Spirituality
God wants us to look at the spiritual life until we believe it is within our reach. The word of God puts it clear in the book of Romans. There are seven blessings of the Spirit indicated in the chapter.
Romans 8:1-16 says, "8:1 [There is] therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
8:3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
8:4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
8:5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
8:6 For to be carnally minded [is] death; but to be spiritually minded [is] life and peace.
8:7 Because the carnal mind [is] enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
8:8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
8:10 And if Christ [be] in you, the body [is] dead because of sin; but the Spirit [is] life because of righteousness.
8:11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
8:12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
8:13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
8:15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: "
First: "Who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit" (v. 1)
Our life style and conduct is under the rule of the Spirit.
In Galatians 5:16,25 we read, " 5:16 [This] I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit."
Second: "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death" (v.2)
The Spirit brings us into freedom. Paul in the seventh chapter wrote of a believer, a regenerated man, who delights in the law of God, but who finds another law within his flesh that leads him into captivity to the law of sin and death. Paul says, 'I am a prisoner' 'I am a captive; I want to do good but cannot'
John 8:36 reads, "8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed."
Third: "They that are after the Spirit...[are] in the Spirit....the Spirit of God dwells in you" (vv.5,9)
The Christian has a new nature; God's Spirit is in him. The blessed union is when the Holy Spirit takes possession of me. I in Him and He in me, just as the air is in my lungs and the air surrounds me the two go together; I go into the air and the fresh air comes into me.
John 17:21-23 reads, " 17:21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, [art] in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
17:22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:
17:23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me."
Fourth: "Do mind...the things of the Spirit" (v.5) " To be spiritualy minded is life and peace" (v.6)
To mind the things of the spirit is to have a spiritual disposition. To be a spiritually minded man is to have the disposition of the Holy spirit; a heavenly minded man has the spirit and disposition of heaven. The Holy Spirit is ready to be breathed into me the very mind and disposition of Christ; that is what Paul meant when he wrote to the philippians.
Phil. 2:5 reads, "2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:"
Fifth: "If ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live" (v.13)
The Spirit makes death to sin an actual reality in our bodies. In any situation, the "body" that was always fed, will triumph. Be it flesh or spiritual. We are advised to feed our spiritual and starve or "flesh" and we shall live.
Romans 6:6 reads "Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin."
Romans 8:10 reads "And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness."
Sixth: " As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God" (v.14)
Devine guidance is ours through the Spirit of God.We must be willing to sacrifice everything, that we might be led by the spirit of God. Jesus was led by his father always and he is our example.
John 14:10,11 reads, "14:10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.
14:11 Believe me that I [am] in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake"
Seventh: "For ye have not received the Spirit of bondage again to fear; but have received the Spirit of adoption" (v.15)
The Spirit bears witness with our Spirits that we are the children of God. When we choose God we become his sons through Christ who died for us.
Luke 15:32 reads, "15:32 It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found."
Proverbs 14:27 reads "The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death."
John 5:24 reads, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life."
God enables one to walk after His Spirit. My walk is my spiritual conviction and my extenal behavior.The bible calls it, conduct or course of life. The unconverted men walk after the flesh.
The child of God is taken out of the life of the flesh and taken into the life of the spirit. The Spirit surrounds him with a divine power that is breathed into him. He is in the Spirit and the Spirit is in him.