This is one of the most profound and misunderstood subject in the whole Bible. I, myself, had a hard time understanding this matter, to be honest, it took me about 18 years, since the first time i came across with this subject. Why did it take so long? Because it is IMPOSSIBLE to understand (discern) the profound meaning of this biblical passage, the understanding comes only by revelation (by the Holy Spirit), which i had in this past few days. Let me humbly try to make as clear as possible, what the Holy Spirit taught me: A couple weeks ago, I was working all by myself those days, and one day this Bible verse came to my mind: 1 Corinthians 14:32 And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. Again, I try to "logically" understand the meaning, but as always, it was too much to understand, thank God, at this time, the Holy Spirit started teaching me about "spirit, soul and body". He led me to Genesis, to the creation of man: Genesis 2:7 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. Pay attention to what you're reading. First: "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground...", here is talking about the body, our body came from dust and to dust will return (physical death) : Genesis 3:19...For out of dust you were taken; for dust you are, and to dust you shall return. Second: "...and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life", here the Bible is talking about the spirit of man, or his "life" (this is what this post is all about). Third: "and man became a living being", that's his soul (consciousness, emotions, etc.). I know this subject is very profound and people have different opinions (beliefs) about it, so, I'm not here trying to persuade you to believe what i'm writing, please, read and pray about it and let the Holy Spirit speak to you. Let's talk about about "spirit". First of all, all starts in and with God: John 4:24 God is Spirit... See that, in the beginning, we were created in God's image (attributes or character traits, not divinity) and because God is Spirit, we were created spiritual beings, and in his "likeness", we were also created to be persons (with personality). Therefore, One God, three Persons (Triune God). We also are three distinct parts (not persons): Spirit, soul and body. The best passage in the Bible to explain the difference between body, soul and spirit is John 11, where it talks about Lazarus' death and resurrection. Martha said he was dead for four days, there was a stench, because Lazarus was already decomposing (it is impossible to be more dead than that). His brain was dead (not just unconscious), meaning, his soul (consciousness, emotions, etc.) wasn't in the body anymore. So, to what "part" of Lazarus Jesus was talking when he called him out? To Lazarus' spirit! His spirit heard Jesus' voice and react (life), then his soul (consciousness) react, but his body had to be made new again (it was decomposing). Got it? let's dive even deeper: Ephesians 2:1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins. What type of death Paul is talking about? The spiritual death! The death God spoke to Adam that would happened if he ate from the tree of knowledge of good and evil (Adam physically died many, many years later). When (if you did) you were born again, were you physically dead, brain dead or even unconscious? Of course not, but you, as much as I, were spiritually dead. I wrote a post about the steps to new birth, called "Enlightenment: The Power to Become a Child of God". Read also the passage were Jesus explains to Nicodemus about the new birth. In 1 Corinthians 2:11 For what man knows the things (thoughts) 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, Paul is talking our spirit, that our spirit knows everything about us. Jesus says this about our spirit:
Matthew 26:41 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing (ready), but the flesh is weak. I had an experience this past few days, where everything the Holy Spirit was teaching me came alive (real), it was one of the most "profound" experience I ever had (spiritually speaking). Let me try to recount it: My older sister was filling ill and had to be hospitalized, her appendix had burst, it happened few days before, she already had infections because of it, just the fact that she was still alive, it was already a miracle. At the hospital she had surgery to remove the infection, she was treated and was sent home under medication. At home, after a few days, she had a condition (some would call hallucination, schizophrenic, psychotic or nervous breakdown), I would call it "spiritual takeover". Why is that? Because I literally saw her spirit taking control of her soul (consciousness) and body, something I've never seen before. She was speaking all the time, and according to my brother-in-law, she was like that for almost 24 hours. I started listening to what she was saying, some words came from God, no doubt about it, but some did not! Then it was like Paul's experience, a veil was taken from my eyes, the Bible verse about "the spirit of the prophet (person) being subject to the prophet (person)" made sense for the first time in my life, i saw before my eyes the spirit of my sister taking control of her, she couldn't subject her own spirit. It was like a tornado were the wind cannot be controlled (subjected). I stood there speechless, trying to discern when was a word from the Holy