In order to reign in life, we need to be under the rulership of the Spirit, as we see with Joseph; the rulership of the Spirit is the reigning aspect of a mature saint, for it is a life of reigning in life for the reality of God’s kingdom. Amen!
There are many aspects of our overcoming to reign in life to be filled with life and become the city of life, New Jerusalem.
We saw that one of these aspects is to be reconstituted with the word of God and saturated with God through His word.
We may have come out of the world and even out of degraded Christianity, but we may still have a constitution that is filled with worldly elements and fallen Christianity things and customs.
We need to come back to the word of God and pray over God’s word, allowing the Lord to speak to us through His word and infuse us with Himself.
God’s thoughts, His feelings, and His intention and ways are revealed in the word of God.
The more we spend time with the Lord in His word, the more we are infused with what God is.
We can reign as kings in the divine life by allowing the Lord to infuse us with His word and rule in us through His word.
His word infused into us is living and operative; God operates in us through His word, and He speaks to us and limits us through His inner speaking.
The king in the Old Testament had to write a copy of the law for himself and keep it, muse on it, and pray over it.
For us to reign in life as kings, we need to read the Word, pray over the word, and allow the Lord to speak to us and regulate our living from within.
We may say that it is the elders or the leading brothers who need to know the word, so they have to read the Bible every day.
But actually, we all, all the believers in Christ, need to read the Bible, pray over God’s word, and allow the Lord to inwardly reconstitute us with Himself. We need to be reconstituted with God’s word both personally and corporately.
The Word of God is one with the Spirit; as we daily read the word of God, it works within us, and the Spirit dispenses God’s nature with His element into our being, causing us to be constituted with God Himself.
Then, our living will be governed, limited, and directed by the Lord’s speaking within us, which is His living word. This causes us to reign in life through Christ as the living word within us.
Joseph’s Life shows how he Lived under the Rulership of the Spirit and Reigned in Life
In order for us as believers in Christ to reign in life, we also need to be under the rulership of the Spirit.
In the Old Testament, we see the pattern of Joseph, whose life and experience show how he lived under the rulership of the Spirit.
The record of Joseph’s life is a revelation of the rulership of the Spirit, for the rulership of the Spirit is the reigning aspect of a mature saint.
Joseph was “a master of dreams” (Gen. 37:19).
God gave him two dreams when he was young, showing him that, according to God’s view, His people are sheaves of wheat full of life and heavenly bodies full of light (vv. 5-11).
Joseph’s two dreams (vv. 7, 9), both from God, unveiled to him God’s divine view concerning the nature, position, function, and goal of God’s people on earth.
He thought that his brothers were not that good, but God showed him that, in His eyes, His people are heavenly, full of life, and full of light.
His brothers hated him, and eventually, they put him in a pit overnight and then sold him to some tradesmen passing by, lying to their father that a wild animal must have devoured him.
However, wherever Joseph went, he was controlled by his dreams.
Joseph’s dreams controlled his life and directed his behaviour.
Whether he was in Potiphar’s house, being tempted by his master’s wife, in prison, or before the Pharaoh, Joseph behaved in an excellent and marvellous way because he was directed by the vision that he saw in his dreams (Acts 26:19).
His brother vented their anger (Gen. 37:18-31) and indulged in their lust (38:15-18), but Joseph subdued his anger and conquered his lust (39:7-23).
He behaved as a sheaf full of life and conducted himself like a heavenly star shining in the darkness.
Joseph’s life was under the rulership of the Spirit in a practical way, an illustration of how our life should be today as those learning to reign in life.
Joseph’s life under the heavenly vision was the life of the kingdom of the heavens described in Matt. 5-7.
By living such a life under the rulership of the Spirit, Joseph was fully prepared to reign as a king.
He had God’s presence with him in Potiphar’s house, in jail, and before the Pharaoh; he had God’s presence with him wherever he was because he lived a life under the rulership of the Spirit.
As the representative of the reigning aspect of the mature life, Joseph enjoyed the presence of the Lord and with it the Lord’s authority, prosperity, and blessing (Gen. 39:2-5, 21, 23).
Although Joseph was full of human feelings and sentiments toward his brothers, he kept himself with all his feelings under the rulership of the Spirit.
Joseph denied himself and placed himself absolutely under God’s sovereign leading, conducting himself wholly for the interest of God and His people (Gen. 42:9, 24; 43:30-31; 45:1-2, 24).
