The Human Spirit: (The Most Crucial Part Of Man)

The spirit (hidden man), is located within the deepest (at the core or heart) recesses of a
human being.

Job 32:8: 8But there is a spirit in man (given by the Holy

Spirit): and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them
understanding. (understanding comes to a man via God through
his (man's) spirit).

The spirit is enclosed within the soul which keeps it apart from
the body. Activities of the spirit must first pass through the
soul and then to the body where it's influence is displayed in
some form of physical activity or action. The spirit receives
impressions of outward and material things through the soul.

According to the Bible and the experience of believers, the human spirit can be said to have
three main functions. These three functions are:

Conscience:
The primary, part of the spirit is the conscience. In Romans 9:1 Paul testified, "My
conscience bearing witness with me in the Holy Spirit." When this passage is compared to
Romans 8:16, "The Spirit Himself witnesses with our spirit," it becomes apparent that the
conscience is located within the human spirit.

The Spirit of God witnesses with our human spirit, yet at the same time our conscience
witnesses with the Holy Spirit. Then, by association, the conscience must be part of the
human spirit.

The conscience is the part of the spirit which enables us to perceive right (good) from wrong
(evil) and which, accordingly, either condemns or justifies us. It is not influenced by
knowledge stored in the mind, but is rather a unplanned, on the spot, impulsive, natural direct
judgment.

Romans 9:1: 1I am speaking the truth in Christ. I am not lying; my conscience (is
enlightened and prompted) by the Holy Spirit bearing witness with me.

Romans 8:16: 16The Spirit Himself (thus) testifies together with our own spirit, (assuring
us) that we are children of God.

2 Corinthians 1:12: 12It is a reason for pride and exultation to which our conscience testifies
that we have conducted ourselves in the world (generally) and especially toward you, with
devout and pure motives and godly sincerity, not in fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God
(the unmerited favour and merciful kindness by which God, exerting His holy influence upon
souls, turns them to Christ, and keeps, strengthens, and increases them in Christian virtues).
Jude 1:10: 10But these men revile (scoff and sneer at) anything they do not happen to be
acquainted with and do not understand; and whatever they do understand physically (that
which they know by mere instinct and without conscience), like irrational beasts--by these
they corrupt themselves and are destroyed (perish).

Intuition:
Intuition is the second function of the spirit. 1 Corinthians 2:11: "For who among men
knows the things of man, except the spirit of man which is in him?" This verse shows us that
there are things which only the spirit of man knows, and which the soul is unable to know.
This function of our intuition has the capacity to know and discern apart from human reason
or circumstantial experience. For example, in the gospel of Mark the scribes were silently
reasoning within their hearts about the Lord’s statement, "Child, your sins are forgiven." In
response to their reasoning we read in Mark 2:8: "immediately Jesus, knowing fully in His
spirit that they were reasoning this way within themselves, said to them, Why are you
reasoning about these things in your hearts". This verse further illustrates that the spirit can
have an inner sense and knowledge independent of the reason or outward circumstances upon
which the soul’s discernment relies so heavily. This spiritual sense, or intuition, is an
essential faculty of the human spirit.

Intuition is the "knowing" part of the spirit. It is a direct, particular sense or knowledge which
is independent of reason, circumstance, situation, or precedent. All true knowledge originates
not in the mind, but in the spirit. The revelations of God and the movements of the Holy
Spirit are known to the believer through his intuition. A believer must, therefore, take care to
heed these two aspects of his spirit: the speaking of his conscience and the teaching of his
intuition.

1 Corinthians 2:11: 11For what person perceives (knows and understands) what passes
through a man's thoughts except the man's own spirit within him? Just so no one discerns
(comes to know and comprehend) the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.

Mark 2:8: 8And at once Jesus, becoming fully aware in His spirit that they thus debated
within themselves, said to them, Why do you argue (debate, reason) about all this in your
hearts?

Communion (Fellowship):
Communion or fellowship is the third function of the spirit, and is related to the worship of
God. Christ Himself told us that "God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in
spirit and truthfulness." Worshipping God is altogether a matter of contacting God in
fellowship. Furthermore,

John 4:24: 24God is a Spirit (a Spiritual Being) and those who worship Him must worship
Him in spirit and in truth (reality).

