Prevailing Strategies: Be Spiritually Sensitive

There’re many who are ignorant of spiritual matters, and for that reason, they’re buffeted by the crises of life and walk on in confusion. So, it’s important to build your spiritual sensitivity. For that to happen, you’ve got to study and understand the Word, to know the mind of God.

2 Timothy 2:15 says, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” Also, as you study the Word, train yourself to act on it promptly. This should be natural for every Christian because we’re doers of the Word (James 1:22).

By responding promptly to the Word of God, you condition your spirit to recognize the effect of the Word in your life. That way, when you face challenges, you respond with the Word; you voice your faith. This practice trains your spirit to consistently align and respond to God rather than succumbing to the dictates of the flesh. Also, in training yourself to be more spiritually sensitive you must be filled with the Spirit every day. Incorporate praying in the Spirit into your spiritual routine. 1 Corinthians 14:14 says, “For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.”

Praying in tongues or praying in the Spirit enhances your spiritual sensitivity as it involves the Holy Spirit providing utterance to your spirit. When you speak in tongues, it’s the Holy Spirit guiding your spirit’s expressions. Your spirit, through this process, learns to function under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, contributing significantly to an increased sensitivity to God’s leading.

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8).

Many years ago, while casting a devil out from a dear lady, the demon, trying to put up some resistance, said, “I’m not coming out; I’m responsible for the removal of her fallopian tube!”

Of course, I didn’t bother to engage the demon in a dialogue; I simply said, “You’re coming out right now, in the Name of Jesus!” And he screamed and came out of the lady. Later, the lady began to explain to me how she was given the wrong diagnosis and underwent a bilateral salpingectomy. She didn’t know demons were responsible for that cruel mistake.

This has happened to a lot of people. There’re people who have had to go through surgeries they never needed; some died in the process. Many hospitals are deathtraps, where demon spirits lodge and inspire doctors to do the wrong things. We’re living in the days of intense spiritual conflicts and warfare.

A young girl of about nine years became demon-possessed; her behavior suddenly changed, and her health became unstable. No one could understand what happened to her. She started having very strange dreams where she’d find herself at the bottom of a river with a “queen” and other girls of her age. Her life became a mess. It was later discovered that it all happened at her school when her friend, who was demon-possessed, gave her a particular gift item, and the devil entered into her.

It’s essential for you to be spiritually sensitive to discern and decisively deal with the enemy whenever he shows up. Be on the alert. The Lord Jesus warned us to watch and pray (Mark 13:33). Speak in tongues often, because as you pray in tongues, spiritual realities are unveiled to your spirit, and you won’t be ignorant of the devices of the enemy. You’ll see and will be able to relate with the “real” truth concerning any situation. Praise God!

On a certain day, as Jesus taught in one of the synagogues, He noticed a woman who was bent double; she couldn’t straighten herself. She had been in that condition for eighteen years. Then, Jesus said to her, “…Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity. And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God” (Luke 13:12-13).

Although the religious leaders present were indignant that Jesus healed the woman on a Sabbath day, the Master’s response revealed something striking. He said, “…ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?” (Luke 13:16).

The Master stated clearly that it was Satan who kept the woman in that condition through “a spirit of infirmity.” And as soon as He dealt with the spirit, the woman straightened up; she was made whole by the power of God.

Jesus understood the spirit world. He knew on a certain day, as Jesus taught in one of the synagogues, He noticed a woman who was bent double; she couldn’t straighten herself. She had been in that condition for eighteen years. Then, Jesus said to her, “…Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity. And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God” (Luke 13:12-13).

Although the religious leaders present were indignant that Jesus healed the woman on a Sabbath day, the Master’s response revealed something striking. He said, “…ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?” (Luke 13:16).

The Master stated clearly that it was Satan who kept the woman in that condition through “a spirit of infirmity.” And as soon as He dealt with the spirit, the woman straightened up; she was made whole by the power of God. Jesus understood the spirit world. He knew life was spiritual, and demon spirits are real and responsible for a lot of the infirmities that people suffer from. And through the Scriptures and insight He grants us by the Holy Spirit, we understand how to identify Satan and his works.

If you don’t know the Scriptures, you could be a victim of Satan’s devices. Study and meditate on the Word often; speak in tongues every day; be filled with the Spirit, and your spiritual alertness and sensitivity will always be at its peak. There’re spiritual dimensions to life. You need to know what God initiates, and what the devil instigates. The Bible says “…we are not ignorant of his (Satan’s) devices” (2 Corinthians 2:11).

