We will now shift our attention to our final category in Contending for the Miraculous that I have entitled; The Supernatural Body.
In this category we will be exploring over the next few articles our spiritual senses, spiritual hands and spiritual feet, glory faces and the revealing of the sons and daughters of God!
In 1 Thessalonians 5:23 the apostle Paul prays, ‘May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.’
Not only do we have a body, but we also have a soul and a spirit. We will be exploring how our spirit can affect our soul and body to the point where it becomes the dominant factor flowing through us…
Our Spiritual Body
‘It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. Is there is a natural body; there is also a spiritual body. So it is written: “The first man Adam became a living being”, the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual. The first man was of the dust of the earth, the second man from heaven. As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the man from heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we bear the likeness of the man from heaven.’ -1 Cor 15:44-50
It there is a natural body; there is also a spiritual body. You have a spiritual body!
“I tell you the truth, no-one can see the Kingdom of God unless he is born again.”
“How can a man be born when he is old?” Nicodemas asked. “Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!” Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no-one can enter the Kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.’ -John 3:3-8
‘So from now on we regard no-one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!’ -2 Cor 5:16-17
If you are a disciple of Jesus, you have been born from above – that is – born of the Spirit.
Therefore we view no-one who is in Christ now from a worldly point of view. We are a new creation! A Spiritual Man! We operate in a new order of things! We are born again spiritual beings who have a spiritual body!
Training our Spirit
‘Strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.’ -Hebrews 5:14
As you have a spiritual body, you also have spiritual senses!
Have you trained your spiritual senses to discern both good and evil?
‘Do not waste time arguing over godless ideas and old wives tales. Spend your time and energy in training yourself for spiritual fitness. Physical exercise has some value, but spiritual exercise is much more important, for it promises a reward in both this life and the next.’ -1 Tim 4:7-8
Spend your time and energy in training yourself for spiritual fitness!
How much spiritual exercise do you engage in?
Strengthen your spirit by praying in the spirit on all occasions (1 Corinthians 14:2)
Set your mind on things above, learning the language of the Spirit ‘The Spirit bears witness with our spirit‘ -Rom 8:16
‘Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him.’ (1 Cor 2:9-10)
‘The mature follower of Christ sees things the human eye can’t see and hears things the most acute ear can’t hear. And they have thoughts they didn’t originate on their own. That’s because God’s indwelling Spirit is helping them to think God’s thoughts.’ -Bob Gass
Have The Mind of Christ
‘In the same way no-one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. We have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. The man without the spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subjected to any man’s judgment: “For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.’ -1 Corinthians 2:12-16
‘Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of the sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the spirit is life and peace.’ -Romans 8:5-6
‘Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will.’ -Romans 12:1-2
We also have a spiritual mind! We have the ‘mind of Christ’. We learn to speak spiritual words taught by the Spirit and discern the things that come from the Spirit of God. The spiritual man makes judgments about all things.
How much are you relying on your ‘spiritual mind’ to discern the things of the spirit?
Our Spiritual Senses
As the natural, so also the spiritual-we have five natural senses (touch, taste, see, hear, smell), but the Bible also mentions these spiritual senses:
Supernatural Hearing
In 2 Kings 7:6-7, The Lord caused the Aramean army to hear the sound of a supernatural army.
Elisha was able to hear the words spoken by the King of Aram in his bedroom, even though the prophet lived over 300 miles away in Israel!
‘“But Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the very words you speak in your bedroom.”’ –2 Kings 6:12
We are encouraged by Jesus to have ears to hear. That means not just picking up on the natural sense of hearing, but tuning into the spiritual sense of hearing.
‘He that hath an ear. Let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.’ -Rev 2:7
Supernatural Sight
Just as many of us are able to see in the natural, we are also called to see in the Spirit. There are times when the veil is lifted and God enables us to do just that. Take for example this story concerning Elisha and his servant…
‘“Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” And Elisha prayed, “O LORD, open his eyes so that he may see.” Then the LORD opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all round Elisha.’ -2 Kings 6:16-17
There are also times when our eyes are closed and we are not able to recognize Jesus or what He is doing…
‘And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”’ -Luke 24:32-32
Suddenly their eyes were opened!
I pray for you that your spiritual eyes are opened, just as the apostle Paul did for the Church…
‘I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.’ -Ephesians 1:18-21
We must watch what we are watching!
‘Your eye is a lamp for your body. A pure eye lets sunshine into your soul. But an evil eye shuts out the light and plunges you into darkness…’ -Matt 6:22-23
‘They commit adultery with their eyes, and their lust is never satisfied.’ -2 Peter 2:14
‘So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.’ -2 Corinthians 4:18
Supernatural Smell
Did you know there are also scents and aromas in the spirit realm?
‘But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. And who is equal to such a task?’ -2 Corinthians 2:14-16
Wherever we go we are either the aroma of Christ, the fragrance of life, or the smell of death to those who are perishing!
‘I have received full payment and even more; I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God.’ -Philippians 4:18
Generous giving produces a fragrant offering that is pleasing to God!
When Jesus was anointed at Bethany by Mary, ‘The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.’ -John 12:3
An offering + sacrifice to God is a sweet-smelling aroma -Ephesians 5:2
Develop Your Spiritual Senses
How are you developing your spiritual senses?
Are you able to see in the spirit, hear in the spirit and offer a sweet-smelling aroma to God?
Are you operating through the mind of Christ?
Have you learnt to walk in the Spirit?
