Becoming Strong in Spirit — Alan Martin

Adam, the Natural Man, and the Heavenly Man

1 Corinthians 15, find verse 45, 1 Corinthians chapter 15, verse 45, and so it's written, the first man Adam became a living being, and the last Adam became a life giving spirit. However the spiritual is not first, notice that, it wasn't with any of us, was it?

The spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual. The first man was of the earth, made of dust. So what do you think is most natural to the first man? The earth, the things of the earth.

If anyone loves the world or the things of the world, what does it mean? It's where he's of. Those are the things that are most natural to him. He is in what they would call in Spanish, carnal, you know, he's fleshly.

Meat. You know, it's the things that are most natural to him. However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual. The first man was of the earth, made of dust. The second man is the Lord from heaven.

Actually, verse 47, it's interesting, it does use the term second. The second man is the Lord from heaven. And verse 48, and as was the man of dust, so are also those who are made of dust. And as is the heavenly man, so also are those who are what?

Heavenly. So, those who are of Adam are like Adam. Is that what it's saying? Those who are of the man from heaven are like the man from heaven. And he goes on to say it again, verse 49. As we have borne the image of the man of dust.

Would you finish that in your version? As we have borne the image of the man of dust, what does it say? Okay, it does say we shall bear. It's interesting, the reason it, some translations might say it different, because this is one of those places where you have a discrepancy in the Greek manuscripts.

A very slight discrepancy. One could be interpreted as a future, so shall we bear the likeness. And one is an imperative, let us bear. So let us bear the image of the man from heaven. Interesting, what does that mean?

Conformity to the Image of Christ

Isn't this God's overall purpose? That we would bear the image of His Son? Isn't that? Isn't that regardless of what the difference in calling that you or I might have. We have the same predestination.

If God foreknew us, and He called us, every one of us here who are foreknown of God and called of God, have the same destination to be fully conformed to the image of His Son. In very similar language to this, look in Romans chapter 5.

Romans chapter 5 verse 19. Being spoken of here, for as by one man's disobedience. Who would that refer to? That's the man of the earth. For by Adam's disobedience many were made sinners. The word made there is where we get the idea of constitution.

Their constitution became to sin. The very way they were ordered inside from that man. Why do we sin? Because for Adam it's our constitution to do so. We are acting in according to the way we were constituted from what we received from Adam.

But notice this, it says, So in the very same way. Notice that? Did the effect of Adam on you actually produce a dynamic result? Evident? Or did God just consider you a sinner? Or did you act like one?

You acted like one. You received a constitution that made you act that way. I'm not being redundant. I'm trying to make a point. You must understand it's in that very same way. Through the obedience of the one man, many will be constituted righteous.

Not considered. Constituted. Yes, by the mercy of God, we are considered righteous by the merit of Jesus Christ. But it's far more than being considered righteous. We're constituted righteous. We receive the very nature and heart and character and power through the life of the last.

The image of the invisible God. The exact representation of His being. The one who sustains all things through the word of His power. He is our forefather now. As we have born the image of Adam the first.

Now let us bear the image of the Adam the last. There won't be anymore. There won't be anymore Adams because in Him all the fullness of the Godhead dwelt bodily. And in Him we are made complete. And how does that work?

If we, you and I, are to be conformed to the image of His Son. To Jesus. Then let's look and see that process. Won't it be similar to, if we're going to be conformed to His image, won't our experience be similar to His?

Is that reasonable? Alright, let's take a look at this process of how God begins to conform us to His image. To His Son. To the work of His Son. Let's start in Luke. Turn to chapter 2. Luke chapter 2.

And we'll just start with verse 39 for context. Luke 2 .39. And when they had finished all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned unto Galilee. Unto the city of Nazareth, their own city.

And the child, speaking of Jesus here. And the child was growing and becoming strong in spirit. Okay. Notice that this is one of the first things that's going to happen to us. Actually, it's the second thing that's going to happen to us in the process of our being conformed to the image of Christ.

Being Born of the Spirit

Now, if you're becoming strong in spirit, what must take place before that can even begin? You must be born of the Spirit. Is that how Jesus began? Wasn't that His beginning? He was begotten by the Holy Spirit?

Didn't Jesus say, unless you are born from above, you will not even see the Kingdom of God? Look and see specifically. We'll come back to Luke here, but flip over to Matthew chapter 1. Matthew chapter 1, verses 18 -20, state it this way.

That Jesus was born of the Holy Spirit. Matthew chapter 1, verses 18 -20. Now, the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows. After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child.

How? Of the Holy Spirit. That's how she was found with child. Then Joseph, her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.

