Connect with the Spiritual Realm

Summary: The technologically advanced Western world makes a disconnect between the natural and the supernatural, or spiritual, realms. That is unfortunate. The Scriptures show Jesus and His followers consistently connecting with the supernatural. Read on to see how.

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Unlike modern Western culture, many residents of non-technological nations and primitive societies have instinctively understood the connection between the natural and spiritual realms. For example, the Canaanite woman who approached Jesus correctly discerned that her daughter’s physical affliction was caused by a demon spirit — a fact also perceived by Jesus, who delivered her healed from the demonically caused condition (Matthew 15:22f, 28).
Many other illustrations could be given from the New Testament showing Jesus or His disciples functioning and ministering in the supernatural. Which brings us to today’s theme — how can we, in the 21st century, make that all-important connection with the supernatural realm? How can we bridge the gap between the material and the spiritual worlds, and thereby greatly enhance the fruitfulness of our lives and Christian ministries? Come and see.
John 6:63  The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.

•• Do you want to connect with the supernatural? Read the Bible. It is made real, understandable, and alive to you by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

•• Jesus said that His very “words ... are spirit and they are life”. Reading the words of God in the Scriptures brings you into direct contact with the supernatural, with the spiritual realm.

•• Matthew 4:4  “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ” The words of God impart life! We “live” by them. Reading and hearing God’s word exposes us to revelations from the Spirit of God, who inspired the Scriptures in the first place (2 Peter 1:21).

•• This is profound — as you read the Bible, you are experiencing words which are “spirit and life”, words which come to you directly from the supernatural realm of God.

•• With this in mind, my advice to you is to read the Bible slowly. Read it devotionally, stopping to ponder and meditate upon its truths. Give the Holy Spirit time and opportunity to open your understanding to spiritual things.

Romans 8:14-16  ... those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of son ship. And by him we cry, {“Abba,} Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.

•• Who of us would not wish to be consistently “led by the Spirit”? That’s one of the reasons why we pray. Prayer opens and sensitizes our spirits to the Holy Spirit’s voice. Prayer goes a long way towards eliminating that unfortunate disconnect between the natural and the supernatural.

•• Although we are body, soul, and spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:23), there is a special affinity of the Holy Spirit with our spirit. As the apostle wrote, “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit” (Romans 8:16, KJV). Spirit to spirit — that is the deepest level of communication. That is the level at which we most effectively connect with the supernatural.

•• As we sincerely pray and worship God, a spiritual sensitivity develops and takes the ascendancy over the downward, desensitizing pull of our carnal nature.

•• The apostle John received the closing book of the Bible, the Revelation, when he was “in the Spirit on the Lord’s day” (Revelation 1:10).

•• The prophets of the Bible, said Peter in 2 Peter 1:21, “spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit”. “Carried along”! What a descriptive phrase. Like a man peacefully floating down a river, entirely submitted to its current, the prophets were “carried along” by the flow of the Spirit’s leading and voice.

•• To summarize, devote yourself to prayer, to worshiping God, to thinking about and meditating upon the things of God. And you will find yourself increasingly experiencing the spiritual realm.

1 Corinthians 12:29-31; 14:1  Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? (30) Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues ? Do all interpret? (31) But eagerly desire the greater gifts. And now I will show you the most excellent way.... (14:1) Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy.

•• The gifts of the Holy Spirit are a direct, functional connection with God’s supernatural realm. How do we make that connection?

•• “Eagerly desire spiritual gifts (14:1) ... gifts that build up the church” (14:12). Attitude and motive are important:

• Attitude — Eagerly desire the gifts of the Spirit. Don’t dismiss them based on faulty, anti-charismatic teachings. Don’t take them lightly, in contradiction of the inspired apostle who commanded us to desire them eagerly. The spiritual gifts are a direct manifestation of the supernatural realm in which God lives.

• Motive — the intent, the purpose, of the supernatural gifts is to “build up the church”. God will draw you more and more into the supernatural realm as you remain focused on blessing others by whatever means God chooses to use you.

•• I have a Christian friend who believes, as I do, in the gifts of the Spirit. One day she heard of a young man who was told he had terminal leukemia. This Christian lady began to seek the Lord for healing on the sick man’s behalf. She fasted for six days and prayed diligently for him. The result? They sent the young man home healed. My friend had simply obeyed the biblical command. She had eagerly desired and sought the supernatural gift of healing for the man with leukemia, and God honored her fasting and prayer.

2 Timothy 2:19-22  ...“Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness” ... (21) If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work. (22) Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness...
KJV: vs. 21  If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use...

•• Our Lord and Master Jesus wishes to use us, His followers, in ways that surpass our natural limitations — for example, to heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out devils (Matthew 10:8).

•• Those whom the Bible defines as “meet [fit] for the Master’s use” in these things are those who:

• have turned away from wickedness.

• who are therefore vessels unto honour.

• who are sanctified (NIV: made holy).

•• Look at the great heroes of 20 centuries of the Christian faith. They have often been characterized by ministering with great power and anointing in supernatural ways. They are also consistently characterized by great holiness of life.

• Pursue righteousness, aim for holiness, and you will fine yourself “fit” for the Master’s use and increasingly connected to the supernatural realm.

1 Corinthians 2:9-14  However, as it is written: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him” — (10) but God has revealed it to us by His Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. (11) For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. (12) We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. (13) This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. (14) The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.

•• The bottom line? — No eye, no ear, no mind has grasped the “deep things of God”.

•• God does indeed use the minds of His people. In fact, we are to love Him with our whole heart and soul and mind and strength (Mark 12:30).

•• But ... no eyes, no ears, no human minds — that is, our natural faculties alone — are sufficient to adequately comprehend the thoughts of God. Rather, God reveals them to us by His Spirit (vs. 10).

•• We have received “the Spirit ... [so] that we may understand what God has freely given us” (vs. 12).

•• And we communicate these things to others in the same spiritual way — (vs. 13) “This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words.”

•• The brilliant apostle Paul said: “My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power" (1 Cor. 2:4-5). Paul understood the process. We hear from God by the Spirit, and we speak to others as the same Holy Spirit leads and teaches us what to say.

In sum — As we pray ... as we worship ... as we read the Bible ... as we desire and are used in spiritual gifts ... as we strive to walk in holiness ... be open and sensitive to the quiet, gracious voice of the Holy Spirit, who is pleased to bring us into connection with the supernatural things of God.

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