But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them because they are spiritually discerned.
—1 Corinthians 2:14 (NLT)
The things of the Spirit of God are spiritually discerned. They are not mentally understood. You can have a mental understanding of God but not understand Him spiritually. The Holy Spirit bears witness with your spirit (Romans 8:16)—not your mind. Faith is not a mental exercise born of emotions, feelings, and reasoning. Faith does not come from the logic of your mind. It rises from the Word, which has been quickened in your heart.
“Son of man, receive into your heart all My words that I speak to you, and hear with your ears” (Ezekiel 3:10).
Faith comes by hearing the Word spiritually with your heart (Romans 10:17). Faith believes with the heart (Romans 10:10). The words that God speaks to your heart are spiritual life (John 4:24, John 6:63).
Paul prayed for believers to hear and receive the revelation of God’s knowledge spiritually. He prayed:
“that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power” (Ephesians 1:17-19).
Receiving the spiritual understanding of God's knowledge is not something that automatically happens in your life. It comes from seeking and pursuing God. We are not meant to be spiritually blind and have no spiritual understanding. God wants to pour knowledge and understanding of Himself into our hearts. He wants us to believe His Truth and be enlightened by it. He wants us to know the hope of His calling in our lives and the power He has given us. Spiritually discerning God’s Truth comes from allowing the Word to renew our minds until we believe it (Romans 12:2). If we fail to renew our minds, we will live without experiencing the abundant life Jesus has given us (John 10:10).
Look at Ephesians 1:17-19.
What is the hope of His calling and His power toward us who believe?
It is the same power that raised Christ from the dead. But if we don’t have understanding in our hearts about His power within us, we will not believe His power is ours. When we don’t believe in what Christ has given us, we have no spiritual understanding of our God-given ability. But when the eyes of our spiritual understanding are open to receive, we have His eyes to see, His ears to hear, and His understanding to see what the natural mind cannot grasp. And our hearts believe.
You take ownership of God’s Truth when you spiritually receive it in your heart.
Look at Ephesians 1:17-19 again.
When you believe these verses in your heart, they are valid for you, not just for someone else. You believe God gives you His wisdom and reveals knowledge by the Holy Spirit. You believe that you have God’s power. You have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16). You hear and receive God’s Truth—not with your natural mind but with your spiritual understanding.
The same power that raised Christ from the dead is alive in you, but if you don’t have spiritual eyes to see, spiritual ears to hear, and a spiritual understanding to believe this Truth in your heart, you will live a defeated and powerless life.
“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us” (Ephesians 3:20).
The natural mind cannot grasp this Truth, but your heart can believe it.
The Lord desires His Word to come to life in you. Keep seeking His Truth, and you shall find it. His Word will challenge what you reason and think. But believe what the Holy Spirit reveals. Receive God’s spiritual wisdom and knowledge and make it yours. God’s power is at work in you. His Word comes to life in you, taking you beyond what your natural mind asks or thinks.
The Words He speaks are spirit and life. They are the hope of His calling in you.
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