BEING SPIRITUALLY CARNAL. CONCLUSION.

By Isaiah-Phillips Akintola

A considerable amount of Church community has managed to raise men and women who are more popular than the very Christ they claim to be representing. We today have church folks who believe more of what the preacher says in excitement than what is biblically correct.

The image of the man of sin is now seating in the temple, demanding worship and praise from the people of God. Many of our church folks have been bewitched by falsehood; truth has fallen to the ground, and no one seems to care.

Today, the act of carnality has become more fun and trendy to many, including church leaders, who by default ought to be the very exemplary standard-value of spiritual representation. Hardly do we see the concept of a church community gathering today that is not driven by some form activities that merely seek to exalt men.

We have raised a generation of Christians who are uncomfortable with a message that probes the heart and demands a change of character lifestyle. Our gospel messages and initiatives are focus around getting the people motivated for as long as we do not require them to change or sacrifice for the things of the Spirit. The pressure of material blessings, increase Church numbers,, and financial success has led many so-called church leaders to the house of wicked people to get demonic power to increase or maintain their status.

The voice of sensuality is growing more powerful than the sound of the spirit that seeks to please the Father, and we all need to corporately address this perverted spirit before we lose the next generation to the soulish, demonic lifestyle.

The world of the soul-life is a well-organized universe that requires individuals who have successfully graduated from the University of identifying each component and operations of the Spirit of truth, particularly, in the area of the principle of human redemption with the capacity to engage and expose the complex nature and operations of the unregenerate soul.

It does take a person who has lived and operated in the conscious, carnal character and a degree of the sound spiritual state of life to assist us to make sense of what it means to be carnally spiritual, and this is what we find I found in Paul and David.

What do I mean by this? David understood a profound character mechanism of the ministry of the (principle) laws of God in the conversion of the human soul.

Now, that takes a certain degree of relationship with the values of God’s word to be shown such level of profound truth. It is true that man, including those of us who have claimed to have experienced salvation to front a sense of spirituality that is derived from the soul realm because we’ve not been exposed to a certain depth of truth in our work with God.

The soul of man can virtually mimic, or even perform certain acts of spiritual activity, including what we may term as miracles, especially when it’s exposed and accustomed to the knowledge and operational system of the spirit, and there’s no doubt that the soul is very familiar with the peripheral environmental activity of the spirit. In the ascended operatives dimensions of the spiritual life, no part of the unregenerate soul faculty is allowed to function without their submission to the divine order of the spirit.

The function of the soul faculties alongside the governing authority of spirit-man is the divine pattern from the beginning. However, the fall has brought a sharp division that has continued to prevent a man from operating in his restored, ascended spiritual lifestyle. It must be clear that our spirituality and its operatives cannot be complete without the functional mechanism of the entire soul faculties.

The priority of heaven in this season is not just for us to understand the functional division of these two realms but to find the divine pathway of restoring them so that Man can once again function in that synchronized position of his restored life. Every autonomous faculty of man, particularly in the soul realm must be regulated and reunited under the governing, leadership system of the kingdom of God’s Holy Spirit.

Many of the spiritual realities and kingdom initiatives we are trying to achieve through an idealistic pursuit like the ministry of the oneness of the Body of Christ may not be quickly achieved due to our obscurity of this truth.

The unity of the Body of Christ and the corporate function of the ascended gifts will only become a true reality when we’ve successfully unseat the soul from the leadership position of the Church and general behavioral human lifestyle.

Unfortunately, the understanding of this highly, technical, operational mechanisms of the unregenerate soul-life is still a mystery to several believers, including many of the so-called spiritual leaders who have allowed the enemy to seduce and subdue their spiritual faculty into this sensual, demonic type of leadership.

Being able to function in what may be termed or seen as spiritual is perhaps one of the deadliest deceptions today especially within the Body of Christ, and we are warned to be wary of such manifestation when we see them in operation.

