The fourth means by which we understand God’s will is our heart, spirit, and mind. God created these organs mainly for us to understand His will. If we were like a chair, without a heart, spirit, or mind, we would still not understand His will, even though God had prepared all things in the universe, including the environment about us, and had given us the Bible. Therefore, the three organs-heart, spirit, and mind-are of great importance in our understanding of God’s will. The creation, the Bible, and the environment are but instruments for God to reveal His will to us; whereas the heart, spirit, and mind are organs for us to comprehend His will.
When we speak of these three organs, we are referring to the parts of the new creation. Since the heart is a new heart, it inclines toward God, loves Him, seeks after Him, and chooses Him. Because the spirit is a new spirit, it can contact God and fellowship with Him. Since the mind is a renewed mind, having a renewed understanding, it can comprehend and interpret the feeling it obtains while in fellowship, and thus understand the will of God. If our heart is not new, our spirit in not keen, and our mind is not clear, we will be greatly hindered in the understanding of God’s will. The men whom God has greatly used throughout the generations are those in whom these three organs have been renewed, made keen, and made clear.
The fifth means by which we understand God’s will is the Holy Spirit.
Creation and our environment are outside of us; they are indistinct and not easily understood. The Bible and spiritual books which pertain to God’s Word are more practical, yet still objective. However, the Holy Spirit enters into us to reveal God’s will in us; hence, this is both practical and subjective. Furthermore, all the previous four means by which we understand God’s will are entirely dependent upon the working of the Holy Spirit. If the Holy Spirit does not inspire us from within, even though our heart, spirit, and mind are in perfect condition, we still cannot understand the will of God through creation and environment. Neither will we understand the revelation God has given in the Bible. Creation, environment, and the Bible are the material means by which God reveals Himself, but it is the Holy Spirit who makes them meaningful to us. Our heart, spirit, and mind are the organs through which we understand God’s will, but it is only through the Holy Spirit that these organs can properly function. Therefore, without the Holy Spirit, the four means we have mentioned will be ineffective in revealing God’s will.
There are no other means through which we understand the will of God than the five mentioned above. Dreams and visions mentioned in the Bible are included in the category of the Holy Spirit and will not be listed separately.
In order to understand the will of God, we need to be familiar with these five categories: (1) God’s creation, (2) His Word, (3) our environment, (4) our heart, spirit, and mind, and (5) the Holy Spirit. A full knowledge of these will certainly cause us to know the lofty and eternal will of God. We will be able to ascertain that God’s eternal plan is to use the universe as a sphere and all things as a means to gain a group of people to be the mystical Body of His Son, thereby manifesting His glory. He has placed us in the very center of His plan that we may have a position in the Body of His Son and become His members. By knowing this, we will view the present through eternity and God’s eyes; then we will immediately ask ourselves: “Am I a part of this plan? What kind of member am I in the Body?” Thus, we will be able to understand the will of God.
Regrettably, many brothers and sisters not only have failed to give attention to these five means, but they do not have any knowledge of them. They neither give attention to God’s plan in this universe and to God’s revelation in the Bible, nor do they care about His guidance in them through the Holy Spirit. Their only concern is to have a wonderful, peaceful life for themselves. All they ask is: “Should I go to a certain place?” or, “Is it God’s will for me to do a certain thing?” How can such a person understand God’s will? This is definitely not the understanding of God’s will as mentioned in the Bible. What the Bible mentions is His lofty and eternal will, which can only be understood by those who know these five categories. May God grant us mercy that we may have a drastic change in our concept toward His will.
Furthermore, we need to practice these items. First, we need to study creation. We must often leave our immediate setting and expose ourselves to nature, studying and observing it carefully. If possible, we should make extended trips in order to enlarge our horizon as well as our vision.
Secondly, we need to study the Bible. We must study the truths and revelations that are of great importance, giving special attention to those passages which deal with God’s eternal will and His mystical plan.
Thirdly, we must study our environment. Always learn to comprehend the meaning of the environment with its circumstances. Realize why God put you in such a place to meet certain kinds of people under certain circumstances. We need to study all of our surroundings and the world situation as well in order to understand the will of God in this present time.
Fourthly, regarding the heart, spirit, and mind, we must first ask God to give us a heart to love Him, be drawn to Him, and long for Him. Then we should always worship Him in our spirit, draw nigh to Him, and fellowship with Him. Furthermore, we need a renewed mind. We should learn to forsake the viewpoint of the worldly people, as well as our own selfish viewpoint, in order to grasp the mind of God and His viewpoint. The minds of some brothers and sisters are occupied with financial matters, clothing, business, and children; they never concentrate on matters pertaining to God. Therefore, their understanding concerning the will of God appears to be very dull and slow. This is unfortunate. Our minds must always be fixed on the things of God that we may be taught of God and that the Spirit may permeate more of our mind, thus making it a spiritual mind. Finally, as a result, we will easily comprehend the feeling in our spirit and understand spiritual things. This, however, depends upon constant practice.
Lastly, we need to give careful attention to the Holy Spirit. We should always sense the moving and understand the revelation of the Holy Spirit within us. Our condition should always be right before the Lord so that the Holy Spirit can speak and reveal Himself to us. It is only by the Holy Spirit that God manifests the meaning of the universe and reveals the truths of the Bible to us. By seeking Him to do this, we will know His mind and our position in His plan.
In all of these categories, we need to be constantly exercised and continually learning in order to use them as means of understanding God’s will in our experience.
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