So Jesus was born of the Holy Spirit. It also says this back in Luke chapter 1, verse 35. When Mary asked the angel who had brought the announcement to her, she said, How, since I've never known a man, how are these things going to be?

And this is what the angel answered her in Luke 1, verse 35. And the angel answering said to her, The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, that which is being born in you, the thing born in you, or the one born in you, shall be called the Son of God.

So, where must we begin in this process of being conformed to the image of His Son? The first thing that must happen is you must be born of the Spirit. Because if you are only born of the flesh, what are you going to be?

That which is of flesh is flesh. If you are in the flesh, it's impossible to please God. You'll never be conformed to the image of God. You can't. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship Him in Spirit.

And it's in Spirit we take on His image. See, the Bible says that those who are in the flesh cannot please God. The reason is that the mind of the flesh does not submit to God, nor can it do so. So, if you're in the flesh, it's the reason things don't work.

It's the reason you're not being conformed to the image of God. Because if you're in the flesh, you haven't even started yet. It's not even begun. The beginning of God conforming us to His image is being born of the Spirit.

And so, parents, if you have a child and you sense that they're still in the flesh, after the flesh, or if you're married and you have a spouse and they don't walk according to the Spirit, it's probably because they mind the things of the flesh.

Those who walk according to the flesh, what? They mind the things of the flesh. Those who walk according to the Spirit, what do they do? They mind the things according to the Spirit. One of the things you're going to find about the Holy Spirit is He's always willing.

Always willing to do the will of the Father. And it explains why a person does not walk in the ways of God. You can't do so unless you are born of the Spirit. That's the beginning. You must be born again.

And Jesus followed that by saying, that which is born of flesh is flesh. That which is born of Spirit is Spirit. That's the beginning. He began by being born of the Spirit. When He became a man, that is, right?

That's His beginning as a man. That's when He became to be like us at all points. We know He existed before that. But when He began life as a man, He began it born of the Spirit. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit.

That's where we must begin. We must be born again. And then, the next thing there is back in Luke 2. If you're back there, Luke 2 verse 40. The next thing. The second. He says, and a child was growing and becoming strong in Spirit.

Strengthened in Spirit and Filled With Wisdom

That's a part of the process. You must begin to be strengthened in Spirit. It's interesting. One of the things that's been on Brian's heart lately is the prayer of Paul in Ephesians chapter 3 when he says, for this reason I bow my knees before the Father of Heaven from whom every family on earth derives His name.

And I pray that He give you, He grant you His Spirit. He strengthen you with power through His Spirit. Where? In your inner man. Being strengthened with power in the inner man causes us to begin to be strong in Spirit.

Because what are we naturally strong in? Flesh. We must begin to experience being strengthened in Spirit. And then, the next step. Once you begin to be strengthened in Spirit, what's the next result? You begin to be filled with wisdom.

Because no eye has seen, no ear has heard, neither has it even entered into the mind of man the things that God has prepared for those who love Him. But God has revealed it to us. How? By His Spirit. The Spirit searches all things.

Even the deep things of God. Because who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him? Even so, no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. The mind of the natural man, what?

It cannot receive the things of the Spirit. Because how? They are spiritually discerned. So until you begin to be strengthened with power in the Spirit, you're going to be lacking in wisdom. Your thinking will be natural.

Not spiritual. And what did Paul call those whose mind was carnal? To be carnally minded is death in one place. The other place he says to be carnally minded is to be a mere infant. Infant in Christ. An infant in Christ is not very strong.

Do any of us consider an infant strong? They are the most tender. We even have to hold up their head. They can't even hold up their own head. They have to grow. They have to become strong in Spirit just like we have to become strong in Spirit so we can begin to be filled with wisdom.

Are you following? This is a process. Just meditate on these things that this is a process the Lord must take us through in conforming us to the image of His Son. Then follow with me in verse 46 here.

No, I don't want to leave that yet. Back up. Back to verse 40. I almost left one thing. Okay, not only must we be born of the Spirit, not only must we begin to become strengthened, become strong in Spirit so that we can begin to be filled with wisdom, what's going to happen is then is when this is happened, here's what's going to happen.

Grace is going to be upon us. That's when grace begins to rest upon us. Do you know what grace is? Grace is everything that flows from God towards us. Anything that flows from God towards us is grace.

It's outside of us. It is His favor, His wisdom, His understanding, His life, His goodness impacting us. It's grace at work in us. See, we know that evidently becoming born of the Spirit, being strong in the Spirit, and beginning to be filled with wisdom must have produced something in Jesus.

It must have produced lowliness. Why do we know that? God resists the proud. We'll never be conformed to the image of God while resisting God, by being proud, by walking according to our own thoughts.

