Chapter 4: Inner Guidance

Bible Reading:

Luke 7:50

John 20:19-21; 14:26,

1 John 2:27-28

Introduction

The Bible clearly says that God had set up two roads to take in this world; one is the road to life, and the other is the road to destruction.  Whoever believes and accepts Christ chooses to walk on the road to life, and whoever does not believe and rejects Christ takes the road to perdition. Naturally, after a person believes and is baptized, he starts to have a church life, but slowly he realizes that not all Christians are walking on the road to life; some took the road of religious people, some choose to stick to the law, and only a few are really taking the way of life.

We have already mentioned that all those who enter the inner path of life are following the leading from within. In other words, whoever walks on the path of life, proves that the life of God is in him, and his senses are very keen. Therefore, when his actions and behavior contradict or are out of touch with the feeling of the life inside, he will immediately feel uneasy, inappropriate, and painful within. As a result, they have to follow the feelings of their inner life in everything, which makes their spiritual life grow and increase until it reaches maturity.  

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Inner Guidance

We will continue to talk about the sixth key point of the path to the inner life which is the Inner Guidance. In the Old Testament, God commanded Moses to build the Tabernacle from the outer court, then the Holy Place, and then the Holy of Holies. The altars and the laver were located in the Outer Courts. Meaning, Christians in the outer court depend on the light of day outside for their activities. Just like when we were saved by grace, we get involved in various ministries of the church such as evangelizing, witnessing, and drawing people to the Lord, which is being symbolized by the offering at the altar. Secondly, there is the laver, which prefigures the work of the Holy Spirit. But the works of men are often according to the ways of the world, but they are only natural concepts. For daylight refers to natural concepts. But once you enter the Tabernacle, you are free from natural concepts. The whole activity is governed by the light of the lampstand in the tabernacle. It is at this point that one begins to enter the Inner path of life. Instead of relying on daylight (the natural concept), we rely on the light of the lampstand (the sense of the inner life), and let the light of life dominate, which is also called the inner guidance. Then we entered the Holy of Holies, the place of the LORD's presence and the place where the Lord meets with people face to face. This experience shows that one has entered a spiritual peak, allowing God to manage the whole person inside. From this, we can see that the experience of entering the inner path of life, its life, work, ministry, and behavior are all based on the guidance from within. The experience of inner guidance can be divided into two parts, the peace of the Spirit and the teaching of the Holy Spirit.

I. Peace in the Spirit

When a person believes in Jesus, by the work of the Holy Spirit, the dead are made alive, and God dwells in us through the Holy Spirit. There is an experience called peace in the Spirit. From this experience, I often ask my friends during baptismal talks and sermons, “What is your experience of believing in Jesus?” Some of them answered, “After I believed in Jesus, I had a great peace of mind, a peace that I had never had before.” Oh, that's right! The peace that I never had before is now available to me. This peace is not found in the world but is from heaven, and it is the peace of salvation, which is called the peace of the Spirit.

 A. Peace in the Spirit is entering into the path of life.

Before believing in Jesus, when you did something wrong and sinned, you could still have a good feeling inside because your spirit was not yet made alive. However, when we believe in the Gospel and accept the Lord Jesus, our spirit becomes alive. At the same time, the whole spirit regains sensitivity. What we enjoy at this time is the peace of forgiveness of sins. This peace says that you have entered the way of life.

1. God is the God of peace

Romans 16:20 reads, “And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.” This indicates that our Lord is a God of peace. His nature is peace, and naturally, the feeling of His life in you and me is also peace.

At the same time, Galatians 5:22 further tells us, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, ……”, Therefore, the more the Holy Spirit has a position in us, and the more we follow the Holy Spirit in us, the more the feeling of peace grows and thickens.

2. Life and peace are connected

Romans 8:6, “For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” It means that life and peace are connected. Where there is life, there is peace. If we follow the Holy Spirit, will we enter into life and enjoy peace at the same time? Therefore, if Christians can always maintain the deep peace (quietness) of the spirit, it means that they are on the path of life. It is just like keeping the morning watch to get closer to the Lord, firstly, we wash ourselves with the precious blood and ask the Lord to forgive us for all our transgressions, and then we enter into sweet fellowship with the Lord face to face. In this way, not only do we read the scriptures, pray, and taste the Lord's sweetness, but also feel the Lord's presence abundantly, and at the same time, we will experience the peace in our spirit, just like clarifying the surface of the lake without any ripples, peaceful, quiet, and bright, and we will enter into life in a way that is invisible.

