How Do We Get "In The Spirit"?

[Soverign Grace]

Here's my approach to walking in the Spirit.

“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;” (2 Corinthians 10:5) (KJV 1900)

We censor every impure thought or imagination. And change the channel in our thinking on any thought that does not conform to obedience to Christ.

And we replace it with:

“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” (Philippians 4:8)

Knowing Jesus is God and God is love. So Jesus is lord of our lives when love rules our thoughts and actions.

That's really wise Dave. My husband actually told me the same thing because sometimes I don't take every thought captive and I think those trains of thought lead me away from God - not to Him. Maybe that's a confirmation since you're the 2nd one that said the same thing.

I really appreciate this body of believers. It's so refreshing to be able to run this by a group of believers and draw on collective wisdom. Iron definitely sharpens iron.

 

[Soverign Grace]

marks:"Belief whip? What is that?
My point is this: receiving the Holy Spirit is not an automatic result of formally professing faith, but is an experience of power subject to God's sovereign will. So your thread asks the appropriate question, How do we know that we have the Spirit? And you repled that Christ is in us. But that pushes the question back to my question, How do we know whether we "pass the test" that Christ dwells within us (2 Cor 13:4-5)?
Corinthians claim to talk the right theological talk, but Paul counters this by warning that, when he comes for a visit, he will determine not their correct theology, but their demonstrable "power" (4:19-20). So my question is, How can we know whether we pass the test of Christ's indwelling presence and of the demonstrable power that he insists is essential for claiming membership in the kingdom of God (1 Cor 4:19-20)? Please reread my prior post in the light of this clarification. I asked you an experience- based question and you replied with doctrine that takes the experience of the regenerating Spirit for granted.

"The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God." Romans 8:16

 

[Soverign Grace]

I haven't read the other posts yet...just the OP I will go back and read the rest now.

But "for me" the question is not "How do we get into the Spirit" ...but "How do we stay in the Spirit!! "

“Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name..."

Our problem is we don't stay in.

"He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High...."

"Abide in Me..."

That's a really good verse Helen. One I'd read before but you brought it to memory: "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High..."

 

[Pearl]

Right! The birds that don't fly.

One thing that prompts me to post on this topic is remembering how many times in churches or on the radio or just talking to people I've heard the paradigm expressed that we are sorry sinners, thank God that He pretends we're not, and one day we won't be.

But then I realized what the Bible really says, that we are new creations, God's spirit children, forever free from all stain and sin and condemnation. For me, it was about the stain of sin. I felt so tainted. And believe me, I was damaged goods.

To go from so low in life to such a precious and amazing reality, well, I believe, therefore I speak.

Yes, that was a good post!

I think that some people are afraid of this truth. Afraid that if they remove all legalism in favor of strictly a personal relationship with Jesus that they will fall flat on their face. That we have to have law of some kind to keep us in line.

I think some think that we just don't have what we need - right now, in Christ - to live by faith - Jesus' faith in us.

I remember a men's group I was at, and hearing a man confess his broken marriage. He couldn't understand what had gone so terribly wrong, what he had done. I ached to tell him that we all sin in the flesh, but in the spirit we can simply walk away from that into faith in Jesus, and He will give us love and wisdom that will conquer all of these things.

The pastor was in our small group so I waited.

My heart wrenched to hear him tell this man, "We sinners, and we're just going to sin." I couldn't even tell you what he said after that.

I thought it was simply much too good to be true. As someone else posted, I forget who, grace is scandalous. Not just in who God forgives, but what He forgives, and how often He forgives, and,

well, That God always forgives. That is scandalous! As we commit sins He is at the same time loving us and forgiving us and pleading with us. And God gets our attention, and the eyes of our faith on back on Jesus, and off the waves, we can walk away whatever it is, all the while loved by God, and free to love Him.

Thank you for your encouraging words. It's a good fight!

Much love!
Mark

We need a solid framework but not cages - even open ones. We used to sing a hymn at meetings with the line, "I stand amazed in the presence Of Jesus the Nazarene And I wonder how He could love me, A sinner condemned, unclean. " It was true once but no longer and I was always uncomfortable when we reached that line and either kept quiet or sing my own words. I think it gives the wrong message to those yet to come to Jesus.

I realised the message of the gospel is a bit like what shepherds do when they have an orphaned lamb. They strip the skin off a ewe's own dead lamb and wrap it around the orphan so that the adoptive ewe will accept it as her own and feed it.

