Life In The Spirit

Romans 8:1-8 (TEV)

1. There is no condemnation now for those who live in union with Christ Jesus.
2. For the law of the Spirit, which brings us life in union with Christ Jesus, has set me free from the law of sin and death.
3. What the Law could not do, because human nature was weak, God did. He condemned sin in human nature by sending his own Son, who came with a nature like our sinful nature, to do away with sin.
4. God did this so that the righteous demands of the Law might be fully satisfied in us who live according to the Spirit, and not according to human nature.
5. Those who live as their human nature tells them to, have their minds controlled by what human nature wants. Those who live as the Spirit tells them to, have their minds controlled by what the Spirit wants.
6. To be controlled by human nature results in death; to be controlled by the Spirit results in life and peace.
7. And so people become enemies of God when they are controlled by their human nature; for they do not obey God’s law, and in fact they cannot obey it.
8. Those who obey their human nature cannot please God.

Romans 8:11 (TEV) If the Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from death, lives in you, then he who raised Christ from death will also give life to your mortal bodies by the presence of His Spirit in you.

God’s spirit in us is what causes life in our bodies. Without it there can be no real life.  Real life being, the life we proclaim to live as Christ. Devine life. His spirit “quickens us” (makes us alive) internally and causes us to operate as we normally would not be able to function such as in love, in peace with joy, in humility.

Our bodies are flesh and blood but do not matter because if our spirits are alive, then our flesh is dead. If our spirits are alive, our flesh does not matter to us. This is why we are able to love and have joy and have peace beyond what we can understand. It is not us living on our own at this point. It is God’s Spirit living through us. We don’t live by our flesh and blood bodies when God’s Holy Spirit takes over. We live out of our spirit. Our spirit lives for us and on our behalf.

Crucify The Flesh

Once we crucify (deny) our flesh, our spirit is made even more alive and has full influence over everything we do. Our spirits become the head decision makers and influence over our actions. To get to this point, we simply have to allow it.

This requires us to allow Galatians 5:16-26 to govern our lives.  This passage of scripture tells us how to “crucify” the flesh so that our spirit is developed.

In short, to crucify the flesh means to deny yourself of everything contrary to what the word of God wants and to feed your spirit by consistently staying in the word of God.

In the beginning our flesh is stronger and wants us to keep up certain earthly habits. But as we learn the word of God, which is spirit, we must practice doing the word of God daily as our act of faith. Our flesh does not want to do this because it is very alive; however as we keep reading, studying, obeying and practicing the word of God our flesh dies and our spirit literally takes over. This is how we have victory in the spirit.

Our appetite changes. We are no longer concerned about TV and other worldly things we considered fun; but we instead crave things of God like fellowship in His word, praise, worship and spiritual things.

The Holy Spirit

This is the “Promise” of the Holy Spirit.  (John 14:15) This takes us to a new level.  We are then able to understand the things of the spirit. We are able to discern things that are of the spirit and things that are not.  We can then say “Amen” to confirm what the spirit is saying. If we are in the spirit, then we can war in the spirit.

The Holy Spirit is the key to us living a successful and supernatural life in Christ. It/He literally is the answer to all our prayers, our needs, our wants and desires. It/He is the end-all, the be-all.

If we have God’s Holy Spirit (Jesus) dwelling on the inside of us, there is victory all the time. There are no issues. The Holy Spirit is supreme. He reigns for us. He teaches us. He leads us. He guides us. He knows all. He is all. It is how we are able to have the God kind of faith.

God’s Holy Spirit is Jesus, now a living Spirit from God. He merges with our spirits to make us like Him.  Like God.  Psalms 82:7 “And I have said, ye are gods.”

Find Your Future In Me

Jeremiah 29:11 My plans are to prosper you.  I have no intention of EVER harming you.  Find your hope in me.

I find my future in my God.  I thank you Father for direction . . . for guidance and for Hope.  I thank you for my future.  I thank you for prospering and protecting me.

Approach every situation you face with an open mind, knowing that I am fully attentive to you and your needs.

Thank you, Father that you are indeed attentive to my needs.  I am listening.  I am open.  I am still, knowing that you are God.

You must seek me . . . God for yourself first, before you can seek me for anyone else. Focus on you and I will change everything around you.

Okay Lord, I focus on you and whatever you want me to do.

