For sometime now the Lord as been helping me to understand that we need to live in the spirit and not in the flesh, unfortunately the body of Christ here on earth live mostly in the flesh and this is why we are not seeing enough of miracles in our lives. God in his faithfulness will often show up in the body of Christ to prove to us that he is still God and do things that are beyond our comprehension.
When the Lord through his Holy Spirit started teaching me about our spirit I was excited and amazed at the same time, I realized that we sometimes live in the spirit and then we often go back to the flesh and this is not what God intended for us as his children.
The Lord wants us to be constant by letting out spirit rule over our flesh, the flesh is of this realm and wants to be ruling our spirit and our soul! and because of where we are in this realm, our focus is always on where we are and meanwhile the word of God says this to us in the following bible verses:
John 17:16
They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
Jesus himself said to us that we are not of this world just as he is not of this world, but we are living more in this world all because we are here and our body which is just the vessel that we are using to carry our spirit and soul around is so used to this world and the bible also records this in :
Romans 12: 1 - 2
Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies [dedicating all of yourselves, set apart] as a living sacrifice, holy and well-pleasing to God, which is your rational (logical, intelligent) act of worship. And do not be conformed to this world [any longer with its superficial values and customs], but be transformed and progressively changed [as you mature spiritually] by the renewing of your mind [focusing on godly values and ethical attitudes], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His plan and purpose for you].
Our body is the temple of the Most High God and he lives in our bodies so that he can do his will in us through our body. This is why we have actually lost focus of our spirit just because we have concentrated so much on our flesh and the flesh is so used to dominating us, that we longer let our spirit dominate us.
Romans 8: 1 - 17
Therefore there is now no condemnation [no guilty verdict, no punishment] for those who are in Christ Jesus [who believe in Him as personal Lord and Savior]. For the law of the Spirit of life [which is] in Christ Jesus [the law of our new being] has set you free from the law of sin and of death. For what the Law could not do [that is, overcome sin and remove its penalty, its power] being weakened by the flesh [man’s nature without the Holy Spirit], God did: He sent His own Son in the likeness of sinful man as an offering for sin. And He condemned sin in the flesh [subdued it and overcame it in the person of His own Son], so that the [righteous and just] requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us who do not live our lives in the ways of the flesh [guided by worldliness and our sinful nature], but [live our lives] in the ways of the Spirit [guided by His power]. For those who are living according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh [which gratify the body], but those who are living according to the Spirit, [set their minds on] the things of the Spirit [His will and purpose]. Now the mind of the flesh is death [both now and forever—because it pursues sin]; but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace [the spiritual well-being that comes from walking with God—both now and forever]; the mind of the flesh [with its sinful pursuits] is actively hostile to God. It does not submit itself to God’s law, since it cannot, and those who are in the flesh [living a life that caters to sinful appetites and impulses] cannot please God.
However, you are not [living] in the flesh [controlled by the sinful nature] but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God lives in you [directing and guiding you]. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him [and is not a child of God]. If Christ lives in you, though your [natural] body is dead because of sin, your spirit is alive because of righteousness [which He provides]. And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit, who lives in you.
So then, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation, but not to our flesh [our human nature, our worldliness, our sinful capacity], to live according to the [impulses of the] flesh [our nature without the Holy Spirit]— for if you are living according to the [impulses of the] flesh, you are going to die. But if [you are living] by the [power of the Holy] Spirit you are habitually putting to death the sinful deeds of the body, you will [really] live forever. For all who are allowing themselves to be led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading again to fear [of God’s judgment], but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons [the Spirit producing sonship] by which we [joyfully] cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit Himself testifies and confirms together with our spirit [assuring us] that we [believers] are children of God. And if [we are His] children, [then we are His] heirs also: heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ [sharing His spiritual blessing and inheritance], if indeed we share in His suffering so that we may also share in His glory.
This says it all, we are not to live in the flesh but to live in the spirit, the flesh is strong and if we continue to live according to the flesh the word of God says it's death but if we choose to live according to the spirit it's life and through this we are called sons of God.
When Jesus was here on earth he did not conform to the ways of the world by living in the flesh but he knew who he was and was constantly in the spirit and this is why we saw him perform so many wonders. His focus was always his spirit and in the spiritual realm.
Our spirit must not be dormant but must be stronger than our flesh and our soul, remember that God said in his word that we are his spirit and his worshippers - (the body of Christ) must worship him in the spirit and in truth. We cannot worship God through the flesh, it cannot be possible mainly because we are spirits beings not fleshly beings.
Scriptures on spirit soul and body.
1 Thessalonians 5:23
Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Genesis 2:7
And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.
Galatians 5: 16 - 17
I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.
1 Corinthians 6: 19 - 20
Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.
Luke 1: 46 - 47
And Mary said:
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.
1 Corinthians 2: 14
But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
John 3:6
That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
We are to be so strong in our spirit and not allow our flesh to rule over our spirit, our flesh wants to have it's way all the time but this is not to be, our spirit is joined to the spirit of the Lord - 1 Corinthians 6:17. we are one with the Lord and since this is who we are in the spirit, as we have accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior, He has come to dwell in us and we in him.
This is the reason the word of God says that as he is so are we - 1 John 4: 17. In this world we are like Jesus. What does this mean to the body of Christ?.
As Jesus is so are we. The will of the Lord is for us to be like him in every aspect of our lives.
The point now is this, how do we get to that place of living here on earth as Jesus did?.
- Knowing him as my Lord and Savior
- Knowing his word
- Meditating on who he is
- Meditating on his word
- Prayer
- Speaking in tongues
- Submitting to his will
- loving him and our neighbors
And of course all this can only be achieved through the help of the Holy Spirit that lives in us.
Jesus said in John 14:26 that the Holy Spirit will help us and remind us of things that he said,. I totally rely on the help of the Holy Spirit to help me to focus on the fact that I am a Spirit being and needing to be reminded of this truth every time, the reason been that if I am not reminded I can see that I easily go back to the flesh realm and before I know it the flesh is now able to dominate my spirit! and this is not what God wants for us.
It's recorded in the word of God that the spirit of man is the candle of the Lord - Proverbs 20: 27, this simply means that our spirit is how the Lord connects with us, to live in his will and guides us into the right path in life. God is good and faithful to his word. All we really need to do here on earth is to concentrate on our spirit man that is much powerful than the flesh, and not let the flesh dominate us any longer.
And once the flesh is subdued the soul will submit to our spirit man and then the flesh will then submit to our spirit and our soul, and this is how God wants us to live. Living in our spirit then our soul and then the flesh will have to do what our spirit and soul wants. The soul is torn between the spirit and the flesh and this is why we need God's help in our reading of his word and allowing the word to change us.
Eventually when we get to the place of been dominated by our spirit, our soul will now follow our spirit and the flesh will no longer control our soul. The most important part of our being is our spirit, soul, and the flesh comes last, but because our focus is in this world we have allowed the flesh to be in charge which shouldn't be the case.
Thank God that in his love he reminds us of who we are and through his Spirit we can live a life that is full of miracles by his grace.
We are to live a life of victory by allowing our spirit to be stronger than our flesh, the flesh brings death, while our spirit brings us life and peace. Those that are of God will always live by the spirit and this gives us everlasting life. Living in the flesh will cause us a lot of harm than good. And God wants the body of Christ to be blessed here on earth.
The fruits of the spirit as been given to us by the presence of God in us has his body here on earth, which is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self - control. We just to activate it all in prayers and trusting in the help of the Holy Spirit to help us to be focused on our spirit being.
Remain blessed in your spirit man always.
