当一个人贫穷到极点，一文莫名，无法维持生活时，他的确会感觉需要物质的供应。等到有一天，他的衣食住行都无虑，他就发觉这些物质的供应，并不能满足他里面的需要。或许他以为，他应该在精神层面，心理层面，或者知识层面，得着多一点的供应。然而，几乎所有富裕的人，多在精神、心理、或知识层面，尽所能的得到了享受和供应。有的人接受很高等的教育，有的人享受各种样的娱乐，但等到他们都得着，都享受过后，仍会发觉在他们最深处，依旧有一个需要。凡有经历的人都能见证，在他最深处有一个需要，不是物质能满足的，也不是知识、娱乐、音乐这一类精神上的享受能满足的；因为他们发觉，即使他们在肉身和精神的享受上，全数得着了，他们里面依然有一个需要。他们几乎用尽各样的方法，花上所有能力，就为了想要满足、填补里面那个需要。
到底人深处的这个需要是什么？无他，乃是神自己。人不仅有一个身体，也不仅有心思、心情、心志等精神上的感官，在人的最深处还有一个器官，就是人的灵（帖前五23，亚十二1）。中国古圣告诉我们：“人为万物之灵。”人之所以为万物之灵，就是因为人里面有这一个灵。
人不只在外面有一个体壳，也不只具有头脑、精神、心理；在人的最深处还有一个东西，圣经称之为人的灵。人的深处有一个灵，这一个灵乃是与神相交、相通的器官。人所以有这一个灵，就因为神是灵（约四24）。神这灵为了能和人相交、来往，才为人造了一个灵。所以，人里面的这个灵，乃是为着接触神而有的，是能够接触神的。
比方灯泡要通电，里面必须有灯丝。灯丝乃是为着吸取电的，也是为着发挥电的。同样的，人里面的灵，恰如灯泡里的灯丝一样，是为着接触、接受神，也是为着发挥、彰显神。如果一个灯泡里的灯丝断了，你即使把灯泡外面的玻璃罩擦得干干净净，它也不会因此发出灯光。同样的，一个人即使在外面有物质各面的享受，并且受了高深教育，在心理上也得着各样娱乐，如果他里面的灵出了问题，不能和神接触，不能让神从其中通过，他就是一个不通神，没有神的人。这样的人，即使修行、改良自己，也不会因此彰显出神。
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Man’s Deepest Need — Thes. 5:23
When a person reaches the extreme of poverty, with no means to sustain their life, they naturally feel the need for material provision. However, once their basic needs for clothing, food, shelter and transportation are met, they soon realize that material supplies cannot satisfy their inner need. They might then think that they should seek fulfillment on a spiritual, psychological or intellectual level. Yet, nearly all affluent individuals, having explored and indulged in these realms of spirit, psychology or knowledge, eventually discover that such pursuits still fail to meet their deepest needs. Some people receive the highest levels of education, while others immerse themselves in all kinds of entertainment. However, after acquiring and enjoying these experiences, they still feel a lack deep within. Those who have gone through such experiences can testify that in their innermost being, there is a need that neither material possessions nor intellectual, recreational or musical pleasures can fulfill. Even when they have everything they desire in terms of physical and spiritual satisfaction, they still find themselves with an unmet need. They often exhaust every possible means and spend all their energy trying to satisfy and fill this need within.
What, then, is this deep need within man? It is nothing other than God Himself. Man is not merely a physical being, nor is he limited to having faculties like the mind, emotions or will in the psychological realm. In the deepest part of man, there is another organ – the human spirit (1 Thes. 5:23; Zech. 12:1). Ancient Chinese wisdom teaches us, “Man is the spirit of all things”. The reason man is regarded as the “spirit of all things” is that within man, there is this spirit.
Man is not only a physical shell on the outside, nor is he merely equipped with a mind, spirit or psychology. Deep within, there is something the Bible refers to as the human spirit. This spirit within man is the organ for contacting and communing with God. The reason man has this spirit is that God is Spirit (John 4:24). God, being Spirit, created man with a spirit to interact and communicate with Him. Therefore, the human spirit exists to contact and receive God and is capable of doing so.
For example, a light bulb needs to have a filament inside to transmit electricity. The filament is designed to absorb electricity and also to emit light. Similarly, the spirit within man is like the filament in a light bulb – it is meant to contact and receive God and also to express and manifest Him. If the filament in a light bulb is broken, no matter how clean and polished the outer glass is, the bulb will not emit light. In the same way, a person may have all the material comforts, receive advanced education, and enjoy psychological pleasures, but if their spirit is malfunctioning, unable to contact or receive God, they are essentially disconnected from Him. Such a person, even if they refine themselves or undergo self-improvement, will not be able to manifest God.