Life was spiritual, and demon spirits are real and responsible for a lot of the infirmities that people suffer from. And through the Scriptures and insight He grants us by the Holy Spirit, we understand how to identify Satan and his works. If you don’t know the Scriptures, you could be a victim of Satan’s devices. Study and meditate on the Word often; speak in tongues every day; be filled with the Spirit, and your spiritual alertness and sensitivity will always be at its peak. There’re spiritual dimensions to life. You need to know what God initiates, and what the devil instigates. The Bible says “…we are not ignorant of his (Satan’s) devices” (2 Corinthians 2:11).

One vital element of effective prayer is focusing your mind on what you’re praying about. Imagine that someone is praying for the salvation of souls in a particular region of the world. He’s interceding that, through the preaching and teaching of the Word, God’s righteousness would prevail in the towns, hinterlands, and cities without hindrance. While at it, his mind wanders away, and he’s thinking about some nice cars, houses or a meeting he’s scheduled with a friend. His prayer would hardly be effective that way, and this happens to a lot of people.

Focusing your mind, emotions and entire faculties on what you’re praying about is very important, and praying in the Spirit is a great advantage in this regard. When you pray in the Spirit, your spirit prays; your mind is unfruitful (1 Corinthians 14:14). Therefore, it’s important that you yield yourself to the Spirit by giving Him your mind—paying attention to Him as you pray. That way, you’ll be in sync with Him; His visions, prompts, ideas and thoughts will be clear to you.

For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful (1 Corinthians 14:14).

Praying in the Spirit gets you synchronized with God’s will, His purpose, and timing. But your mind has a role in this; you must get your thoughts together as you pray in tongues. You might say, “As much as I try, I just can’t help it; my mind keeps drifting as I pray.” Maintaining focus in prayer is something you do consciously. Your mind is a tool. You’d have to discipline your mind to think in the direction of your prayers and switch it back to that thing you’re praying about. If it wanders again, bring it back until your mind gets the message.

In prayer, arrest your mind; channel your thoughts and emotions in the direction of the Spirit, and you’ll receive the ministrations of the Holy Spirit.

Every child of God must train himself (or herself) to be spiritually sensitive at all times. We must allow the leadership of the Holy Spirit in our lives to understand what the true gospel is. The Spirit of the Lord will also empower us to live by the truth of the word of God.

Hey, not all teachings out there are true; many lack validity in the word of God! Fake teachers are out there to deceive those who are not sensitive in the word of God. Any person who is not well-rooted in the word of God will fall victim to false teachings. Also, Christians who are not spiritually sensitive will derail from their faith. Christianity is not to be merely practiced. It comes with discipline. That is, we must be firm and sensitive with our understanding of the word of God. A Christian must not be naive to believe just any teaching that he or she hears. It makes no sense to just believe anything that we hear “in the name of God” without confirming its validity in the Bible! It is essential that we are sensitive to differentiate heresy from the true word of God.

The Bible warned,

“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God:

Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God.

And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world” (1 John 4:1-3).

Keep Your Fire of Faith Burning Rightly

The Bible has warned that a time will come that many people who are in faith will start to fall for false teachings. Many will be deceived.

“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth and be turned aside to fables” (2 Timothy 4:3-4).

As a child of God, you have to guide your faith so that you won’t become a victim of false teachers, false prophets, fake pastors, and the like. Our salvation received through faith in Jesus Christ is very precious, and we can’t afford to yield that to Satan. (Remember that Satan, the thief, is not willing to only steal. He comes to steal, kill, and destroy.)

Be firm as a Christian!

As a child of God, you must understand that Christianity is a firm religion that is consistent with God’s principle. Christianity is a religion with a sound foundation. This means anyone who claims to be a Christian must know what he or she stands for. Everyone must understand that Christianity (faith in Jesus Christ) is a religion established to satisfy God’s interest. As believers, we must hold firm to our faith in Jesus Christ without wavering. Avoid any teaching that lacks bases in the scripture. That is, you have the obligation to carefully evaluate any teaching that you receive – This can also come to you in the form of advice, preaching, or prophecy.

Be spiritually alert and ensure to reject whatever comes to you if it does not properly align with the word of God. A Christian must reject any teaching that only entertains but lacks consistency with the Bible.

-GSW-