The Lord’s anointing is in the intuition of our spirit and it teaches us concerning all things, but sometimes our mind cannot understand the sense in the spirit. For this reason our mind must be renewed. Only then can we understand what the anointing is teaching us. Romans 12:2 shows us that first the mind must be renewed and transformed; then we can prove what is God’s good, well-pleasing, and perfect will. Colossians 1:9 shows us that we must first have the spiritual understanding; then we will be filled with the full knowledge of God’s will. Therefore, the renewing of the mind is essential. If our mind is not renewed, we can neither know nor understand the teaching of the anointing. On the other hand, if our mind is not renewed we will consider the sudden thoughts, those shot into our mind like lightning, as if they were the Lord’s guidance in us. We will also consider the groundless ideas and the vain theories as if they were the Lord’s will. We will consider the senseless and worthless visions and dreams as if they were words which the Lord has spoken to us and as revelation from Him. These are harmful and of no benefit.
We admit and believe that the Lord sometimes opens ears through visions and dreams like that mentioned in Job 33:15-16, but we do not accept nor believe that confusing thoughts, or senseless and worthless visions and dreams are of the Lord. Therefore, the renewing of the mind is very crucial in understanding the teaching of the anointing. Now the question is: How can the mind be renewed? Titus 3:5 speaks of the renewing of the Holy Spirit. Romans 12:1-2 makes it clear that first we must present our bodies as a living sacrifice; then we may be transformed by the renewing of the mind. We see from this that the renewing of the mind is based upon consecration. Ephesians 4:22-23 shows us that for the renewing of the spirit of the mind we must, in our experience, first put off the old man regarding our former manner of life. This shows that the renewing of the mind is something which is done through the cross. Ephesians 4:23 says, “And are renewed in the spirit of your mind.” It is clear, therefore, that the renewing starts from the spirit and then spreads into the mind. We have said before that the work of the Holy Spirit starts from the center and spreads to the circumference. If there is a problem in man’s heart, that is, in the deepest part of him, and it is not dealt with, then it is impossible to have the mind renewed. Therefore, the Holy Spirit first renews the spirit of the mind and then renews the mind.
In summary, because of God’s constraining we present our bodies as a living sacrifice. Following that, the Holy Spirit through the cross causes us in our experience to exercise our will to put off the old man concerning his former manner of life, so that through His life entering more fully into us, our spirit may be renewed and our mind may also be renewed. This renewing is a prolonged and continuous work of the Holy Spirit. When we come to this point, we need to thank and praise God that everything is the work of His grace. We have nothing else to do except to receive His grace and to praise and thank Him. We say again that the Lord’s anointing is in us, teaching us in all things. This is a true and definite matter. The law of life in us does not need any man’s teaching at all. This is not an overstatement. The Scripture has indeed said so. But on the other hand we need to prevent ourselves from being deceived and from going to extremes. We need to check our inner feelings by the words in the Scriptures.
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth (John 14:17). He guides us into all the truth (John 16:13). Therefore, if our inner sense is of the Holy Spirit, this sense must correspond with what the Scriptures say. If the inner sense does not match the words of the Scriptures, this sense is inaccurate. We know that the inner sense is living, and we also know that the Scriptures without are accurate. If we merely have the words of the Scripture, there is accuracy and security, but no life. On the other hand, having merely the inner sense may be living, but not accurate; or it may be living, but not secure. Our experience needs to be like a train which has power inside the locomotive and rails outside. If there are only rails without but no power within the locomotive, the train will not move. On the other hand, if there is only power within the locomotive but no rails without, the train will run without control and have an accident. The Scriptures show us that when the Israelites came out of Egypt, they had before them the pillar of cloud as their guide in the day and the pillar of fire as their guide in the night. When our spiritual condition is normal, we are walking in the bright daylight. But our spiritual condition is not always like this. The Scriptures also say that God’s Word is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path (Psa. 119:105). Without the night there is no need for the lamp and the light. When we are bright within, our inner sense is clear and sure. When we are dark within, our inner sense is blurry and uncertain. Then we must use the words of the Scriptures to verify our inner sense.
Life plus truth equals real power. Life and truth result in secure strength. We need to walk upon the secure path of life and truth. Every action, every thought, and every decision needs to be checked against the words in the Scriptures, so that we may go on without being sidetracked.
Let us read Hebrews 8:11 again: “And they shall by no means teach each one his fellow citizen and each one his brother, saying, Know the Lord, for all shall know Me from the little one to the great among them.” This verse tells us that we who are God’s people in the law of life can know God without any man’s teaching. This verse twice uses the word “know.” The first time it speaks of men teaching each other to know the Lord. The second time it mentions that from the little one to the great all shall know the Lord. The first knowing signifies the ordinary knowledge; the second knowing refers to knowledge in the intuition. The ordinary knowledge is the objective, outward knowledge, while the intuitive knowledge is the subjective, inward knowledge.
We can illustrate the difference between ordinary knowledge and intuitive knowledge in the following way. Suppose sugar and salt are put before us. They both appear about the same. Both are white and fine, but when they are put into our mouth we know which is sugar and which is salt. The sugar has the taste of sugar, and the salt has the taste of salt. Although we may use our eyes to know the sugar and the salt from without, it is not as accurate as tasting them with our tongue.
Our knowledge of God is the same. The outward knowledge is only an ordinary knowledge, but the inward knowledge is the accurate knowledge. When God gives us a taste of Himself in us, we experience unspeakable joy. Psalm 34:8 says, “Oh taste and see that Jehovah is good.” It is wonderful! We can taste God! Hebrews 6:4-5 mentions: “...those who were once enlightened, and who have tasted of the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God, and the works of power of the coming age.” This shows us that the spiritual things need to be tasted. Thank God that the characteristic of the new covenant not only enables us to taste spiritual things; it even enables us to taste God Himself. What a great blessing and what a great glory this is!