God has secrets to be released to you, the things that 'eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man'. The word ‘revealed' here in Greek is ‘apokalupto’, which means ‘take off the cover, disclose, unveil’, and the words 'all things' here means ‘all spiritual things, deep things of God’.
Here are some of the questions people tend to ask me:
“How do you know what to do and what not to do?”
“How do you know things should be done this way, and not that way?”
“How do you know that person is the right person to work with, and that other person is not?”
“How do you know what message to preach (i.e. 'fresh spiritual bread from spiritual oven') each Sunday?”
“How do you know God is calling you to Penang, out of all locations?”
If I say, “I know that I know that I know”, those who ask probably won’t be convinced or satisfied with that kind of answer.
Notice the words 'deep things' in 1 Corinthians 2:10 can also mean 'depth, mysteries, profound, intense, far-reaching, great knowledge'. Let's now cross refer to an end-time prophecy in the Old Testament. Habakkuk 2:14 says, 'for the knowledge of the glory of the Lord shall fill the earth as the waters cover the sea'.
You see, it's not enough to just taste and experience the glory of the Lord (though this is definitely a great and wonderful experience). But in this end-time, God also wants you to have the knowledge of what God is currently doing, and how to move with Him!
But, how do you know (what God is currently doing, and how to move with Him) without receiving it first?
And how do you receive without hearing it first?
This is why learning to hear in the spirit (i.e. hear God with your spirit) is crucial in this end-time.
Amos 3:7-8 says, 'Surely the Lord God does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His servants...' God speaks, and He still is in the 'business' of speaking to you today! So, expect to receive His secret (or revelation) when He speaks to you! He reveals first before He acts or works through you (e.g. Joshua at Jericho).
You see, it's not enough to just taste and experience the glory of the Lord (though this is definitely a great and wonderful experience). But in this end-time, God also wants you to have the knowledge of what God is currently doing, and how to move with Him!
But, how do you know (what God is currently doing, and how to move with Him) without receiving it first?
And how do you receive without hearing it first?
This is why learning to hear in the spirit (i.e. hear God with your spirit) is crucial in this end-time.
Amos 3:7-8 says, 'Surely the Lord God does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His servants...' God speaks, and He still is in the 'business' of speaking to you today! So, expect to receive His secret (or revelation) when He speaks to you! He reveals first before He acts or works through you (e.g. Joshua at Jericho).
When God speaks, He speaks to your spirit. The Bible says Holy Spirit imparts revelation to your spirit, not your soul or your body (see 1 Corinthians 2:11-13).
1 Corinthians 2:14 (NKJV) says, 'But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they (i.e. the things of God) are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they (i.e. the things of God) are spiritually discerned'.
Here is a contrast between 'the natural man' (1 Corinthians 2:14) and 'the spiritual man' (1 Corinthians 2:15). Let me explain:
'The natural man' here is translated ‘Psuchikos’ in Greek (from the word ‘psuche’ which means 'soul'), i.e. a person who operates his soul (mind, will, emotion) or a person who operates naturally, not spiritually. The 'soul' of man is a natural faculty, and is created for inter-human communication. In other words, 'the natural man' is a person whose spirit is uninfluenced by the Holy Spirit (i.e. the Spirit of God), and therefore cannot receive revelation from the Holy Spirit.
'The spiritual man' here is translated ‘Pneumatikos’ in Greek (from the word ‘pneuma’ which means 'spirit'), i.e. a person who operates the spirit (i.e. he who is of the spirit) or a person whose spirit is directed (or led) by the Holy Spirit. The 'spirit' of man is a supernatural faculty, and is created to receive revelation from the Holy Spirit. In short, your spirit is created for communication with God.1 Corinthians 2:14 (NKJV) says, 'But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they (i.e. the things of God) are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they (i.e. the things of God) are spiritually discerned'.
And then 1 Corinthians 2:15 (NKJV) says, 'But he who is spiritual (in other words, the spiritual man) judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one'.
Here is a contrast between 'the natural man' (1 Corinthians 2:14) and 'the spiritual man' (1 Corinthians 2:15). Let me explain:
'The natural man' here is translated ‘Psuchikos’ in Greek (from the word ‘psuche’ which means 'soul'), i.e. a person who operates his soul (mind, will, emotion) or a person who operates naturally, not spiritually. The 'soul' of man is a natural faculty, and is created for inter-human communication. In other words, 'the natural man' is a person whose spirit is uninfluenced by the Holy Spirit (i.e. the Spirit of God), and therefore cannot receive revelation from the Holy Spirit.
Notes:
The statement ‘they are spiritually discerned’ in 1 Corinthians 2:14 means ‘spiritual things are to be spiritually discerned, i.e. discerned by the spirit of man, not by the soul of man’. For example, only Joshua and Caleb could ‘see’, while other spies could not 'see' (Numbers 14:9). Both of them 'saw' with their 'spiritual' eyes, not 'natural' eyes.
The statement ‘yet he himself is rightly judged by no one’ in 1 Corinthians 2:15 means ‘his spirit cannot communicate with another person’s spirit’. In other words, your spirit cannot communicate with the spirit of another person (though to a certain extent, your spirit can perceive or discern the spiritual condition of another person).