Spirit and when it was a word from her spirit. Then all of a sudden, came a thought in my mind to pray, lay hands on her head and minister peace, quietness and rest to her spirit. When i did that, she looked at me, closed her eyes and was able to rest (keep quiet for a while). Then i realized how profound was that experience. All those years trying to understand it, and it only took a few minutes to get it. Now everything make sense to me, all the words (prophecies) i heard in the past that i knew were "spiritual", but at the same time I knew it didn't come from the Holy Spirit, it didn't come from the devil either, some prophecies were just Bible verses that the "prophet" thought were for us, even if (i knew that) God was speaking something different, because our CONTEXT and TIME, also because everything God was doing IN and AMONG us. We fail many times because we don't discern (understand) the will of God (purpose), the time and His way (read the post "The Purpose, the Time and the Way"). Please understand what i'm saying, the whole Bible is God's word, except for a few parts, where, for example, Paul clearly says that is coming from him: 1 Corinthians 7:12 But to the rest I, not the Lord, say: If any brother has a wife who does not believe, and she is willing to live with him, let him not divorce her. So, let me try to be even clearer: Nowadays, there is a "teaching" that is becoming more and more prevalent, that "everyone" is a prophet, you just have to get the Bible and start "prophesying" what the Bible says. Again, this teaching is new, it wasn't in our churches decades ago. Of course, just like every other teaching, the ones who are teaching this, have their own view (belief) about the subject, and try to prove that what Paul said does not apply to this view. So, what did Paul say? 1 Corinthians 12:29-31 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? Now eagerly desire the greater gifts. If you're just a little intelligent (everyone is), you know that's a rhetorical question. So, why even in light of this passage those people insist that every believer is a prophet? That answer is very complicated, because it is a matter of belief! Just like the pre, mid and post-tribulation, you can prove you point if you know the "right" Bible verses! God used me many times with "prophecy", that's why to me (personal belief), not everyone is a prophet, only those God called them to be! Of course, the Holy Spirit can come over a person and lead the person to prophesy, for example, king Saul: 1 Samuel 19:24 He stripped off his garments, and he too prophesied in Samuel’s presence. He lay naked all that day and all that night. This is why people say, "Is Saul also among the prophets"? What do you say, was king Saul a prophet? To be "among" prophets, pastors, miracle workers and apostles does not make you one of them! God's calling and gits do not come by osmosis (the process of gradual or unconscious assimilation of ideas, knowledge, etc). It comes through "impartation" (read the post "Impartation: You Can Only Give What You Have!"). If you have the gift of tongues (I don't have it), you know that you can "control" (subject) when to start and to stop speaking in tongues and maybe you never stop to think about it, since after a while, it became "natural" for you. Now, in light of everything i said here, you know that when you're speaking in tongues you are allowing "your spirit" to take over your body!!! How crazy is that??? That's why your mind becomes "unfruitful" (barren, unproductive, inactive). 1 Corinthians 14:14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. In the same manner, when a demon "possesses" a person, this wicked spirit (demon) shuts off the person's mind (understanding), it becomes unfruitful (barren, unproductive, inactive), the demon then uses the person's body. Then you ask, "what about that person's spirit"? If your asking this question is because you didn't understand the text you read above, so here we go again: Ephesians 2:1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins. What about that person's spirit? According to God, the person's spirit is dead! The person is spiritually dead! The person still have the "breath of life", as written in Genesis 2:7, but because Adam's sin, the person is spiritually dead. What about Adam, you ask? Easy to answer: Adam was not the "final product" God intended him to be. Adam had to choose between life and death (spiritually speaking), symbolized by the tree of life and the tree of good and evil, which trees, symbolized Jesus Christ and satan. 1 Corinthians 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. The reason God placed cherubs in the garden's entrance, was to block men from entering and eating the tree of life, then sealing his choice and never having a change to be born again. As for my sister, when she went back to the hospital she was diagnosed with pneumonia, besides the infection that was still in her body. In her case, I believe (and that is personal), that her spirit knew what was going on, that she was going to die if wasn't treated soon. God is good, all the time, even when we don't realize, He is taking care of us. We need to pray for discernment (knowledge) more than ever before, and seek the knowledge of God and His word: Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me. Because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.
