WHAT IS ‘SPIRIT’???? WHAT IS GOSPEL??? WHAT IS FAITH??? So many questions. So much terminology. What does it all mean??? Spirit of God, led by the Spirit, poor in Spirit, casting out of spirits, unclean spirits, willing
FAITH IS AN ACTION VERB.
spirit, perceptive spirit, depth of spirit, dumb spirit, foul spirit, spirit of Elias, my spirit, strong in spirit, power of spirit, manner of spirit, submissive spirits, disembodied spirit, birthing spirit, AND…WELL…YOU GET IT!! WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN????
It means that the ‘spirit’ is a separate part of man…apart from the physical body…but dwelling within the physical body while on the corruptible side of existence. It is the KNOWING part of a man…the part made ‘in the image of God’…the part of man called ‘will.’ It is INVISIBLE…and is seen ….or manifested through the deeds of the physical body (By their fruits(deeds) ye shall know them). GOD IS A DISEMBODIED, LIVING, THINKING, SUPREMELY INTELLECTUAL …AND INVISIBLE… ‘S P I R I T.’ Unseen but REAL!!! REAL!! God’s ‘Spirit’ first communicates with man’s spirit through the written Word as revealed by the unseen, felt, and encountered..Holy Spirit. Man’s ’spirit’ must respond to God’s communicative efforts. When the Spirit of God and the ‘spirit’ of man comes together in ‘invisible’ but REAL spiritual communication…FELLOWSHIP IS BEGUN!!! No communication…no fellowship. God’s ‘Spirit’ and man’s ‘spirit’ are the force…the eternal link through which the two communicate. Apart from a connection between the two…worship cannot happen. Christianity is much, much, more than ‘following’ traditions. It requires one to ‘follow’ Christ..through communication with the Holy Spirit (unseen but R E A L !!!)
GOSPEL is the ‘how to’ for finding, following, and experiencing God. FAITH is the manifestation of the Gospel in the spirit of the man who KNOWS God and who is KNOWN by God..
2co 5:7 For we walk by faith, not by sight (Remember that FAITH and its fruits are the outward manifestation of an inward presence of God. Faith is not merely ‘believing’ in God. Satan believes and trembles at the reality and power of God. But Satan does not ‘believe’ IN God…nor does he have FAITH. Faith does not exist apart from the Gospel of the Kingdom preached by Christ. Both the Gospel and Faith are from the Spirit of God….into the ’spirit’ (soul) of the willing believer. Faith is the offspring of the Gospel conceived. Faith is the outcome of KNOWING God. Faith is a gift from God and is not given to the wicked….nor to those who practice sin. It is present only within an intimate relationship with Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. FAITH IS PROOF OF THE INDWEELING PRESENCE OF GOD. Faith is the seed which flowers into righteousness…into holiness. FAITH results from divine revelation from God to man. FAITH is ‘spiritual’…invisible…unseen. Only its fruits are manifested….visible….seen……through deeds done in the body. Although our traditions teach ‘man is human and cannot keep from sin’…..THE GOSPEL DEMANDS HOLINESS…..THROUGH FAITH. God speaks for himself in the matter of Spirit, Gospel, Faith….GOD’S PERFECT WORK!!!
John 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
Joh 14:17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
Joh 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
Joh 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come.
Ro 2:29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.
Ro 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.
Ro 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
Ro 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Ro 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.
Ro 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.
Ro 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
Ro 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.
Ro 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
Ro 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
1co 2:10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep thinghs of God.
1co 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of te world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
1co 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
1co 2:13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
1co 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
1co 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
1co 3:17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
1co 6:9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
1co 6:10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
1co 6:11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
1co 6:15 Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid.
1co 6:16 What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh.
1co 6:17 But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.
1co 6:18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.
1co 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
1co 12:4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
1co 12:5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.
1co 12:6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.
1co 12:8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
1co 12:10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:
1co 12:11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.
1co 12:12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
1co 12:13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
2co 3:17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
2co 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
2co 5:1 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
2co 5:2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:
2co 5:3 If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.
2co 5:4 For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life
2co 5:5 Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.
2co 5:6 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord
2co 5:7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)
2co 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
2co 7:1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
Ga 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
Ga 5:17 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.
Ga 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
Ga 5:20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
Ga 5:21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
Ga 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Ga 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Ga 5:24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
Ga 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
Ga 6:8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
Eph 3:14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Eph 3:15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,
Eph 3:16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
Eph 3:17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
Eph 3:18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
Eph 3:19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
Eph 3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
Eph 3:21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES FOR TYPES OF ‘SPIRIT’ NOTED IN BEGINNING PARAGRAPH: (Mt 3:16 Spirit of God / Mt 4:1 Jesus led up of the Spirit / Mt 5:3 poor in spirit / Mt 8:16 cast out the spirits / Mt 10:1 unclean spirits…Mt 12:43 / Mt 26:41… the spirit indeed is willing / Mr 2:8 Jesus perceived in his spirit / Mr 8:12 And he sighed deeply in his spirit / Mr 9:17… which hath a dumb spirit / Mr 9:25 foul spirit / Lu 1:17 spirit and power of Elias / Lu 1:47 my spirit / Lu 1:80 strong in spirit / Lu 4:14 power of the Spirit / Lu 9:55 manner of spirit ye are of / Lu 10:20 spirits are subject unto you / Lu 24:39 spirit hath not flesh and bones / Joh 3:5 born of water and of the Spirit)
“Christianity is much, much, more than ‘following’ traditions. It requires one to ‘follow’ Christ..through communication with the Holy Spirit (unseen but R E A L !!!)”
I would absolutely agree with this statement. Christianity is beginning to feel more like traditon which leaves me dissatisfied. I also recognize my short comings in this process as well. I really don’t know if it is easier be a christian now (where everything is unseen and requires faith) or when Jesus was around.
harleyq2, thanks for visiting! You are right concerning contemporary ‘christianity’ which is based more on tradition…than on the First Love. Our ‘christianity’ today seems very similar to the ‘christians’ of Ephesus. They were very committed to church and its workings. But they were not committed to Christ. Therefore, they were commanded to ‘Repent’ or be damned. But God knows all that. He sees. He hears. He reads hearts. And in all the things WRONG with the world AND with christianity (using little ‘c’ to reflect apostasy)….sprinkled throughout christendom and churchtendom (lol) are the real deals. And while God called those who find the true path…’few’….when time is accomplished…these ‘few’ of each generation of man…will be a number which cannot be counted by man.
Re 7:9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;
Re 7:10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.
Re 7:11 And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God,
Re 7:12 Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen
God be thanked that He continues to form and birth babies into His kingdom…in to His family. He, indeed, is a precious and loving Father.
Again, thanks for visiting.
Carolyn
I love the power in the Word! Reading through all of these Scriptures co-insides remarkably with the book I am currently reading. . . “The Release of the Spirit” by Watchman Nee. I’m not sure if it is still in print (I’ve had this copy since the 60′s) but I think you would find it very interesting (and may I say confirming). Thanks