Watchman Nee Quotes

128 Sourced Quotes

We may infer from any defeat of ours that it is due either to lack of faith or failure to obey. No other reason can suffice.

Watchman Nee
God aims first to renew man's darkened spirit by imparting life to it, because it is this spirit which God originally designed to receive His life and to commune with Him. God's intent after that is to work out from the spirit to permeate man's soul and body.

Watchman Nee
Just as the right relationship with Christ generates a Christian, so the proper relationship with the Holy Spirit breeds a spiritual man.

Watchman Nee
From the evening I was saved, I began to live a new life, for the life of the eternal God had entered into me.

Watchman Nee
Our bread is not only the Word of God, our meat is not only to do His will, our bread is also...the difficulties that are in our way.

Watchman Nee
Now the things done may not be evil or improper; they in fact may be good and godly (such as reading the Bible, praying, worshiping, preaching); but if they are not undertaken in a spirit of complete reliance upon the Holy Spirit, then the flesh is the source of all. The old creation is willing to do anything-even to submit to God - if only it is permitted to live and to be active.

Watchman Nee
Children of God should not make a general confession by acknowledging their innumerable sins in a vague manner, because such confession does not provide conscience opportunity to do its perfect work. They ought to allow the Holy Spirit through their conscience to point out their sins one by one. Christians must accept its reproach and be willing, according to the mind of the Spirit, to eliminate everything which is contrary to God.

Watchman Nee
I need forgiveness for my sins, but I need also deliverance from the power of sin... I appreciate the blessed fact of God's forgiveness, but I want something more than that: I want deliverance. I need forgiveness for what I have done, but I need also deliverance from what I am.

Watchman Nee
True revelation of the fact of the Spirit's indwelling will revolutionize the life of any Christian.

Watchman Nee
The book of Acts is the best aid in approaching our work. We do not find there anyone consecrating himself as a preacher nor anyone deciding to do the Lord's work by making himself a missionary or a pastor. What we do see is the Holy Spirit Himself appointing and sending men out to do the work.

Watchman Nee
The gospel we preach must not be just something we hear from men or read from books or even conceived through our meditation. Unless it is delivered to us by God, it can serve no spiritual utility.

Watchman Nee
The Christian faith begins not with a big DO but with a big DONE.

Watchman Nee
If we verily bear the cross we shall be neither controlled nor influenced by soulical affection but shall be fit to love in the power of the Holy Spirit. Even so did the Lord Jesus love His family while on earth.

Watchman Nee
Not until we take the place of a servant can He take His place as Lord.

Watchman Nee
Furthermore, through the believer's spirit the Holy Spirit is able to impart God's life to thirsty and dying men. However, this filling of the Holy Spirit differs from the baptism with the Holy Spirit, because the latter is for the purpose of service while the former solves the problem of life (naturally it will affect service too).

Watchman Nee
A born-again person ought to possess unspeakable peace in the spirit.

Watchman Nee
Faith in Christ makes one a regenerated believer; obedience to the Holy Spirit makes him a spiritual believer.

Watchman Nee
Were our spirits hardy we would be able to meet the most disturbing situation with peace and rest.

Watchman Nee
The particular sin of omission which gives ground to the evil spirits is the believer's passivity.

Watchman Nee
The sight of any trouble strikes terror into the heart of those who do not have faith, but those who trust Him say, 'Here comes my food.!

Watchman Nee
If one's conscience is willing to confess whatever sins have been committed, including the sin of unbelief, it will be sorrowful in a godly way, earnestly desiring the mercy of God.

Watchman Nee
None who are shod with fleshly shoes can stand on the holy ground of God's service. Many failures and much waste and confusion which have resulted are due to men's coming to work, instead of being sent out to work.

Watchman Nee
Mere mental assimilation of these truths cannot withstand temptation, however. The revelation of God is positively essential. The Spirit of God must reveal how we are in Christ and how we are united with Him in one.

Watchman Nee
Henceforth we are dead to everything pertaining to ourselves and alive to His Spirit alone. This requires our exercising faith.

Watchman Nee
We may love to say many things, but if these are not uttered in the Holy Spirit it is better to say nothing. The flesh can conjure up many plans and methods and be full of expectations. The righteousness of the flesh is as abhorrent as its sin we must always maintain God's view of the flesh.

Watchman Nee
In order for the inner man to be strengthened with power through the Holy Spirit, the children of God must discharge their responsibility. They need to yield specifically to the Lord, forsake every doubtful aspect in their life, be willing to obey fully God's will, and believe through prayer that He will flood their spirit with His power.

Watchman Nee
We may be weak, but looking at our weakness will never make us strong.

Watchman Nee
A characteristic of the flesh is its fickleness: it alternates between Yes and No and vice versa. But the will of God is: "Walk not according to the flesh (not even for a moment) but according to the Spirit."

Watchman Nee
If whatever men know comes through their brain without the Holy Spirit regenerating their spirit, then their knowledge will help them not one whit. If their belief rests in man's wisdom and not in God's power, they are merely excited in their soul.

Watchman Nee
Victory is the normal experience of a Christian; defeat should be the abnormal experience.

Watchman Nee