The New Life, Inc.

If we want spiritual growth is it important that we see and hear spiritually? I think it is one of the basics of spiritual growth.

Is it possible to have spiritual sight and hearing with no spiritual growth? I think so for several reasons. We can have spiritual sight and hearing and be in the condition that Jesus spoke of; “Seeing they see not; hearing they hear not. This is the condition of many Christian people.

Other people do see and hear spiritual things but do not act on them. Sight and hearing makes it possible for me to respond to situations around me.

For some people seeing and hearing spiritual things is not good for them or their family or the people around them. The natural man gets a hold of it and the ego becomes inflated and they think they are greater then others and more spiritual then other people. I expect most of you have encountered these people.

Often I have heard this remark; “That person never grew up”!   What did they mean by that statement? In most cases it did not mean there body did not develop; it ment they were still acting and functioning like children.

Can this happen to us as born-again Christians? Yes! Look in the bible;

1 Corinthians 3:1 And I brethren could not speak to you as spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to babes in Christ

Galatians 3:3 Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?

Hebrews 5: 11 Concerning him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become hard of hearing.

Hebrews 5:13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness for he is a baby.

I spent some time thinking about that last statement about the word of righteousness. What is the word of righteousness? I came to the conclusion that it is the living word that is being written in our heart and mind moment by moment, that we are to live by; and if we do; we are being led by the spirit in the same way that Jesus was.  

Being a spiritual person means that I think spiritually I act spiritually; I function from the spirit in me and not from the natural man or natural reasoning.

When The Lord brought me into this ministry I had a lot going for me; I went to church but I was not a religious person. I did not know the bible at all. I had nothing to offer anyone. Now I realize that is just what the Lord wanted. He did not have to free me from someone else’s teaching.

He gave me a hunger for the bible, but he would not let me read commentaries or use the helps. He wanted to interpret the scriptures to me, that is what He wants to do for you also.

You want to grow spiritually; do like Paul, leave the old things behind and look to the Holy Spirit.

To start this session of spiritual growth I want to ask you a question.

What did God have to say to you today?

I have asked many Christian people this question and most of them do not have an answer!  If I do not know what my Father is saying to me through Jesus and the Holy Spirit, can I really expect to grow spiritually? I know that we can read the bible and get a head knowledge and memorize scripture, that does not mean we are spiritual.

John 10:4-5   “When he puts forth all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice.  And a stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.

Faith is very important in our spiritual journey. Do you believe that God can speak? Do you believe that he can speak to you? Start applying faith that God is speaking to you, and that you can hear Him; now start listening to Him.

I don’t think that many of you are going to hear a loud voice. You will have to pay attention to your thought life; that is how He is going to speak to most of you. I believe that all of you are receiving thoughts from God every day; you just are not recognizing where they are coming from. You do not recognize His voice when it comes to you as a still quiet thought in your mind. Most of us do not guard our mind; and as a result we have all kinds of stuff going on in our head. Some thoughts are from God, some thoughts are our own and others are right from evil spirits and Satan.

Something you need to know right away; if you are going to grow spiritually it is because you develop a close walk with Jesus and the Holy Spirit. The Bible can teach you many things, so can your Church; your priest or pastor; but none of us can take the place of Jesus and the Holy Spirit in your spiritual journey.

I have heard several people down through the years tell me they were waiting for their partner, their husband or wife, don’t wait! The spiritual journey is internal, it is something that happens inside of you, and as it happens it begins to affect the people and things around you. Don’t wait for anyone!

Any questions or comments I would be glad to hear from you. God BlessYou! 

rnault@thenewlife.us 

For this session I want to go to Hebrews 5:13-14 For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.

In the first session, I referred to our spiritual eyes and ears. The spiritual man has all the senses that the natural man has. The natural senses are what we use to function in our everyday life and without them you would not be able to function. These natural senses are not going to help you in the spiritual realm. You are going to have to begin exercising your spiritual senses to grow spiritually.

We can practice religion with the natural senses but we cannot practice spirituality with the natural senses.

I cannot emphasize this strong enough!  

Many people; Baptist, Catholic, Pentecostal and on and on think they are being spiritual because they are religious; go to church every day and pray all the time, no! We are spiritual when we are born of the spirit and begin to use our spiritual senses!

A scripture that many of you are familiar with; The conservation between Jesus and Nicodemus; John 3:3-6:

Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God”

Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born again when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mothers womb and be born can he?”

Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you unless one is born of the water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”

This being born again of the Spirit is a stumbling stone to many, many people of all kinds of religions all around the world. I have heard Christian people; Pastors, Priest and ministers, ridiculing the born again experience. They had no idea what they were doing and what an important issue this is, if they did they would be on their knees asking God to forgive them.

Got a note from my friend Logan.

When the soul rules (will, intellect, and emotions) discernment about good and evil get blindsided. Unfortunately if we are ruled by the soul, the realm of the spiritual gets closed and choices get made which often lead to eating from the wrong tree. We then reap bad fruit from bad seeds.  

I encourage you to pray and ask Jesus and the Holy Spirit to give you clear understanding of these scriptures.  Hebrews 5:11-14 and John 3:1-12.

If any of you have a question or insight drop me a note at rnault@thenewlife.us

God bless,

Ralph Nault

I am aware that most people would like to grow spiritually but some will not because they will not put any effort into it. Anyone that wants to grow spiritually is going to have to put effort and energy into it. It is not going to happen just because you want it to. We cannot begin a spiritual journey one day and be a spiritual giant the next. To grow and function spiritually, we must learn to use a whole new set of senses. Our spiritual eyes and ears must be open, and we must be able to discern the difference between the spiritual man and the natural man. We must discern what is in control right now, body, soul or spirit.

I had a problem there; I did not know the difference between the soul and spirit. I thought they were the same thing. I read a book by Watchman Nee titled (The Spiritual Man) I encourage you to read it also, it will help you a lot to understand body, soul and spirit.

From this book I saw clearly that soul and spirit are not the same thing, no more then my heart and lung are the same thing. They each have a different purpose, the soul gives me everything I need to function in the physical realm, the spirit gives me everything I need to function in the spiritual realm.

Then the Holy spirit brought me to this scripture in Hebrews 4:12: For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. (Pray on this and ask the lord to do this in you).

Another scripture to think about 1 Cor. 2:13-14:  Which things we speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but those taught by the Spirit combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words. But a natural man does not accept the things of God; for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them because they are spiritually appraised.

If any of you have a question or some comment send it to my e-mail  rnault@thenewlife.us  Please keep it very short and to the point.  Thank you.  In the near future this series will begin to appear on the New Life website www.thenewlife.us

I received a comment back from Jerry Doctor. Thank you Jerry

Thank you; I enjoyed your first Spiritual Growth series note. What struck me especially was your statement that “when we enter the spiritual realm it is like going into a foreign land and we need a guide.” For me the spiritual realm has always seemed very foreign, even after meeting Jesus and being filled with the Holy Spirit, which are necessary, but apparently it takes a lot more time for some of us to catch on to what is happening in the spiritual dimensions. Possible it is because I was steeped in Christian religion. It has taken a long time to figure out what it means to be spiritual. Thank God I am beginning to grasp it a little anyway  

 I want to start by making a few things clear. I believe there is a difference between the practice of religion and spiritual growth. You can be very religious and not be spiritual at all. A case to get my point across; Paul in the scriptures was a very religious man but was not spiritual until the Damascus road experience.  The opposite is also true; you can be very spiritual and not be religious.  I would have to say this of Paul: outwardly he was doing everything right; I expect he thought he was a very spiritual man, but there was nothing spiritual about it.

Another point I want to bring out is some folks think they are very spiritual and they are not spiritual at all. There are others that do not consider themselves to be spiritual; that are very spiritual people.

Another important point; we can seek spirituality through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit or we can seek spirituality through other spirits of which there are many. I encourage you to go to Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit and let them guide you.

There are many spirits in the world that desire you and would like to posses you. What they want is to control you and use you; don’t go there!  For some of you that have already gone to other spirits, if you are wise you will go to Jesus and the Holy Spirit and they will set you free. Notice that for Paul it was Jesus Christ that introduced him to the Holy Spirit.

When we enter the spiritual realm it is like going into a foreign land and we need a guide. If you are interested in spiritual growth I would encourage you to start be going to Jesus Christ in prayer and ask Him into your heart and life, then ask Him to give you the Holy Spirit to guide and direct you.  I spent many years of my life with a little bit of religion and nothing spiritual. At thirty–two my life and marriage was falling apart and I was considering suicide. As a last desperate act I reached to God and He came. I think for many people that is when they have a spiritual experience.

In Jeremiah 29:12-13 there is a scripture that reads; “Then you will call upon me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me, and find Me when you search for me with all your heart.

I did not know this was in the Bible but this is the way I went. I cried out to God with everything that was in me and I found Him.  I became alive spiritually.