Matthew 26:41 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing (ready), but the flesh is weak. I had an experience this past few days, where everything the Holy Spirit was teaching me came alive (real), it was one of the most "profound" experience I ever had (spiritually speaking). Let me try to recount it: My older sister was filling ill and had to be hospitalized, her appendix had burst, it happened few days before, she already had infections because of it, just the fact that she was still alive, it was already a miracle. At the hospital she had surgery to remove the infection, she was treated and was sent home under medication. At home, after a few days, she had a condition (some would call hallucination, schizophrenic, psychotic or nervous breakdown), I would call it "spiritual takeover". Why is that? Because I literally saw her spirit taking control of her soul (consciousness) and body, something I've never seen before. She was speaking all the time, and according to my brother-in-law, she was like that for almost 24 hours. I started listening to what she was saying, some words came from God, no doubt about it, but some did not! Then it was like Paul's experience, a veil was taken from my eyes, the Bible verse about "the spirit of the prophet (person) being subject to the prophet (person)" made sense for the first time in my life, i saw before my eyes the spirit of my sister taking control of her, she couldn't subject her own spirit. It was like a tornado were the wind cannot be controlled (subjected). I stood there speechless, trying to discern when was a word from the Holy Spirit and when it was a word from her spirit. Then all of a sudden, came a thought in my mind to pray, lay hands on her head and minister peace, quietness and rest to her spirit. When i did that, she looked at me, closed her eyes and was able to rest (keep quiet for a while). Then i realized how profound was that experience. All those years trying to understand it, and it only took a few minutes to get it. Now everything make sense to me, all the words (prophecies) i heard in the past that i knew were "spiritual", but at the same time I knew it didn't come from the Holy Spirit, it didn't come from the devil either, some prophecies were just Bible verses that the "prophet" thought were for us, even if (i knew that) God was speaking something different, because our CONTEXT and TIME, also because everything God was doing IN and AMONG us. We fail many times because we don't discern (understand) the will of God (purpose), the time and His way (read the post "The Purpose, the Time and the Way"). Please understand what i'm saying, the whole Bible is God's word, except for a few parts, where, for example, Paul clearly says that is coming from him: 1 Corinthians 7:12 But to the rest I, not the Lord, say: If any brother has a wife who does not believe, and she is willing to live with him, let him not divorce her. So, let me try to be even clearer: Nowadays, there is a "teaching" that is becoming more and more prevalent, that "everyone" is a prophet, you just have to get the Bible and start "prophesying" what the Bible says. Again, this teaching is new, it wasn't in our churches decades ago. Of course, just like every other teaching, the ones who are teaching this, have their own view (belief) about the subject, and try to prove that what Paul said does not apply to this view. So, what did Paul say? 1 Corinthians 12:29-31 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? Now eagerly desire the greater gifts. If you're just a little intelligent (everyone is), you know that's a rhetorical question. So, why even in light of this passage those people insist that every believer is a prophet? That answer is very complicated, because it is a matter of belief! Just like the pre, mid and post-tribulation, you can prove you point if you know the "right" Bible verses! God used me many times with "prophecy", that's why to me (personal belief), not everyone is a prophet, only those God called them to be! Of course, the Holy Spirit can come over a person and lead the person to prophesy, for example, king Saul: 1 Samuel 19:24 He stripped off his garments, and he too prophesied in Samuel’s presence. He lay naked all that day and all that night. This is why people say, "Is Saul also among the prophets"? What do you say, was king Saul a prophet? To be "among" prophets, pastors, miracle workers and apostles does not make you one of them! God's calling and gits do not come by osmosis (the process of gradual or unconscious assimilation of ideas, knowledge, etc). It comes through "impartation" (read the post "Impartation: You Can Only Give What You Have!"). If you have the gift of tongues (I don't have it), you know that you can "control" (subject) when to start and to stop speaking in tongues and maybe you never stop to think about it, since after a while, it became "natural" for you. Now, in light of everything i said here, you know that when you're speaking in tongues you are allowing "your spirit" to take over your body!!! How crazy is that??? That's why your mind becomes "unfruitful" (barren, unproductive, inactive). 1 Corinthians 14:14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. In the same manner, when a demon "possesses" a person, this wicked spirit (demon) shuts off the person's mind (understanding), it becomes unfruitful (barren, unproductive, inactive), the demon then uses the person's body. Then you ask, "what about that person's spirit"? If your asking this question is because you didn't understand the text you read above, so here we go again: Ephesians 2:1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins. What about that person's spirit? According to God, the person's spirit is dead! The person is spiritually dead! The person still have the "breath of life", as written in Genesis 2:7, but because Adam's sin, the person is spiritually dead. What about Adam, you ask? Easy to answer: Adam was not the "final product" God intended him to be. Adam had to choose between life and death (spiritually speaking), symbolized by the tree of life and the tree of good and evil, which trees, symbolized Jesus Christ and satan. 1 Corinthians 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. The reason God placed cherubs in the garden's entrance, was to block men from entering and eating the tree of life, then sealing his choice and never having a change to be born again. As for my sister, when she went back to the hospital she was diagnosed with pneumonia, besides the infection that was still in her body. In her case, I believe (and that is personal), that her spirit knew what was going on, that she was going to die if wasn't treated soon. God is good, all the time, even when we don't realize, He is taking care of us. We need to pray for discernment (knowledge) more than ever before, and seek the knowledge of God and His word: Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me. Because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.
