Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and [of] the Spirit, he cannot enter into thekingdom of God
That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. (John 3:5-6)
No matter the effort put in by man, you cannot reach God in the flesh, in fact the flesh is at enmity to him. I have seen so many people who try their best to impress God through tithing, activities in the church and singing praises, but do things that are contrary to the things of the Spirit.
It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing (John 6:63)
Jesus spoke these words when he came in the flesh to this world.
A man who thrives to worship God in the flesh and hopes for acceptability from Him, needs to know that he is just a religious man. He does not have anything to do with godliness, neither can he understand God.
God [is] a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship [Him] in spirit and in truth. (John 4:24)
But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know [them], because they are spiritually discerned. (1 Cor 2:14)
A natural man is a man of the flesh who's spirit is not awakened to the Spirit of God . He only walks according to the dictates of the selfish ambitions of his fleshly desire. We have so many in the church today, thy are prominent among us in the charismatic and pentecostal organization.
They are possessed with the desire for title but not the glory; they engage in the work of the flesh.
They like immorality, deception, pride, covetousness, materialism, malice and take God for their playmate. They are so familiar with God they don't realize they are swimming in iniquity. These are men of the flesh, they have nothing to do with the spirit of God. They only pretend and take advantage of the vulnerable people who are helpless - because they also don't understand the things of the spirit.
For to be carnally minded is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
Many believers are dead spiritually, they only live in the fantasy of their old glory.
The Lord told me that the church needs a quickened spirit that will bring the revelation of the true love of God in the heart of his people. Many spiritual leaders have taken the place and purpose of the Holy Spirit, hence many people's destiny are being destroyed.
This is the time to be awake in the spirit and allow Him to take His place.
Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light..................And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit (Eph 5:14,18)
To be drunk with wine in excess is to be drunk in the flesh, materialism and lust, but to be filled with the Spirit is to be led of the Spirit and follow His instructions, even when contrary to our fleshy desire.
A perfect obedience to do His will no matter what may cost us. There is a need not to succumb to the lust of the flesh that is pleasurable, but to the working of the Holy Spirit that quickeneth us for a life that is pleasing to God.
But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.
But God hath revealed [them] unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. (1 Cor 2:9-11)
Men of the spirit are those that understand the things of the spirit and seek the deep things of God.
The deep things of God cannot be received on the surface, neither can you find it in the flesh. It will take a great discovery in the spirit to locate it, because deep revelation of God can only be discerned when we have insight into spiritual things.
God is calling us into a reawakening that will stir up a total fellowship with the Holy Spirit, that will direct our steps in His way - then shall we have a prosperous and fulfilled destiny this year. Amen.