TWO FORMS OF LIFE – Part 2

                                                                                                                                                                      By W. G. Guy

          In this Part 2 on the topic will deal with the spiritual form of life that is provided freely to believers by the born-again experience.  To the believer this Spirit of Christ enters into their spirit giving it a spiritual life; the life that was lost back in the garden due to sin.   This is sin that has passed down through the ages by virtue of being born of the flesh after the fashion of the original couple in the garden. 

          This spiritual re-birth produces the “spiritual” life.  However, too many people now have this spiritual life do not focus on it in order to bring that spiritual life to full maturity, which is the purpose of the five gift ministries.

Ephesians 4:11-13 – And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:  till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

          What most Christians fail to understand is that this spiritual life is a source of divine power that is available to us to help us live, thrive, and walk in victory  over the world, the flesh and the devil.

2 Corinthians 4:6-7 – But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. 

          This power is divine, and not of our own ability.

Philippians 3:3 – For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no
confidence in the flesh. 

          While we all tend to look only on the physical form of life, God is looking at the inner man, where Christ is formed in us.  The key is that the power of spiritual life that is within us is supposed to be visible in our physical life by how we live.  Thus Jesus calls us to be the salt of the earth and the light to the world.

Matthew 5:13-14 – Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.  Ye are the light of the world.

          Walking and living according to the Spirit of Christ in us reveals the power and glory of God the Father as we show Jesus life in us.

Colossians 1:27 –  to whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

          This spiritual power is internal as it “worketh in us” by faith and love in obedience to is Word.

Ephesians 3:17-20 – that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,  may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;  and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. 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, 

          Remember, this power is Christ in us per 2 Corinthians 3:6-7 - But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. 

          This brings us to the supernatural Gifts of the Spirit that are described in 1 Corinthians 12 which is the power of the Holy spirit that is given to those who accept it.

1 Corinthians 12:8-11 –  For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;  to another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;  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:  but all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.

          These are supernatural manifestations of God’s power that can manifest in our physical experience to witness of God’s loving care for us.  In addition the Spirit of Christ in us produces the Fruit of the Spirit that is listed in Galatians 5.  This fruit is the divine character and nature of God, which was revealed in Jesus.

Galatians 5:22-23 –  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,  meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 

          This fruit is to be formed in us as God’s divine children that the Father is looking for.

John 15:4-5 –  Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.  I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. 

          God’s Word tells us that this fruit that God is looking for in us is His divine nature.

2 Peter 1:4 – whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

          Jesus told us to beware of ministers who do not have this fruit.

Matthew 7:15-16 & 20 –  Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.  Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?   20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

          Unfortunately, we are in a spiritual battle against the wicked forces of darkness that oppose us from fulfilling the will of God in our lives.  Thus there are false ministers trying to deceive us, so we need to discern who and what is of God and what is not.

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. 

          Thus we need all the power that God has provided to us as believers in order to resist and overcome all that the enemy throws at us. 

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 – For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:  (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; 

          Whether we realize it or not, we are engaged in spiritual warfare, but thjis battle is faught in the physical realm, but the power is in the spiritual realm.         Thus we need to walk in the spirit and apply all the supernatural power that is available to believers by Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit: because –

Romans 8:31-32 – What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?  He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? 

          Therefore we need to focus on the spiritual form of life and develop it so that we can be prepared to rule and reign with Christ in His coming Kingdom that will soon come to earth.

Revelation 5:10 – and hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.