Christ today is the Spirit. As such a Spirit, He comes with all His riches into our regenerated spirit to join Himself to us to be our life and everything. If we realize this, we should live in the spirit.
1. WALKING ACCORDING TO SPIRIT
The basic rule in the life of a Christian is to be led and regulated by the Spirit.
“As therefore you received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in Him.” Colossians 2:6
“If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.” Galatians 5:25
Christ as the all-inclusive Spirit is the sphere of our daily living. If we walk in Him, we will enjoy all His riches.
In the New Testament there are many commands, such as “Love your neighbor as yourself,” “Being subject to one another,” “Abstain from fleshly lusts,” and “Let us not become vainglorious.” We must realize that these words are not for us to strive to keep by our own effort. It is only when we speak, walk, and behave according to the Spirit that we can live out all these virtues of Christ.
2. SETTING THE MIND ON THE SPIRIT
“For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the spirit is life and peace.” Romans 8:6
“Set your mind on the things which are above, not on the things which are on the earth.” Colossians 3:2
The mind represents the person and is the key to our daily walk. Our mind should not be independent from the spirit. Rather, it should obey the Spirit and mind the things of God.
3. OBEYING THE TEACHING OF THE ANOINTING
“And as for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you; but as His anointing teaches you concerning all things...” 1 John 2:27a
The anointing is the inward moving and working of the indwelling compound Spirit. It guides us in all things, not through the outward teaching of words, but through the inward anointing of the spiritual sense, teaching us inwardly.
Therefore, we should not live in the realm of right and wrong, of do’s and don’ts. Rather, we should just take care of our inward feeling purely and directly. In this way the essence of God will be added to our whole being; we will be saturated with Him and will abide in the fellowship of the divine life.
Since living in the spirit is so crucial to our Christian experience, how then should we practice this in our daily life?
1. BY CALLING ON THE NAME OF THE LORD
“No one can say, Lord Jesus, except in the Holy Spirit.” 1 Corinthians 12:3b
When we say, “Lord Jesus,” with a proper spirit, we are in the Holy Spirit. Therefore, to call on the Lord Jesus is the simplest way to turn to the spirit to enjoy and experience the Holy Spirit.
2. BY PRAYING
“Unceasingly pray.” 1 Thessalonians 5:17
To pray unceasingly does not mean that we continue to pray for many things. It means that we contact God in our spirit so that we live in an atmosphere of prayer all day long. In this way we enjoy His anointing.
3. BY PRAY-READING THE LORD’S WORD
The word of God is spirit; it is also God Himself. When we pray with the Lord’s Word, our minds will be preserved to be set on the spirit.
1. OVERCOMING THE FLESH
“Walk by the Spirit and you shall by no means fulfill the lust of the flesh.” Galatians 5:16
2. FULFILLING THE REQUIREMENT OF THE LAW OF GOD
“That the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to flesh, but according to spirit.” Romans 8:4
3. ENJOYING LIFE AND PEACE
“The mind set on the spirit is life and peace.” Romans 8:6b