“But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you.”
(Rom. 8:9, NKJV)
Back to the characteristic nature of “the Spirit of the Lord” (Isa. 11:2), in our attempt to examine the first of the seven Spirits of God. Natural man experiences and understands all things through his/her five senses. We need to be aware that these natural senses of carnal existence are very sensitive, and can easily be influenced by “the spirit of error” – ASV; “the spirit of delusion” – ABP; “the spirit of deception” – ALTNT; “spirit of seduction” – ERRB; “the spirit of lies” – GW; “the spirit of deceit” – ISV; “the spirit of falsehood” – NIVUK. This demonic spirit thus colours one’s sensual experiences. 1 John 4:6 notes that this spirit works against “the Spirit of the truth”. This spirit is clearly not a different discernible spirit, but a description of the Holy Spirit, as it is after all He that leads us in the truth (John 16:13). The fruit of the Spirit for instance only exist when there is “goodness, righteousness, and truth” (Eph. 5:9). In fact: “the Spirit is the truth” (1 John 5:6). Through natural sensual experiences this spirit of deception thus builds a delusion, a false construct, and presents it as reality. But it is NOT the so-called objective reality. There is alas no such thing as true objectivity.
Paul then makes it very clear in 1 Cor. 2:14: “But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” The Mirror Bible’s version of Rom. 8:5-6 explains this very well: “Sin’s symptoms are sponsored by the senses, a mind dominated by the sensual. Thoughts betray source; spirit life attract spirit thoughts. [SELA!] Thinking patterns are formed by reference, either the sensual appetites of the flesh and spiritual death, or zoe-life and total tranquillity flowing from a mind addicted to spirit realities.” [Zoe = the principle of life in/from God.] Therefore whatever the flesh ponders is enmity against God (Rom. 8:7).
A Scripture that is concerned with the tension between physical and spiritual senses, and which is often wholly misunderstood, is 1 Cor. 2:9: “But as it is written: ‘Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.’” The sensual observance and human thoughts which are mentioned here are in no way comparable to the spiritual senses that, as verse 10 also points out, God “revealed … to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.” This is indeed “a realm inaccessible to the senses” (verse 9, MB).
Paul quotes this Scripture in Corinthians from Isa. 64:4. There we find the word “He hath prepared,” the Hebrew ‛âśâh, which according to the ABP is translated from the Greek word poieō, which is the root word of poiēma, of which we for instance read in Eph. 2:10, where it is concerned with us as words in God’s poem! Ponder this – your spiritual senses are absolutely necessary to allow your spiritual identity to unfold!
- Selah: Are your spiritual senses functioning?
- Read: 22-24
- Memorise: 22:22 (what is the key of David?! Again – coincidental synchronicity!)
