who is SPIRITUAL?

I have often heard people use the term spiritual to describe a man who is either a leader of a church or known to be involved in some spiritual activities. In fact, a man who engages in spiritual exercises such as fasting, visiting prayer mountains regularly, observe constant night prayers etc. is seen to be very spiritual. These set of people are regarded as powerful and I have seen those who by one reason or the other could not commit to some of these spiritual exercises consistently referred to as spiritually weak. At some quarters, the type of cloth you wear, or the hair-do disqualifies you from being referred to as a spiritual man. Women are to strictly wear a particular model of clothing and men likewise and those who default the set standard might actually not be regarded as a Christian not to say spiritual. These parameters are what is perceived as what makes a man “spiritual”. If these requirements are to go by, that means a man is very spiritual all because he performs these spiritual exercises probably most often.

This then brings me to begin to interrogate the Holy Spirit Himself on what really makes a spiritual man.

While Jesus left the scene physically, He gave all to the Holy Ghost to carry on and the primary purpose of the Holy Spirit is to ensure man has a smooth journey here on earth without defiling his place in heaven. The deal behind that is to make sure man becomes beyond natural. When man receives Jesus into his heart, the Holy Ghost comes. It is the duty of the Holy Ghost to begin redefining the desires of such man to that of God. The problem that had been before Jesus was the inability of man to submit to God. Those who desire to submit before Jesus had a tough means to do so, because of the distortion that had happened from the beginning.

Paul was addressing the Christians in Corinth, a church he had established in the Greek city of Corinth on his second missionary journey, but things have gone bad after his departure. He described the church as not being spiritual because it is not enough to say that we are Christians, we must also act like Christians. His distinguishing factor of the spiritual and unspiritual was in the doing. They didn’t understand the grace of Christ. What Christ has really come to do and this made them disqualified from being tagged spiritual.

And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ… For ye are yet carnal: for whearas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal and walk as men 1Cor3v1&3

“Spiritual” is from the word Spirit. This is referring to the Spirit of God. Spiritual then means to be full of the Spirit. How can man be full of the Spirit? Is there a gauge? What Jesus seek through the Spirit is to make sons for God, those who God can be proud of and can beckon on at any time. This directly means, if a man becomes a son, he can be used of God and he that can be used have been treated by the Spirit.

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name. John1v2

For as many that are led by the spirit of God, they are the sons of God. Rom8v14

The ability to be able to comply with the Spirit has been released in Jesus. Without Jesus, it would have still been difficult for man to submit to God. It is now how much a man submits to the Spirit that makes him Spiritual. A man that is not just led but follows the leading of the Holy Spirit. Until a man understands grace, to live in the spirit will be almost impossible. Grace brings submission to the spirit.

If we are living now by the Holy Spirit’s power, let us follow the Holy Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives Gal5v25

If you use every day of your life engaged in all the spiritual exercises, it doesn’t make you any more spiritual as much as you can submit to the spirit. A man can attend all the night prayers that exist, fast every day in a week and still act as same as the Corinthian Christians Paul regarded as carnal. The essence of all the spiritual exercises as fasting, vigils and all of it is to make you more receptive of Him and not become spiritual. What makes spiritual is His blood that had been shed that gives you access to the Holy Spirit of God. No matter how much a man does all he thinks to do, without the Holy Ghost made available by His blood spirituality remains a theory! How spiritual you are is in how much you submit to Him in every of your daily affair. You can only submit by acknowledging grace.

Where God relates with is the spirit, He doesn't delight in you because you do spiritual exercises, His delight is in you submiting to Him. You become spiritual by submitting not by doing things to substitute for submitting. It is a gift, it is not what you can earn. The Holy Ghost is a gift from God to make man have access. It’s been all done by Christ. Launch into it, it is grace and you live daily as a spiritual sacrifice to Him.

“You are spiritual, not because you are consistent with fasting, vigils, etc ( though they are very good) but, because you are consistent with submitting”

As you go this week, would you please re-examine yourself and see if you are actually spiritual?  

Be Innovated.
Olufemi Ibitoye
@toyolufemi