Selah

It has been a season of reflection, and of attempted change with God reconfirming the direction I have been heading in. We often tend to think that it is about the quantity of our deeds. The more visible the better. Remember how God picked the Gideon's army. It was not about the numbers, but the heart. Or in their case, meeting a certain selection criteria. (In the New Testament, we are talking about the inward qualities, or the inner man. Not everyone who steps up to do the deeds, operates in their calling. It is best to make sure we know our gifting and calling according to 2 Peter 1:10.

2 Peter 1:10 New International Version 10 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble.

It is good to follow the inward tug and reach out to do the work of God. In some circles there is not much knowledge about the fivefold ascension gifts or ministry gifts for the edification of the church. Ephesians 4:11 New International Version 11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers.

In some circles we can hear mostly inspirational talk, which does some good, indeed, while it is the Word of God which makes us strong and invincible when we encounter the challenges of life. A known prophetic voice used to say that it is easy to remain godly if we were to die and go to be with God immediately after accepting our salvation, but it takes an effort to walk our godliness out in our everyday life (my paraphrase). There is preaching which can be inspirational, and it has its place and time. Sometimes all it takes is a spark. Or a thought inspired by the Holy Spirit. But it takes the teaching to stay on top when the floods come and storms rage around us.

I have grown up with the teaching obtained from the books of Kenneth E. Hagin. Now, it isn't just about reading them through. It is about the Word becoming a flesh in us. This happens by reading and meditation. There were some books, especially the one on the leading of the Spirit of God which God used to highlight the revelations in it. I meditated or ruminated on these places and gave them thought and prayed over them in spirit, and Holy Spirit opened them. These revelations became a part and a parcel of my inner spirit man - which is the real I. For it is not just about being born into this world. It is about being born of above, of the God-Life, via His spiritual seed.

Too many of us (I included, at least at certain times) have been walking our Christian life similar to the natural men. We are all, to begin with, natural human beings. But the new birth goes beyond it, turning us into new creation. 2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

This new creation signifies our spirit man which became alive when God's resurrection life touched it and raised it. We are in the likeness of God, as far as it concerns our spirit. But, from then on, it is a daily choice. Whether we are led by our spirit, or continue living our life as natural men.

Galatians tells us to be led by the spirit, and not follow our flesh (or live on as a natural man which was the way we used to live before we were born from His Spirit). It also teaches us how to do it.

Galatians 5:16-26 King James Version 16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. 18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

So, how to walk in the spirit? How to be led by the spirit?

See how I used the lowercase here, while the bible verse used the uppercase. Both apply.

But, after our new birth, we became a new creation. This new creation speaks of our regenerated spirit which is a new thing or a new creation.

It takes some updating of our mind, or changing the way our mind has been thus far programmed.

The Word of God helps us change it. It is called the renewing of our mind in Romans 12:2.

Romans 12:2 New International Version 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Previously, we used to walk according to our flesh, or the ways of our body and soul. Until our new birth experience changed it. A third part came into play. This was made in the perfect image of God when His Spirit touched and resurrected ours. We became a living spirit.

This is the place where many believers stop. Again, this is not to be seen via condemnation. God does not condemn us. He came down to us, and took on our likeness.

He paid the ultimate sacrifice to redeem us.

He is not in the condemning business. He is in the Redemption business.

His thoughts toward us are good, and kind and helpful. His plans for us consider what is best for us.

*And He does not do it the way some good-willing, but ignorant family members or acquaintances (who tend to offer us their unsolicited advice) may do. There are always people with ideas around us. They do not hesitate to disclose these ideas. But ultimately, it is up to us to pass our own decisions. Yes, God has given us a brain and everything He did was very well done, including our brain. So, do not follow the Mao Zedong policy ('we do not need our brains, Mao thinks for us') and discard your brain. God gave you also a sound mind, and ability to think and consider your options. But all in all, and especially when you are facing a pivotal decision, take your time to make it sure that you have obtained His advice.

It may seem something nebulous and far out. But as a spiritual being you are in a different league. Do not discard your spirit which is in touch with the Spirit of God. He knows all. He knows what is best for us. And He will always give us a (good) piece of His mind whenever we need it.

Just learn to quiet your mind which is what He means when He tells you to go into your chamber....and shut the door.

*In Isaiah 26:20 He talks to His natural people, the Israelites, using the natural to convey a spiritual idea for the people of the NT testament who are the people of the spirit, and can see and understand His words from a spiritual perspective.

The spiritual perspective does not mean that we have to take this literally and climb into our wardrobe or closet to talk to God. It means the reduction of the noise and constant activity, shutting it out, and being still in our mind. Not exactly like Eastern yogis who attempt to reach the state of enlightenment via their type of spiritual connection.

We already have the spirit within us. And the big thing is that while we used to be aware of our soul and body, now we have more. And this more signifies our spirit. Our spirit is the new I on the throne of our life. If we let it be there, and do not let the familiar natural man combo of our soul and body to derail it.

**We do not need to push and try, for God has already made a way. It is like a readymade meal. All it takes is to warm it up. We warm it up in the spiritual sense by feeding our spirit man. Spirit man needs spiritual sustenance which is the Word of God - the Rhema or revelatory word of God, the promises of the Bible and anything Holy Spirit leads our attention to and highlights. We ponder upon it, and we mediate on it in the spiritual sense which resembles our natural way of eating. We ruminate, we give it thought and we pray in spirit over these words - and Holy Spirit opens their meaning, speaking to us via these words.

He is not limited by this type of speaking. But He uses these Words from the Bible to strengthen and enliven our inside man, the spirit within us - who has become a new "I" since our birth from above which turned us into a new creation. Holy, and blameless and made in the image of God.

Therefore there is no condemnation to the ones who are in Him, the ones who have accepted His gift of redemption, and opened their hearts to His Holy Spirit.

Romans 8:1-4 NIV Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

Galatians 5: 24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

How? When we are heavy in our spirit, the spirit prevails. When we starve our spirit, our natural man prevails.

It is all about the right feeding, which part of us we feed more.

If we feed our soul more, our soul is stronger, and it is open to the ways of the flesh as it provides an opening to the enemy to whisper his lies and bring fear and ultimately death by destruction, va destructive thought patterns and lies - remember how the first couple was pulled down, the enemy has not changed his tactics.

And when we feed our spirit, our spirit prevails and we walk very naturally according to the spirit.

Always remember, there is no condemnation. Whatever God made, He made for the benefit of the man, the human beings - you and me. He made it for the good of the mankind, never for the destruction. Avoid the doomsayers. Get to know Him via His Word, and learn to quiet your mind by shutting out the noises and hustle-bustle of the busy world around us. Yes, you can do it in the middle of the busy world, for we live in this world. You can hear Him everywhere, whenever you are in a transport vehicle or elsewhere. It takes a conscious focus, and moreover, an alignment. A spiritual alingnment which keeps your communication line intact and free from the noise of the interference.