Spiritual death?

[GaryK]

Ever felt yourself to be spiritually dry to the point of wondering if spiritually dead?    I could go on about the reasons I'm asking but I'm pretty sure the question itself is the important part.

[Deborah-Leigh]

Often...deeply...painfully....~ ...it's part of the process that doesn't end there. That's the good news!

Arc

[G. Driggs]

Yup.

G.Driggs

[cjwood]

*pressing pretend "like" button for arc's response.* 

and george, your simple "yup" answer to gk's question, priceless!


claudia

[GaryK]

It's nice to know there are 3 others.   Appreciate the replies.

gk

[lauriellen]

was thinking along the same lines last night as i read these scriptures:

Act 17:27  to seek the Lord, if perhaps they might feel after Him and might find Him, though indeed He not being far from each one of us.
Act 17:28  For in Him we live and move and exist, as also some of the poets among you have said, For we are also His offspring.

was wondering if He is near, why don't i feel Him? If i live in Him and His spirit dwells in me, how come i don't somehow 'feel' it, or sense it or know it? Are we suppose to 'feel' different somehow, if God dwells in us? or is that the flesh wanting that 'physical' confirmation?....shouldn't we at least 'feel' different spiritually?.....just my thoughts.
lauri

[markn902]

HI
I have felt that way before I don't have an answer but I can tell you what I do. I seek Him out. through reading the bible and praying. If it is not a Bible study with my wife then I am reading through the Old Testament not really looking for an answer just reading what is there and getting some knowledge.God is still there but it is harder for us because we don't go to church and jump up and down and all that. Sometimes being right and knowing the truth can be lonely. At least it has been for me at times. I am lucky to have a wife that is open to studying the Bible though.
pray,pray, and pray! and also check the intentions of your heart is the advice I would give myself.

I hope it passes soon for you 

[Roy Coates]

I too am a part of this club! don't like it either. I trust that Jesus will finish the work He started in me for His Glory not mine.

[GaryK]

was thinking along the same lines last night as i read these scriptures:

Act 17:27  to seek the Lord, if perhaps they might feel after Him and might find Him, though indeed He not being far from each one of us.
Act 17:28  For in Him we live and move and exist, as also some of the poets among you have said, For we are also His offspring.

was wondering if He is near, why don't i feel Him? If i live in Him and His spirit dwells in me, how come i don't somehow 'feel' it, or sense it or know it? Are we suppose to 'feel' different somehow, if God dwells in us? or is that the flesh wanting that 'physical' confirmation?....shouldn't we at least 'feel' different spiritually?.....just my thoughts.
lauri

Hi Lauri,

Good questions and a dossier of questions I've thought so many times.   To pull a Spock, seems to be spiritually 'logical' huh?

On the other hand I'm of the leaning that the part in red is probably true.  That's a battleground.

gk

[Kat]

Hi Lauri,

was wondering if He is near, why don't i feel Him? If i live in Him and His spirit dwells in me, how come i don't somehow 'feel' it, or sense it or know it? Are we suppose to 'feel' different somehow, if God dwells in us?

You know I have wondered about this as well, thinking about how the Holy Spirit is in us. Well it comes into our mind, it's manifested in the way we think and of course the change there is very profound. Since it's not a physical thing you can't actually feel it in your body. But I do think you realize when it's indwelling, I mean the changes in behavior would be very significant and noticeable. With the Holy Spirit indwelling your whole way of thinking, your attitude changes, you would be constantly moving away from the carnal and towards the spiritual.

Php 2:5  For, let this mind be in you that is also in Christ Jesus,

Mat 7:20  Therefore by their fruits you shall know them.

Gal 5:22  But the fruit of the Spirit is: love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith,
v. 23  meekness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
v. 24  But those belonging to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts.
v. 25  If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

I guess it is a gradual process and the changes are more noticed when you look back to how far you have come.

mercy, peace and love
Kat

[space.ace.jase]

Very much so... but don't give up hope.

As for Ray's paper on "4. Seeing and Understanding the Invisible" Most of the time I feel lost but I stay hopeful that this is only for a time and it too will pass.


LOST: Can a person sin, be lost, die, and then be saved? Certainly. Let's look at one of those parables of Jesus that Christendom thinks of as easy to understand little stories, when in fact they don't even begin to understand. You all know the story contained in the parable of the Prodigal son so I won't read it all, but let me give you the "truth" of this parable.

God is the "Father" in this parable, and the Prodigal is EVERY SON WHO HAS GONE ASTRAY.

"And when he had spent all ... And when he came to himself ... I will arise and go to my father ... I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight ... And am no more worthy to be called thy son ... But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring hither the fatted calf ... For this my son was DEAD, and is alive again; he was LOST, and is found. And they began to be merry" (Luke 15:14-23).

This man SINNED, he was LOST, and he SPIRITUALLY DIED! Do we ALL spiritually DIE? "AND AS IT IS APPOINTED UNTO MEN ONCE TO DIE..." But isn't this speaking of the PHYSICAL death of our bodies? No it is not. The second part of the verse gives us the answer as to which death this is,

"And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but AFTER this the JUDGMENT" (Heb. 9:27).