 

[Dave L]

That's really wise Dave. My husband actually told me the same thing because sometimes I don't take every thought captive and I think those trains of thought lead me away from God - not to Him. Maybe that's a confirmation since you're the 2nd one that said the same thing.

I really appreciate this body of believers. It's so refreshing to be able to run this by a group of believers and draw on collective wisdom. Iron definitely sharpens iron.

This blows away depression and clothes us with happiness the more we practice it.

 

[marksman]

This was a great question asked by @Soverign Grace on another thread.

Romans 8:9 "But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his."

Simple truths, simply exressed.

You are in the Spirit of so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you.

Some say that you have to "get into the Spirit", or "get into Christ", the simple truth is that if Jesus lives in you, you are now "in the Spirit".

Many will want to argue with this. But this is the simple, straightforward Word of God.

We need to form our mental definitions from the truths in Scripture.

This is why the notion of the "sin loving Christian" is ridiculous! Of course Christians don't want to sin!

Because Christ in me = me in Christ. According to this very simple verse.

We are in the Spirit.

So . . . why do we not enjoy the life in the Spirit?

We don't think we can. After all, we still sin.

We lack confidence before God because we base our understanding of our relationship with God on how we feel about ourselves instead of what God says about us.

It affects how we think, how we feel, and how we act.

God declares that we are forgiven, justified.
God declares that we are brand new people who are righteous and holy.
God declares that He has no condemnation against us.
God declares that nothing can ever separate us from Him.

God declares that He loves us, cares for us, made us because that was what He wanted to do. He saved us because that was what He wanted. And He lives with us because that is what He wants.

God does not base His relationship with us on how we feel about ourselves.

God lives in the reality that He creates.

He expresses His truth in His Word, and all He asks is that we believe it.

Yes, of course, true belief - true faith - same word in the Bible - true faith changes us, and we live better lives according to our understandings of works. Our lives look more like Christ.

But we do stand not in works, or some supposed righteousness from ourselves, but we stand in grace. And we enter that grace through faith, and not through works.

And so it is of grace entirely. And it has to be! Who could ever think that in this fallen flesh we could stand with God in our own right! What hubris!

It has to be by grace, so that it can be by faith.

To realize . . . God has nothing against you, His beloved child, you, the spirit child of God. And God is your Able Father Who can teach you how to take the control over your body of flesh, as He gave the ability in making you new, no longer a part of that body of flesh.

To realize . . . all sin is from that flesh . . . who is no longer me . . . I am His, and He is mine, forever!

This is the grace in which we stand.

And guess what? In this, sin just melts away. Law empowers sin. Faith overcomes. Grace is Grace to Stand.

So remember . . . your loving Father is always with you, doting on you, so in love with you . . . He made you to love and be loved . . . and Jesus is always making intercession for us . . . why?

I believe it is because God wants us to be with Him here now in love and in joy.

Much love!
Mark

Preach it brother!!

 

[marks]

I haven't read the other posts yet...just the OP I will go back and read the rest now.

But "for me" the question is not "How do we get into the Spirit" ...but "How do we stay in the Spirit!! "

“Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name..."

Our problem is we don't stay in.

"He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High...."

"Abide in Me..."

For me it becomes a question of how quickly can I realize that my attention has slipped away from God.

I believe we are in the Spirit at all times, but we don't always walk according to the Spirit. Sometimes we act like the unregenerate person we were. That would be walking according to the flesh, forgetting that's not me now.

So long as I realize that God is here with me, how do I describe Who He is to me? But to know that God is here with me, that He will never forsake me, that He loves me, simply fills me with joy and peace and love for others.

Some ask for demonstrations of power to prove my salvation, but God has proven Himself to me, and that's what I care about!

There are times I get focused on me, and that's like Peter looking at the waves. And I look back to Jesus, literally, I imagine Him always in front of me, drawing me, and I focus my thoughts back on Him, and remember that there is nothing that can ever separate me from Him.

And to me, this is walking in the Spirit. To remember His love, and to share it with others.

Much love!
Mark

 

[marks]

This blows away depression and clothes us with happiness the more we practice it.

You know, in part of my recovery from my childhood I went through a severe depression. I was unwilling to treat with chemicals, so I just went through it.

I learned what clinical depression was, a physical malady, that in my case made everything, physical, mental, and emotional - Hurt.

I learned the reality of Solomon's words, better still he who has not been born, and has not seen the evil done under the sun.

I preferred death to life, though I don't decide those things.

But I had thankfully already gone through another severe illness, in that case an ongoing infection that devastated my body, but I learned through it how much God loves me, and the truly active role He takes in my life. I had begun to understand that even the most difficult and painful things of all really do serve His purpose.