Allow me to surround you like a shield.  This is your Faith, through which nothing can penetrate.  My faith is your faith.  It is a strong lasting faith.  It will sustain you.

Father, make your strength perfect in me during my time of weakness.  Let me have that perfect Love that drives out all fear.  Show me how to love.  Thank you Father, for your peace.

As you begin to read, some of the words and terms may may seem foreign in the beginning, but you will be surprised at how you begin to actually understand what the bible is really saying.

The first key is praying to God first and asking Him what will he have you to learn from the bible.  Ask him for understanding.  Don’t force it.  It will come.  Then when you read, whatever insight you are provided, take note of.  It can be little or small inspiration that you get when you read the bible.

The second key is understanding that the bible has special messages in it just for you.  It has the answer to questions or challenges you face.  There is always an answer for you in the bible no matter what you are facing.  It takes time to grow in God’s word.  You will not know all the answers at once.

The third key to understanding is obey what you read in the bible.  This is the key to deeper understanding and revelation.  Jesus said if we obey, then He would pray to the Father and the Father will send us a helper.  This helper is the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit is also our teacher.  This is the best way to learn how to understand messages that would apply specifically to our lives and the issues we face.

Finally, to understand the bible it is good to get an easy to read version.  This will help because the bible can speak to you in terms you can relate.

When I first started trying to study the bible for myself, I was learning from a minister who had just completed bible college and starting a new church.  We would go from the front of the bible to the back.  The one thing I noticed in common is that we would always study bible verses by topic.

This was quite different than looking up scriptures in the concordance which was indexed by keyword.  We stayed on a topic for months until we learned that topic and that topic was embedded in us.  Over a period of time I ended up with a collection of bible verses by topic.  There is an answer in the bible for everything we face and a set of scriptures that go with it.

If you want more faith, you can read all the scriptures that relate to faith.  If you want to have joy, you can read all the scriptures that relate to joy.  However, there is more to it than just looking up the word “faith” or “joy” in the bible and reading every related scripture to the topic.

There has to be some actual studying that takes place where you allow God’s Holy Spirit to give you the meaning.  This is what helps our faith to grow.  Studying by topic allows you to get full perspective and meaning.  It grounds you in a subject.

One thing I find effective is hearing bible scriptures read aloud and reading along with them.  It has double the effect on the senses.  You can see and hear the scriptures at the same time.

To begin your quest of studying bible verses on your own, choose a topic and begin searching for all bible verses related to that topic.  Allow God to lead you to bible verses that go specifically with that topic.  When you do study the bible, make sure to give it your undivided attention in order to get the most benefit.

If you would like a jump-start, you can begin by downloading the free video of healing scriptures on this website.  Read, study them and confess them until you get complete understanding of the topic of healing.  You will also be led to do additional study and find additional scriptures, which will add to your knowledge.

In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve initially knew no sin until it was introduced to them.  Did you know that it is possible to live a life without sin?  The bible tells us in 3rd John verse 11 that whoever continues to remain in sin has never seen Him or know Him.  That means, how can we live a life of sin if we really know God because to know Him is to “abide in” His son and to “abide in” His son causes us to be able to live the life that God calls for us to live.  It is impossible then to live a life of “purposeful” sin and know God.

God gives us the power by means of His Holy Spirit to be able to obey His word fully and then we can be like Him.  This is how we can be perfect.  We cannot live a sin-free life in our own strength, but it is possible to do if we allow full control over our lives to Him.

Like a child, if we remain in God’s word and surround ourselves with people, communication and environments that promote the things of God, we will be innocent about what is evil and all we will know is good.  This is what He wants from us!

Many believe that the Holy Spirit is some weird way of behaving in Christians.  The truth on how to receive the Holy Spirit is contrary to what we may have seen or heard about.  It comes through “love” and “obedience to God’s word.”  The passages of scripture below taken from the “Good News Translation” (GNT) explain.  In short, if we love Jesus, we will obey and if we obey; and if we obey, He promises to send us a helper, the Holy Spirit.

Love is the beginning of miracles. No miracles can be done without it.  It is important that we learn how to love if we want to see change happen in us and around us.  Love can be “seemingly uncomfortable,” but its results are immediate.  Our belief that love is difficult is a deception of the enemy.  Love is doing.  It is not forceful, deceitful, or manipulative.  Love considers others first and is genuine with no hidden agendas.  Lastly, love is not something you feel.  It is something you do.