B. Peace is realized in the light

Peace in the Spirit includes a wide range of spiritual experiences. We will only mention a few key points.

One important point is that peace is realized in the light.

1. Cleansed by the blood in the light

According to 1 John 1:7, “But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.” This means that in order for a person to experience the power of the blood, he must walk in the light. Because a person who lives in darkness cannot see his own corruption and filthiness, he cannot access (experience) the effects of the precious blood. On the other hand, a person who lives in the light will immediately recognize the slightest blemish in the darkness, and will naturally seek the blood of Jesus for cleansing, and as a result, enjoy forgiveness of sins and peace of mind.

2. The blood brings peace

After Jesus was crucified, the disciples closed the door for fear of the Jews, but Jesus had risen from the dead, and His resurrected body was no longer limited by time and space. He suddenly came to the disciples and said to them, “Peace be with you.” The disciples were amazed, so Jesus showed them His hands and His rib side, indicating that I have poured out My blood for you, which is for the forgiveness of sins, that you may experience the power of the blood. No wonder then that the Bible specifically says, "Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. So Jesus said to them again, 'Peace to you!'" (John 20:20-21)

This exact record makes it obvious to us that it is not our good deeds that bring us peace, but the blood of Christ that brings peace.

Luke 7 tells us that Jesus was invited by a Pharisee to a meal at his house. Then a sinful woman in the city, knowing that Jesus was sitting there, took an alabaster flask of fragrant oil and stood behind Him, weeping at His feet. She began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil, to show that she was grateful for the Lord's great kindness and love in forgiving her sins. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to themselves, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who it is who touches Him.” Then Jesus turned to the woman and said to her in a soothing tone, “Your sins are forgiven.” Then He said to her, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.” (Luke 7:50)

This phrase, “Go in peace,” on the one hand says that her sins are forgiven; on the other hand, it says that she should live and conduct herself in peace from now on. She had been known in the city as a sinful woman, living a life of sin in darkness. Now she took the power of the blood and walked in the way of peace, to prove that she was walking in the light. For if a person begins to notice the feeling of peace in her soul, it shows that she is a person living in the light.

C. Peace Confirmed in the Presence of the Lord

Not only that, but peace is confirmed in the presence of the Lord. When the Lord Jesus rose from the dead and appeared again to His disciples, His first words were, “Peace be with you.” When He had said this, He put His hands and showed them His nail scars and His rib side, and the disciples recognized that it was the Lord, and they rejoiced. After this, “Jesus said to them again, 'Peace be unto you!'” (Jn 20:21)

The peace that Jesus speaks of here the second time is the peace that comes from the presence of the Lord. The first peace is the peace that comes to us through the power of the blood. The second peace is the peace of mind that comes from the presence of the Lord. If we maintain this peace in our hearts and minds, it means that we are walking with the Lord and are with Him. Therefore, we treasure the presence of the Lord with us. It is only when the Lord is with us that we can maintain peace in our hearts and minds. When the Lord leaves, peace is lost. Therefore, brothers and sisters should not regard “peace” as a trivial matter, because behind this matter are many spiritual experiences. Do you have peace in the depths of your heart?

One time when the Lord's servant Moody was preaching the gospel, he talked about the fact that the world has sinned, and after the world has sinned, there is one thing, that is, there is no peace. After the meeting was adjourned, a young man came to Moody because he was not convinced in his heart, and said, “Mr. Moody, you say that the world has no peace in its heart, but I have peace.” The tone of his voice was like a refutation of Moody's sermon. But Moody took him by the hand in peace, and said to him, “'There is no peace', Says my God, 'or the wicked.'” (Isa 57:21) After saying goodbye, the young man returned home, and when he went to bed at night, this word, marvelously, kept lingering in the young man's ears, and no matter how he pushed it, he could not shake it off, and he could not sleep the whole night, tossing and turning. At dawn, this young man could not get out of bed and knelt down to repent and confess his sins, and was instantly saved by grace and enjoyed peace of mind. This example shows that sin not only causes God's presence to depart, but also causes the loss of peace, and at the same time, it also shows that peace of mind is confirmed in the Lord's presence.

