Listen to the Body

But rise up and enter into the city, and it will be told to you what you must do. Acts 9:6

"Listen to the Body!" This sentence has been ringing in my ears for the past few weeks now. Listen to the Body! The source of this is from a testimony of a brother who used to co-work with Brother Benson Philips who had gone to be with the Lord a couple of weeks ago. When a brother serving in Russia had no way to go on in his service and was so frustrated as he got no leading as to how to lead the ones he had been serving, he went to Brother Benson Philips to fellowship with the intention of resigning from his service and leaving Russia. Brother's reply was mind blowing, "If you have no leading, listen to the Body!" That solved all the problems.

This testimony and the apt fellowship, "Listen to the Body" has touched me so deeply ever since. I learned a very important lesson in my life, to listen to the Body. Since then, I have been sharing this testimony and also strengthened the same with my further understanding on the need to fellowship and listen to the Body for any matter great or small. 

Therefore, I began to take this word seriously and did my best to listen to the Body. The Body's speaking is the Lord's speaking as the Lord, the Head of the Body, and His Body are one. Saul of Tarsus met the Lord on his way to Damascus, and the Lord blinded him unto his salvation. Yet, for the remaining healing of his blindness that lasted for three days, and future service, he was simply told,  it will be told to you what you must do. Who will tell him? 

Ac 9:10And there was a certain disciple in Damascus named Ananias; and the Lord said to him in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord.

Ac 9:11And the Lord said to him, Rise up and go to the lane called Straight, and seek in the house of Judas a man from Tarsus named Saul; for behold, he is praying;

Ac 9:12And he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in and laying his hands on him so that he may receive his sight.

Ac 9:13But Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard from many concerning this man, how many evil things he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem;

Ac 9:14And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call upon Your name.

Ac 9:15But the Lord said to him, Go, for this man is a chosen vessel to Me, to bear My name before both the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel;

Ac 9:16For I will show him how many things he must suffer on behalf of My name.

Ac 9:17And Ananias went away and entered into the house; and laying his hands on him, he said, Saul, brother, the Lord has sent me — Jesus, who appeared to you on the road on which you were coming — so that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.

Ac 9:18And immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight and rose up and was baptized.

Ananias was not designated as a prophet or priest or apostle or whatever, but for sure, he was a member of the Body. He was the one the Lord used in regard to Saul, a simple member of the Body. Thereby, the Lord showed Saul from the very beginning of his Christian life the vision, reality, and practicality of the Body of Christ. He saw the Body and he listened to the Body. In fact, all his epistles are concerning the Body of Christ.

Based on this lesson, I myself practiced listening to the Body. Therefore, my distribution plan, my visit to Chennai, or other practical matters, I listened to the Body. And in listening to the Body, I discovered the Lord's leading and much more enjoyed His blessing! O what a salvation to be in fellowship and listen to the Body! Halleluiah for the Body! I must live and walking in spirit in the Body by listening to the Body.

Lord, preserve me in the fellowship and oneness of the Body. Lord, may I live in the reality and practicality of the Body. Yes, Lord, may I do all these by listening to the Body. For You are one with Your Body and You speak in and through Your Body. So, may I listen to the Body.