He may have not liked that he was sold as a slave to go to Egypt, but he lived under the rulership of the Spirit, and he realized that it was God who sent him to Egypt.
In Gen. 50:20 he said to his brothers that, even though they intended evil against him, God intended it for good (see 45:5, 7; 50:19-21; 41:51-52).
What a pattern he was! He not only forgave his brothers, but he forgave them from his heart, and he even told them not to worry or to be upset about what they have done to him, for God intended it all for good.
In Joseph, we see not only the mature life but the reigning life and the way of this reigning life.
We all need to have such a life, reigning in life by being under the rulership of the Spirit.
Even though his brothers did all those bad things toward him, he forgave them, comforted them, and he told them not to be angry with themselves but to forget what they had done to him.
He didn’t blame them for what they had done; he regarded them as God’s helpers. They helped God to get him to Egypt and then to preserve their life.
Because Joseph was fully under God’s guidance, there was no need for him to regret anything he did.
We need to read and pray such a record in the Scripture, and we need to bring it to the Lord, telling Him,
Lord Jesus, grant us to reign in life by being under the rulership of the Spirit. Thank You for working in our environment through all matters, things, and situations, so that all things work together for good, for we love You! Amen, Lord, grow in us unto maturity so that we may reign in life and express You in all things. Bring us on to maturity. May there be the reigning in life in us and in all the saints so that You may gain the group of overcomers You need in this age. Amen, dear Lord, have a way in us and through us. Keep us in our spirit. Keep us turning to You in all things, accepting Your dealings and Your sovereign arrangement!
Reigning in Life by being under the Rulership of the Spirit and Accepting God’s Sovereign Arrangement
The record of Joseph’s life is a practical illustration of what the apostle Paul spoke of in Rom. 8:28-29, that all things work for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
Joseph received as from God all that his brothers had done to him; his attitude and spirit were so full of grace and so excellent!
Joseph is a living illustration of what is revealed in the New Testament; he was a self-denying person who had no self-interest, no self-enjoyment, no self-feeling, no self-ambition, and no self-goal. He is the only perfect example in the Old Testament of one who fully lived under the rulership of the Spirit and reigned in life over all things.
Everything he did was for God and for His people. Joseph’s self-denial, his restriction under God’s sovereign hand, was the key to the practice of the kingdom life (Gen. 45:24; Matt. 16:24; 2 Chron. 1:10; Isa. 30:15a; Phil. 1:9; 1 Tim. 5:1-2; 1 Thes. 3:12; 4:9; 2 Thes. 1:3; Rom. 12:10; 1 John 4:9; Heb. 13:1).
We need to be those who reign in life by being under the rulership of the Spirit, and we need to accept God’s sovereign arrangement in our life.
The One who can do this, the Unique Overcomer who denied Himself and lived by the Father’s life, He lives in our mingled spirit.
In ourselves, we may be at one point willing to forgive someone, but we may remind him of what he has done for us, and how much we had to forgive him. This is not true forgiveness.
We need to not only forgive and forget, but also comfort the one who offended us and help him not feel bad for what he has done.
When we live under the rulership of the Spirit, we deny the self, we are restricted under God’s sovereign hand, and we practice the kingdom life.
Whenever we live out Christ’s self-denying life, God’s purpose can be fulfilled and the kingdom of God can be brought in, realized, and practiced.
The Lord gave the constitution of the kingdom of the heavens in Matt. 5-7; when we live by the divine life and have a daily living under the rulership of the Spirit, we subdue our anger and conquer our lust, and we live in the kingdom of God.
May we be those who grow in life unto maturity day by day, allowing the Lord to rule and reign in us and accepting God’s sovereign arrangement.
May we learn from the pattern of Paul and Joseph in our daily life.
May the Lord have a way to bring us to maturity so that we may also have the reigning aspect of a mature saint.
![And finally be all of the same mind, sympathetic, loving the brothers, tenderhearted, humble-minded; Not rendering evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing [one another,] because you were called to this, that you might inherit blessing. 1 Pet. 3:8-9](https://i0.wp.com/www.agodman.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/And-finally-be-all-of-the-same-mind-sympathetic-loving-the-brothers-tenderhearted-humble-minded-683x1024.webp?resize=450%2C675&ssl=1 "And finally be all of the same mind, sympathetic, loving the brothers, tenderhearted, humble-minded; Not rendering evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing [one another,] because you were called to this, that you might inherit blessing. 1 Pet. 3:8-9")
The divine life in our spirit needs to grow in our spirit and we need to live under the rulership of the Spirit, being under the restriction and limitation of the divine life in the reality of the kingdom of God (Rom. 5:17, 21; 14:17-18; 1 Cor. 2:15-16; 2 Cor. 2:13-14; 3:17-18; 2 Tim. 4:22; Rev. 4:1-3).
