"In the beginning was the word and THE WORD WAS WITH GOD, and the Word was God. John 1:1

In the part 1 of this topic, we've taken a look at how you can have your spiritual genesis in God and the means by which you can have it. I believe by now everyone of you should be certain you belong to God's kingdom and not the kingdom of man or satan many have been introduced into today. In this part, I shall be revealing the mysteries of personal relationship with God to solidify your spiritual link in God's Kingdom.

"... AND THE WORD WAS WITH GOD.."

The above statement may look shallow or simple but a deeper look into Scriptures will amaze you the mysteries hidden in such a simple but spiritually loaded statement.

Becoming born again is just a tip of the iceberg in God's kingdom. Unfortunately, that is where many remain all through out their life time in Christendom which is never God's will for His children. Imagine a new born baby that refuses to grow after been fed with the milk from the mother. The baby will certainly be considered as abnormal. Imagine the same baby after been weaned from the mother's milk refuses to take other food and still insist on the mother's milk. Then you know something is wrong.

Let's still imagine the same baby after been fed with the mother's milk, cow's milk,solid food and after 5 years the baby can't crawl let alone walk, then you know that baby has serious spiritual and medical condition. Definitely, the parents especially the mother will not be happy. In some extreme cases, you will see the father challenging the mummy where she got the baby from.

Let's further imagine as this baby grows, he doesn't look like the father or mother or anyone from the family. His characters and behaviours are way off tangent from the parent's and bears no single resemblance with that of the parents or grandparents. This will become a great dilemma in the family. Actually all the above scenery is absolutely impossible.

Why?

From inception, the fetus is with the mother in the womb from where it takes its nourishment and begins to take the shape of the mother or father depending on the dominant genes. After nine months in the womb he is born and stays with the mother most of the time. The relationship with the father, siblings and especially the mother make serious impact in his life.For the first two years of his life, he relates more with the mother and less with the father.

As the child grows, he resembles the mum or dad depending on the dominant genes. He begins to exhibit some characters or behaviours which can be traced mostly to the father or mother. He will always become like the parents except a strong external factor gets involved.

The Jewish leaders were astonished at the boldness, confidence, gentleness and wisdom of the Peter and John as they stood in defense of the healing of the lame man at the beautiful gate. They were so amazed because they knew they were unlearned people but they there was one thing they came to conclude as the source of the display of the apostles.

"13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and THEY TOOK KNOWLEDGE OF THEM, that THEY HAD BEEN (WITH) JESUS.
14 And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it." Acts 4:13-14

Your characters and behaviours in life will always reflect who you have been with. As for believers, we now have a new life in Christ and therefore the so-called negative weaknesses we might have inherited from our parents should no longer control us or dictate how we live.

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."
2 Corinthians 5:17

The negative attitudes we inherited from our parents are due to the familiar spirits that have been in operation in the family or neighbourhood. They are not from God. The fallen nature as we claim today is really a satanic lifestyle that brought Adam and Eve from grace to grass and is still doing the same thing today. For this reason Apostle Paul opened our eyes to the spiritual reality of this menace.

"1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins:
2 wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
3 among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others." Ephesians 2:1-3

"...THE SPIRIT THAT NOW WORKETH IN THE CHILDREN OF DISOBEDIENCE..."

This is the true picture of the lives of many today and even among those who claim to be saved. As believers, we have been delivered from this spirit of disobedience by the blood of Jesus and as such the power has no effect over us again which is actually a theory in many lives because they are not fully ready to be with Jesus.

"13 who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
14 in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:" Colossians 1:13-14

Why are many believers today not reflecting the very life of Jesus today?

There are two answers to that. The first is that they don't know Him neither do they have anything to do with Him.

"And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?" Luke 6:46

"31 And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness.
32 And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: for they hear thy words, but they do them not." Ezekiel 33:31-32

The second reason is this, they are actually saved but choose to remain baby believers.

"1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able."
1 Corinthians 3:1-2

This is a serious problem in Christendom today. So many believers including Gospel Ministers are still baby believers in Christ. That many are gifted is no reflection of their spirituality. This is why I am amazed with folks who mistake charisma for spirituality in God's Kingdom. Listen to me, you can be highly gifted and highly carnal due to your baby spiritual nature. The Corinthians believers were highly gifted but Apostle Paul still called them babies. Amazing isn't it!

