Awakening to Spirit: From Dust to Divine Revelation
Ezra 10; Nehemiah 1, 1 Corinthians 15; Proverbs 7
Let’s return to the Gospel, shall we? We’ve been looking at the state of the church and repenting for the idolatrous state of our hearts, which is good, right, and necessary. But now it’s time to refocus on Jesus, who alone is our hope of glory. Certainly, we have fallen short; certainly, the church is being exposed and judged. But this judgment is about where we have given our affections. The exposure has revealed where we have strayed in our hearts.
It’s time to come back!
It’s time to return to the main and plain. It’s time to dive back into the Word. It’s time to return to His presence. The Lord will lead us—if we will return to Him.
So, let’s set our hearts. Today, let’s approach the Teacher and listen to Him. Let’s return to the simplicity of the Good News.
Here we go.
1 Corinthians 15
45 For it is written: The first man, Adam, became a living soul.
The last Adam became a life-giving Spirit. 46 However, the spiritual didn’t come first. The natural precedes the spiritual. 47 The first man was from the dust of the earth; the second Man is Yahweh, from the realm of heaven. 48 The first one, made from dust, has a race of people just like him, who are also made from dust. The One sent from heaven has a race of heavenly people who are just like him. 49 Once we carried the likeness of the man of dust, but now let us carry the likeness of the man of heaven.
We can live from the soul, but we have an invitation to live in the Spirit. We can live replicating the deeds and thoughts of man, reproducing the fall of Adam. And if we do, we will inherit death and decay.
But! But Jesus lives! The second Man is Yahweh. And He “has a race of heavenly people who are just like Him.”
You are a vessel, and amazingly, you have a choice of what you carry. Look at this:
49 Once we carried the likeness of the man of dust, but now let us carry the likeness of the man of heaven.
There is an invitation here, and if we discern it, we will carry heaven. If we discern it, we will never chase revival again; no, because we will know what it means to live revived. We will finally learn what it means to be fully alive. Do you see it?!
Revelation 4
1 Then suddenly, after I wrote down these messages, I saw a portal open into the heavenly realm, and the same trumpet-voice I heard speaking with me at the beginning said, “Ascend into this realm! I want to reveal to you what must happen after this.”
2 Instantly I was taken into the spirit realm, and behold—I saw a heavenly throne set in place and someone seated upon it.
Friends, there is a door standing open to us. We don’t need to live one more moment replicating the fall of Adam. We don’t have to live out of the realm of the soul. It’s time to shake off the dust and look to the second Man, Yahweh, who has come for us.
We’ve been looking at our entangled state for many weeks now. Today, let’s fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. Let’s carry Him. As vessels, let’s say yes to His life poured out, in and through us.
As we wrestle through the Word together, let’s ensure we don’t treat it as merely an academic assignment. Let the Word do its work in us. The psalmists used the word Selah, often written at the end of their verses, meaning, pause and calmly think about that.
49 Once we carried the likeness of the man of dust, but now let us carry the likeness of the man of heaven.
Selah.
Let’s pause. Let’s give this truth some time. Heavenly truths cannot be apprehended on the fly. So, if you can, read these verses again, but slower this time. Ask the Lord to bring you into the invitation of this truth. Ask Him to show you how to carry His likeness, how to embody the dimension of heaven. Tell Him you are willing. Breathe deep. Surrender to the Man of heaven.
This is the Gospel. And in Him, there’s no shadow, no hint of corruption. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
Deepening Faith: Reflective Journal Prompts
- Reflect on the statement, “Once we carried the likeness of the man of dust, but now let us carry the likeness of the man of heaven.” How does this invitation from God to carry His likeness impact your understanding of transformation in Christ?
- Considering the invitation to live in the Spirit rather than from the soul, identify areas in your life where you’re living more out of natural instincts rather than spiritual guidance. How can you shift towards a more Spirit-led life?
- “There is a door standing open to us,” signifies an open invitation from God to enter a deeper spiritual realm. What does stepping through this door look like in your daily life? How can you be more receptive to heavenly realities?
- The process of coming back to Jesus is central to our faith journey. Reflect on areas where you feel you’ve strayed or grown cold. What practical steps can you take to return to the simplicity of the Gospel?
- Reflect on the concept of being a vessel for God’s presence. How can you more fully embrace being a carrier of the heavenly rather than the earthly? Consider habits, thought patterns, or actions that need to change for this transformation to take place.
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