The Making of a Spiritual Man

During the days of Kenneth E. Hagin, when the Lord was beginning to bring forth the light of the milk dimension of the word of God – the word of faith – people had issues with it. The reason is because they did not have enough light.

The Scripture says, “While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light..” (Jn. 12:36). If we cannot believe in the little light that comes, we will not be able to believe when gretater light comes. Just as we have a luminous organ in our natural eyes to pick light, called the retina, we also have that luminous organ in our souls that picks spiritual light; this is called understanding. We have to train our souls to pick light.

(Message begins…)

Romans 1:18-25

“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;  Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.  For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:  Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.  Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,  And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four footed beasts, and creeping things.  Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:  Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.”

One of the things that stands out in this Scripture is the issue of judgement. Judgement is a higher understanding/realm of comprehension. The Bible talks about knowing the love of Christ the pases knowledge (Eph. 3:19). This means there is something that surpasses knowledge. There is a state called knowledge and there is a state higher than knowledge. According to the English dictionary, knowledge is everything one can know. The Scripture is not written in English, Hebrew or Aramaic language as one may suppose. The Scripture is written in spiritual knowledge; and in it there is also spiritual – comparing spiritual with spiritual (1 Cor. 2:13).

That which surpasses knowledge tells of a state, a realm. There is the realm of knowledge and also a realm that is a kind of knowledge but it is not called knowledge. This is because of the way it is accessed.

To know the Lord is to discern Him. There is a realm of knowing and of discernment. The realm of discernment is not a function of the gift of discerning of spirits as listed in 1 Corinthians 12:10. It is the way we access this realm that is not called knowledge. He that is spiritual discerns all things. He that is spiritual judgeth all things (1 Cor. 2:15). Knowledge will bring one into the realm where he becomes spiritual.

When teaching is going on, They are bringing thoughts from a realm, but there are already thoughts in our realm that we deal with, that often plagues our mind and distract us from receiving what the Lord is saying, hence, we need to war.

2 Peter 1:2-3

Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:”

Knowledge makes us spiritual.

Divine power is everlasting life. Everlasting life provides for us things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of Him that called us to glory. Eternal Life is a flow from life.

In Ezekiel 47, the angel measured a thousand cubits (one instance after the other) and brought Ezekiel though the waters. Each thousand cubits is a doctrine – a mystery. The purest of the flow is at the source. At the source of the water, we see the purity of Eternal Life, so tender and without noise. Noise is heard when the water has gone far from the source, where it has become larger and bigger. As simple as the source seems, it is very powerful.

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.”

Exceeding great and precious promises were given to those who have come to life and godliness. These are the ones who can see the promise. Divine power provides substance for us to be partakers of divine nature. The phrase, ‘having escaped’, means that as you keep transacting with things pertaining to life and godliness, you will escape the corruption that is in the world through lust. Knowledge is the way of escape. There is that which is called corruption in the spirit. It is different from what we know it to be in the natural; just as poverty is in the spirit

Poverty has to do with the mindset of the heart; how one sees. Corruption is not stealing money from the government; rather, one who steals money from the government does so because he/she is corrupt. However, one who does not steal money from the government does not mean such a person is not corrupt. Lust is present in every fallen man; this is what is responsible for the work of corruption.

The antidote to lust is that which pertains to life and godliness. As a man increases in the things that pertain to life and godliness he is losing death and gaining life. Anyone who is yet to escape the corruption that is in this world will not be given divine nature. We can only become partakers of the divine nature when we engage and profit with the things that are provided.

2 Peter 1:5

“And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;”

In 1 Corinthians 13, we see that faith, hope and charity are the things that abide (1 Cor. 13:13). But in 2 Peter, this was elucidated more. It begins with faith and ends up in charity, with other attributes in-between. A man in Charity is a man who is spiritual. Spirituality is not seen in the activity one displays; it is a state of being one comes into as a result of knowledge.

