1 Corinthians  9:24-27

24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. 25 And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. 26 Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. 27 But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.

I.       THE SPIRIT

            1 Thessalonians 5:23

            16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,    

           

            2 Corinthians 4:16

¹⁶ Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.

1 Corinthians 2:10-12

¹⁰ But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. ¹¹ 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. ¹² Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.

Spirit – God Consciousness

Soul – Self-Consciousness

Body – World Consciousness

II.    THE ORIGIN OF THE SPIRIT

Genesis 2:7

             7 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being.

            Genesis 1:26

²⁶ And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness

John 4:24

²⁴ God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

1.      Evidence of the spirit

1 Corinthians 2:11

¹¹ For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him?

Romans 8:16

¹⁶ The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.

1 Corinthians 14:32

³² And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets…”

2.      The spirit gives us life

John 6:63

“It is the spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing…”

              

III. THE FUNCTION OF THE SPIRIT

If we don’t learn and discern our spirit we will confine communicating with God to the outer realm, which can be very dangerous.

1.      Intuition – Information that comes to us without any help of the mind, emotion or will

a.       Knowing

·         The spirit knows while the mind understands

·         The Holy Spirit enables our spirit to know

b.      Discernment

Mark 2:5-7

⁵ When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.” ⁶ And some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, ⁷ “Why does this Man speak blasphemies like this? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” ⁸ But immediately, when Jesus perceived in His spirit that they reasoned thus within themselves, He said to them…”

c.       Revelation. (Eternal Life is knowing him John 17:3)

·         God does not explain himself by man’s reasoning or rationalization. 

Job 11:7

⁷ “Can you search out the deep things of God? Can you find out the limits of the Almighty?”

d.      We must not confuse Emotion with Intuition

e.       Godly Wisdom comes into the spirit.

2.     Conscience – The organ that senses right and wrong but not according to knowledge in the mind. It does not change due to outside opinions

The conscience reproves sin and approves righteousness

Conscience is where God expresses his holiness

Conscience speaks to what we are about to do as well as what we do

3.     Communion – Worshipping God. Knowing God and encountering God takes place in our inner man – not in soul or body.

John 4:24

²⁴ God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

The primary way to know God is not by the senses.

           

            Luke 1:46-47

“My soul magnifies the Lord, ⁴⁷ And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.

·         NOTE: Non born again people also have a spirit which has these three functions. Their worship is not of the true and living God.  Their spirit is unregenerate or void of the life of God in it. In a sense it is dead.

Ephesians 2:1-3

And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, ² in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, ³ among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.

IV.  HOW TO KEEP SPIRIT IN SHAPE

            1. Pray regularly for strength in the spirit

                        Ephesians 3:16

                        That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man.

                       

                        Acts 4:18-31

¹⁸ So they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus…²¹ So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way of punishing them... ²⁴ So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: “Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them, ²⁵ who by the mouth of Your servant David have said…²⁹ Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, ³⁰ by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.”…³¹ And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.

           

2.      Pray in the spirit (Tongues)

a.     It Helps our Weaknesses

Romans 8:26-28

²⁶ Likewise, the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. ²⁷ Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. ²⁸ And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

b.     It Builds our Faith

Jude 1:20

²⁰ But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit.

c.      It Provides spirit to Spirit communication with God.

1 Corinthians 14:2

² For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit, he speaks mysteries.

3.      Feed the spirit

Hebrews 4:12

¹² For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

a.       Meditate on it

b.      Speak, sing and confess it

4.     Get out from under a heavy spirit

Acts 16:16-18

¹⁶ And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying: ¹⁷ The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation. ¹⁸ And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.

This is a warfare attack where Satan seeks to weigh the spirit down

Set your will against it, pray and if needed speak words against it

5.     Avoid a poisoned spirit

Proverbs 18:14

¹⁴ The spirit of a man will sustain him in sickness, But who can bear a broken spirit?

Luke 9:54-55

⁵¹ Now it came to pass when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem, ⁵² and sent messengers before His face. And as they went, they entered a village of the Samaritans, to prepare for Him. ⁵³ But they did not receive Him because His face was set for the journey to Jerusalem. ⁵⁴ And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did? ⁵⁵ But He turned and rebuked them, and said, “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. ⁵⁶ For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.” And they went to another village.

Ephaninias 4:25-29

²⁵ Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another. ²⁶ “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, ²⁷ nor give place to the devil. ²⁸ Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need. ²⁹ Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. ³⁰ And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

6.     Stay free from a filthy spirit

2 Corinthians 7:1

Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God

Romans 14:23

²³ But he who doubts is condemned if he eats because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin.

Acts 23:1

And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.

7.     Guard Your Heart

Proverbs 4:23

²³ Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.

Mark 4:18-19

¹⁸ Now, these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, ¹⁹ and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

a.       Don’t Grieve

Ephesians 4:25-29

²⁵ Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another. ²⁶ “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, ²⁷ nor give place to the devil. ²⁸ Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need. ²⁹ Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. ³⁰ And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

b.      Don’t Quench

1 Thessalonians 5:19

¹⁹ Do not quench the Spirit…^.

8.     Sing to Yourself (Monitor Your Inward Disposition)

Colossians 3:15-17

¹⁵ And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. ¹⁶ Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.