today. We want to do all things in the spirit, being one with You in spirit as we do this and that. Oh Lord, thank You for mingling Yourself with our spirit. Hallelujah, we are joined to the Lord as one spirit! We exercise our spirit, Lord, to have a good and pure conscience. We exercise to live a life of always rejoicing in the Lord, unceasingly praying, and thanking You in everything! Amen, Lord, keep us in our spirit today!

Paul was Allied with God and Assisted by God to Speak the Gospel and Shepherded the Saints

As he lived Christ for His magnification as His continuation, Paul was allied with God and assisted by God to speak the gospel boldly (see Acts 9:20, 27; 26:22-29; 28:31; 1:8; 1 Thes. 2:2; cf. Rom. 15:24, 28).

He was allied with God, for he obtained the help which is from God to testify to both small and great the gospel of Christ.

He could speak the gospel boldly in the name of Jesus to spread the testimony of Jesus unto the uttermost part of the earth! Amen!

God was allied with Paul, and Paul obtained the help that is from God.

When we live Christ for His magnification to be His continuation, God assists us, God is our ally, and He gives us the help we need to preach the gospel and spread His testimony to the uttermost part of the earth.

We need to see that we’re in an alliance with God as we serve Him in our spirit. He assists us in this alliance; God is our ally. Praise the Lord!

Paul shepherded the saints according to God (Acts 20:18-38; 1 Thes. 2:1-12).

He cherished the saints in the humanity of Jesus and nourished them in the divinity of Christ with all the truths of God’s eternal economy, displaying in his living the word of the Lord Jesus that it is better to give than to receive.

He imparted to them not only the gospel but also his own soul, which was constituted with Christ’s humanity, in order to cherish them, and he nourished them with the healthy teaching of God’s economy. May we be such ones today!

Lord Jesus, we give ourselves to You today. May we obtain the help which is from God to stand and speak the gospel with boldness and spread Your testimony throughout the earth. Hallelujah, God is our ally as we serve Him in our spirit in the gospel of His Son! Amen, Lord, we rely on You and we want to realise Your assistance in this alliance! Live in us today. May we be those who preach the gospel and also cherish the saints and nourish them one with You! May we cherish the saints in the humanity of Jesus and nourish them in the divinity of Christ with all the truths of God’s economy! Amen, Lord, may our living display the word of the Lord Jesus that it is better to give than to receive!

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 the brothers, and portions from, Collected Works of Witness Lee, 1965, vol. 1, “The All-inclusive Spirit of Christ,” pp. 562-569, as quoted in the Holy Word for Morning Revival on, One Accord and Crucial Aspects of the Book of Acts (2025 April ITERO), week 1, The Continuation of the Book of Acts— the Corporate Continuation of Christ.
• Similar articles on this topic:
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• Hymns on this topic:
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  – O to be like Thee! blessed Redeemer; / This is my constant longing and prayer; / Gladly I’ll forfeit all of earth’s treasures, / Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear. / O to be like Thee! O to be like Thee! / Blessed Redeemer, pure as Thou art; / Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness; / Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart. (Hymns #398 stanza 1 and chorus)
  – As members of the Body / Christ we would manifest, / Each learning how to function / His fulness to express; / We would not be spectators / But each as members move, / None bringing death or damage / But each our profit prove. (Hymns #867 stanza 1)