How is Your Spirit? (1 Corinthians 2:9-16)
In this sermon we will look at the spirit of man and see how it affects us in our everyday lives. Many think that being spiritual is based on action that we do or see others do. While it is true that a spiritual person will have many of the right actions, it does not mean that just because you see the right actions in someone that they are spiritual. Being spiritual is having your spirit in tune with the spirit of God that dwells in a saved person. When our spirit and the Spirit of God are one it will be much easier to control our flesh and get the victory over sin in our lives.
The spirit of man :
Man has three parts, a body, a soul, and a spirit. (1 Thessalonians 5:23). Before salvation the spirit is said to be dead (Ephesians 2:1), this is why Jesus said ye must be born again. After salvation we are born again spiritually and we receive the Holy Spirit of God which dwells within us. But as Romans 8:16 shows us even though we are saved we still have the spirit of man within us.
Therefore we must recognize that we are spiritual creatures and that our spirit can be affected by various things. Therefore as saved people we must not only watch out for the flesh but we must also be careful in regards to our spirit.
What can happen to the spirit of man?
1) Our spirit can be troubled (Genesis 41:8)
- This even happened unto Jesus (Mark 8:12 ; John 11:33)
2) Our spirit can be willing (Exodus 35:21)
3) Our spirit can be hardened (Deuteronomy 2:30)
- This might explain how some saved people get away from God and quit serving him.
4) Our spirit can be ruled (Proverbs 16:32)
- This should be the goal for the saved person to learn to rule their spirit and keep it in tune with the Spirit of God.
- This is important because if we are not careful the spirit can be broken (Proverbs 15:13) and our spirit sustains our infirmities (Proverbs 18:14).
5) Our spirit can be stirred (Acts 17:16)
- Paul’s spirit was stirred when he saw the city given to idolatry.
6) Our spirit can lust to envy (James 4:5)
From this list we see that there are many ways that the spirit of man can affect the flesh. This is why it is so important to guard our spirit. In Matthew 26:41 Jesus makes the connection between the spirit and the flesh. Many times this is our problem. We just have a bad spirit and it is affecting our flesh. If we only look at the flesh as the problem then we are treating the symptoms and not the disease.
What can we do in order to keep our spirit right?
1) Spend time in God’s word and let the Holy Spirit show us the things that God has prepared for us and wants to give us freely (1 Corinthians 2:9-16).
2) Practice what the word of God says (Hebrews 5:12-14)
- Note Paul makes the reference to milk for weak those who do not know the scripture. This is the same thing he says about the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 3:1-4).
- It is only by use of the word of God that we will be able to discern what is right and what is wrong.
- Many times we see saved people do things and then wonder do they know that is wrong. Without spending time in God’s word letting the Holy Spirit show our spirit what is right and wrong and then practicing what it says, we will never have our senses exercised to discern what is good and evil.
3) Discern what spirit is leading you (1 John 4:1-6)
- Discernment will lead us to be able to try the spirits by the word of God.
- Remember there are the Holy Spirit, your spirit, and evil spirits. We must be able to determine which one is leading us.
- Many times saved people although trying to do right have followed their spirit instead of God’s spirit. A good example is Paul. God warned him not to go to Jerusalem but he did it anyway and wound up in prison.
4) Let the Holy Spirit rule our spirit and not walk in the flesh (Romans 8:1-17)
- Our goal is to walk after the spirit and not after the flesh; this will only be done by letting the Holy Spirit rule our spirit.
- These three steps above are a chain that leads to this result.
The question then becomes for all saved people, how is your spirit?