"Praying at every time in the spirit," is another form of fellowship with God.
Ephesians 6:18: 18Pray at all times (on every occasion, in every season) in the Spirit, with all
(manner of) prayer and entreaty. To that end keep alert and watch with strong purpose and
perseverance, interceding in behalf of all the saints (God's consecrated people).

Job 32:8: 8But there is a spirit in man (given by the Holy Spirit): and the inspiration of the
Almighty giveth them understanding. (God communicates understanding to man through
man's spirit).

Romans 1:9: 9For God is my witness, Whom I serve with my (whole) spirit (rendering
priestly and spiritual service) in (preaching) the Gospel and (telling) the good news of His
Son, how incessantly I always mention you when at my prayers.

We read a in Philippians where this grand (magnificent) part of us, the spirit, does indeed
relate to God.

Philippians 3:3: 3For we (Christians) are the circumcision (meaning that we have a
circumcision that is inward. We have a cleansing that is inward, not just outward. The false
circumcision has an outward mark, and we know that the Jews thought that their outward
external physical circumcision gave them special privilege with God. He says that is a false
circumcision. That which is outward is meaningless. It is the circumcision that is inward that
marks the true Christian. So we are the true circumcision, not cleansed on the outside by
surgery but cleansed on the inside by the power of the Holy Spirit.), which worship God in
the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.

It is through our spirit that we are able to communicate with, and worship God.

Paul's statement to the Philippians was unique and quite novel, since Israel for the most part
had a natural or fleshly mindset . In the past, the Jewish covenant, dealing with unregenerated
people, could only work in physical rituals due to the fact that Christ had not yet died on the
cross making the final and complete payment for the sins of mankind. Under the Old
Covenant the human spirit could not be activated as the Holy Spirit had not yet come into the
world. Therefore, physical restitution had to be conducted on a yearly basis and was the only
way at that time to cover the sins of the people.

When Christ came, He fulfilled the law which abolished all of the former rituals, ordinance,
feast days and the like. However, the Jewish people continued in their ways and what was
acceptable to God under the Old Covenant was no longer acceptable under the New
(Covenant) and to continue in the old manner was to enter into the world of carnality. The
Jews just didn't get it and continued in their old ways.

Although Paul was part of the remnant of Israel (Jews that believe in and worship Yeshua,
Jesus, as the one true Messiah) all of whom were born again Christians it was a rare
circumstance to speak about, meet or see a Jew worshiping God in the spirit.
Our Spirit Perceives Only Spiritual Things.

There are those who propose that the spirit within is the seat (centre) of intellectual thought.
However, every time we read about the spirit of a man it is always indicates something
spiritual rather than something on an intellectual level. Note the following.

Jesus perceived spiritual things in his spirit.

Mark 2:8: 8Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in
their hearts, and he said to them, "Why are you thinking these things?

Acts 6:10: 10but they could not stand up against his wisdom (intellect) or the Spirit by whom
he spoke. (Spirit and intellect are shown here to be two different parts of man)

Acts 17:16: 16Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him,
when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.

The spirit exudes within a person a special and unexplainable disposition, feeling, mood or
tone regarding some issue beyond the level of reason and intellect. It is indicative of an
anointing and authority both of which are very spiritual and somewhat supernatural.

Pastors who are sensitive to the Lord's moving are spiritual people.  Paul was described as
being stirred (pressed, besieged) in his spirit to speak of the Lord.  Again, this state of inner
feeling is beyond that of reason and intellect. The thinkers of this world rely on their
intelligence and reason, which is in direct opposition to that of the spirit, to draw conclusions.
Such people are generally inactive spiritually.

Act 18:5:  5And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed
in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ

Act 18:25: 25This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the
spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of
John.

Act 19:21: 21After these things were ended, Paul purposed (determined) in the spirit, when
he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, After I have been
there, I must also see Rome.

Paul discerned something in God's will with his spirit. It's as though his spirit agreed with
what he felt God's desire to be. This is how the human spirit differs from mere intellect and
reason.