[GaryK]

Very much so... but don't give up hope.

As for Ray's paper on "4. Seeing and Understanding the Invisible" Most of the time I feel lost but I stay hopeful that this is only for a time and it too will pass.


LOST: Can a person sin, be lost, die, and then be saved? Certainly. Let's look at one of those parables of Jesus that Christendom thinks of as easy to understand little stories, when in fact they don't even begin to understand. You all know the story contained in the parable of the Prodigal son so I won't read it all, but let me give you the "truth" of this parable.

God is the "Father" in this parable, and the Prodigal is EVERY SON WHO HAS GONE ASTRAY.

"And when he had spent all ... And when he came to himself ... I will arise and go to my father ... I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight ... And am no more worthy to be called thy son ... But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring hither the fatted calf ... For this my son was DEAD, and is alive again; he was LOST, and is found. And they began to be merry" (Luke 15:14-23).

This man SINNED, he was LOST, and he SPIRITUALLY DIED! Do we ALL spiritually DIE? "AND AS IT IS APPOINTED UNTO MEN ONCE TO DIE..." But isn't this speaking of the PHYSICAL death of our bodies? No it is not. The second part of the verse gives us the answer as to which death this is,

"And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but AFTER this the JUDGMENT" (Heb. 9:27).

Now you've done it space, you've conjured up an appetite within to read something of Rays.   

V
V
V


BTW: whoever's doing the praying.............thank you.

[JohnMichael]

Ever felt yourself to be spiritually dry to the point of wondering if spiritually dead?    I could go on about the reasons I'm asking but I'm pretty sure the question itself is the important part.

YES!

I just had this happen to me a few weeks ago. I would get so angry at a forum member thinking that the person was wrong, and I was right. One day, I had the thought occur to me "out of nowhere" (yeah, right! ) that the reason I was getting so angry at that person really had nothing to do with the individual at all. God was showing me myself in a mirror. I didn't want to acknowledge how I was harboring His Truth in pride and arrogance. I was left defeated (carnally), and I had no where to hide from God's mirror. The snarling, deceitful, disgusting beast looking back at me left me staring in horror and shame.

I felt as though I was struck spiritually dead. All I could do was beg for mercy and forgiveness. It really made it become "heart knowledge" (not just "head" knowledge) that there is absolutely nothing good in me, nothing redeeming, and nothing worthy. Anything good is a gift from Him. On my own, I would be anything but "good."

It was a very painful experience. Very. painful. However, it wouldn't have happened if it wasn't necessary. To God be the Glory.

In Him,
John

[crazy4bam]

Ever felt yourself to be spiritually dry to the point of wondering if spiritually dead?    I could go on about the reasons I'm asking but I'm pretty sure the question itself is the important part.

Almost on a daily basis! I think he is seeing how much faith we have or understanding of what he is trying to accomplish within us. IMO sometimes we try and take on too much and it is his way of saying stop, look, and listen. Has we grow older we realize all the mistakes we made when were younger were stupid and foolish. Know that we have the truth we know it all was a lesson we all needed. If we feel spiritually dry then maybe like JohnMichael said we are looking in a mirror and seeing something we don't like and he is showing us the truth of what we see. I know this is probably not the right answer and I am sorry for that. Sometimes my heart over powers my brain...a woman thing!

[Deborah-Leigh]

Something to contemplate...maybe...~

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFFv_I7EWkc&feature=related

Arc

[Linny]

Arc, that is beautiful.  We heard the end of an interview she did on NPR one day. She is a great talent.

[Deborah-Leigh]

I am happy you enjoyed it Lin.

There is a certain pause and stillness held in depths of meaning ~

Arc

[onelovedread]

was thinking along the same lines last night as i read these scriptures:

Act 17:27  to seek the Lord, if perhaps they might feel after Him and might find Him, though indeed He not being far from each one of us.
Act 17:28  For in Him we live and move and exist, as also some of the poets among you have said, For we are also His offspring.

was wondering if He is near, why don't i feel Him? If i live in Him and His spirit dwells in me, how come i don't somehow 'feel' it, or sense it or know it? Are we suppose to 'feel' different somehow, if God dwells in us? or is that the flesh wanting that 'physical' confirmation?....shouldn't we at least 'feel' different spiritually?.....just my thoughts.
lauri

Hey, just wondering, do we "feel" things spiritually? Is that the same thing as 'discernment'? How easy or how hard is it for the overcomer to differentiate between something we think mentally or soemthing we "feel" spiritually? I hope at least one person can understand what I'm so awkwardly trying to ask:)

[lenora]

This is a interesting Observation insite to think your spiritual dead what are the implications how does this manafest it self does it spring from within or is it brought on from outside one  self. In asking this I wonder if there is a definition in the word. to be spiritual dead is to notice what abuot ones self. Since God doesn't change his love for us could it be we are just being children and ignoring are Father just pondering out thoughts my first response.

[Deborah-Leigh]

Hi lenora~

Welcome to the Forum.

Good questions.

You mention, one's  "self" ...~ ....self, soul, spirit, God, Son, Child...all aspects of one's "self" maybe?

Arc