Entering Into The Realm of the Spiritual
1 Corinthians 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear
heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which
God hath prepared for them that love him.
At our deepest, we have only tapped the surface. God is deeper than
we can imagine.
Spirit
John 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship
him in spirit and in truth.
Spirit refers to that which is not physical, or material. The realm
of the Spirit is unseen. What this verse is saying is that if you
want to be in touch with God, you must enter into the spiritual realm.
The spiritual realm is the essence of reality. The physical world is
only an image, or reflection, of the spiritual reality of existence.
2 Corinthians 4:18 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.
Hebrews 11:3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed
by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of
things which do appear.
Romans 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the
world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made,
even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
Romans 4:17�God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things
which be not as though they were.
Jesus was God manifest in the flesh (1 Timothy 3:16). He was the
physical reflection of a spiritual being. God is Spirit. (John 4.24)
You are a spiritual being. Your spirit is the real you. Your
exterior, the flesh that clothes your spirit, will pass away and decay,
but your spirit, the essence of your being - the thing that is the real
you and that which gives your body life - will live forever.
Ecclesiastes 12:7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was:
and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
Let me say it again - the material world is but a reflection of the
spiritual world. (Colossians 2:17 & Hebrews 8:5) I am not saying that
the material world is not real. It is real, but it is based on
spiritual realities. That is why Jesus taught us to pray "thy kingdom
come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven" - Because the
spiritual realm rules, or determines, what happens in the physical
realm.
The application of this truth is easy to determine in the discourses
of Paul concerning spiritual warfare.
Ephesians 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against
principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of
this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
2 Corinthians 10:4-5 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal,
but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting
down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against
the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the
obedience of Christ;
He is telling us that "we do not war after the flesh" - it is not a
fleshly battle, but a spiritual - and that that we should shove off,
or cast down everything that is not God�s truth. (v.3,5 - literally,
we should abandon everything that is not seeking after God.)
When we fasten our attention on material things - the thing of this
world - we are missing the mark. Reality and truth are spiritual,
because God is spirit.
Whatever we expect to accomplish in this world must first be conquered
in the spiritual realm.
John 6:27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat
which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give
unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.
If it is wrought in the spiritual realm through prayer, it will
materialize in the physical.
Faith
This naturally bring us to the subject of faith. I believe it is
vital for the child of God to understand what faith is and what faith
is not.
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the
evidence of things not seen.
The word substance is made up of two root words: sub, meaning �under�,
and stance, meaning to �stand�. Thus, substance is what �stands under�
things hoped for. Webster�s Dictionary defines substance as "the
ultimate reality that underlies all outward manifestations". That
pretty well says it all. Faith is the basic underlying reality, the
foundational principle out of which all things are created. Faith is
the building blocks of the spiritual world, which is the underlying
reality of the material world.
Faith is the principle of creation and the process that brings creation
into manifestation.
That may sound technical, but actually it is very simple. Faith is
the substance of things hoped for. What is it that you hope for.
Note, I didn�t say what is it that you wish for. You may wish for a
better job or a new car. You can wish for many things, but these are
human desires, not Biblical promises. Hope is a guaranteed promise
from God. We are promised salvation for the repentant; heaven for
the faithful. This is our hope. And these things already exist in
the spiritual world. We receive in this realm (the physical) by faith.
Faith is the reality of things God has promised. They already exist
in the spiritual realm; they already belong to us (by faith and
promise); and they will be manifested in the material realm by faith.
Hebrews 11:3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed
by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of
things which do appear [are visible].
Faith is more than convincing yourself mentally that something is real.
It goes beyond simply believing. Faith is a deep abiding trust and
commitment to that which you believe.
It is not that if you believe something strongly enough it will come
true. Faith brings reality into manifestation because God wills it
so and we accept Him as true. Faith is not magic. It is the
acknowledgment of truth.
The reason we must live by faith is because faith is the operating
principle of the spiritual realm, which is reality. God Himself works
through faith. It is simply His way of doing things.
Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for
he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a
rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Faith seems to be the language of God.
I want to make 3 statements about faith that God has shown me. If you
will examine your Bible and your heart, you will bear witness that
these statements are true.
� Faith is more than getting your prayers answered - It is hanging
in there when they seem not to be answered.
� Faith is more than seeing all your needs met when you step our for
God - It is staying out there no matter what it costs you.
� Faith is not what makes God do what you want Him to do - It is what
makes you do what God wants you to do.
Faith is basically what makes you cling to God and conform to His will.
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