Genesis 1:17 (Amplified) says, "So God created man in His Own Image, in the Image and Likeness of God He created him; male and female He created them."
John 4:24 (Amplified) tells us, "God is a Spirit (a Spiritual Being), and those who worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and Truth (reality)."
Jesus took on the identity of man, so He could birth us back into God's Image, which is His Spirit. We've identified more with our body, than with our spirit. God is a Spirit and we're now created again into His Likeness. We need to become more aware of God's dealing in our spirit, instead of our flesh. God dealt with people in the old covenant, by their flesh and not their spirit. Until Jesus came, man was dead in his spirit, like he was in his flesh. When Adam transgressed in the Garden, he lost life and was separated from God in his spirit.
Spiritual death isn't a place of our not existing, but is existing without God. Jesus told His followers in John 10:10 (Amplified), "The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy Life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows)." The people Jesus was speaking in front of, were alive. They were eating, drinking, working , talking and bearing children, but only in the flesh, otherwise the Life that Jesus offered to them was already there. Jesus said in John 6:63 (Amplified), "It is the Spirit Who gives Life (He is the Life-Giver); the flesh conveys no benefit whatever (there is no profit in it). The Words (Truths) that I have been speaking to you are Spirit and Life."
When we were born-again, the very Spirit of God was infused into our then dead spirit and Life came into us again. We were created back into God's Original Intent for His family and were once again in His Image and Likeness. God no longer had to deal with man as only a flesh and blood creature, but could now speak to men face to face, like He did at the very beginning. God could now correct, discipline, reprove and direct His children, by and through their now living spirit.
Remember Jesus' Words, "The Words I have been speaking are Spirit and Truth." We see how the Father now instructs His children by His Spirit, in 2Timothy 3:16-17 (Amplified), which says, "Every scripture is God-Breathed (given by His Inspiration), and profitable for instruction, for reproof, and conviction of sin, for correction of error and discipline in obedience and for training in Righteousness, in holy living, in conformity to God's will in thought, purpose and action. So that the man of God may be complete and proficient, well-fitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work."
We've forgotten or never knew who we've become in Christ Jesus. God dealt with the old covenant people by their flesh and the Law, because they were spiritually dead, until Jesus came and made them alive again. We have a new and better covenant, which is based on better Promises and those Promises are "Yes and Amen, in Christ Jesus to the Glory of God our Father." We've been accepting sickness, trials, tribulation and disease, as being God's way of correcting and disciplining us. That was true before Jesus, but it's a lie that satan uses against the new creation person, in order to keep God's family down to his level.
It's true that we will have trials and tribulations while on this earth, but they don't come from the One Who Loved us enough to die for us. We must become sensitive to the leading, instructing and guiding of the Holy Spirit and God's Word. We're instructed in 2Timothy 3:16-17 , "Allow God's Word to reprove and correct, and keep us proficient, well-fitted, and thoroughly equipped for every good work."
Even Jesus endured trials and tests, that were meant to stop and discourage Him. It's most certain that Paul went through many tests and trials, in order to bring this Revelation of God's new covenant, to us. Satan tried to stop and discourage Paul constantly, but Paul continued i his mission to reveal this new covenant people, to us. We've associated ourselves more with the old covenant and the Law to receive discipline, instead of the new covenant's method of God's Word and His Spirit. This doesn't mean that trials won't come, but when you know where those trials came from, God's Word and His Spirit will lead you out of them.
1Corinthians 10:13 (Amplified) says, "For no temptation, no trial regarded as enticing to sin, no matter how it comes or where it leads, has overtaken you and laid hold on you that is not common to man, that is no temptation or trial has come to you that is beyond human resistance and that not adjusted and adapted and beyond human experience and such as man can bear. But God is faithful to His Word and to His compassionate nature, and He can be trusted not to let you be tempted and tried and assayed beyond your ability and strength of resistance and power to endure, but with the temptation He will always provide the way out (the means of escape to a landing place), that you may be capable and strong and powerful to bear up under it patiently."
God is saying that He "will not allow the devil to come up with something new or is already common to man, to use against you." God won't allow satan to do something new, that He hasn't already provided the way out to a landing place of safety, by His Word. We've submitted to the enemy's trials, thinking it was God testing us. This allows the enemy to have full reign into our lives, for destruction and despair, while we blame the hardships on the Father.
1Peter 4:12 (Amplified) says, "Beloved, do not be amazed and bewildered at the fiery ordeal which is taking place to test your quality, as though something strange, unusual and alien to you and your position were befalling you. But insofar as you are sharing Christ's suffering; rejoice, so that when His Glory (full radiance and splendor) is revealed, you may also rejoice with triumph (exultantly)."
Jesus suffered every kind of temptation, trial and test from the enemy, during His earthly walk and He overcame them all, even to His trial in the Garden of Gethsemane. The enemy will never test us to that point, but we are more than conquerors in Christ Who Loves us, and in Him, we can overcome the enemy's tests and trials.
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