August 21, 2021
If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?
~John 3:12~
The Church seems to be struggling with the spiritual matters to which they are called to follow or deflect. There is much debate in the earth over physical matters and there is much debate in regards to spiritual matters. Jesus spoke this important word to His disciples and that goes for each of us. How can one disbelieve in physical things and expect to understand heavenly? We are called into a Kingdom that is completely spiritual; "God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
(John 4:24)
God is Spirit. Jesus was brought to this earth by Spirit. Everything about His coming was supernatural. How is it one can believe in Jesus' birth, death and resurrection yet still can quarrel over spiritual matters? It is rather hypocritical, wouldn't you agree?
Jesus spoke this to His followers because He knew very well how further generations would respond to Him. Those who claim to know yet have so much to learn; "And if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know."
(I Corinthians 8:2)
The one who spews arguments over spiritual matters hold up a red flag of misunderstanding. Let us not judge, rather pray for them. So how is it that we may know and understand in a deeper way? The answer is very clear, we must get to know the Spirit in which Jesus sent to reveal the things of the spirit; "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you."
(John 14:26)
Growing in intimacy with Holy Spirit has taught me to truely see and know the things of God's word in much deeper sense. I could not do this on my own. As a matter of fact, I could not do anything on my own. I needed to know the Helper, i needed to connect to Him on a very intimate level. As a friend would grow to know another, I had to grow to know the One who would continue to teach me. It wasn't until then I knew what it was like to learn everyday. I knew that I never really knew as much as I thought I once did. I was connected to spirit and therefore understanding spiritual matters in a very deep way, in God's way. "But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." (I Corinthians 2:14)
Jesus was warning us in yet another way to die to our fleshly way of thinking and "knowing" and surrender to His Spirit asking and seeking the things of Heaven. If we struggle with this we need to welcome Holy Spirit into our lives. He is the One who opens the eyes of Scripture, directs us in spiritual knowledge, shows us things of Heaven and uses us to act upon them to witness to others. Without that relationship, these things will remain foolish to us and we will feed on our own pride. Let's face it, the things of Heaven are very real. Our human brains can bearly contain a portion of them. The Lord is gentle and longs for us to walk in them so that the world may be shaped and fixed rather then destroyed by its own evil way of thinking. "They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them." (I John 4:5)
Let us be a people that speak in a way that causes people to wonder how it is possible for us to know these things. Let them see something unworldly in us that causes them to want it for themselves. If there are ones who choose to deny it or argue against it our prayer is enough to change the outcome in them some day. I'm certain someone's prayers were enough to reach me and now I find myself connecting more with Heaven then I do earth and that is not a bad thing my friends; "They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world." (John 17:16)
In truely following Christ we will believe things to which His throne resides. We cannot argue against things just because they make us uncomfortable or we don't have all the answers we would like to have. We may not be meant to just yet. We have a good Teacher who will relinquish things the way He sees His students can handle them. It is time to believe and be still, asking for more.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank you for the beauty of Heaven which surrounds me each day. I want to learn as long as I breathe and walk in the ways of the spirit. Holy Spirit I welcome You, show me what I am ready to see. Teach me what I am ready to hear. I long for a deep connection to heavenly things. If there is any doubt holding me back from learning, please make it very clear in my conviction so that I may strip my pride and humble myself before You. I believe in who You are, I know that what You do and say is truth and I am willing to continue to grow in the word. Let Your will be complete in my life. I receive Your knowledge, wisdom and discernment in my walk to increase so that I may witness to more in love. In Your Name, my gracious Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.