All learning and growing needs to be done in the spirit and understanding of Romans 8:1. We are taking ourselves to the gym to exercise and grow our spirit, which at times meets with great success, but at times great struggle. 

“Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:1

Here we go…

“But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” John 4:23-24

• This is a big scripture for us to chew on and grow in. There is a sense of urgency as Jesus is telling us the time is NOW! Let’s not be like the five unprepared virgins with no oil for their lamps. Matthew 25: 1-13
• There is a distinguishing between worshipers and “TRUE” worshipers; true worshipers worshiping in Spirit and Truth, the other worshipers, not. Think about this for a moment. If you are not worshipping in spirit and truth, who are you worshiping?
• The Father is SEEKING such worshipers. Imagine the Creator, from the garden of Eden, till this very day, is seeking His children.  It is an honor and privilege and joy indescribable to have a God who desires to walk with us. 
• God is spirit and truth and those who worship Him MUST worship in spirit and truth. The Spirit comes upon our relationship with Jesus. We can grieve the Spirit, Ephesians 4:30-32. Truth is nothing more than the Word of God, which is Jesus, as He is the Word made flesh. John 1:14. So reading and studying the Word really is important. Joshua 1:8 tells us to meditate on it both day and night. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 tells what the Word is good for: teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.

1. Spirit – 

Genesis 2:24, Matthew 19:5, Mark 10:8, Ephesians 5:31, all speak to the two becoming one flesh. Marriage is the earthly representation of Christ’s relationship with His Church. As such, this is the binding of our spirit to the third part of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit. Both Matthew and Mark continue in the next verse saying “what God has put together, let no person separate.”

• This can be a hard part of our life to accept. We think so many times there is something we MUST do, work towards, what’s our part? But just as our Father put Abraham to sleep during the making of His covenant, Genesis 12: 1-3, our relationship with the Holy Spirit isn’t dependent on us. Yes we must profess our faith and believe in Christ. Yes we must learn what it means to have faith and works, but the bases of our relationship with Jesus and the maintaining of this relationship depends of Christ’s faithfulness. Christ is the Author and Finisher of our faith. Hebrews 12:2. Christ will be faithful to complete the work He has started. Philippians 1:6 What we are talking about here is not our salvation, but working out our sanctification. Looking at Philippians 2:12, we might get confused when Paul tells us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. If we don’t read further and stop here, we might take on a misunderstanding, as we press into Jesus working through our sanctification, out of reverence and love for Christ. Paul talks about this further on in Philippians. That’s why it’s important to study the full of scripture in context and in broader scopes too truly understand what is being said and taught.
• So where does that leave us? Not allowing ourselves to be distracted. Letting scripture be our guide and decision maker. There are books called The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry, and one called Margins. All places to start if we need the help making space for Jesus. We should be paying attention to Elijah’s time on the mountain and exactly when it was that he heard God’s voice.  It was in the quiet, as His voice was a whisper. 1 Kings 19:12

The miracle of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Much like the disciples and the many people who witnessed the risen Christ, but even before that, when He performed miracles of feeding and healing, of raising the dead back to life, and the hardness of heart and mind, to just let go and believe. To embrace that which we see with our eyes, but still doesn’t make sense. To embrace that which we read in Scripture, and might not fully understand. Ephesians 5:32 tells us, it is a great mystery. One our mortal minds won’t be able to fully grasp, solve, or understand. The true definition of hope is Jesus. I don’t say this flippantly or piously, but matter of factly. There will always be things on this side of glory we will not understand. Things that don’t happen when we’ve prayed fervently, and know what we are praying for is right and true. Things we read and pray about, but it just doesn’t sink down deep to full understanding and comfort. But not my will, but Yours be done. Even Christ felt the weight of the coming cross. And even Christ left it in His Father’s hands.

If you do not feel, hear, or see the Spirit at work in you and through you, I’d encourage you to check priorities and see where our Triune God is within your priorities. Gather with other believers, ones you can trust with your life and your walk as you seek to draw closer to Jesus. Feed your spirit through reading and studying scripture. Worship, worship, worship through prayer and vertical music. Being in a bible believing, Jesus following community is vital to life and life to the full.

Galatians 5: 22-23

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.