SPIRITUAL INSTINCTS
J. Spinks
Acts 8: 29–39; 2 Kings 5: 15–17
I have been thinking of spiritual instincts and how they come into the formation of a believer.
When God works He brings in light, He overcomes the darkness in man’s heart. The enemy’s activity is to darken, we read of that in Ephesians on Lord’s day, persons “being darkened in understanding ... by reason of the hardness of their hearts”, Ephesians 4: 18. That is what happened right at the beginning, the darkening influence of Satan brought in wrong thoughts as to God. When God operates He brings in light, he works in the light, He enlightens. It speaks in Ephesians of “being enlightened in the eyes of your heart”, Ephesians 1: 18. It is wonderful to consider the
operations of God, the way He works in bringing light as to Christ, and light as to the great system of which Christ is the Head and centre. But then along with that He works inwardly in the believer to develop spiritual instincts and intuition and that is what I would like to say a little about.
The Ethiopian eunuch was clearly a man who was searching for something. He was returning from Jerusalem, which had been the centre of all God’s operations on earth, but he had found nothing there to fill the void in his heart. Think of the Spirit of God looking down and taking account of the exercises of this dear man. Now here Philip is ready to be serviceable. Under the guidance of the Spirit he approaches and joins the chariot, and then proceeds to open up the scripture to him, announcing the glad tidings of Jesus from that wonderful chapter, Isaiah 53. I am sure the eunuch’s heart would be drawn out to Christ as Philip opened up that wonderful chapter and expounded on the glories of that blessed Man; the glory of the gospel would flood his soul. As they proceed on their journey there is something that comes from himself, and that is the point I want to make. They come upon a certain water and the eunuch says, “Behold water; what hinders my being baptised?” There is no indication that Philip touched on the truth of baptism when he preached to the eunuch. I think it is a wonderful example of divinely formed instincts that accompany divinely given light. Think of the instincts that that man had. He saw that if Christ’s life was taken from the earth then there was no place here for him.
I have been thinking a little of the new man, “which according to God is created in truthful righteousness and holiness”, Ephesians 4: 24. In the old system everything was made according to the pattern. The new man is patterned after Christ, according as the truth is in Jesus. As we are brought into line with the truth we see increasingly that it is all Christ, He is the centre of the
moral universe. It involves a system of teaching and doctrine, but within that framework God is developing divine instincts and sensibilities in the saints by the Spirit. We begin to see that God is forming another order of man, completely different to the man of sin and shame.
Naaman is a man who yields to wise counsel and overcomes his pride. He plunged himself seven times in the Jordan and his flesh became again like the flesh of a little child. He then comes and stands before the man of God with all his retinue, a completely changed man. He then asks for two mules’ burden of this earth. What would make him ask for that? it has been linked with the altar of earth (Exodus 20: 24). He may not have been acquainted with God’s instructions regarding this but he seems to realise that God has another order of man before Him; the altar of earth relates to the precious humanity of Christ. He says, “Behold, I know that there is no God in all the earth but in Israel”, he seems to realise instinctively that if there is such a God He requires to be approached in a divine appointed way.
That is the simple impression I have, dear brethren, I think it is wonderful to see how God works in believers to develop what is instinctive and intuitive. I suppose it would bear on the thought of the unction, “ye have the unction from the holy one, and ye know all things”, 1 John 2: 20. It seems to me that is something we need to make way for, dear brethren, especially at the present time. There is the sound teaching and the structure of the truth kept before us, but along with that God would develop spiritual instincts and discernment and it is safe for us to follow that. It will keep us in accord with what the Lord is doing; let us make way for it. I am sure that as we are drawing near to the end of this dispensation there is a refining process going on, and for myself I would like to be in the Spirit’s hands and in the Lord’s hands that these refined features may come to light for His glory. May the Lord help us in it, for His name’s sake.
Word in meeting for ministry, Grangemouth
7 January 2003