Intuition and Experience
Intuition is the ability to understand or act without the need for conscious reasoning. Intuition is acting from the heart and not from the head. Our intuition is formed by our experiences of the world and the information we take in and receive.
The Christian walk shapes and transforms our intuition. Christian faith is not intellectual knowledge. Faith is the extent to which we experience the world as Jesus does. It grows by walking in an intimate, experiential relationship with the Creator of the universe.
Prior to relationship with Jesus, our intuition remains in darkness. Paul tells us this darkened intuition results in mindsets and behaviors that belong to the “flesh" (Galatians 5:19), resulting in sin. Christians, through the indwelling Spirit, are no longer subject to the desires and impulses of the flesh because we have been given the Holy Spirit (Romans 8). The sin nature was crucified on the Cross with Jesus (Romans 6:11; 1 Peter 2:24). Our thoughts, desires and impulses become progressively reformed and empowered by the presence of Jesus Himself.
The Holy Spirit’s goal is to shape each of us into uniquely powerful expressions of Christ on earth. This happens through the renewing of the mind. Remaining consciously saturated in God’s presence rewires our minds and hearts (2 Corinthians 4:16; Colossians 3:10). Changing the way we think changes the way we act and behave.
Because intuition is informed by experience, tangible relationship with the Holy Spirit must characterize the Christian walk. We must think, trust, and believe that we are never alone (Matthew 28:20; John 14:18). When we do, we begin to understand that God intends to use every single moment to shape and mold us. Nothing is wasted in God’s kingdom. Our level of awareness and submission to this reality is the substance of our faith (Hebrews 11:1).
Partnering with the Holy Spirit every moment of our lives will naturally transform our intuition. Another voice, that of the Counselor and Comforter, is available to us as we navigate through life. As we continue to actively seek His opinion and submit our thoughts to Him, He progressively renews our mind to think about and experience the world as Jesus does. Our ignorant and darkened thoughts alien to the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16) wither and die.
Walking in the Spirit (Galatians 5:16) makes Christ-like thoughts and behavior automatic because we become keenly aware of Jesus in every moment. It is this experiential awareness of God’s presence that reshapes our intuition. Our life is permeated with the empowering presence of the Spirit.
If we are to truly live in this world as Jesus does (1 John 4:17), our relationship with Him must be tangible and experiential. Every moment of our lives on earth must become defined by His presence. When it does, we will experience the pleasure, joy, and peace of walking through life hand in hand with the God of the universe.