John Chapter 14:

12 I am telling you the truth: those who believe in me will do what I do – yes, they will do even greater things, because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask for in my name, so that the Father’s glory will be shown through the Son. 14 If you ask me for anything in my name, I will do it.

The Promise of the Holy Spirit

15 If you love me, you will obey my commandments. 16 I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, who will stay with you forever. 17 He is the Spirit, who reveals the truth about God. The world cannot receive him,  because it cannot see him or know him. But you know him, because he remains with you and is in you.

21 Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. My Father will love those who love me; I too will love them and reveal myself to them.

22 Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said,
“Lord, how can it be that you will reveal yourself to us and not to the world?”

23 Jesus answered him, Those who love me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and my Father and I will come to them and live with them. 24 Those who do not love me do not obey my teaching. And the teaching you have heard is not mine, but comes from the Father, who sent me.

The Holy Spirit: Our Teacher, Helper and Comforter

26 The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and make you remember all that I have told you.

27 Peace is what I leave with you; it is my own peace that I give you. I do not give it as the world does. Do not be worried and upset; do not be afraid.

John Chapter 15:

In verses 1 – 6, Jesus uses a tree(vine) and fruit relationship as an analogy to our relationship with him.  Fruit not connected to a tree eventually dies.  Branches that are cut off a tree are used as wood for fire.  It is burned up and consumed.  If we are disconnected from Jesus, we die… we are consumed by fire.

Answered Prayer By Abiding in Him

7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, then you will ask for anything you wish, and you shall have it. 8 My Father’s glory is shown by your bearing much fruit; and in this way you become my disciples.

How to Love

9 I love you just as the Father loves me; remain in my love. 10 If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love.

Remaining in His Love Gives You Complete Joy

11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.

This is the truth about how to receive the Holy Spirit.  It is not some ritual you have to go through.  It isn’t wrong if people lead you and guide you through the process, either.  However, it really is as easy as following God’s word about obeying and walking in love to receive the Holy Spirit.

ITS LIKE WORKING OUT

Do you know that we really can live a super human powered life? I was talking with a friend once.  During the conversation I was telling her about a time in my life where everything worked almost instantly and that this is what I had to get back to.

It’s kind of like working out.  You get really nice and tone and you look good.  Then you slack off and you start to get flabby.  We wouldn’t dare think about slacking off eating to the point where we forget to eat and only eat every now and then.  We’re setting ourselves up for a weak and mal-nutritioned body if we do that.  Our spirits are the same way if we don’t feed them.  Our spirits are what we live by.  Whatever is in our spirit is what we will produce externally.

Our weapons of warfare are not carnal.  That means we don’t “fight fire with fire,” as they say.  We don’t address our issues in the realm we can see.  We address our issues in the spirit . . . in a space that we cannot see.  Rather than attacking a problem directly, we use the power that we have been given to destroy the spirit of influence that is causing us the trouble. This is what makes us super human.

UNHAPPINESS MAKES US SICK

When a person is sick, many times it is a result of some spiritual or emotional issue that “manifested” itself or showed up as some kind of illness.  A broken heart for example can cause depression and even heart problems.  People get sick and sometimes have a hard time treating the illness.  If the illness was due to some emotional manifestation, the person won’t be healed no matter how much medication and treatment they get until they let go of that emotional baggage.  Bitterness of a divorce is a great example of this.

Did you know that love heals? It really does.  It is our secret “super human” power.  Love is a supernatural energy or inspiration.  It is not an emotion like anger or happiness.  It has nothing to do with the way you feel about a person.  Love causes you to “do stuff” that you would not in your own power do.  Because I love someone I do those things that add value and life to them.

ANGER TAKES AWAY OUR POWER

When a person is angry over a particular situation . . . you may have said this yourself – I know I have said it before – “I get mad all over again every time I think about it.”  The problem is in the thinking about it.  Don’t think about it and you won’t dwell on it.  Don’t rehearse the scene in your head over and over.

I heard an elder at my church say, you have to erase the tape in your head and play a different tape. Play a tape of what you want in your life.  The bible tells us what to think – think on whatever is good, pure, righteous and true.