I have to some degree experienced what I am sharing through this note. Therefore, it is not some theoretical or some third-hand information.

it might be commendable to practice a form of spirituality that is based on some mental process information we’ve gathered, or have been exposed to due to the privilege of proximity and association with those who are knowledgable in spiritual matters.

But certainly not recommended nor commendable when such knowledge has not been duly processed and refined within the crucible of heaven’s designed process.

When ministry does not flow from a pure, devotional state of an ongoing relationship with the Father, it will ultimately produce fruits sourced from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil which will manifest itself in pride which will lead destruction. It is so easy to build our dependence on what we know mentally, and present such mental knowledge to people as a first-hand spiritual experienced; this is called spiritual deception.

When we mention the term carnality, we are quick to think of a particular sin which is true to some extent, but the very nature of carnality as I have earlier described is a lifestyle that operates through sensual knowledge depend on the soul-faculty for what it sees, belief, choose, and decide, and many unfortunately operate their concept of spirituality from the point of view.

Therefore, carnality is to allow the position and influence of men, including that of so-called men God and spiritual leaders to override the mind of Christ and his standard of truth in our lives.

Carnality which is the soul-life is to be more afraid of men than the one who called us and send us to represent him.

Carnality is to lose your voice when heaven expect you to speak in defense of its values and standard. Carnality is when you and I seek to judge things, including people through their material or physical disposition.

Carnality is when the title of our so-called ministry r gifts becomes more important than the very life-fruit of him who called us and sent us to represent him.

Carnality is to eat and be Continually sustained by the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

There are two kinds of wisdom in the scripture just as they are two types of knowledge, one sourced from the tree of life while the other emanates from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

The scripture informs us that knowledge will increase in the last day, and we are seeing the fruition of this biblical prophecy coming to pass before our very eyes; an awareness that contradicts the principle of God and the respect for each other is increasing at all levels.

One of the characteristics of the last days is a total shift from the depending on the wisdom and knowledge of God to depending on the philosophy and ideology of man.

Human wisdom is one of the most significant challenges of today’s church, and the reason is clear, the wisdom or knowledge of God sound and looks foolish to man.

Sensuality is mixed with the knowledge, Eastern philosophy is becoming more prevalent and accepted among the western culture.

These forms of thinking that derive its source of information and inspiration from the soulish, sensual thinking is rewriting the template of how humans see and process morality and spirituality.

Of a truth, this is the age of knowledge as it has been prophetically declared according to prophet Daniel, and we are seeing the power of knowledge giving rise to many things not just in the general society but within the Church, which is contradicting every form of sound, biblical values of spirituality.

Knowledge is a product of the Spirit. However, we are now witnessing the accelerated, advanced development of another type of knowledge which the fallen man is very much familiar with, gaining precedence over the wisdom that comes from the tree of life.

This knowledge that flows from the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil has almost taken over the entire spiritual culture and worship system of the Church.

What is generally define as spirituality today are mostly sourced from the fruit of this tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and unfortunately, very few are keenly aware of this important deceptive and seductive activity taking place before their very face.

Today’s definition of spirituality is a learned art, mimic by what the soul as glean from those who many sees and deem to be successful. When we see and judge success merely by the obvious, it means that we subject to demonic control, manipulation, and witchcraft.

Being spiritually carnal is a term I have coined out to give voice and perspective to one of the most challenging topics in the contemporary Christian faith and human development. Particularly, in an era where carnality is now wearing the image of what men define and termed as spiritual.

The increased influence materialism and visualization has continued to Rob the church of the true sense of spirituality. When we base reality on what can be touched and seen, am afraid, we cannot go on with the Lord to that place of spiritual maturity.

Please note this point, being carnal does not necessarily prevent us from being aware of specific information either natural or spiritual.

We can be very aware or exposed to profound spiritual knowledge and still be highly sensual in our values and desire because information on its own does not have the transforming power of change. What we do with what we know is where the power of truth lies.

Here is a profound statement that gives voice to what I am trying to convey. Truth is not just about what we know or do with what we believe. The truth is about who we are becoming by what we believe in thought and through experience.

