22 The Spiritual Man
the seriousness of the message herein, I asked God with fear and
trembling to lead me through it all. What I have set down I present to
the conscience of God’s children—for them to weigh what is said.
I recognize that a work which seeks to uncover the wiles of the
enemy shall certainly incur the hostility of the power of darkness and
the opposition of many. I have not written with the thought of
courting the approval of men. This opposition I consider therefore as
of no account. I also realize that if God’s children derive help from
reading this book they may think more of me than is proper. Let me
speak honestly that I am but a man, the weakest of all men. The
teachings of these pages reveal the experiences of my weaknesses.
The book is today in the readers’ hands. This is wholly God’s
grace. Should you have the courage and perserverance to read
through the first Part and continue on with the others, perhaps God
will bless you with His truth. If you already have finished reading the
whole work, may I entreat you to reread it after some time has
elapsed. Beloved, let us turn our hearts once again to our Father, cast
ourselves upon His bosom by faith and draw from Him His life. Let
us confess anew that we are poor but He is rich, that we have nothing
but He has everything. Except we are given grace we are but
defenseless sinners. May we thank Him with gratitude in our hearts,
for the Lord Jesus has given us grace.
Holy Father, what You have entrusted to me is now here in this
book. If it seems good to You, may You bless it. May You in these
last days keep Your children from corrupted flesh and wicked spirits!
Father, may You build Your Son’s Body, destroy Your Son’s enemy,
and hasten the coming of Your Son’s Kingdom! Father God, I look
to You, I cast myself upon You, and I desire after You!
Watchman NeeShanghai, June 25, 1928