We believe that the vision we have received concerning the young people going to the college campuses is truly from the Lord, and that the Lord has already begun a good work among many of the young people. However, we must fellowship concerning a number of crucial points related to the Lord’s present move in His recovery. First, we must realize that we are in a spiritual warfare. This is not a small matter. The Lord’s move to the campuses touches the enemy’s heart. Therefore, we must all be on the alert. The young people are not going out in a light way; they are going to the frontier, where they will confront the enemy. We must beware, lest the enemy take advantage of us through deceit. Every deception has something of truth in it. If a counterfeit dollar does not look like a genuine one, no one will be deceived by it. Even Babylon the Great is gilded with gold, precious stones, and pearls, which are the components of the New Jerusalem (Rev. 17:4). No one will receive leaven, signifying evil things (1 Cor. 5:6, 8) and evil doctrines (Matt. 16:6, 11-12), unless it has been hidden in “three measures of meal” (13:33). Therefore, we must be alert to pray fighting prayers with trembling. In the type of the Old Testament, when the Tent of Meeting with the Ark set out, the armies of Israel surrounded it (Num. 2:1-34). This means that Israel moved in the way of fighting the battle. Matthew 13:24-25 says, “The kingdom of the heavens has become like a man sowing good seed in his field. But while the men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares in the midst of the wheat and went away.” We must not be negligent and “sleep,” lest the enemy creep in and damage the situation.
From now on, we should emphasize that we must walk in the mingled spirit in everything we do or speak. To check by asking, “Is what I am about to do or speak in the spirit?” will render us much protection. We have heard this many times, but when the situations come, we may forget the mingled spirit. If we do not check with the mingled spirit, we will have no “brakes” to stop ourselves. The mingled spirit is the highest and best restriction. We must walk in the mingled spirit.
We must also live in the Body of Christ. The Body is the high tower to safeguard us from every attack of the enemy. Practically, the principle of the Body is oneness (Eph. 4:3-6). Therefore, to damage the oneness is to break the principle of the Body. If we take care of the governing principles of the mingled spirit and the Body, we will be fully safeguarded.
We need to exercise our discernment to be sober. It is true that we have said that the young people should go out to the campuses, but this should not be interpreted to mean that the young people should neglect the older saints and not fellowship with them. We must keep a good atmosphere with a harmonious spirit between all the ages. The older ones have been and still are for the Lord’s recovery. Therefore, they are worthy of the respect of the young ones. On the other hand, the middle-aged and older saints should not mistrust the young people. Rather, they should allow the young people to learn how to do things. If they do not learn by their first mistake, they may learn by the second one. Of course, we do not like to see mistakes, but we must allow the young people to learn. Two proverbs say, “Failure is the mother of success,” and “mistakes are always a good teacher.” A good coach will help his team adjust according to their mistakes as many times as possible until the team can win the game. We must not be disappointed. We should tell Satan, “We may make even more mistakes, but we will reach the goal. Satan, one day you will be in the lake of fire, and we will be in the New Jerusalem.” The more Satan tries to subdue us, the more we rise up.
The young people must not be proud and should learn to respect the older ones. At the same time, the middle-aged and older saints must trust the young people. The middle-aged saints are the ones most useful in caring for the Lord’s testimony, but not many of them may able to go to the front to fight the battle. For this we need the young ones. However, we must all keep a sweet, constructive, and pleasant atmosphere as a testimony to the enemy that we are one, leaving no ground to the enemy to come in to do anything. On the one hand, the young people need not depend upon the older ones to do everything, and the older ones should not exercise control over the young ones. On the other hand, the young people are not “emancipated” from proper coordination with the older ones. Rather, we are the Body of Christ, in which we all have our place and standing. Therefore, it is very crucial to keep a good spirit of harmony among us.