WALK IN THE SPIRIT
We need to walk according to the new man, Messiah Y'shua. Ephesians 4:23-29,31-32 It has to be an ongoing relationship with the Father and Son through the Holy Spirit.
ONGOING RELATIONSHIP
The seal of the Spirit is the initial deposit of the Spirit which is imparted into our lives, received at salvation, which He purchased for us by His blood (Ephesians 1:13 the 'earnest' of our inheritance; 2 Corinthians 1:22)
This measure of the Spirit needs to be added to, to complete the measure of Messiah in our life. This was the redemption of the 'possession' which was purchased at Calvary (Ephesians 1:14), from which we must grow up into Him in all things (Ephesians 4:15)
The Holy Spirit needs to increase in our lives until He completely fills us and our salvation has been completely worked out by us coming into all He purchased for us. Ephesians 4:13
"Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God which works in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." Philippians 2:12b, 13
"Being confident of this very thing, that he which has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Y'shua the Messiah." Philippians 1:6
Yahweh works in and through His Spirit that dwells within us to complete the work of salvation in our life, which He will do if unhindered – that is, if we yield to Him.
Our full inheritance is God's intention & purpose, the choice ours, whether it will be a 30, 60 or 100-fold increase?
BREAK-DOWN OF RELATIONSHIP
"Grieve not the Holy Spirit whereby you are sealed unto the day of redemption" Break down in our relationship with Yahweh, causes Him grief Ephesians 1:13,14 "Quench not the Spirit" (1 Thessalonians 5:19) the flame of the Spirit in our hearts- the zeal and love.
These two aspects are related to POWER & RELATIONSHIP (His Power and Presence in our lives)
The Holy Spirit is pictured as a dove, and is tender, easily wounded, without gall, therefore He cannot partake of anything 'bitter'. He withdraws from all that is flesh (Ex.14:23-25)
Allow Him reign, or insult Him and He will be quenched and grieved
THEREFORE -
SILENCE THE WORKINGS OF THE NATURAL MIND so as to be receptive to the spiritual mind, i.e.. the mind of Messiah. When one is operating the other cannot.
YIELD THE WILL unto God, so that all our faculties are under the influence of the Holy Spirit. The only way He can guide is when there is submission.
OBEDIENCE IS NECESSARY to the movings/promptings of the Spirit, for He is our means of perception of that which the Father is doing. We lose contact if don't keep in step.
OTHERWISE -- NO PROGRESS/GROWTH
"But of him are ye in Messiah Y'shua, who of God is made unto us wisdom, "He is the source of your life in Y'shua the Messiah, whom God made our wisdom, " 1 Corinthians 1:31 Amplified Version)
"For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But WE HAVE THE MIND OF MESSIAH" 1 Corinthians 2:14,16
The deposit of The Holy Spirit within is the source of all wisdom and knowledge. We have the mind of Messiah through His indwelling presence. John 16:14,15; also James 1:5
"But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them for they are spiritually discerned.
"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. "For to be carnally (naturally) minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. (in harmony/unity with the source of life)
"Because the carnal mind (the mind of the fleshly nature) is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh CANNOT please God." Romans 8:5-8
There are two sources of life, the natural and the spiritual, the outlook of each are opposed one to the other, and belong to different 'worlds'. We cannot perceive spiritual things while in the fleshly realm. We need to come out of the flesh to enter the Spirit. To 'see' and understand spiritual realities, requires our spiritual perceptions to be exercised. The natural life operates under different laws/principles to the spiritual life – and is not, and cannot be subject to them.
But actually, “you are not in the flesh IF the Spirit of God is dwelling in you”. (Romans 8:9a) , that is, if you are abiding in Him, in the Word and not in sin - walking according to your own mind, i.e. your own reasonings.
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart; (for wisdom, revelation etc.) and lean not unto your own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him; and He shall direct your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes: fear the Lord and depart from evil." (the root of evil is self-determination - i.e. your own way) Proverbs 3:5-7
"The god of this world has blinded the minds of them that believe not " - lest the illumination of Messiah should penetrate their hearts 2 Corinthians 4:4 Unbelief causes spiritual blindness Hebrews 3:19; 4:1,2 Unbelief = Disobedience
Unbelief is not receiving the Word and allowing it to penetrate and persuade the heart to bring about obedience. Unbelief involves reasonings 'hath God said?', 'does this apply to me?'. Reasonings justify excuses against obeying. The Word of God as a result, is made of no effect - Mk.7:6-13
DISCERN HIM BY FAITH.
