2Corinthians 5:17-18 (Amplified) says, "Therefore, if any person is (ingrafted) in Christ Jesus (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old (previous moral and spiritual condition) has passed. Behold, the fresh and new has come. But all things are from God, Who through Jesus Christ reconciled us to Himself (brought us into favor, brought us into harmony with Himself) and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation (that by word and deed we might aim to bring others into harmony with Him)."
When we were born-again, we weren't yet in the "Likeness and Image of God." Jesus said in John 4:24 (Amplified) that, "God is a Spirit (a Spiritual Being) and those who worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in Truth (reality)." God first created Adam a spirit, like Himself. God created a body for Adam to live in the physical realm, but his true nature was spirit.
Until Adam's transgression in the Garden, both Adam and Eve were led by their spirits and by the Spirit of the Father. They were sustained by the Blessing that God pronounced on them and they had no physical needs. Everything they could want or need, was supplied through the Promise of the Spirit or the Blessing. The Blessing of Abraham was only an extension of the original Blessing, that God pronounced on Adam and Eve. This was for meeting their every need from Heaven, where God resides. Everything on the earth manifested from the Spirit realm, to provide for those on this natural world.
History cannot record how many years (thousands or millions) Adam and Eve walked here on earth, with the Father. Science says that the earth is billions of years old. I'm not sure just how old the earth is, but I don't believe that God created man one day and that man transgressed the very next day. I have much more faith in my Father, than to believe His Own son Adam would so quickly turn renegade.
Notice how God didn't count time, before the fall. Adam and Eve walked in a timeless, spiritual relationship with the Father, even while in their natural bodies. Time was set into motion, after the fall, because now death (or an end) cane into existence for mankind. Until then, Adam had total dominion and was given authority over everything on earth. Adam was made like God, in the form of a spirit and then God made him a physical body (house for the spirit). As new creation people, we aren't made "like God," but are made IN GOD. The difference is astounding. Instead of being a spirit like Him, we were made "one" spirit in Him.
Adam's spirit was directed from the outside, by the Spirit of God. We are to be directed from the inside, by the indwelling Spirit of God Himself. 1Corinthians 6:19 (Amplified)says, "Do you not know that your body is the temple of (the very sanctuary) of the Holy Spirit Who lives within you, Whom you have received (as a Gift) from God? You are not your own. You were bought with a price (purchased with a preciousness and paid for, made His Own). So then honor God and bring glory to Him in your body." God had once walked with Adam in the Garden. Now, in this new creation, He doesn't just walk with us, He walks in us.
The Last Adam, Jesus, is the true representation of the new creation family of God. Even though He had a natural body, He was led from the inward Presence of the Holy Spirit. We weren't created like Adam was (an independent spirit), but we were created "one with the Holy Spirit." Our spirit's not independent from God, like Adam was. Adam needed to learn how to walk in the natural senses, after he was separated from the Father. We were trained by the world , how to take care of ourselves, by the only source we knew---our senses without God.
In the new creation, we find ourselves going in the reverse of Adam. Instead of having to learn how to walk in the natural (like Adam did), we find ourselves needing to learn how to walk in the Spirit (like Jesus did). Man's ideas of religion, have resulted in our not knowing how to walk in the Super-natural realm.
The carnal mind of man or the reasoning factor of the natural man, has dismissed the Super-natural ability as "foolishness." Jesus told His followers that He would send the Holy Spirit (the same Holy Spirit He received in the Jordan River) to them, in John 14:17 (Amplified) which says, "The Spirit of Truth, Whom the world cannot receive (welcome, take to its heart) because it does not see Him or know Him or recognize Him. But you know and recognize Him, for He lives with you (constantly) and will be in you."
Jesus was speaking prophetically about the time of His resurrection and the time of the new creation. Jesus was the only flesh and Blood Man, Who actually had the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Jesus spent His life learning about His Father and how His Father worked in the earth. There was no time when Jesus conferred with His natural man, asking "Do you think this God?" John 14:12 (Amplified) has probably caused the most controversy in the Church. Thus, "Jesus said, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, if anyone steadfastly believes in Me, he will himself be able to do the things that I do; and he will do even greater things than these, because I go to the Father."
When Jesus "went to the Father," His Sacrifice was accepted, His ministry as the First Born of many brethren was activated, and His position of High Priest of His new covenant, was ratified and the new creation family (that was made in His Image) was about to be birthed. The same Holy Spirit that had been in Jesus to "do the works," is the same Holy Spirit Who gives us Life, with His Life in us.
John 17:21-22 (Amplified) will bear witness to your new creation spirit. Thus, it says, "That they all may be one (just) as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be one in Us, So that the world may believe and be convinced that You have sent Me. I have given to them [you and me] the glory and honor which You have given Me, that they may be one (even) as We are One." Jesus was speaking about the new creation family, that would be birthed after His resurrection and after He send the Holy Spirit of God to us. God's Spirit would be birthed within every person who believed His Word and accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior. The new creation people would have the Father abide in us. In John 14:23 (Amplified) Jesus says, "If a person (really) loves Me, he will keep My Word (obey My teachings) and My Father will love him and We will come to him and make Our home (abode, special dwelling place) with him."
We've come to the place in our lives, where we must listen to the Holy Spirit, just like Jesus listened to Him. In order to learn how to walk in the Spirit, we must first understand who we really are, as a new creation son or daughter of God. The things we're learning in these teachings, aren't impossible. They're just unlearned. When Jesus foretold the coming of the Holy Spirit, He said that the Holy Spirit would not just be with us, but would live in us. He is the Teacher of the new creation believer and lives intertwined with our now living in God, new creation spirit. Jesus said in John 14:26 (Amplified) that, "The Holy Spirit would teach us all things, and will cause us to recall (will remind us of, bring to our remembrance) everything I have told you."
Everything we learn about life in the natural or Super-natural, is a process from birth. We had to learn how to walk, talk, eat, through a trial and error process. We pressed on, until we learned it. Learning to hear and follow the Voice of the Father, in our new creation spirit, is also a process. We must learn and practice how to hear and follow His Voice. It's not impossible to do, it's only different from what we were accustomed to doing.
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