THEME: HOW TO BE LED BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD
LESSON: NINE
TOPIC: Leading of the Spirit for Nature Formation (Part 2)
TEXT: Rom 8:11-14; John 15:26; John 16: 13-15; Ps 23:3
MEMORY TRACK:
By God’s grace, we learnt that nature is formed in man by leading, the more subject a man is to the leading of the spirit, the more obvious spiritual fruits the man possesses. We saw that the Holy Spirit is a nature forming spirit and a soul who is not subject to leading of the Holy Spirit will be very low in the nature of the spirit. In summary, it was emphasized that our recreated spirit that has life (Christ) cannot give life to our souls, and that the process for our soul to acquire the life that is in our spirit is by leading of the spirit for nature change (1Pet 1:14-15).
God on Our Inside
At new birth, the Spirit of God births in us a new spirit and seals this new spirit until the redemption of the purchased possession. The Spirit of Promise dwells within our spirit. The Holy Spirit within us has the wisdom and the know-how of formation of persons (natures), a healthy child fed with milk, a perfect man or Spiritual man (Christ) fed with Meat, and an everlasting man (Divine) fed with strong meat. The aim of the Spirit of God in us is for us to inherit these persons within our souls (Eph 1:14).
The reason for the training of the consciousness of the Spirit of God on our inside is primarily for us to be attuned with His voice for the purpose of inheriting persons (2Cor 6:16; John 14:23). We need to consciously know who we are and who we have on our inside (Rom 8:9; 1Cor 2:11). We have the right of way by God to know the things of God (Matt 13:11; Col 2:2).
The training to depend on our spirit, has a primary and secondary aim (Rom8:11,14, John 15:26, 16:13-15). As read in the above scriptures, this is the primary purpose of the Holy Spirit, He is come for the formation of persons (nature) in us. The secondary reasons are designed to make sure we are properly positioned for the primary purpose.
Training for Nature
Our spirits were created with righteousness materials and exist by the law of the Spirit of life that is in Christ Jesus,
(Rom 8:1-2, 10; Rom 10:10, Rom 4:11). Our souls on the other hand still have the laws of sin and death at new birth (Eph 2:1-3, 1Pet 1:9-15). Our souls are purchased to undergo the work of salvation. The rebuke of our spirit to our soul and the leading of the Holy Spirit is targeted at re-configuring our souls for nature formation.
Our will, conscience, thought, intent, motive (faculties of our heart and mind) are being gradually retrained and recultured to live by the new life that is in our spirit. The more we yield to our spirit and the witness of the Holy Spirit (to our spirit) on our inside, the more we become more sensitive to the Holy Spirit (Rom 6:19; Heb 5:14).
Everything that is outside faith (revealed life) is designed to weaken alertness to our new normal which is to live in the spirit (Gal 5:16-18).
Conclusion
In conclusion, the primary purpose of the Holy Spirit of Promise in us is to form persons (nature) in us. He wants to bring the Father and the Son, but He has to prepare the vessel (house) that will be able to bear the names (persons/nature). (Ps 23:3). The leading of the Holy Spirit is for His name sake, it is for inheritance sake.