A few years ago I heard a minister preach a great sermon. He taught on 1 Corinthians 2:9, where it says, “Eye has not seen, not ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”
The theme of his message was this: the things that God has prepared for His people are so unbelievable that no one would be able to comprehend them. He went on to say that there is just no way that the mind of man can know what God has prepared for His children. The things of God were just too deep.
Evidently, when he was studying for his sermon, he never read the next verse. Verse 10 says, “But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.”
He preached a good sermon, but it wasn’t true. God does reveal the things that He has prepared for those who love Him. But how does He do it? According to the Bible, He reveals them to us through His Spirit.
Then it goes on to say:
For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.
These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
Walking In The Spirit
There is a problem when we try to understand the spiritual things of God with the natural mind of man. Comparing spiritual things to natural things, according to the scripture we just read, make the things of God seem like foolishness. The natural man cannot spiritually discern the things of God.
This is why we must worship God in spirit and truth. This is why we must walk in the spirit and this is why we must pray in the spirit.
In 1 Corinthians 14 Paul talked about praying in the spirit. He wrote a letter to the Corinthian church and here is his conclusion. In verse 15, he said, “What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit and I will also sing with the understanding.”
What was Paul getting at? Well, he was trying to impress upon us that we need balance in our prayer life. We must pray in the understanding. In other words, pray in our natural language, the things we know to pray. And we must pray with the spirit.
When we pray in the spirit, according to verse two, the spirit speaks mysteries or revelation. Would you like to have the mysteries in your life revealed? Then you must pray in the spirit.
In John 4:24 Jesus said, “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” So, if you worship God in the spirit, if you will move into true worship, then according to God’s Word, your eyes will see and your ears will hear what God has laid up for those who love him.
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Dr. Larry Ollison is founder and Senior Pastor of Walk on the Water Faith Church and founder of Larry Ollison Ministries. With over forty years in the ministry, he is a very popular speaker nationally and internationally and ministers the Word of Faith through radio, television, Internet, and daily e-mail devotionals. As the author of twelve books (including The Power of Grace, The Practical Handbook for Christian Living, Breaking the Cycle of Offense, Life is in the Blood, and recently released The Paradise of God), he is in frequent demand for radio/TV interviews, book signings, and magazine publications.
Dr. Ollison was raised a Southern Baptist. While majoring in theology at Southwest Baptist University, he received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. For many years he traveled extensively speaking at Full Gospel Business Men's meetings and conventions. He later earned an M.A. in Theology and a Ph.D. and Th.D. from Life Christian University.
Currently President of International Convention of Faith Ministries (ICFM), Dr. Ollison is also Vice-President of Spirit FM Christian Radio Network, Missouri State Director of Christians United for Israel (CUFI), and a Trustee on the boards of several international ministries. He is also the host of The Cutting Edge Radio Broadcast and authors The Cutting Edge Daily Devotional.
As the owner of a marine dealership, his extensive business background brings a unique flavor to his teaching. He founded and served as chairman of the Missouri State Marine Board, President of the Marine Dealers’ Association, Vice-President of a bank holding company, along with holding several directorships in various corporations.
Dr. Ollison's strongest areas of teaching are the blood of Jesus, faith, relationships, the Hebrew language, the Holy Spirit, the end times, and heaven. During ministry, he operates freely in the gifts of the Holy Spirit. His use of humor and his ability to make a theological concept simple makes it enjoyable and easy for everyone to understand. Countless testimonies have been received from people who say their lives have been changed after experiencing Dr. Ollison's unique ministry.
Dr. Ollison is a pastor, pilot, teacher, and author. His number one goal is to meet the needs of the people through the teaching of faith in God's Word. He and his wife, Loretta, have two children and six grandchildren.