If we want to understand more clearly about spiritual life, we have to analyze the spirit thoroughly and understand all of its laws. Only after we have understood every function of the spirit can we comprehend the laws by which the spirit operates. Once we know the laws of the spirit, we will learn how to follow the spirit, that is, to walk by the laws of the spirit. These are vital to our spiritual life. We are not afraid of having too much knowledge concerning the spirit; our only concern is that we pursue it too strenuously with our mind.
The gospel of God tells people that fallen man can receive regeneration and that fleshly man can obtain a new spirit. The new spirit is the foundation of his new life. The spiritual life we normally speak about is just a life in which one lives by the spirit he received at regeneration. It is very regrettable that most believers know very little about the functions of the spirit and the things related to it. They may know in terminology the relationship between man and his spirit, yet they still cannot identify this spirit in their experience. As we mentioned before, either they do not know where their spirit is, or they reckon their own feelings and thoughts as the functions of the spirit. Therefore, an analysis of the functions of the spirit is needed because only then will believers know how to follow the spirit.
We have mentioned before that the functions of the spirit can be categorized into three parts: intuition, fellowship, and conscience. Although these three are distinguishable, they are closely knitted together. It would be very difficult for us to talk about one without mentioning the other two. For example, when we talk about intuition, spontaneously we also include fellowship and conscience. Therefore, even though we are analyzing the spirit, we still need to make a close study of its tripartite functions. We have already seen how the spirit is categorized into intuition, fellowship, and conscience, and we will not repeat it here. However, we have to consider further what the intuition, fellowship (or worship), and conscience are, and what functions they have, in order to know how to walk according to our spirit. Since the spirit encompasses the work of intuition, fellowship, and conscience, we can say that walking according to the spirit is just walking according to one's intuition, fellowship, and conscience.
Intuition, fellowship, and conscience are just three functions of the spirit. We are not saying that the spirit includes only these three, neither are we saying that the spirit is just one of these three. According to the Bible, these are simply the three major functions of the spirit. The spirit is still the spirit; it is substantial, personal, and invisible. It is impossible for us to apprehend the inner essence of the spirit today. We can only realize what it is by the functions it manifests. We are not here to learn the wonderful mysteries of the future but to pursue a spiritual living. As long as we know the functions of the spirit and how to walk according to the spirit, it will be sufficient. Our spirit is not material, yet it can exist independently in our body as the human spirit. Therefore, although our spirit is not physical, it must possess its own "spiritual substance." Otherwise, it would be impossible for it to exist independently. This spiritual substance contains various functions which execute all the requirements that God has towards man. Therefore, we will only try to learn the functions of the spirit, not the substance of the spirit.
Man is like the holy temple, and our spirit is like the Holy of Holies. Going one step further, we can compare the intuition, fellowship, and conscience to the ark in the Holy of Holies. (1) God's law was in the ark to instruct the Israelites in what they should do. God revealed Himself and His will through the law. Similarly, God is making Himself and His will known to the believers through their intuition so that they can follow accordingly. (2) Upon the ark was the propitiatory cover with the blood sprinkled on its cover. This was the place where God manifested His glory and received man's worship. Similarly, every one who has been redeemed by the precious blood has his spirit regenerated. In this spirit he worships God and fellowships with Him. God could only fellowship with the Israelites over the propitiatory cover of the ark. Similarly, He can only fellowship with the believers in their blood-cleansed spirit. (3) According to the original language, the ark is the "ark of testimony," and the Ten Commandments within it served as the testimony of God to the Israelites. If they did well, the two tablets in the ark would approve them. If they did things improperly, the Ten Commandments would accuse them silently from within the ark. Similarly, the Holy Spirit has written God's law in our conscience so that it bears witness to our conduct. It bears witness to those things that are according to God's will and condemns those things that are not according to God's will. "My conscience bearing witness with me in the Holy Spirit" (Rom. 9:1)
Look how the children of Israel honored the ark! When they crossed the Jordan River, they had no other guidance except the ark. They simply followed the ark without any doubt. When they fought against Jericho, they did nothing other than follow the ark. When they could not stand against the Philistines, they tried to utilize the ark according to their own will. Was not Uzzah immediately killed when he tried to hold the ark with his fleshly hands? How they rejoiced after they had prepared a place for the ark! (Psa. 132). These things ought to teach believers how to deal with the ark, which is the intuition, fellowship, and conscience in our spirit. There is life and peace when we follow these functions, and there will be nothing but complete failure if we try to interfere with them according to our fleshly will. Victory did not depend on what the Israelites thought but on where the ark was leading. Any spiritual usefulness depends not on our thought but on the teaching of the intuition, fellowship, and conscience.