The New Man: Seeing and Hearing in the Spirit
by Scott McClelland
In the third chapter of the gospel of John, Jesus said, "Truly, truly, I say to you, Unless a man is born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God." Seeing the Kingdom of God is only available to those who have been born again, or born from above. In other words, to as many of us as know the Lord, we have been born with the capacity to behold the Kingdom of God, and also to become an integral part of it's operation as a kingdom of priests. Our view to the Kingdom of God will facilitate our entering into it experientially by faith and finding our own specific place and operation.
In answer to a question posed by his disciples about why he spoke to the multitudes in parables, Jesus answered, "Because it is given to you to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but it is not given to them." (Matthew 13:11 NLT). Jesus has given his disciples access to the mysteries of the Kingdom, not only to behold them, but to comprehend, understand and cooperate with them. It is by virtue of your spiritual birth that you are qualified to see into the realm of the spirit. This realm is superior to, and contains the natural realm within it. Because we are born again, we are now spiritual creatures. Because we are spiritual creatures, our lives are actually being lived in the realm of the spirit. Isn't our citizenship in heaven? (Philippians 3:20). We are instructed in the scripture to set our minds on the things above, not on the things of this earth. Why? It is because our lives are now hid (from the natural mind) with Christ in God. By setting our minds on heavenly things, the things of God?s Kingdom, we actually transcend the bondages imposed upon our minds because we see ourselves no longer bound to the natural realm.
The carnal or natural mind is the enemy of God, and cannot understand or perceive this higher way or higher realm (Romans 8:6-11). The things of God are spiritually discerned, and transcend our natural faculties. This was a frustration to all of us prior to the new birth, but now we are born again to understand and operate with ease in the realm of the spirit. We are spiritual creatures first, as the order of the spirit transcends the order of the natural realm. To the degree that we are at home in the natural realm, the realm of the spirit will be obscure to us.
The apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15:45, "And so it is written, "The first man, Adam, became a living soul," the last Adam was a life-giving Spirit." We are born again with the nature of the Last Adam, Jesus Christ. Every person who is born of woman is born with the nature of the first Adam, and in this nature we all die. However, every person who is born again, is born with the spiritual DNA of The Overcomer, the Last Adam, Jesus Christ Himself. As a result of this reality, we can come to be at home in the spiritual realm even now. Didn't Jesus say, "I only do what I see my Father doing?" How was he aware of what His Father was doing? He was aware of the Father's movement and will in the same way that we can be aware of what the Father is doing, by having ears that hear and eyes that see into the realm of the spirit. This is your birthright in the Kingdom and Family of God. This ability and privilege has been promised to you by Jesus Himself.
In Hebrews 2:10, the scripture says, "For it became Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons into glory, to perfect the Captain of their salvation through sufferings." We read in Romans 8:29-30, in the New Living Translation, "For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn, with many brothers and sisters. And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And he gave them right standing with himself, and he promised them his glory."
Jesus, as the firstborn from the dead, is a brother to all those who are born again in God. As such, He is the instrument of the Father as Captain of Salvation, and is laboring with the Father to bring many sons to glory. He is the firstborn from the dead. As many of us who have been born again, we are now born after the kind of The Firstborn and are in the process of being brought into the glory by the Father. The Father was able to perfect The Captain and He is also able to perfect you who have been born again after the likeness of this new creation, Jesus Christ Himself being the firstborn of this brand new race.
Hebrews 12:18-24 (NLT), reads, "You have not come to a physical mountain, to a place of flaming fire, darkness, gloom, and whirlwind, as the Israelites did at Mount Sinai when God gave them his laws. [19] For they heard an awesome trumpet blast and a voice with a message so terrible that they begged God to stop speaking. [20] They staggered back under God's command: "If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death." [21] Moses himself was so frightened at the sight that he said, "I am terrified and trembling". [22] No, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to thousands of angels in joyful assembly. [23] You have come to the assembly of God's firstborn children, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God himself, who is the judge of all people. And you have come to the spirits of the redeemed in heaven who have now been made perfect. [24] You have come to Jesus, the one who mediates the new covenant between God and people, and to the sprinkled blood, which graciously forgives instead of crying out for vengeance as the blood of Abel did."
Being born from above, that is, having come to this city of the Living God, you are now alive in the spiritual realm. This realm belongs to your Father, Lord of heaven and earth. By Him, you have full right of function in this spiritual realm. Seeing and hearing your Heavenly Father's voice, and doing only the things that please Him, is your birthright as a new creature in Christ Jesus. The second birth qualifies you with the ability to see and hear spiritually. It is my sincere prayer and hope that you come into a higher, more wonderful experience in the spirit realm. God give us all grace to grow in these things!