D. Peace is confirmed in God's protection

The Philippines has been in a state of law and there is unrest these past few years, and people are living in fear and panic, and in need of God's protection. In fact, to have a good law and to have peace and order there is a need for God's protection as well, because natural and man-made disasters are unpredictable. However, if a person is under God's protection, there is a light of peace of mind.

John 16:33 records that Jesus said, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation…...” This means that if we live in the Lord, we will have peace, but if we depart from the Lord, we will encounter suffering wherever we go, even in the safest place.

Philippians 4:6-7 reads, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” The original meaning is that peace is like a guard protecting us. It means that God protects us more than we expect, not only our bodies, but even our minds and hearts are under His protection. So we must live in peace. As long as we remain in peace spiritually, we are in God's protection. Because God defends us on all sides, we will fear no evil.

David said in Psalm 23:4, "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me......” Therefore, if we treasure the Lord's presence and protection, we must maintain peace of mind, for peace of mind is the evidence that we are under God's protection.

 E. Peace Proves to be in God's Will

Maintaining peace of mind also proves that we are doing the will of God.

1. Rest in the will of God

Romans 15:32 records that Paul told the brothers and sisters in the church of Rome, "that I may come to you with joy by the will of God, and may be refreshed together with you.” This means that I (Paul) wanted to come to you (the Roman church) before, but I cannot go now because there is a barrier, but the time of God has not yet come. But when the time of God comes, the Lord will lead me to go with joy, and to rest with you. For there is not only joy, but also peace (rest) when a man walks in the will of God.

Isaiah 48:18 says, "Oh, that you had heeded My commandments! Then your peace would have been like a river, And your righteousness like the waves of the sea.” This means that when you and I obey God's commands and do God's will, our peace of mind will be like a river that flows steadily and continuously.

3. The peace of life comes from being attentive to the Holy Spirit.

God's will is often expressed through the Holy Spirit. Therefore, saints should learn to be attentive to the Holy Spirit. Therefore, Romans 8:6 says, "...... to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” When the Holy Spirit leads you and you obey Him in your heart, not only do you enjoy life and peace in your spirit, but it also confirms that we are doing the will of God. Experientially speaking, when we always think of the Holy Spirit, we enjoy peace when we act and behave according to the guidance from within. This peace is not something we ask for, but it is something that God gives to us when we are saved by grace. If we follow the guidance from within, this peace will continue to be in us.

II. The Teaching of the Holy Spirit

The second aspect of the inner guidance refers to the teaching of the Holy Spirit. We will briefly mention ten points about this experience:

A. The feeling of conscience in us, which convicts us of unrighteousness and unholiness

The feeling of conscience is the negative side. Anything that offends God, or is unrighteous or not in accord with the body of the saints, is condemned from within, and makes us feel uncomfortable and uneasy from within. If we always obey our conscience, not only will our conscience become more and more sensitive, but it will also enable you to show a transcendent character in everything you do, and to live a life of testimony.

 B. The feeling of the inner life, the expression of divine feeling

The feeling of the inner life is the positive side. This feeling of life is the expression of God's character. When we act in accordance with the feeling of life, we show good deeds such as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, temperance, etc. At the same time, the more we obey the feeling of life within, the more we show God's character. At the same time, the more we obey the feeling of life within, the more sensitive our senses become. Moreover, the law of the life in the spirit invisibly replaces the law outside, so that we can live out the nature of God, not only conforming to the requirements of the law outside, but also exceeding the standard of the law.

C. The teaching of the Holy Spirit guides the will of God

The teaching of the Holy Spirit is to inform us of God's will, so that God's will can be carried out from heaven through us on earth. In other words, God's will is guided by the teaching of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, we must pay attention to the teachings of the Holy Spirit so that God's will can be freely carried out on earth through the church.

