(Prayerful Life -22) Are You Carnal or Spiritual?

How important it is for us to discover and to clearly acknowledge before God whether we are spiritual or carnal. A minister may be very faithful in his teaching of doctrine and be enthusiastic in his service, and yet still be living a carnal Christian Life.

So, what are the characteristics of a Spiritual Life vs a Carnal Life?

Ian Thomas said, “Godliness is God Himself at work.” Therefore anything that is not God Himself at work (with God/Godless) is not Godly, but carnal, or “without God.” Using the following statements, where does your Christian Life fall on the scale? If 1 would be you are 100% on the left, and 5 being 100% on the right, how would you rate yourself?

Walking in the flesh, pursuing the desires of my flesh		Crucified the flesh completely, walking in the Spirit moment by moment
Work and ministry is for the most part a manifestation of human power		Living in complete submission to the leading of the Spirit. Having a sense of personal weakness and total dependence on Christ
Ministering in the power of your own wisdom and zeal, still trying to be something.		Convinced that it is impossible unless God does the work. Content to be nothing
Little pleasure or perseverance in prayer.		Having a love of prayer and it’s power has taken possession of your whole life

I have to admit, when I rated myself, less than 50% of the time can I say that I live with God!

In chapter 7 of his book, “The Indwelling Life of Christ,” Ian Thomas ended with this challenge:

What kind of Christian do you want to be? To choose to be a carnal Christian is to choose spiritual oblivion. But if you decide genuinely that Christ must be everything and have everything in your life, if you say in your heart, “I want nothing less than to be all that for which the blood of God’s dear Son was shed,” then He is ready to lead you into discoveries that can completely revolutionize your whole humanity for time and eternity.

What kind of Christian – Indwelling Life of Christ chapter 7