Knowing Him requires faith – it is not a natural relationship. We cannot know Him through our fleshly perceptions. 2 Corinthians 5:16 It is not revealed by 'flesh and blood' perceptions - sight, hearing etc. - Matt.16:17b
Faith is the faculty which opens up the spiritual realm. (definition Heb.11:1)
"While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:18
We change according to what we behold 2 Corinthians 3:18 - we reflect the image of what occupies our minds. We can choose what occupies our attention!
"If you then were raised with Messiah, seek those things which are above, where Messiah sits on the right hand of God. (reality of His victory over sin & death)
Set your affection (thinking) on things above, not on things on the earth." Colossians 3:1-3
Natural thinking hinders our perceptions and receptivity to the Spirit. We need to keep our minds on the spiritual. We need to live in spiritual realities, in resurrection life – in victory over the flesh.
"For whatsoever is born of God overcomes the world: and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith" 1 John 5:4
"Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy which is vain deceit, after the traditions of men, after the elements of the world and not after Messiah." Colossians 2:8
Philosophy is man's reasonings, human concepts and conclusions regarding truth. Human reasonings, human ordinances and the elemental spirits of this world (the spiritual influences of this world) 'spoil' us (lit. 'strip'), - they rob us spiritually.
We cannot know Him or His ways by reasoning. - "My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways:" Isaiah 55:8,9 "Be renewed in the spirit of your mind and put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge of the image of him that created him." Ephesians 4:23, also Colossians 3:10
"Casting down imaginations (reasonings, the workings of the natural mind) and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God,(every stronghold) and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Messiah; ('take every thought captive to obey Messiah' Amp.) And having in readiness to revenge all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled." (being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete” (Amplified Version) 2 Corinthians 10:5,6
WAITING UPON GOD
The word WAIT means 'to bind together by twisting', 'to wait in expectation' – i.e. reaching out to Him. It is an attitude of HEART that is transfixed upon Him. Not waiting in the sense of time but in the sense of being wholly centred in Him. See Psalm 123:1-2
By waiting upon Him you become bound together as one with Him, your life entwined in His. Complete identification! You exchange your life for His!
"They that wait upon the Lord shall renew (change) their strength: " Isaiah 40:31 (from natural to spiritual)
"Keep silence before me, O islands; and let the people renew (change) their strength " Isaiah 41:1a
When the natural mind is put out of operation – a renewing, an exchange of life takes place. (His life is exchanged for ours)
Our perceptions are opened to receive revelation by the Spirit. There is an unveiling of Himself and His spiritual treasures to those who wholly stay themselves upon Him -
".. men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither has the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what He has prepared for him that waits for Him " Isaiah 64:4
Waiting upon Him is interpreted as loving Him - becoming at-one-with Him, joined in union with Him, Paul translates this verse from the Hebrew as "the things which God has prepared for those that love him " 1 Corinthians 2:9 (Quote from Isaiah 64:4)
WAITING --> LOVE
Waiting upon Him will result in relationship
- in a revelation of His Person
To know Him is to love Him!
He the Lover, reveals Himself to the one whose desire is toward Him Depth of relationship is in proportion to the intensity of desire to seek after knowing Him, that is, in being one with Him. See Psalm 42:1
"Blessed are the pure in heart., for they shall see God" (pure – single in purpose) Matthew 5:8 "Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled." Matthew 5:6
"The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what is the riches of the glory of his inheritance IN the saints." Ephesians 1:18
Knowing our calling, what He has called us to, and our inheritance, is dependant upon enlightenment. (spiritual revelation - waiting upon Him) It is not given to the casual seeker. Matthew 13:45,46
As co-heirs with Him, and being in Him, His inheritance is ours. He is the firstborn among many brethren (Rom.8:29; Heb.12:23) - all things are to be subjected to Him (Heb.2:5,8) and we inherit with Him as His brethren!
"Of his own will begot he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures." James 1:18,19
"Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Y'shua Messiah." 1 Peter:1:13
The full, ultimate complete revelation of Messiah in us!