D. The promise to send the Comforter (Holy Spirit) before Jesus ascended to heaven

Before the Lord Jesus left this world, there was a farewell discourse recorded in John 14, 15 and 16. In these words, Jesus promised, "And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever -- the Spirit of truth……” (John 14:16-17) This Spirit is the Spirit of Truth.

E. The Holy Spirit came to teach the disciples all things

Then in verse 26, it says, "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things…” This means that Jesus spent three and a half years on earth training His disciples, living with them day and night. Whenever the disciples encountered problems, they would ask Jesus and He would answer them immediately, but they were still limited by space and time. If Jesus had been in Samaria, the disciples in Jerusalem would not have been able to be with the Lord. But now the Comforter not only dwells in the hearts of the disciples and unites with them, but at the same time, all who belong to Him experience His presence wherever they go.

Even more precious is the presence of the Holy Spirit in the disciples, who will instruct them in all things.

F. The Pentecostal disciples obeyed the Holy Spirit after being filled with Him

So when the day of Pentecost came, the disciples were gathered together, and suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a great wind, and it filled the house where they were sitting, and tongues like flames of fire appeared, and fell upon each of them. The Bible specifically records that these 120 disciples "were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” (Acts 2:4). This means that the Comforter is the Holy Spirit of truth, who descended on the disciples, and when they received the Holy Spirit, they immediately followed the guidance, the teaching, and the instruction of the Holy Spirit. In other words, the disciples after Pentecost were different. Their actions were dictated by the Holy Spirit.

Let's look at the Apostle Peter, after he was filled with the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, he was governed by the Holy Spirit, he spoke according to the instructions of the Holy Spirit, and when he quoted from the psalmist's message according to the Holy Spirit's instruction, the result was that the congregation felt cut to the heart when they heard it, "Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.” (Acts 2:41)

Philip, the evangelist, was no exception. On that day an angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Go to the south, along the road from Jerusalem to Gaza” and he immediately obeyed the direction of the Holy Spirit, and on his way he met a powerful eunuch from Ethiopia, who had just returned from worship in Jerusalem, and was sitting in his chariot reading the book of the prophet Isaiah. The Holy Spirit said to Philip, "Go near the chariot.” Immediately he obeyed the teaching of the Holy Spirit, and ran to the eunuch, and heard him reading from the book of Isaiah. Then he said to the eunuch, "Do you understand what you are reading?” And the eunuch answered and said unto him, "How can I, unless someone guides me?” And when he had said this, he invited Philip to come into the chariot, and to sit with him. And the scripture which he was reading was, "He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; And as a lamb before its shearer is silent, So He opened not His mouth……” Philip preached to him about Jesus on the basis of this scripture, and led him to believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As they went on their way, they passed a place where there was water, and the eunuch was moved, and said to Philip, Behold, there is water here; what is there to prevent me from being baptized?” He commanded the chariot to stand still, and they went down into the water together, and Philip baptized the eunuch. (Acts 8:26-38) From there the gospel spread to Africa.

Let us turn to the Apostle Peter. While he was in Joppa, about noon, he went up on the roof of his house to pray, and when he fell into a trance, he saw heaven open, and a certain thing descending, as it were a great sheet bound at the four corners, and it was let down to the earth. In it were all manner of four-footed beasts of the earth, and insects, and birds of prey; and a voice said unto him, “Arise, Peter, and slay and eat.” And while Peter thought about the vision, the Holy Spirit said unto him, “Three men are seeking you. Arise, go down, and walk with them; and be not dismayed; for I have sent them.” Peter's original ministry was in Jerusalem, and his burden was toward the Jews. But now the Holy Spirit taught him to rise up and go to the house of Cornelius, the centurion of the Gentiles, which was beyond his previous thinking and conception. Because when Jesus was training His disciples, He commanded them to go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, and now God was using a vision to adjust Peter's mindset to go to the Gentile places to preach the gospel. Thank you, Lord! Peter's mind was immediately changed and he obeyed the Holy Spirit's teaching and went to the house of Cornelius. As he was in the middle of preaching the gospel at Cornelius' house, the Bible records, "While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word.” (Acts 10:44) This shows us again that the Pentecostal disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit and acted in obedience to His teaching.