When we live such a life, we see the saints as the Lord sees them: they are full of life and light!
We may be offended, for we have human feelings and sentiments, but we keep ourselves with all our feelings under the rulership of the Spirit.
May we be those who, like Joseph, deny ourselves and place ourselves absolutely under God’s sovereign leading, conducting ourselves wholly for the interest of God and His people.
May we use the “divine telescope” and not focus on the situation or problem at hand but see through time and behold the New Jerusalem, where there is nothing but sheaves full of life and stars full of light! Amen!
The more mature in life we become, the less we will speak negatively concerning the saints or the church (Matt. 7:1-5; 1 Pet. 3:8-9).
When we live under the rulership of the Spirit and accept God’s sovereign arrangement, we will be of the same mind, sympathetic, loving the brothers, tender-hearted, and humble-minded.
We will not render evil for evil, nor will we revile those who revile us. Instead of reviling others, we will bless them with the divine dispensing of the Divine Trinity, with the all-inclusive Christ.
Lord Jesus, grow in us until we reach maturity in life and reign in life with Christ and through Christ. We want to be self-denying persons who have no self-interest, self-enjoyment, self-feeling, self-ambition, or self-goal. May everything be for God and for His people. Amen, Lord Jesus, we want to have the reigning aspect of the mature life as we live under the rulership of the Spirit. May our daily living be the life of the kingdom of heavens so that we may be fully prepared to reign as kings. Save us from being wild or unrestricted in our speaking or doing; grant us to be under the restriction of the divine life in the reality of God’s kingdom. Amen, Lord, gain what You are after in us!
References and Hymns on this Topic
- Sources of inspiration: the Word of God, my enjoyment in the ministry, a sharing by brother Ed Marks in the message, and portions from, Life-study of Genesis, msgs. 112-116, 118-120, by Witness Lee, as quoted in the Holy Word for Morning Revival on, Crystallization-study of 1 and 2 Kings (2022 summer training), week 12, entitled, Living an Overcoming Life by Reigning in Life to Become the New Jerusalem as the City of Life.
- Hymns on this topic:
– The Heav’nly Kingdom e’en requires / That we as God should perfect be; / This standard we must fully meet / That we may share its ecstasy. / The Kingdom is the reign of God; / To match His nature is required; / ’Tis only by the life of God / The Kingdom’s entry is acquired. (Hymns #943 stanzas 6-7)
– ’Tis by His heav’nly rule within / As heav’nly citizens we live; / ’Tis by submission to His rule / Expression of His reign we give. / Here in this heav’nly realm we live, / And with this heav’nly pow’r possessed / We walk and fight in heav’nly light / Until the Kingdom’s manifest. (Hymns #942 stanzas 6-7)
– Submitted to God’s ruling, / All virtue thus will win; / Rebellion to His Headship / Is but the root of sin. / The evil aim of Satan- / God’s throne to overthrow; / Our aim and goal is ever / His rule to fully know. / Within God’s sovereign kingdom / His Christ is magnified; / When Christ in life is reigning, / The Father’s glorified. / When God is in dominion, / All things are truly blessed; / When Christ for God is reigning. / God’s glory is expressed. (Hymns #941 stanzas 4-5)
About aGodMan
The life manifested in the story of Joseph… is the resurrection life, the life of God. Although Joseph was in an exciting situation, he did not display any looseness. This is life. With Joseph we see not only life but also the way of life, which is to keep ourselves under control. Never think that Joseph was not human. He was full of human feelings and sentiments, but he kept himself with all his feelings under the rulership of the Spirit. Therefore, in Joseph we see not only the mature life but a reigning life and the way of this reigning life. We all, especially the young people, need such a life and such a way that is the reigning aspect of a mature person. This life is not easily excited, and it does not reveal its glory. Instead, in the midst of excitement it remains calm, controls itself, and conceals its glory. Joseph was a person who denied himself… I do not know of any other person who was offended to the degree Joseph was, yet who had not the slightest desire for revenge. Often when Christians forgive someone, they say, “Yes, I forgive you, but I also want to remind you of the seriousness of what you have done.” This kind of forgiveness does not mean anything, for actually it is not forgiveness at all. When Joseph forgave his brothers, he comforted them and told them not to be angry with themselves, but to forget what they had done to him. He said that their selling him into slavery was God’s doing to preserve life. Joseph did not blame his brothers for what they had done; rather, he regarded them as God’s helpers. They had helped God to get him to Egypt. Life-study of Genesis, p. 1518, by Witness Lee
Joseph’s two dreams (Gen. 37:7-9), both from God, unveiled to him God’s divine view concerning the nature, position, function, and goal of God’s people on earth. According to their fallen nature, God’s people are evil and unclean, but in God’s eternal view, His people are sheaves of wheat full of life and heavenly bodies full of light (cf. Num. 23:21; 1 Kings 19:18; Rev. 12:1 and footnote). The reigning aspect of the mature life never condemns God’s people. Rather, it shepherds and appreciates them. Joseph’s dreams controlled and directed his behavior (cf. Acts 26:19). Gen. 37:5, footnote 1, Recovery Version Bible
What a pattern Joseph was to us, remaining under the rulership of the Spirit and not seeking his own interest or gain.