And even in the midst of that depression His light still pierced through.

To think . . . God commands us . . . rejoice in Him always! I guess that's what He wants us to do!

Much love!
Mark

 

[marks]

Preach it brother!!

BTW . . . I just LOVE your avatar!

 

[marks]

I depend on God's faithfulness.

1 Thessalonians 5
21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.
23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
24 Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.

God knows something we don't always know.

God knows what our life will be in the time to come. He knows what we will be in the Ages to come. We don't. We see our bodies of flesh, we think the thoughts, feel the feelings, and so readily identify with them.

Like last night. Dealing with the budget, and feeling the fear seeing how the bills overwhelm the income. And it's so easy to just let that happen, let that fear continue, it feels so natural!

But fear is a flesh response, not a spirit response. Being afraid means not being complete in love, because fear has torment. The flesh feels fear, the spirit does not. The spirit trusts God according to it's nature.

Any time I feel fear, I know that's just what the old man is doing. Yes, it sounds like me, feels like me, it used to be me! But now it's not.

My new creation spirit always - always - trusts God. And is therefore Never afraid. I may not be looking forward to what is coming. I may plead with God to do something different. But I commit myself unto Him as to a faithful Creator.

God created me because it was what He wanted to do. And now He wants to make me perfect in love! How cool is that!

Since I know He works all things for my good, there is nothing at all to be afraid of. Fear is always a tip-off that I've taken my eyes off of God.

Discouragement, same thing. Impatience, well, there's 1 Corinthians 13, Ephesians 5 on the fruit of the Spirit, or earlier in the chapter, the works of the flesh.

We use these lists and descriptions to define what the spirit life is, and what is of the flesh. Then we realize that anything of the flesh that creeps in can be eliminated by returning my attention to God, knowing He is always with me, will never forsake me, and loves me beyond anything I can measure.

Setting our attention onto Jesus immediately removes us from the walk according to the flesh.

Much love!
Mark

 

[marksman]

BTW . . . I just LOVE your avatar!

Thankyou. We are a cat family and we have two cats that looked just like these when they were kittens. I have been trying to get the comment underneath removed but have as yet not found out to do it.

 

[GTW27]

Thank you for answering me! I know that I'm spiritually regenerated yet we read in Revelations that Paul was "in the spirit" : "I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet," This verse makes me believe that Paul entered some type of experience; one that I long for. There have been times throughout my life when I've blipped in and out of God's Holy Presence. There were times when I really sensed the Lord close but then it passes.

If Paul could get "in the Spirit on the Lord's day" how does anyone else do it? Maybe no one has experienced this or can answer it. The pastor at our bible study has been unable to answer all my questions and tells me that when I get to heaven I can ask Him. I just wondered if anyone else pondered over that verse and what it means, and if possible, how to replicate it.[/QUOTE]

Blessings in Christ Jesus! Perhaps an anology is in order. If you were a car, would you allow The Lord to drive it? Would you trust Him enough, to be willing to hop in the backseat and let Him drive? "Not my will be done but your will be done." The Lord is a gentleman, and in most Christians lives, He waits patiently in the backseat until the day He is invited up front to take the wheel. In that day, that He takes the wheel, one will know what it is like to walk in The Spirit. It is on this day that day the two shall become One.

 

[Soverign Grace]

You know, in part of my recovery from my childhood I went through a severe depression. I was unwilling to treat with chemicals, so I just went through it.

I learned what clinical depression was, a physical malady, that in my case made everything, physical, mental, and emotional - Hurt.

I learned the reality of Solomon's words, better still he who has not been born, and has not seen the evil done under the sun.

I preferred death to life, though I don't decide those things.

But I had thankfully already gone through another severe illness, in that case an ongoing infection that devastated my body, but I learned through it how much God loves me, and the truly active role He takes in my life. I had begun to understand that even the most difficult and painful things of all really do serve His purpose.

And even in the midst of that depression His light still pierced through.

To think . . . God commands us . . . rejoice in Him always! I guess that's what He wants us to do!

Much love!
Mark

Mark - I had interest in this area when I was attending college for psychology. I had to discontinue but there are several different causes for depression:

1. Lack of probiotics in the gut. As hard as it is to believe, the bacteria in the gut affect our mental states. Two good ones are Culturelle and Jarrow.
2. Low vitamin D3 levels in the blood. It's very easy to bring your levels up taking a D3 supplement. If you live in the northern hemisphere you can be low, or if you get inadequate sun.
3. Spiritual - the demonic can cause depression.
4. Lack of omega 3. The brain consists of fat and low levels are linked to depression & anxiety. Swansons vegetarian omega 3 is one of the best I've found.

