I stumbled on a message about an error made on a lady’s wedding cake. She had intended for 1 John 4:18, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear…” to be inscribed on her cake, but unfortunately, an error in the removal of the number 1 before the John led to this very disturbing message: For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly
(John 4:18).
Just like the aforementioned story, in trying to achieve spirituality, in the flesh, we have muddled up the whole thing. Carnality is now being spiritualized and people find it difficult to have a firm grip and footing in the truth of the faith by the Spirit. Those who desire to truly know Him in Spirit scarcely find true anchorage. What a crying shame!
One of the errors we find today is that a lot of people want to ‘carnalize’ spirituality and that doesn’t make sense. You find people who are supposedly spiritual, yet long after carnality. Every time they find an opportunity to express a carnal thing in the Faith, they are very excited to jump at it.
That tells you that they didn’t learn how to manage carnality by the Spirit. All they know to do is to either postpone the feelings, or in self discipline, try to deal with it. But that’s not what Christianity is all about.
Jesus came to take off what poses as a problem and restored us with the Father. He brought us to a place of right standing with God.
Too many Church goers engage in carnal activities under the guise of religion that seem right to them. When wrong doctrines are formed and circulated that seem to appeal to their lusts, they embrace and celebrate it so much that they care less about the truth. They like their lives to be run carnally because they admire unbelievers.
If God decides to instruct the Church to live as unbelievers, many Christians will really be glad to comply. You would even hear many say, “Who am I to disobey God?” It tells you that what they practice seem to be some kind of bondage to them. But when you truly grow in the Spirit, you won’t feel that way. Veritably, you will abhor the idea because you understand in the Spirit that the Word of God is always true.
Christianity is first in the Spirit and not some fleshy experience. That probably explains why God would demand a Spirit worship from us – as spirit beings (John 4:23-24).
In the flesh, even when you do the right things, it’s not right; it has to be validated by the Spirit as right. You are not right by doing the right things but by having the Spirit of God work rightness out of you.
Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:
1 Peter 2:1-2 KJV
Desire, in the Greek, is to long after which also means to lust. So it says, “Lust after God.” Lust isn’t bad, as long as it is done in the right context. “Lust after the sincere milk of the Word.”
‘Word’ (Greek: logikos) as used in the above scripture means logical or rational reasoning. So, it says that you should desire the Word of God that forms your logical or rational reasoning. When we tell people to try to be logical in their reasoning, we are simply saying that they should speak from a knowledge base and not from assumptions.
Long for the Word of God to build a framework of your reasoning because if you don’t, as you begin to mature, you may not have the framework to reason from. Build the structure of your reasoning as new born babes.
Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the Father.
Galatians 4:1-2 KJV
This tells you that as babes, we are taught how to do so many things. But as we get mature, we develop the initiative of the Spirit for ourselves. And as such, we are open to know what we should and shouldn’t do.
But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don’t need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know, and what he teaches is true—it is not a lie. So just as he has taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ.
1 John 2:27 NLT
The above scripture is not for babes, but for adults.
Romans 8:14 says, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” Sons, in the Greek, is uhios, which talks about mature sons, not nepios. Nepios cannot be led by the Spirit of God; they don’t understand God’s voice and don’t know how to be driven by His Spirit and as such, need to look up to people to lead them.
Paul said, “Follow me as I follow Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1). The lamb follows the sheep and the sheep follows the shepherd. The lamb needs to have a proper right sheep who looks up to God to help rebuild his framework of reasoning.
Train up (meaning to narrow in the Hebrew) a child in the way he should go; so that he doesn’t depart from it when he’s old. Children need to be taught basic things so that when they mature, it becomes a structure for them.
In other words, when we have children, we must train them of the Spirit and the Word, so that they use it to grow to maturity in the righteousness of God.
Even Jesus, the creator of the whole world had to suffer to learn obedience (Hebrews 5:8).
For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
Hebrews 5:12-13 KJV
Those who continue to use milk are unskilful in the Word of righteousness. The scripture above was addressing people who have stayed long in the Faith, but still had need to be taught again because they are dull of hearing.
God desires that we grow to maturity. He wants the saints to be perfect so that they can manifest like Him and not try to religionise spirituality.
Every human system works like this: “What Will I Gain?” The nature of man is gain-centric. More people are interested in the pay a company can offer above what they have to offer. The natural man runs towards lust, gain or what he wants to grab.
Even in the Church today, because they can’t meet the spiritual need that totally satisfies the human flesh, they look out for other carnal activities to gratify their flesh in order to keep them glued to the Church.
The reason why you find that a Church brings a secular comedian to perform in Church is to excite the people and meet their fleshly demands to keep them glued to them. The reason why they want to bring people to talk about relationships and sex-related topics is that they’re trying to satisfy the fleshly longing of the people so they can keep them in the Church.
Look at the Christianity that Jesus brought and the Apostles led; they didn’t do all that. Even when you find Paul dealing with issues about their cravings of the flesh, he only would deal with the issue with babes and conclude to say that if they would walk in the Spirit, they’ll deal with all those stuff.
I’m only trying to guide you as the Spirit of God is leading me, and not judging you. There are too many persons who love God, but don’t know how to love Him because they try of their flesh to love Him, instead of allow the Spirit through us to help us love God. When we of our flesh love God, it doesn’t make sense to Him because scriptures say that no flesh should glory in His presence (1 Corinthians 1:29). But when we allow the Spirit to help us love Him, we always will do it right by Him.
When you look at 1 Corinthians 13, you know that by flesh, there’s no way you can love Him. It’s impossible. But of the Spirit, you’ll fulfil all of them without struggle because the Holy Ghost in His totally has all that to manifest.
Heed to the Spirit and enjoy a great walk with Him.
Pastor Preston Idoro.
www.perfectlovebelieverscentre.org
This is just apt in a time like this when Christianity seems to be more of the flesh than of the Spirit. I love this.
Wow, this is wonderful…. I stay yielded to the spirit of God always. Much obliged, sir