Spiritual Senses #15 – More on Feeling Spirits

A Spiritual Kingdom

Kaneohe Bay 2014

Our body becomes sensitized to spirit as we begin to move away from our sin nature and become partakers of the divine nature (2 Pet. 1:4):

1. Three years after I became born again and baptized in the Holy Spirit—and the work of the cross was self-evident in my life—a small group of us headed for a prayer meeting. We arrived late. Worship was over and the meeting had begun. The preacher was at mic. For some reason, I felt an invisible barrier just before we entered the tent; so I stayed where I was. The rest of the group continued to their seats.

After he shared his message for the day, he remarked that worship changes the atmosphere under the tent. So, whenever anybody comes late (I know he was talking about us!) they poke holes in the anointing and dilute the spirit of the place. Because I felt that spiritual barrier, I can say “yep” and “amen” to the preacher’s remarks. Ah, well. We live and we learn. Sorry, Lord. Mianhe.

2. As my walk advanced and more of the sins of the flesh were abandoned, I worked at a new job. One day I was not feeling well. My boss offered to let me lie down on the sofa in her office. She closed the door and said she would come for me in an hour. After fifteen minutes of praying in the spirit, I felt a tug on my big toe. A woman’s voice asked, “What is it, sweetie? What do you want?” I felt no fear. Only astonishment. Flabbergasted, really. I couldn’t reply. I look back on this and regret that I didn’t ask at least one of the many questions I had. I was a fool and so slow of heart to believe (Luke 24:25)—even as the Lord was all grace and mercy to me.

Now, if we haven’t experienced the Lord’s sense of humor, then we are not yet fully transformed in his image (2 Cor. 3:18):

3. Like my blog intro says, I hang around with humorous people because I’m much too serious. Evidently, one day, the Lord agreed. I was (as usual) deep in thought, dwelling upon the Lord and Scriptures. I made my way to a quiet place. As I was sitting, still deep in thought, I suddenly felt a conk on my head. I immediately looked up. I was not under a tree; there was no wind to carry an object along; it was quite peaceful. Okay, I got it. Obviously, I was being told to “lighten up”. LOL. Sigh.

Next time: The sense of taste.

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Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, King James Version, Cambridge 1769. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Spiritual Senses #14 - Feeling Spirits

A Spiritual Kingdom

Courtesy Dean Williams 2012

As we continue to bring forth spiritual fruit (Gal. 5:22, 23), our inner witness will provide the proof that we are becoming more and more spirit, and less and less corrupt flesh. Remember, in the eternals of God, the Spirit is life, the flesh profits nothing.

Let's begin at the point where we've just been baptized with the Holy Spirit and have yet to crucify our flesh (Gal. 5:24). Until we do, we are susceptible to ALL spirit-workings. Godly, angelic, or demonic. Don't like it? then don't become spiritual because you're going to need a lot of faith to grow in this area of a spiritual kingdom.

1. I made it a nightly habit to pray (1 Thess. 5:17). One night, about three months after receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit, I began to pray in the Spirit when suddenly, I felt two hands around my neck, choking me. I struggled to call out but couldn't. In my head I began to scream, "Jesus! Jesus!" The hands let go. I opened the lights and thanked the Lord. I cautiously went back to sleep. When I thought back upon the experience, I realized this was a demonic spirit, and it attempted to choke me because it could! In my ignorance, I hadn't gotten rid of my fleshly sins (Gal. 5:24).
2. I worked downtown at a mortgage banking corporation, where bars and clubs are open during the day; and where, in Hawaii, different cultures from Asia, the South Pacific, America, and Europe often run their businesses flavored with the spirituality inherent in their culture. One afternoon, I had to run an errand past such an establishment. As I walked by, I got a piercing headache. It was so bad, I wanted to throw up. I began to pray in the Spirit, silently commanding the spirits of oppression to leave in Jesus' name. The headache lingered until I sought out a fellowship of faith and asked them to pray for me.

 Next week: More on Feeling Spirits
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
 

Spiritual Senses #13 – Sense of Touch Conveys Power

A Spiritual Kingdom

 

Courtesy Clever Smith

According to W. E. Vine in his Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words (1981), he wrote that Spirit “conveys the idea of invisibility and power”. Spiritual Christians can easily say “yes” and “amen” to this idea because our own spiritual experiences support it. Although we cannot see spirit because of spirit’s invisibility, we have certainly felt its power.

Now, we already know that touch conveys power by the direct laying-on-of-hands. What a majority of us have not experienced (or noticed) is the touch of power that comes to us by indirect means. For example:

• Handkerchiefs and aprons were brought from Paul’s body “to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them” (Acts 19:12).

As for my own testimony, although far from the power emitted from the apostle’s body, my own body began to emit a small amount of spirit, too. Clearly, it was not powerful enough to heal anyone; yet, it was noticeable enough to affect the people who worked in my office:

•  I left work for my one week vacation. Two co-workers asked to use my desk while I was gone. I was glad to offer it. A few days later, one of the co-workers called me at home. She said she was freaking out. She claimed that every time she sat on my swivel chair, she felt energized, different, and better. (This girl had a lot of self-inflicted problems). When I returned to work, another co-worker said she felt like she was floating whenever she sat on my chair. Although freaked out by their experiences, both continued to use my chair and desk because curiosity had overcome their fears. It also helped that they knew my walk with God for the past several years we worked together.

Mostly, due to Paul’s experience, I often wash any articles of used clothing handed down to me by relatives or bought at used clothes stores. Better to be safe than sorry.

Next week: Feeling Spirits

Scriptures taken from the New King James Version®; © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.