Revelation: Receiving Spiritual Truths

Matthew 27:39-40 New International Version (NIV). “Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!”

Now, what those passing by did not understanding is this:  Jesus WAS doing exactly what they mocked Him about.  Jesus was —right then and there—allowing the temple (ie His body) to be destroyed, and three days later He would build it again (ie rise from the dead).

So what is the problem?  No revelation!  They heard words.  They had intellect—but they had no revelation.  Jesus prophesied that this resurrection would happen in John 2:18-22. The Jews then responded to him, “What sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?”Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.”  They replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?”  But the temple he had spoken of was his body.  After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.

1.  Spiritual truth is received through mystical movement between the Holy Spirit and our spirit.  Paul writes:  …these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. (2 Cor 2:10-11)

2.  However, the mind is also a gift given by the Lord.  The mind is the vehicle our spirit uses to process and practice truth appropriated by our spirits.  

3.  So our spirits appropriate truth revealed by the Spirit—our minds process that truth and apply it.  So we need to strengthen our spirits and use them appropriately.  And we need to guard our minds and protect them.  

4.  Our minds!  Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things”
Romans 12:12 “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.:

Practice using your mind for Godliness
  • THINK about good things
  • Read, study, meditate on the Word of the LORD
  • Read good books
  • Keep your mind renewed  
    • Protect your mind from gossip, life/faith killing conversations and relationships, negativism, books, TV, movies that are detrimental to your good thinking

Think of the information you have coming at you in three categories
# 1.  Godly—life giving
# 2.  Neutral
# 3.  Faith killing, evil, detrimental

You want to do your best to remove # 3.
Isaiah 26:3 "You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.”

So we need to train our minds.  Fill our minds with good things.  Learn good things.  Think good things.  Learn about God.  Think of God.  
But more important is the caring of our spirits.  See next blog!

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