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. 15 The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man’s judgment: 16 “For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.3 Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly—mere infants in Christ. 2 I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. 3 You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men?
The Apostle Paul is describing the work of the Holy Spirit and how people respond differently to His work. He explains that the Holy Spirit reveals God to us. His job is to lead us into the knowledge of God and to manifest God’s presence in our lives. In fact, every aspect of Christian growth, discipleship and service is a fruit of the Holy Spirit’s ministry in our lives. Consider this short survey on the Spirit’s work:
- The Spirit regenerates us and causes us to be born again (John 3:1-8)
- The Spirit leads us into a deeper knowledge of Christ (Ephesians 1:16-18)
- The Spirit guides us into the truth (John 16:13-15)
- The Spirit empowers us to be witnesses for Christ (Acts 1:8)
- The Spirit produce His fruit in our lives (Galatians 5:22-23)
- The Spirit gives us victory over the flesh (Romans 8:1-17)
- The Spirit helps us pray (Romans 8:26-27)
- The Spirit gives us spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12)
- The Spirit set us free from being selfish (Galatians 5:13-16)
- The Spirit transforms us to become more like Christ (2 Corinthians 3:17-18)
- The Spirit gives us a heart of worship (Ephesians 5:18-20)
- The Spirit makes us bold to speak God’s Word (Acts 4:31)
Paul explains in 1 Corinthians 2:10-3:3 that people relate to the Spirit in one of three ways: 1) There are those without the Spirit, they are unspiritual or non-believers 2) There are those led and directed by the Spirit, they are spiritual or Spirit filled and 3) There are those who have the Spirit but they are infants in not obeying the Spirit, they are worldly or carnal. To be spiritual it means that we are led by the Spirit and we obey the Spirit. That is what it means to be filled with the Spirit. When we are filled with the Spirit we experience the ministry of the Spirit. When we are filled with the Spirit the Spirit does in our lives what He came to do. To be filled with the Spirit we must by faith (Galatians 3:1-6):
- Surrender to the Spirit’s control-Romans 8:9-13
- Ask for the Spirit’s guidance and empowerment-Luke 11:13
- Seek and receive the Spirit’s infilling-John 7:37-39
These attitudes and actions toward the Spirit are to be a daily and moment by moment experience. When they are, then we are living a Spirit filled life.