So, Jesus was being strengthened in Spirit, being filled with wisdom, and it was evidently teaching Him to humble Himself. Isn't it interesting? To humble Himself. We also know from the Scriptures, from Proverbs, that God knows the proud from, but He's near to those who are lowly, broken of a contrite spirit.

And it also says that wisdom is with the lowly. So, as we are being conformed to the image of God, as this is beginning to happen, it's going to produce in us a lowliness so that we can begin to become wise.

So that grace of God can rest upon us as we're growing in wisdom. Now let's go to Luke 2 .46. And then it happened, after three days, they found Him sitting in the well. Where did they find Him sitting?

The Hunger for Wisdom and Understanding

Now, He had been missing three days. Okay, and let's just be honest. Paula, if your child was missing for, let's say 30 minutes, and we were in a large group of people, where would you start looking for her?

Where would you likely find her? Where would you expect to find her, Grady? With the kids. You'd look for her in the kids. Isn't that natural? You know, the Bible says wherever a man's treasure is, that's where his heart will be also.

Now, where is He sitting? Where is He sitting? He's sitting in the midst of the teachers. Why is He sitting in the midst of the teachers? Where else are you going to get understanding? What is it, Clare, He's interested in?

What has already happened in His heart that He knows He's not going to get from His friends? He's begun to hunger and thirst after righteousness. He's begun to crave wisdom and understanding, and you don't get it from hanging out with your buddies.

Young people, you hear that? I hope you hear me. You know, it's obvious when the Spirit of God is at work because He's creating such a desire to know. One of the first things I noticed about Michael...

Remember Michael? Michael and Tonya? Remember them? The couple that didn't get together? Right when I met him, this new work of God began to happen in his life. And you know what immediately began to happen?

I began to get emails from him all the time. This question. This question. This question. I hope I'm not bothering you with my questions. And you think about it as a parent. About the time your child began to speak well, what was the constant thing?

Daddy, what does that mean? How does that work? Why do you do that? When the heart of the Spirit is at work, it creates a desire to know. To know the ways of your Father. Now how would Jesus, how could He possibly be in this place?

Some people speculate, and I don't necessarily think speculation is a good thing, but it might be an interesting thought to jolt our minds. I do want to point out to this though. Some people think that perhaps with the gold and the myrrh, and the frankincense gold and myrrh that Joseph and Mary received from the Magi that visited them, that maybe they bought Jesus His own personal Torah.

But they were a poor family, weren't they? When they came to present the offering at the temple, how much could they afford? Two doves. It was the extra offering given for those who couldn't afford what God asked at first.

That's how poor they were. So you think, I don't know if Jesus had His own personal Torah. But here's what I do know. Every week He sat in a synagogue. From the time He could learn to speak and listen.

Let's just say from the time He was five. Five or six. That's 52 Sabbaths a year. Not counting the special Sabbaths. That's just a minimal. Probably it's safer to say there was 60 to 70 Sabbaths a year.

Times five. 350, let's just say, hours. Okay? What do you think He did when He, Jesus, growing up as a boy, being strengthened in Spirit, and being filled with wisdom. What do you think He did when He was in the synagogue?

What do you think He did? He listened. And that is why, honestly, that is why some here are not growing strengthened in Spirit. And you know what? It won't happen. I'm not condemning anybody. I'm just saying, precious as these little souls are, until they begin to listen, it's just because they're going to be here and they're going to go home.

They're going to be here and they're going to go home. And it's going to be like this. I'm sorry, it doesn't come by osmosis. Jesus said, be very careful. What? How you hear. Because with the measure ye meet, it shall be measured to you.

Whoever has, he will be given an abundance. But whoever does not have even that which he thinks he has, shall be taken from him. So, even if Jesus didn't have His own Bible, what did they do every Sabbath?

What was one of the things that happened in the synagogue every Sabbath? They read the Torah. And five times He would have gone to the Feast of Tabernacles, which for seven days, you know what they did during that time?

They read the entire law. What do you think Jesus was doing, guys? You young kids, your age, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, what do you think Jesus was doing? He was listening. Why do you think He could say to Satan, face to face, man does not live by bread alone, but by every word.

You think He had heard it before? He listened. And where is He when His heart has a desire to be in some place? The heart of the righteous is where? Is in the house of the wise. Where is the heart of the fool?

Where is it? The heart of the fool is in the house of pleasure. What does it say fools despise? Fools despise wisdom and discipline. So when Solomon says, but whoever wants to gain understanding and to gain insight and to understand riddles and parables, the sayings of the wise, what's the first thing they must do?

