Now that we have seen every aspect of the inward knowledge, we must see the way of practice or the way of obtaining the inward knowledge. To obtain the inward knowledge, we must exercise the spirit, renew the understanding, and deal with the heart.
Since the inward knowledge is in the intuition of our spirit, if we want to obtain such knowledge, we must often exercise and use our spirit so that it is lively and strong. It is only when the spirit is lively and strong that the intuition of the spirit is conscious and alert, thus enabling us to know God from within.
In order to exercise the spirit, we first must learn to turn to the spirit. If we constantly live in the outward man, we have no way to know God in the intuition of the spirit. We must learn to put aside the outward, busy doings and entanglements. We should refrain not only from being so busy outwardly, but also from allowing our thinking to run wild. Instead we should pay attention to the move in the spirit, the consciousness deep within. The child Samuel, ministering to the Lord, could hear His voice; Mary, quietly sitting at the Lord’s feet, could understand the Lord’s words. If we can thus turn to the spirit to be near to God, we can actually touch the consciousness of God in the spirit and thereby know God.
We also need to exercise and use the spirit in our daily living. Whether dealing with people, managing affairs, handling things, or in meetings serving the Lord and ministering the word of God; whether in conversing with others or even in doing business; in all matters we must deny the soul and let the spirit lead. We must not let our mind, emotion or will lead, but in all things first try to touch the consciousness deep in the spirit. That is, we must first try to ask what the Lord who dwells in the spirit has to say. If we continue to exercise in this way, the consciousness in the spirit will definitely be alert, and it will then be an easy matter for the inward knowledge to increase and deepen.
In exercising the spirit, the best practice is prayer, for prayer requires exercising the spirit more than any other activity. We often love idle talking, but we will not pray or praise; therefore, our spirit is often shriveled up. If we could spend an hour or more in prayer daily, not in asking, but in worshipping, fellowshipping and praising, before long our spirit would definitely grow and become strong. The psalmist said that he praised the Lord seven times a day (Psa. 119:164). If those who practice boxing practice one hour every day, after a certain period of time their fists will be very strong. Likewise, if we exercise our spirit every day to pray, our spirit will definitely become strong. When the spirit is strong, the intuition will surely be alert. We can then, with an alert intuition, obtain more knowledge of God.
We have already mentioned that the inward knowledge requires not only the knowing in the spirit, but also the understanding of the mind. Therefore, if we want to obtain this inward knowledge, we need to exercise our spirit and to renew the understanding of our mind. The mind is the organ for understanding things; understanding is its main capability.
Romans 12:2 shows us that only when the mind, which contains the understanding, is renewed and transformed can we “prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Colossians 1:9 also shows us that in having “spiritual understanding” we can “be filled with the knowledge of his will.” Therefore, renewing the understanding of the mind is a necessity in the matter of knowing God.
Before we were saved, our total being, including our mind, was fallen. Every imagination of the thoughts of our heart was evil (Gen. 6:5), and our thinking and perception were also filled with the savor of the world. Since our mind was in such a state, our understanding became dimmed. Therefore, we were totally unable to comprehend spiritual things. Even less could we understand the will of God. When we were saved, we were renewed by the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5). This renewing work of the Holy Spirit begins first in our spirit and then expands to our soul to renew the understanding of our mind that we may know the things of the spirit. The more the understanding of our mind is renewed by the Holy Spirit, the more we can comprehend spiritual things and understand the will of God.
Though this renewing of the understanding of the mind is done by the Holy Spirit, we must bear two responsibilities:
First, we must consecrate ourselves. In Romans 12, before the mind is renewed and transformed, we are asked to present our bodies a living sacrifice. This shows that the renewing of the understanding of the mind is based upon our consecration. If we are really willing to consecrate and give ourselves to God, then the Holy Spirit of God can expand His renewing work into our soul and thereby renew the understanding of our mind.
Second, we must accept the dealings of the cross to cast away the old living of the past. Ephesians 4:22-23 shows us that only when we put away the old man of our former manner of life, can our mind, which contains our understanding, be renewed. Before we were saved, our old way of living had already darkened the understanding of our mind. After we were saved, by the death of the Lord on the cross, we put away the old living of the past. This allows the killing of the Lord’s cross to abolish, one by one, all the old ways of living. Only then can the understanding of our mind be renewed. Thus, we must accept the dealings of the cross for the understanding of our mind to be renewed. The degree to which we allow the cross to abolish our old living, to the same extent the understanding of our mind can be renewed.
Ephesians 4:23 says: “Be renewed in the spirit of your mind.” We know that the mind is the main part of the soul. Originally, it was not related to the spirit, but now the spirit has become “the spirit of the mind”; therefore, it is connected to the mind. This is because the spirit has expanded and reached the mind of our soul that we may be renewed in this spirit, that is, that our mind may be renewed by being connected to the spirit. Hence, this renewal is expanded from the spirit to the mind.
The work of the Spirit within is from center to circumference, which also means from the inner spirit to the outer soul. The Spirit first renews our spirit, which is the center of our being within. Then, if we consecrate ourselves to Him and accept the dealings of the cross, He will expand from our spirit to the soul, which is the outer circumference. This will renew every part of our soul. This means that when our soul submits to the ruling of the Spirit and becomes united to our spirit, it is renewed. Therefore, the understanding of the mind is also renewed.
After we receive the regeneration of the Holy Spirit in our spirit, if we consecrate ourselves to God and accept the dealings of the Holy Spirit through the cross to put away our old living, the Holy Spirit can then continuously do His expanding work within us, renewing the understanding of our mind in the soul. Only such a renewed understanding can match the intuition in the spirit. Whenever God makes something known to us in the intuition of our spirit, the understanding of the mind can immediately understand. When we have a strong and alert spirit plus a renewed and clear understanding, we can then have a full inward knowledge of the nature of God and of all His guidance and revelation.