"I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh."
Galatians 5:16 (NKJV)
Further reading and
Frequently Asked Questions
Nobility 101 (Identity in Christ)
Session 4
Session 4 begins to unpack the meaning of a born again believer who is 'living' and 'walking in the spirit'. What is the difference between being carnal and spiritual, and what changes need to take place in order to make this an everyday reality.
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FAQ'S
Life in the Spirit (Part 1)
1. What happens to the old nature (old self) when someone is "born again"?
When someone is "born again," The "old self" or old nature dies (is no longer that person's source of animation) and is cut off from communication with its former source of influence (2 Corinthians 5:17).
The old self is not totally eradicated, but becomes dormant, unemployed, and redundant. The individual is essentially "unplugged" from the source of sin and death and reconnected to God, the source of Eternal Life (Colossians 1:13).
When Adam and Eve sinned, they died spiritually, meaning their direct connection and ability to communicate with God was broken. This rupture was necessary because God cannot be connected to anything sinful. God proceeded to remove Adam and Eve from the garden to keep them away from the tree of life ensuring they could not eat from it. This was not punishment but an act of love, because after falling into sin, had they ate from the tree of life, they would be destined to live forever in their sinful fallen state.
2. How much of Himself does God place in the newly born-again believer?
When a person is born again, God places "the fullness of the Godhead" (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) inside them. This reveals that the "fullness of heaven" resides within all believers.(Colossians 2:9–10 AMPC) Seeing that God has now deposited all Heaven has to offer within the believer, rendering most common prayers null and void as they are largely requests for things already possessed. This concept, supported by Colossians 2:9, indicates that believers are complete in Christ, sharing in His fullness and oneness with God. This is also clearly seen in Christ praying for His disciples and all who would believe in Him through their teaching (John 17:20-21) to be one with Him just as He is one with the Father making us altogether one (us in Christ and Christ in The Father)
3. What is the difference between being "natura/carnall" and being "spiritual," ?
Being "natural" or "carnal" simply means being led by one's five natural senses (touch, taste, smell, hear, feel), relying solely on what can be physically perceived. In contrast, being "spiritual" means being led by one's new spiritual nature as is perfectly presented in The Word of God. (Walking in the spirit simply put is walking in accordance to the written word of God) (Romans 8:1-4; Galatians 5:16-25)
The fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), such as love, joy, peace, etc., is not something believers produce by their own self effort and is in fact, not even the believers own fruit. It is the Spirit’s fruit that manifests when believers allow the Spirit within them to bear fruit. This spiritual nature enables believers to access righteousness and wholeness regardless of feelings or circumstances.
4. How is communication with God understood?
God is a Spirit (John 4:24) and is also described as “the father of spirits” (Hebrews 12:9) Consequently, God communicates with believers in the spirit. This communication is described as direct, instantaneous, and not reliant on words, intellect, or understanding. It's a "direct knowing" from spirit to spirit. This explains why sometimes spiritual promptings are difficult to articulate in words. Believers have the "mind of Christ" (1 Corinthians 2:16), that being so, they can also know His thoughts as they share His mind. God's voice, when heard inwardly, will invariably sound like one's own internal voice, because the believer is now "one spirit" with Him.
5. Can the enemy (Satan) read our minds, and how can believers discern between God's voice and other voices?
The enemy cannot directly read our minds, but having observed humanity for millennia, he can infer thoughts based on body language and actions. Believers on the other hand, being "one spirit" with Christ and having the "mind of Christ," are capable of knowing the mind of the Lord Hearing the ‘voice’ of God’s is most natural for every truly born again believer (John 10:2-5; 27)
The key to discerning between God's voice, the enemy's voice and one's own thoughts (which can all sound similar inwardly), is to test what you hear against the Word of God. If a thought or prompting aligns with scripture, it is from God, if not, it is certainly from the enemy. God will always speak in line with His Word (Hebrews 4:12).
6. What is the significance of the believer's body being the "temple of the Holy Spirit"?
1 Corinthians 6:19 states that a born-again believer's body is the "temple of the Holy Spirit." This means that God now dwells within the believer, much like He resided in the Most Holy Place (Holy of Holies) of the Old Testament wilderness tabernacle. Instead of speaking from between the cherubim above the mercy seat (Numbers 7:89), God now speaks from "the seat of your heart," the innermost part (spirit) of the believer. This internal dwelling allows for direct and clear spiritual communication, providing access to "all things" as one appointed and empowered by the Holy Spirit (1 John 2:20).
7. How are believers able to perform "greater works" than Jesus, and what limits the working of this ability?
Jesus stated that those who believe in Him would do the works He did, and even "greater works" (John 14:12). This is understood not as believers acting and doing these ‘greater’ works in their own power, but by the resurrected Christ, who now has "all power in heaven and earth," working through them.
Christ is always exceeding Himself, and since it is this same Christ within believers, they can now do all things through His strength within (Philippians 2:13; Philippians 4:13). The only limit to the working of this power is the individual's mindset and belief. God works through renewed minds; if a mind is not aligned with God's will and word, it cannot process or manifest these spiritual realities. In fact, all such works will seem foolish to the natural man.
Audio Summary
Click the link below for a brief audio summary of
Session 4
🔈 Audio Summary: Session 4
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Scripture References
- 2 Corinthians 5:17
- Colossians 1:13
- Colossians 2:9–10 AMPC
- John 17:20-21
- Romans 8:1-4
- Galatians 5:16-25
- Galatians 5:22-23
- John 4:24
- Hebrews 12:9
- 1 Corinthians 2:16
- John 10:2-5; 27
- Hebrews 4:12
- 1 Corinthians 6:19
- Numbers 7:89
- 1 John 2:20
- John 14:12
- Philippians 2:13
- Philippians 4:13