Therefore let the wise listen and add to their learning. Do you see what Jesus is doing? You want to be conformed to His image? It's not going to happen by some osmosis. Boom! Bam! Come up and get prayed for.

Fall down. Come listen to this person speak. Yawn and go home. It's not going to happen. It's not going to happen until you hear. Where does faith come by? Hearing. And what was the problem in Hebrews chapter 5 to those people who received the letter that says, although you ought to be teachers by now, you need someone to come back and teach you the elementary principles of God's Word all over again, because what's happened?

You've become dull of hearing. In other words, everything you heard and didn't listen to carefully, you need someone to go back and teach you them again. And how are you going to get them? By listening carefully.

Do you want to be conformed to His image? You better listen to everything He says. If you shrug it off, you're shrugging off His nature. You're not just shrugging off a man's opinion. Isn't that what Paul said to the Thessalonians?

Because I know you've been chosen. I know you've been chosen. You know how I know, Greg? Because when a man speaks, when I taught you, you don't just receive it as the things of me. You receive it as the things of God.

Now, that's Paul speaking, not me. But you see the difference? The way they listened was, this is from God, and I'm laying hold of it. And if that's how you're listening, faith is going to come. And it shows that there's an inner working of the Spirit.

The same working of the Spirit that was going on in Jesus even at 12 years of age. Even at 12. And it's interesting, it's so specific. Verse 46, He wasn't just sitting in the midst of the teachers. What was He doing?

Well, it specifically says, He was hearing and asking them questions. Now, and it says they were amazed, didn't it? They were amazed. You know what it is amazing? And I tell you what, it will amaze everyone here when some young person has no heart, no heart other than to know Jesus Christ, and they start asking questions, because I'll tell you what, when that's their heart, they're not going to be pursuing hanging out with their buddy.

They're going to find where the teachers are, and they're going to hang out with them. You'll know when it's going on. I'm talking, it's that obvious. Why do you think they were amazed? How many thousands of young men, 12 years old, had been in Jerusalem for Passover?

How many stayed and were in the midst of the teachers hearing them and asking them questions? Is it any wonder they were amazed? Where did this young man get such a desire to know? Where did he get this heart from?

I tell you what, it will be that evident in any of us. I'm telling you, it will be. You know, you can tell where a man's thoughts are when he's sitting in front of the television. I'm not against television, but you can tell where thoughts are.

Where are they? They're on the television. I mean, that's it. If that's what you want, you get what you want. And there's some good things. If you go there because there's something good, that's fine.

But you can tell wherever a man's treasure, there will his heart be also. So, how do you even get to the place where you begin to understand? Someone read real quickly Proverbs 2. The first part. Nice and loud.

Proverbs 2. So what does it take? When do you find the knowledge of God and begin to understand the fear of the Lord? When? When you begin to start seeking it, but it's got to become something for it to grab your interest that much.

Treasure. Until it becomes treasure, you're not interested. See, wherever a man's treasure is, you see the accuracy of Jesus? It's got to become treasure. Now, for us, you know how the grace of God has to happen to us?

Seeking Wisdom as Treasure

Like Jesus said it did in the parable of the kingdom. We're just passing through the field. Happen across. It looks like we happen across what? Treasure. Hidden in the field. And when the man who was going through the field and he found this treasure hidden in the field, what did he do?

In his joy, he went and he sold all he had. Guys, literally he became obsessed with one thing. This treasure. He knew this treasure would make him what? Rich. Jesus used the parable because it works. It works.

You know what drives men today? Money. Covetousness. It's the idol of the world. It's what they covet. When knowing God, when understanding who He is becomes treasure to you and you seek it like treasure, you'll find it.

You'll find it. You know where all the treasure of wisdom and knowledge are hid? That's why I want to know Him. I'm not trying to know Him because I should. You know, I don't have anybody. I don't have a parent above me in the natural realm telling me I ought to do this, I ought to do that.

I am driven by a personal desire to know. Why? Because what may or may not be treasure to you has become treasure to me. My treasure. The fool, which means he's without wisdom and understanding, he doesn't value wisdom as treasure.

What is treasure to a fool? Does folly mean evil? No. You know, it just means that which is not useful. Not valuable. It's just not beneficial. Paul said all things are lawful. But not all things are beneficial.

Isn't that interesting? I do apologize. Honestly. I do apologize. And I've been doing this because I so see it as treasure, I have often taught it like you must, you should. I mean, that's the way I taught it.

It doesn't make sense. I've just done a poor job of showing it's treasure. I mean, if I told you, if there was a million dollars up here and I said you can come and get it, would I have to tell anybody you ought to?

