The Reality of the Spirit

by Tony “Bear Walks in the Light" Laidig

Reality…what is reality? Is it the current, collective, five physical sense environment that surrounds us? Or is it something else? “Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary” says reality is: 

“The state or quality of being real; actual being or existence of anything, in distinction from mere appearance; fact. Or…that which is real; an actual existence; that which is not imagination, fiction, or pretense; that which has objective existence, and is not merely an idea.” 

We often treat life in the Spirit like a good idea, or an almost unattainable, imaginative something we should strive to live for…whatever that means. It almost doesn’t seem real to us because we’ve been trained so well in what “reality” is. The truth is life in the spirit is actually MORE real than what we normally consider reality. What if you got up tomorrow morning and said, “I believe I’m going to ignore gravity today.” What do you think would happen? If you fall forward, will you still hit the floor? You bet! Whether you choose to believe it or not, gravity will affect you—today, tomorrow, everyday for the rest of your life. Even as “real” as that is, the reality of the spirit is MORE real. What defines your reality? 

A magic trick is only “Magic” until you know the secret.

Anytime a higher level of understanding comes in contact with one of a lower level, the resulting exchange takes on the appearance of magic or the miraculous. One can even have the appearance of possessing god-like qualities. So is life in the realm of the spirit. This is not to diminish the awesome power of our Father God, but rather to point-out our own position in our present reality. Think about it…if we took today’s technology and went back in time, much of what we take for granted today would appear like magic or supernatural to those around us. What would Peter have thought about today’s depth finders and fish locators? Imagine sitting at a table doing research in the famed Library of Alexandria 3000 years ago, except, you have a laptop and Internet access. Or say that you fly into any given battle of the Old Testament with a fully loaded Cobra attack helicopter? I think you get the picture. 

We have been called to a greater reality than the one we presently reside in. We are called to live in the realm of the Spirit. It’s where our Father lives and where He has called us to live. Life in the Spirit is reality to Him, as it should be to us. God is calling us to move from a position of “hoping life in the Spirit exists” to “recognizing our place there and existing in it.” When we look at Jesus, we see Him walk across the sea, or raise the dead and think, “Of course Jesus can do that, He’s God.” But that’s not His secret. The question is how did He do it?  How do you walk on water? How do you raise the dead? How do you tell the wind to stop blowing and it listens? Through understanding the secrets of living life in the Spirit! 

Do You Hear What I Hear?

What if, for one day—24 hours—God opened our senses fully so that we could be immersed unhindered into the realm of the spirit? What would we see? What would it look like? How would it affect us? How would we appear? How would other people appear? What would the landscape look like? Would it be organic like the natural realm or not? Would there be buildings and structures, and if so, would they correspond to buildings and structures in the natural realm? Would sound exist there? How would colors appear? Is there “smell” there? Does time exist there? Is there night and day, darkness and light? How would it change us and how we live life? 

What if God “filtered” every activity you do so that He would only see and hear those of the realm of the spirit? What would He see and hear from you? Think about your life and your day-to-day routine. Think about your prayer and worship time during the day, your conversation, your actions and deeds, your responses and interactions with others—everything.  How do your responses compare to the following Scriptures? 

“For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.” Romans 8:5 

“But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.” Romans 8:9 

“For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.” Romans 8:13-14 

“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.” 1 Corinthians 2:14 

“If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” Galatians 5:25 

“You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 2:5 

Out of Focus

How much of your life is truly lived “in the spirit”? Is it a reality to you? Every day, God gives us the gift of 24 hours. How are you stewarding it? Most likely the same way many of us do. Most of us would probably like to experience much more, but we allow the busyness of our lifestyle, our career, ministry, apathy, you name it, to distract our attention and draw our focus anywhere but on God. So we settle for the way things are (except in crisis situations), and we hope and pray that God will come down and somehow “make us” live the way we know we should. We pray, “Give us more hunger,” or “Come Holy Spirit and have your way.” Then we keep doing the same things we always do. All the while, the Spirit is saying, “There’s a better way…” As I’ve shared before, the best definition for insanity I’ve heard is doing the same things over and over, but expecting different results. That’s what we’ve done with our own spiritual lifestyle. We approach life in the spirit the same way we always have expecting it to be different “this time.” It’s time to respond differently. It’s time to reach out in faith and trust that what we’ve read in the Book is true. A different response will yield a different result. God has done His part. What are you waiting for? 

God is calling us to grow up into maturity and move forward into what He has for us. It’s time to begin to “see” differently…to act differently! 

Open the eyes of our heart, Lord. We want to see You.