There is a human being (flesh) and there is a spiritual being. It is possible to move from being a natural man to be a spiritual man. Where you live tells us the kind of man you are – either natural or spiritual. We walk by faith, not by sight. A natural man walks by sight. The introduction of faith is an introduction to things that will make us spiritual.

Corruption works by lust. Lust is a sight and it occurs in the heart. A spiritual man is  a state of being, not basically activities. Being born again and filled with the Holy Ghost does not make one spiritual. Spirituality is a state the soul comes into by making use of the provision God gives. These provisions constitute the knowledge of Him that has called us to virtue and glory. This enables us to escape the miry clay – the corruption that is in the world through lust.

There are great, precious and exceeding great promises. The one that exceeds all of them is the knowledge that surpasses. The realm called knowledge is referred to as spiritual. This realm opens up by faith and takes you until you are perfected. It is a charity man that is spiritual. The reason why we are told to love one another is for the sake of understanding. In this economy, it is not only answers to prayer They want to do for us.

The prayer of the saints which the angels offered were for entrance, which cannot be offered without incense (Rev. 8:3-4). Having the desire to understand is prayer. That is the prayer of the saints. The incense is a sweet aroma that ascends as a smoke when burnt. Smoke is a spirit. We need incense to make our prayers spiritual. Incense is knowledge. Knowledge that is not put to use will eventually be lost. But knowledge that is used will make the user become it.  Our gain in Christ is the life that makes us spiritual.

2 Peter 1:5-7

“And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.”

Brotherly kindness is not charity. Brotherly kindness, which is a step lower than charity. Godliness prepares your heart for brotherly kindness; and you move from patience to brotherly kindness. A person who is not large-hearted cannot be patient, such a person is narrow and cannot be godly. You must be large enough for brethren to push through you to the other side. Godliness will make you serve another person without thinking of being served. Godliness is being like God. You need to allow people to use you like they are using God. Godliness makes you large-hearted. It is still within the economy of charity.

We ought to be diligent in receiving things that pertain to life and godliness. Diligence means not losing focus on the things that make you appreciate (increase) spiritually. One of our problems is that we do not even know these things. Hence, we lose life and we are not aware. We are not yet very diligent when it comes to not losing life. Giving all diligence means you are attentive to all scenarios to gain life. We need to be diligent so we can add to our faith.

We already have the faith of Jesus and diligence is required to add to it. Virtue is the energy of life. When you add energy to faith-life, you ignite faith for the journey and then you add knowledge. Knowledge is basically experience. When you ignite your faith, put experience. This is not your experience per se, but His experience. We are to follow those who through faith and patience inherit the promises (Heb. 6:12). We have the experience of a great cloud of witnesses, add that. There is no temptation you go through that is not common among all.

Self control is also listed amongst the attributes we must add. Another word for self control/temperance is constraint. There is a constraint in charity. All these things come by the knowledge of Christ. We ought to keep increasing in the knowledge of Christ. A man who has gone this far is one who is godly. If you are not patient, you will act rashly. And anytime patience is not involved in a matter, faith is not there. And when faith is absent, you lose life. Then godliness brings you to brotherly kindness. Charity is kind.

1 Corinthians 13:4

“Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,”

Long suffering is the senior brother of patience. If brotherly kindness is what is referred to as kindness, then long suffering will be godliness – God suffers long. Many of us may be kind to one another, but not yet doing charity. When you come into charity, one thing that will be evident is that you will be selfless. A lot has to be done in your soul for you not to think of yourself first. Fervent charity is selflessness that is hot – looking for where to happen.

We are the ones to do the addition required (2 Pet. 1:5). You add brotherly kindness to charity. A spiritual man is a man who is selfless. Some selflessness are not of Christ; such cannot be trusted. An unbeliever can be selfless. The difference will come when understanding comes to play. Many marriages will not end in divorce if couples can be selfless. In our training in charity, our selfishness will be offended  until we become selfless.

Charity is spiritual. He that is spiritual judges all things of God. All things of God passes knowledge. You gain the ability to discern and gain judgement when you excel in charity.