- Home
- Speakers
- Watchman Nee
- Principles Of Warfare.
Watchman Nee
Watchman Nee (1903 - 1972). Chinese evangelist, author, and church planter born Nee Shu-tsu in Fuzhou, Fujian, to Methodist parents. Converted at 17 in 1920 through Dora Yu’s preaching, he adopted the name Watchman, meaning “sound of a gong,” to reflect his call as a spiritual sentinel. Self-taught, he read over 3,000 books, including works by John Darby and Andrew Murray, and studied Scripture intensely, founding the Little Flock movement in 1922, which grew to 700 assemblies with 70,000 members by 1949. Nee authored over 60 books, including The Normal Christian Life (1957), emphasizing a crucified and resurrected life for believers. Married to Charity Chang in 1934, they had no children; she supported him through frequent illnesses. Despite no formal theological training, he trained thousands of Chinese workers, rejecting denominationalism for simple, Spirit-led churches. Arrested in 1952 under Communist rule, he spent 20 years in prison for his faith, enduring harsh conditions yet remaining steadfast. His writings, translated into 50 languages, shaped global evangelicalism, particularly in Asia and the West. Nee’s focus on spiritual depth over institutional religion continues to inspire millions. His words, “Good is not always God’s will, but God’s will is always good,” reflect his trust in divine purpose amid suffering.
Download
Topics
Sermon Summary
Watchman Nee emphasizes the principles of spiritual warfare, urging believers to don the whole armor of God as outlined in Ephesians 6:10-18. He highlights the importance of being vigilant in prayer, knowing how to defend and attack against the powers of darkness, and the necessity of knowledge in effective prayer. Nee warns against the subtle and indirect attacks of Satan, encouraging believers to guard against wrong motives and ineffective prayer practices. He calls for a readiness to pay the price for victory and to remain alert, as spiritual warfare is constant and requires diligence.
Scriptures
Principles of Warfare.
The whole armour on. (Ephes. vi. 10-18.) Knowing how to watch. (Matt. xxvi. 41.) Knowing how to DEFEND, as well as how to ATTACK: to (1) stand, (2) withstand, and (3) resist. Fight (or pray) from principle—in cold blood, and irrespective of an apparent flow, because opposition of Powers of Darkness may account for lack of flow. A need seen is a call to prayer; we must not wait for burdens or feelings, or we may get spurious ones. KNOWLEDGE GOVERNS PRAYER (1 Cor. xiv. 15). Lack of knowledge means unintelligent and less effectual warfare. If there is no knowledge prayer must be made for knowledge, (or more knowledge, as the case may be). As the warfare means great strains at times, these must be protective prayer, asking for (1) strength, (2) vision (not visions), and (3) knowledge; all for prayer. Recognize that there is a difference between Satan and his works, temptations and wiles, the strong man and his goods, and deal with each as such. Guard against indirect attacks of Satan—often the most violent, and often through your nearest and dearest. Guard against (1) wrong motives, (2) indefinite prayer, (3) spasmodic prayer, (4) anxiety in prayer, (5) impatience in prayer, (6) being over-burdened in prayer (gauge your capacity), (7) fainting by the way, (8) false fighting (evil burdens, wasting strength), (9) wrong use of weapons, (10) misjudging by appearances. We must be willing to pay the price of victory in the deliverance of others; have no preconceptions as to how God will work; watch every opportunity to co-operate with God as a means of answering our prayers; and walk softly, for great victory is a time of great danger, as the devil is then scheming to rob you of your victory. * Neither time, place nor season are exempt from the attacks of Satan and his host—which, in itself, is a call to arms. _______
- Bio
- Summary
- Transcript
- Download
Watchman Nee (1903 - 1972). Chinese evangelist, author, and church planter born Nee Shu-tsu in Fuzhou, Fujian, to Methodist parents. Converted at 17 in 1920 through Dora Yu’s preaching, he adopted the name Watchman, meaning “sound of a gong,” to reflect his call as a spiritual sentinel. Self-taught, he read over 3,000 books, including works by John Darby and Andrew Murray, and studied Scripture intensely, founding the Little Flock movement in 1922, which grew to 700 assemblies with 70,000 members by 1949. Nee authored over 60 books, including The Normal Christian Life (1957), emphasizing a crucified and resurrected life for believers. Married to Charity Chang in 1934, they had no children; she supported him through frequent illnesses. Despite no formal theological training, he trained thousands of Chinese workers, rejecting denominationalism for simple, Spirit-led churches. Arrested in 1952 under Communist rule, he spent 20 years in prison for his faith, enduring harsh conditions yet remaining steadfast. His writings, translated into 50 languages, shaped global evangelicalism, particularly in Asia and the West. Nee’s focus on spiritual depth over institutional religion continues to inspire millions. His words, “Good is not always God’s will, but God’s will is always good,” reflect his trust in divine purpose amid suffering.