Paul was no exception. Paul was originally a persecutor of Christians, but when the Lord appeared to him on his way to Damascus, his whole outlook was changed. Later, in the church at Antioch, there were several prophets and teachers who were serving the Lord, and while they were fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”  (Acts 13:2). So Paul and Barnabas were sent out by the Holy Spirit to preach the gospel and build up churches everywhere. Brothers and sisters, from the above examples, we can see that since the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit, their footsteps were obedient to the teachings of the Holy Spirit.

G. The Spirit of God guides the sons of God

Brothers and sisters, if you have not been attentive to the Holy Spirit in the past, you should pay attention to the fact that you are guided by the Spirit within, not by the natural concepts of the outside world, if you want to walk in the way of life. Romans 8:14 says, "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.” We always pray, “Abba Father, I thank You that we are Your sons and daughters.” But today the Lord wants to ask you if you have been guided by the Holy Spirit. One of the characteristics of the children of God is that they are guided by the Spirit of God.

H. The lesson of restoring the anointing to the desolate church

Soon after the apostles passed away, the children of God became less and less guided by the Spirit of God, and the church began to become desolate. At that time, the Apostle John the Elder put pen to paper and wrote the Epistle of John. In the first book of John, he begins by restoring the “original way of life”, and then in the second chapter, he clearly restores the “anointed teaching”, that is, obedience to the voice of the Holy Spirit. He says, “But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.” (1John 2:27) May the Lord be gracious to us, and let us listen carefully to the teachings of the Holy Spirit, and become a person who obeys the teachings of the anointing.

I.  Ways of the Holy Spirit's Teaching

Due to the limitation of space, we will briefly mention three ways of teaching by the Holy Spirit:

1. Prohibition

Whenever a saint's behavior, life, work, or ministry is not in accordance with God's will, the Holy Spirit will come forth and forbid it. When the Holy Spirit forbids you and me, there is an agonizing, uneasy, and unsettling feeling in us that stops will stop us from continuing our actions.

Paul and his co-workers once preached in Asia and the Holy Spirit forbade him (Acts 16:6). Preaching is a ministry of evangelism, edification, and commitment. But when the Holy Spirit forbade him, he stopped. Then they wanted to go to Bithynia, but the Bible says, "but the Spirit did not permit them.” (Acts 16:7). Until they went to Troas, a vision appeared to Paul during the night. And one of the Macedonians stood and besought him, saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” When Paul saw the vision, he immediately wanted to go to Macedonia, because God had called them to preach the gospel to the people there. This history tells us that the Holy Spirit guides the saints in a way that forbids us if we are not aligned with God's will.

One year, when Mr. Luk Wan-tao, a Malaysian businessman, came to Taiwan, he set up a banquet of 100 tables at the Yuanshan Hotel in Taipei, inviting dignitaries, businessmen and VIPs to share in the banquet. That day Mr. Lu boarded the plane in Taichung to come to Taipei, and our brother Pan was on the same plane with him, but miraculously, when Brother Pan boarded the plane, he was so disturbed by the Holy Spirit's prohibition that he was in such agony that he could not bear it, so he obeyed the Holy Spirit's prohibition and disembarked from the plane. The plane took off on time. Unexpectedly, the plane crashed halfway through the flight and no one survived. When it was time for the banquet to begin at the Yuanshan Hotel in Taipei, hundreds and thousands of guests gathered, but strangely, there was no sign of their host. Later, news came that Mr. Luk's plane had crashed, and the guests were saddened to know that the host who had invited them would never come, so they all left. It was a very sad and unhappy banquet that night. If our brother Pan had not obeyed the Holy Spirit's prohibitions, he would have gone to ashes that day! Therefore, Christians must be very careful to obey the prohibitions of the Holy Spirit in their daily lives.

2. Moving (Urging)

Mark 1:12 reads, "Immediately the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness.” 1 Thessalonians 5:19 says, "Do not quench the Spirit.” “Moving or Prompting” is another way in which the Holy Spirit actively guides the saints.

For example, among us, at the beginning or end of a meeting, many young people are eager to pray first. This is simply because they are moved by the Holy Spirit in their souls. In the church, we must be careful to follow the Holy Spirit's moving. Some brothers and sisters have been blessed for a long time, but they have never opened their mouths for praise in the Breaking of Bread. They do not know the Holy Spirit’s prompting, and eventually they become spiritually numb. Prayer meetings and Bible study meetings are no exception. Even in life, work, and ministry, we must be careful to obey the Holy Spirit's movements.

