THE PURSUIT OF SPIRITUALITY (A Life Led By The Spirit)

Are you a spiritual person?

or are you a fleshly person? are you a spiritual man or a natural man, a fleshly man? Paul talked about the contrast to the two types of men 1 Corinthians 2:14a “But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.” 1 Corinthians 3:1 “And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ.” Is the sum of your life, the totality of your life spiritual or you still enslaved, indebted, controlled, & led by the flesh. In our lesson this morning we will learn that the answer to this question depends entirely on our relationship to the Spirit.

ARE YOU A SPIRITUAL PERSON?

Why is this such an important question?

Romans 8:6–9 “For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.”

DId you catch what it said. The mind set on the flesh is death - when you allow the flesh to rule and reign in your mind and life, the result is death. the text says your hostile to God, you are his enemy. The flesh sets itself against the Spirit of God. They are in opposition - they are at war with each-other. As long as the flesh rules your mind you will never subject your self to the law of God so you cannot please God

Romans 8:13 “for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” you live according to the flesh you must die. Paul transition from the mind to living. you see the mind controls the body and if your mind is set on the flesh its only natural for your life or body to be set on the flesh and because of this you must die.

The mind set on the spirit is life and peace v. 6. The mind led by the spirit puts to death the deeds of the body, so you will live. Romans 8:14 “For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.” you are sons of God.

Mind set on flesh = death/enemy of God/ cannot please God

Mind set on the Spirit = life/peace/please God

What awaits the fleshly man is death & hostility with God. What we have to ask ourselves is do we desire death and hostility with God or life and peace with God? The reason this question is so important is because the answer to this question either means death and life, hostility or peace.

What is a fleshly person?

A fleshly person is a person who sets his/her mind on the flesh.

The sum of the their life is not set on the things of the spirit. They fix their mind on the flesh. They heart and mind listens and follows the fleshly desires. It ask what do I want, what feels good to me.

The fleshly person does not see fit to acknowledge God Romans 1:28 “And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper,”

Ephesians 4:17–19 “So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness.”

Note:

walk in the futility of their mind

walk darkened in their understanding

walk in ignorance

walk in hardness of heart

they practice every kind of impurity because their mind is not right

A fleshly person Seeks their own lust.

It obeys the lust of the flesh Romans 6:12 “Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts,” it indulges the flesh. Ephesians 2:2–3 “in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.”

as long as one’s mind is dedicated to satisfying one’s own desires, that individual does not have Jesus as their Lord and master. a fleshly mindset = not dying to sin, not presenting our bodies as instruments of righteousness but actually presenting the members of our bodies as instruments of unrighteousness. A person can be religious, and even moral but can still lack spirituality. A person who is fleshly says “i will”, not “thy will” The fleshly mind does not think about pleasing God. It only thinks about pleasing itself. You see its a mindset. Is your mind set on spiritual things or worldly. do yo listen to the spirit of God or the flesh? the mind set on the flesh...

A fleshly person is still serving sin and is still enslaved to it.

Romans 6:16 “Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness?”

the fleshly doesn’t care, they just do what the flesh wants. they are not trying to be in harmony with God

They are not dead to sin Romans 6:11 “Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.”

They truly have not crucified the flesh. They are still following after the lust of the flesh. I think we are way too soft in the church today and we are afraid to say it like it is sometimes but God word is clear and straight forward when it says...

A fleshly person sets it’s desires against the spirit.

You see I think many would say OK I have not fully eliminated the fleshly mindset but I am still a pretty God person and I would not consider myself an enemy of God. But you see...

Galatians 5:17 “For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.”

What is your mind focused on, what you desire (the flesh) or what God desires?

A fleshly person does not accept the things of God.

1 Corinthians 2:14 “But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.” they are foolish to him, he can’t understand them . He refuses to listen and follow the spirit revealed words of God

You see the flesh and the spirit are leaders of men

The fleshly person is a child of wrath.

Ephesians 2:3 “Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.” enemies of God Romans 8:7 “because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so,”

A fleshly person:

sets their mind on the flesh

seeks to satisfy their own lust

is still serving sin & enslaved to it

sets its desire against the Spirit

does not accept the things of God

Is a child of wrath

What is a spiritual person?

A spiritual person has a mind set on the Spirit.

Rom. 8:6 A spiritual person sets their mind on spiritual things. They have their mind fixed on the Spirit and spiritual things. They are focused on the things of God and the sum of their life is identified by the spirit working and living in their life. We have an obligation to the spirit because it convicted us of sin, revealed Christ to us, and imparted eternal life to us through obedience to Christ. A spiritual person mind has changed and Romans 8:9 “However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.”Romans 8:10 “If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness.” The battle begins in the mind. Where is your mind and heart this morning but more importantly what is you mind fixed on everyday of the week. This is not something you do just on Sunday and Wed. it is everyday and every moment of your life. The spirit must have more and more of your mind everyday. Set your mind on things above. Focus on spiritual things. We are spiritual beings and once these bodies pass away the spirit lives on. Be spiritual focus on the spiritual.

A Spiritual person puts to death the deeds of the flesh.

A spirit influenced mind puts to death the flesh by making choices that go against the flesh and towards the spirit. it has died to sin and yielded itself to the service of God. A spiritual person sees every decision they make through the lenses of the spirit.

the one whom the spirit dwells is led about in life by that which the spirit revealed Ephesians 3:5 “which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit;”

Being spirit led means putting to death the deeds of the body. A spiritual person yields its members to the spirit Rom. 6:12-17.

You see the spirit leads us away from such things Colossians 3:5 “Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry.”Galatians 5:19–21 “Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

A spiritual person walks according to the spirit.

they are willingly led by the spirit Romans 8:14 “For all who are being (willingly) led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.”

In order for this to happen the spirit must have us, our mind heart & body. Spiritual people are more like Christ. Romans 8:4 “so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” It’s all about trying. Are you really trying to walk according to the spirit?

Galatians 5:16–17 “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.”

Notice it says if you walk by the spirit you will not carry out the desires of the flesh. If your mind is set on the flesh the you will walk according to the flesh, but if you set you mind on the spirit then you will walk according to the spirit.

The spirit leads by revelation.

You see a spiritual person walks, speaks, and makes decisions with God and His Will in mind. There is evidence in ones life if they are walking according to the Spirit. What evidence is there in your walking this morning that would confirm or condemn you. Is there evidence that the spirit is working in my life Romans 8:16 “The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God,” What I want you to do this week is truly examine your life, your heart and mind, poll yourself. Are you a spirit led, spirit walking person? Are you spiritual. Are you really making spiritual choices because you mind is set on the things of God? Does your life really look different? Do you make good decisions because they are good for you or because you truly want to dfo the will of God

spiritual people:

have a mind set on the spirit

put to death the deeds of the flesh

walk according to the Spirit (evidence of conversion)