" 4 I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ;
5 that in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge;
6 even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you:
7 so that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ:" 1 Corinthians 1:4-7

"...SO THAT YE COME BEHIND IN NO GIFT..."

Only baby ministers will teach you it is okay to keep on taking milk because that is what they are still feeding on. Only such will tell you it doesn't matter if you are still struggling in sins, rising and falling, you are graced to remain saved because that is the kind of life they are still living. NO MINISTER OF GOD CAN TEACH YOU ABOVE HIS PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH GOD. But for those who have been with Jesus, it is always a different ball game because they have a personal one on one relationship with Him. They know what He likes and what He hates. For this Apostle John said,

"1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;
2 (for the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us
3 that which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.
4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full."
1 John 1:1-4

Apostle John with other apostles moved with Jesus. They ate with Him, slept and woke up with Him. Talked and and discussed with Him. They had an intimate relationship with Him. He together with Peter and James saw Him transfigured on the Mountain. Matthew 17. So he knew what He was talking about.

At salvation our root and link with sin are broken. But we need to grow to experience the total transformation of the spirit, soul and body. The spirit of man get saved at salvation but not the soul and body. This is where many believers have conflict and ignorance about. For this reason we are exhorted by Apostle Paul in Romans 12:1-2,

"1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."

At salvation your spirit is empowered to function as God's child, John1:12. Your spirit is empowered but not your body or soul. This is why you must consciously with discipline submit yourself to God by seeing yourself as a living sacrifice. This means, you are no longer the owner of your life but God. You have been bought with the price of the blood of Jesus.

"For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s." 1 Corinthians 6:20

But this consciousness will never hold sway until your mind is renewed by The Word and by the revelation from the Spirit of God.

"2 as newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:
3 if so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious." 1 Peter 2:2-3

As new born babes, desire the sincere milk of God's Word and not men's own. It takes The Word to refine and renew your soul which is the major bone of contention. The subconscious mind in the soul houses all the memories of sin. The power of sin over our lives have been broken at salvation but the memories linger on in our subconscious minds. What the devil does is to always try to revive that memory. He knows he cannot force us to sin but he can always appeal to our emotions through the stored up memories in our minds. He throws in the sinful thoughts. When the thought is accepted it triggers off the sin memory in our minds.

At this junction let me make it clear to you that no amount of fasting or prayers can destroy this memory. The best one can do is to paralyze or as the Bible puts it mortify the memory. This simply means to make it of none effect, silence it, weaken it, chain it, degrade it, crush it, abase it etc.

"Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:" Colossians 3:3

They are members of our body is simply telling you the control the mind has over the body. So to present our bodies as living sacrifices, you will need to take The Bible serious, study and meditate on it with the help of The Spirit. This is the antidote that can keep the sin memories in minds chained and allow us to present our bodies as living sacrifice constantly.

"9 Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.
10 With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.
11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee." Psalm 119:9-11

The Psalmist understood this truth and he knew only The Word can tame the flesh. He took The Word of God serious and kept it in his heart. He made God's Word a compass for his life and lived in it. Though he fumbled many times but he always managed to find himself right back on tract because The Word and not the flesh was in control.

"10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit." Psalm 51:12

To reflect the life of Jesus you must make up your mind to spend time with Him via The Bible and listening to the voice of The Spirit.

But doctor, there are many believers who claim they have the Holy Ghost, speak in tongues but are not reflecting the true life of Christ.

Yes, your observation is true but you need to understand this truth,

THE HOLY GHOST WILL NEVER REFLECT CHRIST IN YOU BEYOND YOUR WORD LEVEL.

This is where many get it wrong. The Holy Ghost is limited by the degree you allow Him to show you Christ and by your response to what He shows or tells you. Christianity is a practical thing. Your obedience to God's Word He is teaching you or you are reading will determine Christ likeness in your life.

He gives gifts but He is not the gifts. He empowers you to speak in tongues but He is not the tongue. His major duty is to reveal Christ and glorify Him in you. How you respond to that process is entirely up to you. This is why three people can become born again today but will be on different spiritual levels in one or two years time.

True spirituality has to do with the knowledge and life of Christ in you. This is the sole mission of The Spirit of God.

'12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.
13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you." John 16:12-14

The Holy Ghost has nothing of Himself to show you. He is to show you Christ. Reveal Christ to you. Take from Christ and give you and glorify Christ in you. This demands spiritual growth which requires total consecration, commitment and discipline to achieve.

TO BE CONTINUED IN PART 3

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