UNDERSTANDING THE THINGS OF THE SPIRIT (Part 2)

For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God (1Corinthians 2:10-11).

Why did Jesus speak in parables? Starting in Matthew 13:11, Jesus explains His use of parables to his disciples by saying, “. . . it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven but to them it has not been given.” If it has been given to us to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, why don’t we know them?  Verse 12 has a principle that can be hard to understand. It says, “For whoever has, to him more will be given. . . .“ We need to understand the principle of God regarding why we don’t understand. We always need Him to initiate His work in us first. I call this DIVINE INITIATION: He gives every one of us a part of Himself. He gives us FAITH, and then says, “There is more of Me; use your faith to pursue more.” One can always tell how much someone desires something by the manner in which he or she pursues it. If I really desire peace, I will pursue peace. If I desire love, I will pursue love. If I desire money, I will pursue money. And if I desire God, I will pursue God. If we don’t have understanding, it is because we haven’t pursued it.

Jesus continues, “Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand” (Matthew 13:13). The Spanish version of this verse says, “Looking, they don’t see, and hearing, they don’t listen, nor do they understand.” They look but they never see. They hear but they don’t listen; they hear a sound, but they don’t really listen to the words. We must be deliberate in listening to the Word of God. We must masticate (chew it), swallow, digest, and let that word become a part of us.

God has given every man a measure of faith. If we use the revelation Jesus gives, we will receive more revelation until we are loaded with it. It is like receiving interest and dividends. It’s an awesome principle that the Lord is teaching us. I believe the church has entered a period of supernatural increase. Seek increase in your love for the Lord, in your understanding of His Word and ways, and in your commitment to live your life in a manner pleasing to Him.

UNDERSTANDING THE THINGS OF THE SPIRIT (Part 1)

For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God (1Corinthians 2:10-11).

We have not always understood that God has opened His Word to us so that we might understand and comprehend the Scriptures. By means of the Holy Spirit, He has opened up the Scriptures so that we will KNOW what His plan is. I believe that God has opened the Scriptures so clearly because He expects us to take His Truth and do something with it. Why would God speak so positively of us? It is because it was ALWAYS His plan! Paul tells us that God included us in Christ before the foundation of the world. (Ephesians 1:4) We should take this Truth and walk in it. If God included you and me in Christ before the foundation of the world, that means neither Adam nor the devil was or is a problem for Him. When God says something, it is not AS GOOD AS done; IT IS DONE! 

These Truths are beyond the thinking of the natural man. The Bible says that the natural man CANNOT (note it doesn’t say “will not” or “chooses not to”) understand the things of the Spirit. The natural man CANNOT understand the things of the Spirit; therefore, we MUST have the Spirit of God to understand those things that are freely given to us by God. Matthew 13:10 says, “And the disciples came and said to Him, ‘Why do you speak in parables to them?’ He answered and said to them, 'Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.’” What God is saying is that through His Son, we can understand His purpose and plan. He is also saying that it is given to the sons of the Kingdom to know what the Kingdom is about in order to be more effective.

Proverbs 4:7 says, “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore, get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding.” We need to understand why we understand things of the Spirit of God. We understand because we are BELIEVERS and have understanding because God has spoken it into us; therefore our nature is one of understanding. It grasps the truth of the Lord. The Spirit of God in us grasps His truth. Many of us are more interested in understanding things than we are in understanding the One who gives us those things. God tells us very plainly in Matthew 6 not to seek things. He says, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33). God will always add necessary things to us as we seek Him first.