In a Thursday night Bible fellowship meeting, a young man witnessed that after he had read the Bible in the morning, the Holy Spirit moved him to call a certain brother, and he asked the Lord, “Lord, what do you want me to say to my brother on the phone?” The Holy Spirit said, "You have to give him the verse that moved you in the morning, ‘He who endures to the end will be saved.’” So he obeyed, and called the brother, telling him that the Lord had moved him to call after the morning watch and to tell him that he should pray a lot, and that he who endures to the end will be saved. Then he hung up the phone. Soon after, a call came in from a friend who was a businessman, calling the brother to discuss business with him, and in the middle of the conversation, the other party suddenly became angry and cursed him in a foul language. When the brother heard that the other party was being unreasonable and rude, he was also angered in his heart, and when he was about to say something in response, he suddenly remembered that our brother had told him in the morning to pray a lot, and that he who endures to the end will surely be saved. He held his tongue for a while, and miraculously felt calm in his spirit. Instead, he answered the other person gently and ended the conversation. A little later the phone rang again, and it was the same friend who had just called, not only in an apologetic tone, but also saying to him, “I am sorry that I was so ill-tempered when I spoke to you this morning, but please forgive me, and I would really like to do business with you if you would be so kind to me.” Thank you, Lord! From this testimony, we can see that this young man was moved by the Holy Spirit to call the brother, and spoke to the brother in obedience to the Holy Spirit's teaching, and actually helped the brother, and came through the experience together. May the Lord be gracious to us, so that in the future, no matter in our life, work, or ministry, we can seriously obey the teachings of the Holy Spirit, and walk with the Lord day by day and hour by hour.

3. Signifying

To “signify” is to put the idea in your mind, which is also written in the Bible: “The Holy Spirit said......” For example, in Acts 8, "The Holy Spirit said to Philip” this statement meant that the Holy Spirit will show you what to do. When you go out to visit, or do something, or buy something, and you seek the Lord, and the Lord will show you His will step by step, so that you and I will have a clear sign from our hearts, and if we follow this leading, it is called being guided from within.

One Thursday night, before a certain brother went out to visit, he had a feeling that he should visit three brothers today, and for the convenience of driving along the route of the visitation, and especially to save time, he should first look at A, then B, and lastly C. But marvelously, when he was about to follow the route as planned, the Holy Spirit said, “First visit B, then A, and lastly C.” Though it was not a smooth route, the brother, who was always obedient to the Holy Spirit, took the trouble to follow His instructions and followed His instructions. Although the way was not smooth, my brother, who was always obedient to the Holy Spirit's guidance, followed the Holy Spirit's instructions and was guided without any trouble. Sure enough, when he arrived at the first house, his good friend came home soon after and was very happy to see him and have good fellowship with him. Then he went to the second house, and the other said, “You have come at the right time, and I will go out later.” Finally, when he came to the third house, the brother was coming back from the outside. If the brother had followed the original route, he would have made an empty trip that night.

J. Obedience to the teaching of the Holy Spirit, the One who lives and guides.

Since the teaching of the Holy Spirit is the voice or feeling of the Spirit, it is naturally the story of the Spirit. The Spirit is in the deepest part of the human being, so to speak, that is to say, the inner guidance, which is not subject to external domination, nor influenced by the natural human concepts but is completely in accordance with the inner feelings or voices of the inner man and is a guide to the outer man. Therefore, one who obeys the teaching of the Holy Spirit is one who lives in the inner guidance. Those who have this experience are those who walk the path of inner life.

Elder sister Hou is a person who has had the deepest experience in the Lord. Anyone who had much contact with her would find that when they were in fellowship with her, when they asked her questions, or when they asked her for advice, she would not answer them immediately, and she would not hastily say what she meant. She was quiet, waiting, that is, asking inside to see how she felt inside, or rather, waiting for the teaching of the Holy Spirit inside. It is not very often that we meet a person like her, who lived her daily life guided that way.

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