I mean, if you're modest, you might think. But honestly, if there was something that valuable, I don't have to tell Mardell to go play golf. I've not had one time. You know what I'm saying? I never tell my kids to pick up the guitar.

Look, you do what you want to do. And when you want to know wisdom because you so see the value of it, then what's happening, that shows this work of the Spirit in your life. And I guarantee you, the work that was already going on in the heart of Jesus was He wanted to gain more wisdom and understanding.

And so He went where wisdom and understanding was because the Bible says, those who walk with the wise, well, become wise, and a companion of the fool will what? Suffer harm. Why will they suffer harm?

You know why they'll suffer harm? You know, when the harm really comes, the Bible says to the fool, is at the end of your life when your flesh and body are spent, you will say, how I hated correction.

I would not obey my teachers. That's when it really comes. What comes in the meantime when you're with your friends is pleasure. That's what you get. You get pleasure. I'm not against you having pleasure either.

But there's something better than pleasure. There's something better. And it says, in my presence there is fullness of joy, and at thy right hand are pleasures evermore. There's something better than just the stimulation of the next activity.

And parents, if I could encourage you to just, while your children are young, until this process begins to happen in them, you're the tutor, you're the guardian, you're the ones they're subject to, until the time sent by the Father when they can receive the Spirit, it cries out, Abba Father.

And until faith comes in their own heart, then they don't have to be under that strictest kind of supervision. But until then, let me just at least caution you that life is not about the next thing to stimulate their interest.

Are you hearing me? The next thing. Are you the provider of playland? It's sinful. The question is not, is it unlawful or lawful? The question is, how beneficial is it? And so, measure these things. Have a purpose in it.

Jesus was markedly different from any youth of His age because it was only one man out of the thousands that were in Jerusalem at that time sitting in the midst of the teachers asking them questions, and it astonished them.

And they were astonished at His understanding at twelve years old. It's interesting. He's begun to be full of wisdom to the point where what the things He understands is already astonishing others. So what's the next thing He does?

About that time, His parents find Him. And they ask Him, why do you do this? Don't you know that we've been looking for You? Actually, almost like grievingly looking for You in the Greek. Where have You been?

And He said to them, why were you seeking Me? Didn't you know that I must be about the things of My Father? And they didn't understand the things which He was speaking to them. Why didn't they understand the things He was speaking to them?

They were in their natural mind, and He is already becoming in His spiritual mind. He's already begun to live by the Spirit already. He's begun to live by the Spirit. It's already happening. And so what does the Spirit lead Him to do?

Submission to God and Spiritual Maturity

What's the next thing He does when He encounters His parents? Look in verse 51. And He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and what was He doing? He was subjecting Himself unto them. It's a beautiful work.

Remember, we're looking at the process of how does God conform us to the image of His Son? And He takes us through this same process that His Son went through. He was made in all points like we are, tempted in all ways that we are, and yet without sin, so that He can be a merciful and faithful High Priest.

And He spent time with a great measure of understanding, fully submitting to His parents. This is a process that you and I are going to go through because it says, seeing ye have purified your souls' health by obedience to the truth as beloved children.

And part of the process of our coming to the fullness of the stature of Christ, being fully conformed to His image, is when we with understanding begin to submit to all the ways of our Father willingly, joyfully, because we see that His ways are good.

Like the conclusion of Hosea. The ways of the Lord are right. The righteous walk in them. It's the rebellious that stumble in them. Jesus was fully submitting to His parents. Now, how long would this be?

This process? Yeah, until He was 30. Yeah, 18 more years. 49? The things? Yeah, it's just a general impersonal pronoun. It's just a pronoun. The things of the Father. You see, it's very similar to what Paul said in Romans, those who walk according to the flesh mind the things of the flesh.

Those who walk according to the Spirit, things of the Spirit. And so, this is why Paul could say that many, I say, even with tears, live as enemies of the cross. Their God is their belly. Their glory is their shame.

And what's the last thing? Their mind is on earthly things. See, earthly things. And so it's just an indication that since you were born of Christ and you received Christ as Lord, so continue to walk in Him.

Set your mind on things above. That's where you were born from above. Set your mind on things above. Where Christ is seated at the right hand. Set your heart on things above. That's where the treasure of wisdom and knowledge, all the treasure of wisdom and knowledge have been hidden in God.

So, when we see it as treasure, that's where our mind and our heart should be. It's just natural. It's just natural. And I'm learning, it's less about what you should, and it's more about the description of if you have experienced it, you will.

This is the description of those who have been born of God. That's why John says that all those who are born of God must not continue to sin. He didn't say it that way. What did he say? They will not.