You can understand His revelation when your spirit is joined with Him. 1 Corinthians 6:17 says, 'But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him'. In other words, as a believer, you are in union with God, and He lives in you.
There are two ways God can speak to you:
a) Extraordinary way: Audible voice of God (i.e. voice audible to your natural ears). For example, Saul on the way to Damascus (see Acts 9:3-7). This is not the normal way.
b) God speaks to your spirit: The Holy Spirit communicates with your spirit within you (see Matthew 10:20), instead of an audible voice to your natural ear. This is the norm for most believers.
"How does God speak in me?"
a) Receive directly in your spirit (1 Corinthians 2:12) - 'that we might know' (the word 'know' in this verse is 'eido' in Greek, which means 'be aware, behold, be sure, understand, see'), i.e. 'to see what God wants you to see, or to see what God sees'.
b) God speaks in you with the Word (John 14:26) - 'bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you'. Holy Spirit teaches and brings to your remembrance the Word of God. In short, He speaks to you through the Scripture.
Notice one verse later (in John 14:27) is God's assurance for you - because He speaks, and still speaks and guides, you have this peace that you are not left forsaken!
"In what ways does God speak to my spirit?"
a) With signals/indicators (no content)
Inner witness (i.e. peace or no peace in your heart) - this is the simplest form of communication, but very reliable.
Stirrings in your spirit (i.e. promptings from the Holy Spirit within your spirit) - the Holy Spirit can place a 'burden' in your heart, for example, to pray for somebody.
b) With intelligible contents
Voice of the Holy Spirit, i.e. direction, command, or instruction from the Holy Spirit. This is not a 'product' of your mind, but comes from God, and therefore it carries the character of God.
Word of wisdom, i.e. specific instruction for specific situation, or specific direction to handle a specific situation.
Word of knowledge, i.e. revelation about a specific need, especially as you minister to others.
Dream & vision.
c) By perceiving in the heart (or discerning with the heart) - this takes further training of one's spiritual eyes/ears (example in the Bible: Acts 5:3-4).
So, allow Him to communicate His thoughts, words, or even pictures to your spirit. Leave it to Him on how He's going to speak to you. Your part is to open your heart (like an 'antenna' receiving 'transmission'). Sometimes, His instruction or revelation may not even be logical or scientific to the natural mind (e.g. Joshua at Jericho). But His ways are always higher, and His ways will surely work. Amen!
Points to note: God's grace is more than enough for you. If you have made mistakes or made wrong decisions in life before, it's never too late for God to 'restore' or 'recover' you. He loves you enough to 'raise' you again, and to Him, time is never a hindrance. To Him, a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like a day (2 Peter 3:8). What took a thousand years for human to accomplish, God can accomplish it in a day! God is great! Amen.
There are two ways God can speak to you:
a) Extraordinary way: Audible voice of God (i.e. voice audible to your natural ears). For example, Saul on the way to Damascus (see Acts 9:3-7). This is not the normal way.
b) God speaks to your spirit: The Holy Spirit communicates with your spirit within you (see Matthew 10:20), instead of an audible voice to your natural ear. This is the norm for most believers.
"How does God speak in me?"
a) Receive directly in your spirit (1 Corinthians 2:12) - 'that we might know' (the word 'know' in this verse is 'eido' in Greek, which means 'be aware, behold, be sure, understand, see'), i.e. 'to see what God wants you to see, or to see what God sees'.
b) God speaks in you with the Word (John 14:26) - 'bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you'. Holy Spirit teaches and brings to your remembrance the Word of God. In short, He speaks to you through the Scripture.
Notice one verse later (in John 14:27) is God's assurance for you - because He speaks, and still speaks and guides, you have this peace that you are not left forsaken!
"In what ways does God speak to my spirit?"
a) With signals/indicators (no content)
Inner witness (i.e. peace or no peace in your heart) - this is the simplest form of communication, but very reliable.
Stirrings in your spirit (i.e. promptings from the Holy Spirit within your spirit) - the Holy Spirit can place a 'burden' in your heart, for example, to pray for somebody.
b) With intelligible contents
Voice of the Holy Spirit, i.e. direction, command, or instruction from the Holy Spirit. This is not a 'product' of your mind, but comes from God, and therefore it carries the character of God.
Word of wisdom, i.e. specific instruction for specific situation, or specific direction to handle a specific situation.
Word of knowledge, i.e. revelation about a specific need, especially as you minister to others.
Dream & vision.
c) By perceiving in the heart (or discerning with the heart) - this takes further training of one's spiritual eyes/ears (example in the Bible: Acts 5:3-4).
So, allow Him to communicate His thoughts, words, or even pictures to your spirit. Leave it to Him on how He's going to speak to you. Your part is to open your heart (like an 'antenna' receiving 'transmission'). Sometimes, His instruction or revelation may not even be logical or scientific to the natural mind (e.g. Joshua at Jericho). But His ways are always higher, and His ways will surely work. Amen!
Points to note: God's grace is more than enough for you. If you have made mistakes or made wrong decisions in life before, it's never too late for God to 'restore' or 'recover' you. He loves you enough to 'raise' you again, and to Him, time is never a hindrance. To Him, a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like a day (2 Peter 3:8). What took a thousand years for human to accomplish, God can accomplish it in a day! God is great! Amen.