Being super human.  If we know that everything that happens, happens as a result of one of two influences (good – or bad), then we know how to address every issue.  Every action we take is influenced by either “good” or “bad.”

When a person mistreats someone, an evil spirit influenced them.  When you are kind to a person, a good spirit or God’s spirit influenced them.  Galatians 5:16-22 compares and contrasts good an evil very well.  There is no in-between.

So what does it mean to be “super human?”  God’s word is spirit.  You can’t see it.  Neither can you see evil spirits.  To be super human is to live just like God and with the same power and authority He has. Many people don’t believe we have this ability.

Do this exercise: Blow air from your mouth just as you would when you are outside in the cold.  Can you see the air?  No you can’t.  The point being, if you speak God’s word, which is spirit, it has power.  You cannot see the words coming out of your mouth.  It is just like the invisible air you blowed.

Spiritual words that come out of your mouth and are filled with faith are just like a shield.  They form a hedge of protection around you.  They are just like a weapon.  They cancel out evil.  They literally destroy evil.  These are in essence our weapons of protection and war.

Whenever someone says something negative to me I always like to respond back with my own positive words so that my “spirit-filled” words cancel out the negativity.  This is my weapon of protection.

It came to me as a shock one day when my Pastor was teaching on confession and how everything we have in our lives is a result of what we have said.  Then I thought about what he said.  Then I thought about some things I have always said.  I have always said, “I will never be fat.”  I have always said about my children, “I have good children.”  These and many other things I have said all turned out to be what happened in my life.

It makes you become more responsible with your words.  In witchcraft, you always see it portrayed on tv where they have to speak some words in order to cast a spell.  It is the same for us.  We have to speak some words in order to break a spell.

Jesus spoke to the winds and the rain and they obeyed.  We can do the same.  I’ve tried it and it worked on more than one occasion!

We have to believe and do not doubt, but only God’s word embedded in us (abiding in) can cause us to not doubt.

At some point, being super human becomes natural.

HOW DO WE GET TO SUPER HUMAN STATUS?

It all starts with purification.  The bible says confess your faults one to another so that you may be healed.  Just admit and acknowledge things you have done wrong with the intent to do better.  Then do it.  If you need to forgive someone, forgive.  Don’t hold any “ill” feelings against anyone.  It causes illness.  We have to be just like children in this area.  Children are very forgiving.

Once you have purified yourself, you want to find out from God what to do next.  Matthew 6:33 Seek what God requires of you and He will give you your heart’s desires.  Read his word, study it and think on it so it can be a part of your spirit.  This is what really makes you super human.

Lastly, obey what God tells you to do.  This is your priority.

True freedom is waking up in the morning and being able to say “Father, what do you want me to do today?”

When people say I love you
They don’t know that it’s not true
Because to say “I love you”
Is an action; something you do

How would “I Love You” look
Towards your mother or your father
Towards your sister or your brother
Towards your son or your daughter

Towards your spouse or your friend
Will you be there in the end?
Can you show them by your actions
Your words are not some fad that’s in

“I ove you” is a power
It is strength, it is a force
Without it there are no miracles, no healings
Because love is the ultimate source

Many cannot truly love
Because true love they haven’t seen
It’s the kind of love – that is regardless
Only love can make you clean

Don’t ever say “I love you”
Unless you mean it
And you can show it
And others have seen it
And then you know it

I hope you enjoy this poem on love.  We generally don’t think about the implications of using this term.  If you genuinely love someone, it will show in what you do.  To love someone is to treat them the way that God would.  True love has no fear of rejection, or abuse or wrong doing.  True love is the only force or power that can cause miracles to happen.  True love says, “I love you regardless and not because.”

Hebrews 11:6 Without faith it is impossible to please God.

Faith is the basis of our relationship with God.  Faith is doing.  Faith is creating.  Faith is vision.  God had a vision prior to creating the earth and then He spoke it into existence.  It is the same with us.  We get an idea, a vision and then we speak our plans out loud or we “say” that we will do “this” or “that.”  Then we begin taking action to produce the end result.  Faith without actions does not produce results.  This is how faith works – in a nutshell.  Nothing complicated.

So what causes us to not have faith?  What causes our faith not to work?  Sometimes we think we are acting in faith, and we may be doing all we know, but there are things that can actually hinder your faith.  Sin is one of them.  Strife is another.  Strife is ill feelings in your heart, bitterness or anger toward another person. Heart issues stop faith from producing.