Lucifer is one of the most spiritually intelligent beings, yet, totally sold out to a sensual lifestyle, expressed in rebellion to the set standard of the Father. Some of his deadliest weapons at his disposal today are the ability to manipulate the knowledge and truth he was exposed to while he was the cherubim that cover the glory of God, and his the single reason the ecclesia must study and understand the doctrine of truth.

What defines true, biblical spirituality is not just about the degree of knowledge we have acquired or have been exposed to which have eventually become part of our residual, intellectual property.

But a continual relationship with the Father that keeps such knowledge or information alive in the place of unbroken, daily relationship.

I firmly believe that this was the principle and value the Father was instilling within the mindset of his children when he introduced the principle of manna in the wilderness.

Living out of the proceeding word is a powerful spiritual discipline that keeps us away from the deception of soulish, self-dependence attitude.

Learning to depend on the Lord for our daily [provision of sustenance] bread either for our emotional, psychological, material, or spiritual need is the most beautiful thing, and the most important spiritual principle we can ever attain.

Total dependency on Christ is the highest level of faith attainment in the spiritual journey. This has however proven to be one of man’s most challenging spiritual quest due to the advanced operational nature of the unregenerate soul faculties in man.

It is easy to depend on your own will, desire, or emotion regarding a need or decision that than to trust and wait for the Father’s verdict. Human needs, particularly, emotional or material always expose human carnality.

The children of Israel proved this point time and lever gain. Whenever they met a situation of need, they would run back to their default position of reasoning which is usually soulish and not spiritual. exposed.

In fact, at a point in their journey due to the delay of Moses on the mountain with the Father, they decided to choose another means that will lead them to the Promised Land rather than waiting for Moses, the leader God choose for them.

Further still, you will see them praise God whenever things work for their favor. Their understanding of spirituality means that things should always work out for their favor, then they will give praise and glory to God.

This lifestyle is, however, a profound manifestation of pure carnal tendency which is what we see being practiced in today’s context of Christianity.

The soul faculties are designed in a manner that they can both receive and [release] give knowledge in whatever form or format such knowledge or information is required.

In other words, when a person gets to be exposed or grows in a particular environment that offers the privilege to know certain arts, by default, such a person is able to duplicate or replicate the art in a different environment.

This is a law; what we learn can be replicated with or without our personal interest. This same goes for the concept of language.

When a child is born a different environment to his or her mother’s tongue, the child naturally picks up the lingual of such environment of birth. Knowledge is a learned art beyond the orthodox four walls of a classroom.

General knowledge is usually imparted through contacts and the influence we come under. Knowledge is what we are exposed to particularly through cultural philosophies.

Religion and even spirituality is a learned art that can be further developed into a personal experience depending on what caught our attention and what happens when our attention is caught.

This is one of the reasons why we are commissioned to go preach the good news to the world, and then make disciples of all nations. So, how would the people hear without anyone being sent?

When we consider the various aspects that make the communication of the truth or the gospel of Christ to the world, we see a progressive pattern that carries a systematic, continuous form of engagement and development until individuals arrive at their point of deciding that they need to have a relationship with the Lord.

The arriving point of deciding to have a relationship with Christ is never an instantaneous thing as many have assumed and this one of the end I am trying to raise as we examine this principle before us.

Many unfortunately have remained in the awareness point of what the scripture revealed about truth and spirituality, and in fact, have to build things and ministry around this awareness knowledge that is yet to be translated into a relevant relationship with Christ and his kingdom.

In an Age where another form of spirituality that does not involve pure relationship that flows from the heart of total devotion to the Father is fast gaining popularity across the world, we need to reexamine what defines the art of true, biblically sound spirituality so, don’t fall into the trap of this New Age spirit.

The rise of the New Age ideology of spirituality has continued to give precedence to this false, ancient lie that promotes that ideology that one can be spiritual without necessarily adhering to the value standard of God’s oracle.