We need to grow in life unto maturity to have the reigning life that remains calm, controls itself, forgives others, and accepts God’s sovereign arrangement, not blaming others for anything.
Amen Joseph was a person who walked according to the Spirit…The reigning aspect of the mature life never condemns God’s people. Rather, it shepherds and appreciates them. Lord bring us to mature in life for the sake of your Body!
what a pattern Joseph is for us he was one who lived in the reality of the kingdom by under the rulership of the Spirit, he was one who lived life of self denial,he had no self pleasure no self ambition, and he was absolutely only for God’s goal, his living directed by the vision he saw in the dream and he let his feelings, his Lust and his anger all be under the rulership of the Spirit in order for us to live the same way we also need to see a vision which will control and direct our living and we need to grow in life
Eph. 4:15-16 But holding to truth in love, we may grow up into Him in all things, who is the Head, Christ,
Out from whom all the Body, being joined together and being knit together through every joint of the rich supply and through the operation in the measure of each one part, causes the growth of the Body unto the building up of itself in love.
Eph. 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies in Christ,
Eph. 3:17-21 That Christ may make His home in your hearts through faith, that you, being rooted and grounded in love, May be full of strength to apprehend with all the saints what the breadth and length and height and depth are And to know the knowledge-surpassing love of Christ, that you may be filled unto all the fullness of God. But to Him who is able to do superabundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power which operates in us, To Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus unto all the generations forever and ever. Amen.
RR:
“… The growth in life is in love. In the last few years we have appreciated the Lord’s showing us the high peak of the divine revelation. My concern is that although we may talk about the truths of the high peak, love is absent among us. If this is the case, we are puffed up, not built up”.
CWWL, 1994-1997, vol. 5, “The Vital Groups,” p. 124)
“When the fountain springs up, that is the fountain emerging [John 4:14b]. Then a river flows. The Father is the fountain, the Son is the spring, and the Spirit is the river”.
If love is absent among us, that means we are letting satan to rule within us. There is no gray area in the matters of our Lord. We either are from/for the Lord or we are from/for satan. We must be aware of this, it’s the only way we can overcome this situation.
The final destination is the eternal life, the New Jerusalem. But without growing in love, without being joined together and being knit together, we will never be able to cause “the growth of the Body unto the building up of itself in love”. Eph 4:16
If our hearts are full of the issues of life (Matt 15:19), how the Lord is going to make His home in our hearts, and how we’re going to be rotted and grounded in love?
It’s hard to grow completely in love unless we deny completely our own self, our ego, our selfishness. Without denying our own self and keeping the Spirit lock down in our spirit, all we do on the Lord’s Day is “… puffed up, not built up”.
Oh Lord! Oh Lord! Forgive us for puffed up instead of being built up.
We want the processed Triune God to flow into His final destination, therefore, we need the Spirit as the flowing river “into that divine New Jerusalem in order for us to arrive there… The New Jerusalem is the totality of God joined with man and man mingled with God”.
“The Father as the fountain, the Son as the spring, and the Spirit as the river flow into us. When He flows into us, He flows with us. He will flow us into the New Jerusalem to be the New Jerusalem”. Amen!