Fall 1994

Natural and Spiritual
Wade E Taylor

"It is sown a natural body; it is raised
a spiritual body. There is a natural body,
and there is a spiritual body.

Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual,
but that which is natural; and afterward
that which is spiritual" I Cor 15:44 45

Our mind forms opinions and makes decisions. We do this feeling we know and understand. Then the presence of the Lord quickens us and everything changes. Through the anointing of the Holy Spirit, we see things differently.

This is a result of the two levels of life upon which we live - the natural and spiritual, interacting, or reacting one to the other.

There is an important key to our maintaining a spiritual walk. It is the ability to adjust, or change. If we are fixed in our opinion, we will push through to that which is natural. Many beautiful movings of the Holy Spirit have been hindered, or missed due to a lack of ability to adjust to "the mind of Christ" (I Cor 2:16).

"My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are
your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the
heavens are higher than the earth, so are my
ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts
than your thoughts" Isa 55:8 9.

If we are beginning to formulate words or ideas in the realm of the spirit and give expression to spiritual understandings, then we are growing towards spirituality. If we remain a spiritual baby, with our spirit only able to express itself on the level of our salvation experience, we will be unable to vocalize our experiences in the realm of the spirit.

"Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual,
but that which is natural; and afterward that
which is spiritual" I Cor 15:45.

In the Song of Solomon, the Bridegroom said to His Bride, "I have compared you to a horse in Pharaoh"s chariot." He was using natural words to express a spiritual quality He saw to be within her. This was a compliment that was to be understood on a higher level of perception.

The Word tells us that "the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets" I Cor 14:32. A mature prophet will wait and not give expression to the first impression he receives. Instead, he will look to the Lord that he might express what he sees on a higher spiritual level.

We tend to judge according to what we see. But the Lord looks at the potential that He sees to be within us. Here, He was seeing a young colt, kicking and balking, crude and undisciplined, but which had a tremendous potential to be trained and disciplined. A horse can never be ridden until its independent spirit has been broken.

Some of us have never experienced our "independent" spirit being broken. The Holy Spirit has not been able to "get on our backs and ride us" until we are broken and as a result begin to demonstrate a meek and quiet spirit.

The Lord will not be able to accomplish this unless we first give Him permission to do so, as it transgresses our "rights." We must freely give the Lord the right to produce this breaking within us.

If we insist on our own rights, it will never take place and we will be passed by when those who are ready to be "hitched to the chariot of the King" will be chosen to bring Him forth into open view in all His Regal Shekinah Glory.

It is so easy for us to give expression to an attitude without waiting to see how the Lord would lead. The natural looks at the raw material, but the Lord looks at what the finished product will be like and then chooses accordingly.

Jacob and Esau are an example of this. Isaac desired some venison before he died. Esau responded to his father's desire and went to get meat for him. While he was doing this, Jacob was busy deceiving his father.

The Scripture says, "As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated" Rom 9:13. This is God speaking. The natural man would have looked at the situation and talked to everyone about how terrible Jacob is. But, if we will remain quiet and wait to find the mind of Christ, the Lord will show us something very different about each of these.

Esau sought to please his father in only the natural realm. When he became intensely hungry, he sold his birthright, the supernatural, for a bowl of stew. Thus, Esau despised the birthright. God knew this, but we can only know if we spend time before the Lord to apprehend His mind.

When we have the "Mind of Christ," we will see things as the Lord sees them. The Scripture says, "Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you" Phil 3:15. We can trust the Lord to show us by the Spirit His mind and His purpose.

What we sow, we reap. Jacob deceived his father, but in turn, he was deceived and paid a very high price for what he did. Jacob had bought the birthright from Esau. He did not need to deceive his father, but was unwilling to wait out the intervention of the Lord and took it into his own hands.

"My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we
shall receive the greater condemnation" James 3:1.

A teacher is one who speaks to formulate, or correct opinions or attitudes. A teacher in the five-fold ministry is more than one who stands up and imparts information, but greatly affects the thoughts and views of those who listen. If something is taught that came from human understanding alone, many will be hindered and affected in their spiritual progression.

That which is taught must be true to the Word, be edifying and build up and enhance a person's walk in the Lord. Burdens are not to be put on the Lord's people that are heavier than they can carry or information put in their heads that lead to confusion. There is a tremendous responsibility upon a teacher.

"For in many things we offend all. If any man offend
not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also
to bridle the whole body"James 3:2.

"But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil,
full of deadly poison. Therewith bless we God, even
the Father, and therewith curse we men, which are
made after the similitude of God" James 3:8-9.

There is a natural body and there is a spiritual body. That which is first is the natural. The inclination is present for us to act in the natural. Therefore, it takes a discipline in our tongues to wait upon the spiritual.

"Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to
loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the
heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go
free, and that ye break every yoke?

Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry,
and that thou bring the poor that are cast
out to thy house? when thou seest the naked,
that thou cover him; and that thou hide not
thyself from thine own flesh?" Isaiah 58:6-7.

Notice we are to cover, not expose the naked. The reward is both tremendous and challenging.

"Then shall thy light break forth as the morning.
And thine health shall spring forth speedily:
and thy righteousness shall go before thee;
the glory of the Lord shall be thy rereward.

Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer;
thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am.
If thou take away from the midst of thee the
yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and
speaking vanity" Isaiah 58:8-9.

During a visitation, we will begin to see things as the Lord sees them. This is a spiritual principle. If we begin to gossip rather than repent, we will hinder the visitation.

By putting forth our "finger" and forming an opinion, we grieve the presence of the Lord and the visitation may cease. Then we wonder what happened, because the Holy Spirit was beginning to move. Now, it has stopped.

Had we held what we were seeing before the Lord, and waited for His judgment or correction, we would have moved into a marvelous moving of the Holy Spirit in visitation.

We should say, "Lord, how would You handle this? Show me what you would do. Then we will be able to say as Jesus said, "I do nothing of Myself, but as My Father hath taught me, I speak these things" John 8:28b.

If we will do this, we will be amazed at the results.