When you ask God for something, Jesus says believe when you pray and don’t doubt and you will have it.  Jesus also said: “If you abide in me and my word abides in you, you shall ask whatever you will and it will be done for you.“  If Jesus really lives in you, there is no room for doubt.  And if He lives in you, His word is in you.  That means you operate by His word and His power.

Hebrews 10:36 “Ye have need of patience that after you have done the will of God, ye shall receive the promise.”

Whatever it is you want from God after you have prayed for it.  Find out what He requires you to do regarding the thing you asked for.  Listen for His answer.  Do what He said.  Then have patience.   Sometimes what He requires you to do takes you through a certain process and after you complete it, you will have what you asked for.

If you want God to bless you with a profitable business, He may require you to educate yourself first, then do certain steps and finally implement your marketing plan.  You won’t see profit until after you have done all that is required.

Finally, our faith doesn’t work if our conscious condemns us.  If our conscious condemns us or lets just say if we have a guilty conscious, we don’t think we deserve the best.  What causes your conscious condemn you?  Things you did in the past can cause you to feel unworthy.  Sin can cause you to feel unworthy.  People intimidating you can cause you to feel unworthy.

For sin, the bible says God is faithful and just to forgive us.  Once we are forgiven, we have to be bold about what we want and believe we deserve it.  Every other negative feeling that would cause us to feel unworthy are lies.  You have to know that you deserve the best. That is important.  Otherwise feelings of doubt will creep in and you won’t believe it will happen for you.  If you remain in God’s word, you can have so much confidence and know that if He grants anyone what they want, it will be you.

Many times we have been misled to think we are only human and that it is not possible to live fully and perfectly for God.  But we can abide – live totally by – live totally for – live totally in God, and obey His will.  Then we can be confident in our requests of God.  This then, is how faith works:  it works by our confidence in God.  Our confidence in God comes when we are obedient to His word.

If you want to know how to confess your sins, it is as easy as confessing your faults.  I will give you examples of how this works.

But first, I would like to present a different way of looking at what we consider sin is.  We all have faults.  However, we don’t really look at faults as sin.  We look at them as things we need to improve on. This is true, but it doesn’t make us realize that our faults are sin and so we won’t recognize the need to confess them.

The bible talks about sins of “omission” and sins of “commission.”  Omission being sin we commit without trying to or even without knowing it.  I am not talking about addictions.  These are not sins of omission.  Sins of commission we know it is wrong to do, but consciously make  choice that this is what we plan to do.  Sins of commission have to do with what you know.

The bible tells us if we truly know God, we won’t live a life of sin.  Sure, we will still have faults.  But this is why we pray daily to be forgiven.  And we have to practice forgiving others if we want to be forgiven.

In addition to confessing our sins to God, the bible also instructs us to confess our faults to each other so that we can be healed.  What do you recognize in your life as a fault today?  Then, you can go to God and confess that to him.

Did you also know that you can be in an ordinary conversation talking to someone about what you would like to improve about you?  This is confession your fault.  But it is good to share your faults only with someone who can provide you with proper guidance or encouragement for getting better.

I wanted to start eating right everyday to improve my health.  I also wanted to start a routine exercise.  I told my daughter about it.  Now she makes sure I am staying on track by challenging me and regularly asking questions about what I have eaten for the day.

Confessing your faults to others, gets things out in the open and opens up the opportunity for others to help you.  You then have a support system.

If you have financial problems because of your spending habits, you can talk to someone who is good at managing money and let them know that you would like to be better.  They can help you by putting a plan in place for you to follow and you have to cooperate.

If you have emotional issues or personality conflicts with people, you can confess that issue to someone close to you and the can help you get over those things.

The key to confessing your faults is confessing to the right person or people.  You want to talk to someone who genuinely cares about your well being and has the right knowledge to help you get better.  Sometimes people who love us don’t have the answers and so the answers we get are inaccurate and don’t benefit us.  This is why I stress this.

Lastly, even if you don’t know who to talk to and your desire is to get better, you can Pray to God and ask Him to lead you to the right person or information that will help you.

If you are willing to know the things that are wrong and that are hindering you in your life, God will show you if you allow him.