The New Age spirituality promotes any form of religion that allows a man to be whatever he decides to be for as long as he or she feels right about it.

This is undoubtedly a false religious belief that must be challenged with the most advanced, biblical, prophetic insight and wisdom.

I do believe there’s a synergistic connection between sound biblical spirituality and human development. There’s no way we can accurately arrive at a perfect development without the restored inflow of biblical spirituality.

While the fallen man has continued to enhance the various aspects of his unregenerate soul faculties in terms of his exposure to foreign knowledge in the realms mental, emotional, and intellectual aptitude. He, however, remain estranged to the divine, unified, perfected life of his being in Christ.

Until the soul and his entire faculties surrender to the divine authority of the awakened spiritman, he will never enter the day of unified, perfected rest.

This is the day the Lord is calling us back to the realm of total harmonization of our entry back to its first state in the Father.

The division man experienced in the garden between his faculties must first be identified and restored before the advanced reformation and restoration of the various part of the body of Christ, and his ascended gifts can become a true unified, corporate church that executes the bedding of the Father seamlessly without friction.

This is, however, not going to be easy as many have assumed. we will have to first return to correct the assumption we have nursed and built regarding the ministry of salvation and redemption.

The lack of a well-balanced, knowledge of the way of the Lord has led us to the point of presuming the ways and arts of the Spirit. unfortunately, this false reality has become the very template of the operation of many in terms of dealing with life issues.

Our ignorance of the divine precepts of the kingdom of God has led us to create a false reality of a spirituality we today call Christianity, and this has to be of the major hinders to the precise development and transformation of the total man and his society.

I do not mean to be cynical with this title but to rather help to paint a picture of the dilemma of today’s spiritual dysfunctional state.

This is a subject that has fascinated me for many years as a follower of Christ who had struggled in many occasion to understand myself and the meaning of spirituality, and why I fail in many cases from living out the standard showed to me by my Lord.

An honest follower of the Lord must have at some point arrived at the reality of asking some of these critical, challenging questions especially around their weakness and failure to enter the realm of rest and upward development in the art of biblical spirituality.

Frustration, challenges, and resistance are synonymous to any honest seeker of the way, the truth, and life of Christ standard for lifestyle.

In my years of pastoral ministry service, I’ve come to this conclusion that many do genuinely desire to walk with God, but their inability to understand the origin and nature of their weakness and struggle in terms of gaining mastery over their carnal behavior is a major setback.

The practice of spirituality either by biblical values or on some other foreign ideological means requires the involvement of the entire soul faculties.

Therefore, who or what controls the soul realm of soul carries the upper hand in influencing the decision we make regardless of the direction or intention of such a person’s spirituality. Spirituality cannot be divorced from the harmonization of the entire human faculties.

It is essential we state that spirituality is the harmonization of the entire human faculties bringing glory to the Father. The spirit, soul, and body of man must be in agreement when the act of spirituality is being practiced.

Devotion cannot be completed until there’s a valid agreement between what the spirit desires to how the soul process and response to the passion of the spirit.

After all, both the passion and longing of the spirit can only be revealed through the faculties of the soul which are the very seat of human will, intellect, and emotion. And once the soul faculties agree on a desire that reaches her either through the imagination or thought realm, the chemistry of action goes into effect; action follows suit.

What eventually determine sound spirituality must be based on discipline, agreed action of the soul-faculty. It is highly possible to live and practice what many terms as spirituality within a divided, dysfunctional belief system, and in fact, this is the present concept of how many today practice their Christianity, or else, we will not have had so much of Christian activity with very little or no result. I would like us to examine this concept as we search to biblical answer in answering this long, ancient challenge to the Church. We need to deal with every form of carnal tendencies that will hinder us from enjoying the full life of the Spirit.

We need to address the desire and passion that seeks to mix spiritual truth with carnal activities; this is the day of spiritual purity so we may adequately represent the advancement of the kingdom of God to our world and generation.