Book Quote by Watchman Nee
“When one tries to increase his knowledge by doing mental gymnastics over books without waiting upon God and looking to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, his soul is plainly in full swing. This will deplete his spiritual life. Because the fall of man was occasioned by seeking knowledge, God uses the foolishness of the cross to "destroy the wisdom of the wise.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Spiritual Man by Watchman Nee, 1939
Relying on God and the Holy Spirit is essential; intellectual effort alone empties the soul.
In simple terms: God, not just study, sustains spiritual life.
Key Takeaway
Seek divine guidance before intellectual pursuits.
Themes
faith
spirituality
knowledge
humility
Mood
reflective
serious
Type
advice
spiritual
When to use this quote
- personal study
- prayer
- spiritual counseling
- church teaching
Key Concepts
theology
spiritual discipline
human limitation
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you balance study with reliance on the Spirit?
- What practices keep you attuned to divine guidance?
A Different Perspective
Human effort without divine guidance can lead to spiritual emptiness.
![“[T]he mind wearies easily when it strives to grapple with the Infinite, and to trace the footsteps of the Almighty as he strides from sphere to sphere, or deduce his purpose from his works. Such things are not for us to know. Knowledge is to the strong, and we are weak. Too much wisdom would…” quote by H. Rider Haggard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/1d8/h-rider-haggard-3876_knowledge_t-he-mind-wearies-easily-when-it-strives_828163.jpg)
![“[I]n other words, we should live with due knowledge of the course of things in the world. For whenever a man in any way loses self-control, or is struck down by a misfortune, grows angry, or loses heart, he shows in this way that he finds things different from what he expected, and consequently…” quote by Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/6af/arthur-schopenhauer-226_every-step_i-n-other-words-we-should-live-with-due_3042458.jpg)