 

[Soverign Grace]

Thank you for answering me! I know that I'm spiritually regenerated yet we read in Revelations that Paul was "in the spirit" : "I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet," This verse makes me believe that Paul entered some type of experience; one that I long for. There have been times throughout my life when I've blipped in and out of God's Holy Presence. There were times when I really sensed the Lord close but then it passes.

If Paul could get "in the Spirit on the Lord's day" how does anyone else do it? Maybe no one has experienced this or can answer it. The pastor at our bible study has been unable to answer all my questions and tells me that when I get to heaven I can ask Him. I just wondered if anyone else pondered over that verse and what it means, and if possible, how to replicate it.

Blessings in Christ Jesus! Perhaps an anology is in order. If you were a car, would you allow The Lord to drive it? Would you trust Him enough, to be willing to hop in the backseat and let Him drive? "Not my will be done but your will be done." The Lord is a gentleman, and in most Christians lives, He waits patiently in the backseat until the day He is invited up front to take the wheel. In that day, that He takes the wheel, one will know what it is like to walk in The Spirit. It is on this day that day the two shall become One.[/QUOTE]

I still can't grasp how that might shift one into the Spirit. I never experienced it when you hear people say the get filled with the Holy Ghost. I've felt God very close but often struggled with knowing what the experience was that is talked about.

 

[marks]

could get "in the Spirit on the Lord's day" how does anyone else do it?

Hi GTW27,

I think that when John was on Patmos, and had his vision of The Revelation of Jesus Christ, when he says there, I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, I just somehow think he meant something different, but I couldn't offer any evidence, just my own sense that he was saying something like the Spirit took me away in a vision, something like that.

But I still feel I quite will understand the question you ask, it's what I want too.

I remember various times when I was suddenly overwhelmed with beautiful emotions, and worship for God just started pouring out of me, wonderful times! I think those were times that God gave me a fresh filling of the Spirit, something extra, for that time.

Then there is the daily walk.

I believe that we are ever and always in the Spirit, being born again, but that we don't always walk in the Spirit.

I've come to believe that what holds us back from enjoying the full and eternal walk in the Spirit is our sense of our own sinfulness, with is a deception.

"Your sins have separated you from God." I think we still think that way, and when we become conscious of our sins, we feel apart from God, and are suddenly trying to live without Him, and defacto are walking according to the flesh, as if we were not born again,

. . . as if, Jesus had not taken away our sins. Forgetting what God has done for us.

I believe the entrance right now - this moment - into the Spirit filled and Spirit led life is by realizing that God has nothing against us. All is forgiven, all is wiped away.

Even what I'm doing wrong right new that I may not even be realizing, or I do realize and can't deal with it, or whatever, the beauty is, it's all gone, so God has no hindrance towards sharing His life with us. Right now.

What can ever get in the way?

Much love!
Mark

 

[marks]

I think the normal state of the New Creation is in fellowship with God.

After all, being holy and righteous, and created by God for fellowship with Him, why would that not be?

And if that is what God made us for, then what could actually get in the way?

Much love!
Mark

 

[Dave L]

I think the normal state of the New Creation is in fellowship with God.

After all, being holy and righteous, and created by God for fellowship with Him, why would that not be?

And if that is what God made us for, then what could actually get in the way?

Much love!
Mark

Curious, where does it say God made us for fellowship with him?

 

[marks]

Curious, where does it say God made us for fellowship with him?

Actually, that sounds like a good question!

Does it?

Hm. I Cor. 1, He called us to fellowship, Romans 8, that he would have many brothers, Perhaps I don't know a verse that says exactly that, but it's more my conclusion from several verses.

1 John 1
1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;
2 (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us
3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.

What are your thoughts?

Much love!

 

[Dave L]

Actually, that sounds like a good question!

Does it?

Hm. I Cor. 1, He called us to fellowship, Romans 8, that he would have many brothers, Perhaps I don't know a verse that says exactly that, but it's more my conclusion from several verses.

1 John 1
1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;
2 (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us
3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.

What are your thoughts?

Much love!

I think God created all for his glory. And Paul says to reveal his wisdom the the angels. “To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,” (Ephesians 3:10)

 

[marks]

I think God created all for his glory. And Paul says to reveal his wisdom the the angels. “To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,” (Ephesians 3:10)

This sounds like a new thread coming up!

Much love!