The Things of the Spirit

For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.

Romans 8:5 (NKJV)

How we live as Christians matters, because our way of life determines the default state of our minds here on earth: whether our minds will be slaves to the flesh or participants in the things of God. We must choose our way of life, and for the Christian there are only two: living, or walking, in the flesh, or in the Spirit. A Christian who lives a carnal life cannot expect to be inclined to the things of the Spirit, and should not be surprised when he has no desire for spiritual things; on the contrary, they become repugnant to him.

So it is with Christians who do not value church attendance, speaking in tongues or spending hours in meditation on God's Word. They consider such spiritual activities insignificant, and some even go so far as to place their careers above God. Such people are carnal, and disqualified from participating in the things of the Spirit. The works of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit are clearly set out in Galatians 5:19–25; a life lived in the flesh, or in the Spirit, will produce those qualities in a believer's character respectively.

Clearly, if we want access to the things of the Spirit of God, we must be serious about how we live. We must make a definite standard of living, free of sin and worldliness, our priority, for our access to the deeper things of God, the innermost treasures of the Spirit, depends on it. Once our habitual state of mind is tuned to the frequency of the Spirit, our participation in the activities of the Spirit will be guaranteed.

The things of the Spirit are everything that pertains to Jesus and to God. Their nature is spiritual and supernatural, and among the many things counted as the things of God are the activities of God in the Spirit and on earth, the manifestations of the Spirit, the gifts of God, the gifts of Christ, the working of angels and the fellowship of the saints. This does not cover everything, but I am sure you understand. A Christian who desires to participate actively in the things of God must qualify himself through a life governed by the Holy Spirit and the Word of God; anything less is deception.

This is where prayer, and more specifically praying in the Spirit, is so important, because prayer helps to "spiritualise" our minds and to prioritise our spiritual life. You cannot live a life of prayer and not be sensitised to the things of God; sooner or later that life will reflect the activities of its secret chambers. Engage in ardent and protracted seasons of prayer in the Spirit. They will help immensely in cultivating a walk, a life, in the Spirit.