Much more than having your physical senses developed and intact as humans, there is such a thing as being sensitive spiritually. Spiritual sensitivity has to do with being awoken to the things of the Spirit. Man, as we know is first and foremost a spirit-being. That then tells us that being sensitive spiritually is not out of place for man. Even the Scriptures says in Romans 8:6 that “For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” But the unfortunate thing is that many have paid more attention to developing their physical senses at the detriment of their spirituality.
This although, is not bad in itself, except that it only gives you little profit at the end of the day. But having your spirit-being developed is the hallmark of living a good and worthy life.
Many today are not active spiritually because they have not taken time to develop that part of their being. And there are those as well, who have given themselves to spiritual deception, thereby hindering their effective spiritual sensitivity. Such people, according to 1 Timothy 4:1, have given themselves to deceptive spirits. “Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons..” Demonic influence in this latter times is on the increase. When you witness a lot of negativity that is happening in the world today, they are nothing but products of demonic operations, and it is because certain folks have yielded their spirits to deceiving spirits.
Peoples insensitivity to the Spirit has been of old. In Zachariah 7:11-12, the prophet lamented concerning the children of Israel about their refusal of the word of God sent by His Spirit. He wrote: “But they refused to heed, shrugged their shoulders, and stopped their ears so that they could not hear. 12 Yes, they made their hearts like flint, refusing to hear the law and the words which the Lord of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets. Thus great wrath came from the Lord of hosts.” Are you surprised that terrible things are happening in the world lately? Sometimes peoples disobedience to the Spirit could provoke the wrath of God.
But the question is: Why is Spiritual sensitivity appearing like a daunting task? The answer is simply in the current nature of man. The challenge is that human nature clinches more to the flesh more than to the Spirit, because to the unreformed mind, the things of the Spirit are foolishness (1Corinthians 2:14). This, as we have seen from Genesis, was one of the consequences of the fall of man in the garden of Eden. Adam and Eve were never meant to partake of that tree of the knowledge of good and evil, but the devil made that instruction of God foolishness in their ears. They ate of the tree!
Ever since that account of the fall, three things have plagued man’s spiritual sensitivity, and they are: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life.
The lust of the flesh is the cravings for everything fleshly other than the spiritual. It is an inordinate affection for everything sensual and desires controlled by the will of man. As a matter of fact, the Bible says the flesh and the Spirit are two arch enemies. Galatians 5:17 tells us “For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.” You cannot be spiritually sensitive when your flesh is the one dominating you all the time. This is why the Scriptures admonishes us to live in the Spirit so as not to fulfill the lust of the flesh.
The lust of the eyes on the other hand is the desire to possess everything the eyes have appeal for. It is not everything that is beautiful in the eyes, that is beautiful for one’s life and destiny. This is why self-control or self-restraint is important for anyone who is going to be spiritually sensitive. Part of the reasons Eve listened to Satan was because the fruit was appealing to the eyes, and she could no longer curtail her excessive desire to partake of it. “So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was “pleasant to the eyes”, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate” (Genesis 3:6). Your eyes are the gateway to your mind and therefore, you must control what you see if you want to be spiritually sensitive.
The pride of life pushes man to want to be what he has not been destined to be. For example, Satan wanted to be God, and so, he contemplated a coup to replace God in His throne. Adam and Eve wanted to be like God, “For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (Genesis 3:5) and so they ate the forbidden fruit. A man who is spiritually sensitive would not give pride a place. Arrogance, boastings in the flesh, are all products of spiritual insensitivity. However, the book of 1 John 2:15-17 is a summary of these three things we have discussed here. it says:
“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.”
The truth is; you cannot be worldly inclined and be sensitive to the Spirit. The two don’t agree, they are like light and darkness or two parallel lines that cannot meet. Being spiritually sensitive requires that you pay attention to God and the promptings of His Spirit in your life. Proverbs 4:20 tells us something in this regard. It says: “My son, give attention to my words, Incline your ears to my sayings.” Spiritual sensitivity begins from paying attention to God’s words, and His sayings through His word. And as you do so, your spiritual life will not remain the same ever.
I believe you have been blessed!
[Centre for New Dimension Leadership]
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