Spring 1999
Hearing the Voice of the Lord
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.
And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living
soul, the last Adam was a life-giving Spirit.” I Cor 15:44-45.

There is more within this passage of Scripture than the future resurrection of our bodies. In I Cor 15:31, Paul said, “Day by day, I die.” He explained this by saying that presently, he lives in a higher realm of life, in identification with the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ, and that he is “dead” to his old ways and life.

“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I,
but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in
the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved
me, and gave Himself for me.” Gal 2:20 KJV.

We also are to consider ourselves to be dead to sin, and alive to the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ.

“Knowing that when Christ was raised from the dead, He
dies no more; death no longer has dominion over Him.
For in that He died, He died to sin once; but in that
He lives, He lives to God.”

“Likewise count yourselves also to be truly dead to sin,
but alive to God in Jesus Christ our Lord.” Rom 6:9-11.

There are some who place such an emphasis on the cross in relation to how dead they are, that the grave is glorified. But Paul presses on into resurrection life, in which he partakes of the Lord as quickening, life giving Spirit. We each are to live as being dead to our self life, but manifestly alive to our Lord’s life being lived within us.

Jesus said,

“The thief does not come except to steal and to kill and to
destroy. I have come so that they might have life, and that
they might have it more abundantly.” John 10:10.

He placed the emphasis on life, rather than on our trying to figure out how dead we are. When Jesus said, “Let the dead bury the dead” (Matt 8:22), He was moving the emphasis from death to life.” (Matt 8:22). He then said, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (John 10:10b). A “more abundant life” is resurrection life, fully experienced and expressed.

Some criticize those who laugh or rejoice in a service, and say that they should be weeping and not laughing. But Jesus said that our submitting to His authority over us (Kingdom) results in “peace and joy,” which may find its expression in rejoicing or laughing.
“It is sown a natural body and raised a spiritual body.”

The natural body is controlled by the brain, which processes information for us. It is possible for us to go no further in our understanding of the Word of God than the facts stored in our natural minds. But the emphasis is to be placed on the spiritual, as a result of relegating our natural mind to the grave, and in resurrection, respond in spirit.

The anointing lifts Scripture and related “words” from our minds into the realm of the spiritual, and life is imparted rather than mere facts and information. It is here that we worship and move “in Spirit and in Truth.”

Everything that the Lord touches moves upward. If the Word of the Lord that we receive remains in our head alone, when the anointing touches it, it is lifted above us and is gone. Thus, if the emphasis is on the intellect alone, our spiritual being will be left wanting and spiritually starved.

But when the Word is imparted into our spirit, which Scripture indicates is deep within us, and is quickened by the anointing, it will expand and move upward into our understanding. In this same way, we must be spiritually sensitive in order to hear and respond to the voice of the Lord when He comes and knocks upon the door of our inner being.

After being born-again, we have re-created spiritual senses, as well as physical senses. We communicate with the earthly through these physical senses. So also, we relate to the heavenly through our spiritual senses.

Although each of us varies in sensitivity to our five physical senses, we function quite well in the natural realm. But through the new-birth, we became a spiritual baby and our newly created spiritual senses must be developed in order to function properly. The more they are “exercised” the more rapid our spiritual growth. This is expressed in II Timothy 1:6.

“Therefore I remind you to inflame anew the gift
of God which is in you by the putting on of my
hands.”

This speaks of anointed impartation into our spirits.

In the garden of Eden, the “tree of life” and the “tree of knowledge“ were literal trees with fruit. They were to partake of the tree of life alone. In order to receive, Adam and Eve had to reach out, take, and eat (Genesis 3:22-23). So also, there is a reaching out, a lifting of ourselves from the earthly to the spiritual to receive. We are to “stir up” the gift of God.

In Acts 8:17, hands were laid upon the people, and they were filled with the Holy Spirit. This was not a one time experience. The Greek tense is the present indicative. It reads, “Be being filled.” We are to receive and keep receiving. Only then can the Word become Spirit and Life.

When Simon saw that through the laying on of the Apostles’ hands, the Holy Spirit was given, he offered money for this ability. He saw the result of the manifestation of the power of God that lifted those who received into the realm of the spiritual. This impartation of Spirit is far more than an inner subjective experience, as the totality of our being is lifted and responds to the realm of the spiritual. Those who squelch outer expression do not understand this.

After the time of severe persecution in the early Church, the “spiritual” was withdrawn into an “interior” life and visible expression was not allowed. This resulted in “the dark ages.”

Martin Luther, who was dynamically expressive and emotional, began a process of restoration, which today is finding its full release and expression in the functioning of Holy Spirit gifts and the manifestation of our Lord’s presence.

I was greatly blessed and changed through a major visitation of the Holy Spirit in 1958. A fountain of “new wine” flowed and glory became visible. As I experienced these, my life was transformed and became open and sensitive to the operation and manifestations of the Holy Spirit.

“Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that
which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is
the Lord from heaven.”

“As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and
as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.
And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also
bear the image of the heavenly.” I Cor 15:46-49 KJV.

Adam and Eve ate of the wrong tree and died to the higher realm. We are to be “re-born” and again enter and function in spiritual manifestations.

“For You will light my candle: the LORD my God will
make my darkness light.” Psalm 18:28.

It is important that we develop our spiritual senses. Only then can we maintain our availability to the Lord, by hearing and responding when He knocks upon the door of our heart.