Episode 5: I In You And You In Me
Where Do We Go From Here?
Paul says,
“Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.”
Ephesians 4:3-6
Experience shapes our perspective
Most tend to interpret scripture from the standpoint of their own experiences. We naturally do this because how else can we see the world except through the lens of what we know? However, doing so sometimes causes us to misinterpret what the apostles wrote because we lack their point of view, i.e. the experiences they wrote from.
With Esther and I, we literally feel each other inside ourselves. She in me and I in her with God flowing through us and in us. As we become closer, no sense of separation exists between us, even though we live very far apart. I believe that this is what Paul talks about when he speaks about one spirit and one body. It is an experiential “oneness” which believers share with one another through the bonds of love in Christ.
Closer than a brother
Esther says,
“I feel we should let our spirits speak to each other. I have never used tongues like that before”
Michael,
“Yes, we need to step back and allow our spirits to come closer.
Esther continues,
“This closeness seems strange when I think or talk about it, knowing the distance between us physically. Yet not strange just normal when not putting my brain in gear. I agree, I think that speaking in other tongues to each other is a cool idea. It is like you are sitting close, facing me and holding me, but not at the same time. Feels like a weird world shift. Like some crazy sci-fi episode.”
I continue,
“I always feel you with me, inside of me, mingling with me. Feels natural though.”
Esther,
“I feel like I am flickering between two worlds. Yeah, I can feel you doing that now. I don’t know if it is meant to be like this always.”
Trusting God to be so close
Michael ,
“How so?”
Esther shares,
“Well, am I meant to be feeling you like this all time, even stronger when thinking of you or talking or doing musings or checking out your writings…anything really…this connection is switched on always and it makes sure I know it’s there all the time. Not saying I feel it’s wrong or right just commenting on it really.”
I reply,
“I think we are experiencing the unity of the Spirit. It’s like the more we become one, the more God comes through.”
Esther,
“I literally have to trust God concerning where I am, what I say, what I feel, what being right is. This is all taking me out of my comfort zones. The not knowing or being in control.”
It’s all about giving control to God
Michael,
“I think it gets much deeper than this. It’s about losing control and becoming closer. I think spiritual connections are the anti-type of natural sex. It is a surrender to God through each other. We move as one as God leads us. We are a living picture of God’s creation.”
Esther,
“Yeah, I agree, as deep as you will allow it to go. Letting go of this earth and all it’s influences, turning from all you’ve learnt in structured, systemic ways
Trust is never an easy mountain to climb for me. With the Spirit, it is like there is always another mountain to climb after the summit you’ve just reached. As soon as I deal and manage one trust issue there always seems to be another one just beyond it.
Before, it seemed my trust issues were hills and each just a little higher, but with you it is like managing mountains. As long as I don’t look down it is OK. Makes me green looking down and that color doesn’t do anything for me!”
Michael,
“yeah, don’t look down!”
Hinds feet on high places
Esther,
“I think I’m getting wary now even for me. I’m feeling stretched going this far in the spirit with you. Mostly, up until now, I’ve been quite comfortable. The things we have done are relatively familiar to me…but now I feel I am going beyond all that, which is not necessarily a bad thing.”
Michael replies,
“What is bothering you? Can put your finger on it?”
Leaving our comfort zones
Esther,
“Just, I suppose it’s time to go further or get out of my comfort zones…and really, spiritually speaking, I shouldn’t have any kind of zones or direction at all.
I’m not so much bothered, it’s just new territory for me and I am wary…remember I am used to having my being and operating in the spirit world more from the shadows alone where I am constantly attacked and on watch all time… coming out of the shadows and approaching God directly is going beyond a defensive stance I have had to have for so long. This is all very alienesque. It is like asking a warrior to disarm and not even be on alert. Ultimately what I have to do is to let go and go deeper into this. I don’t know how to explain, sorry.”
Michael,
“That’s ok, God will bring clarity to us in this.”
Beyond our comfort zones
Esther continues,
“It’s more like I let you play in my playground but you busted us out of that and I’m wary because this been my private zone for so long. Look, I’m not saying it’s bad per se, but I feel cautious and wary. I suppose we’ve all had our existences and learnt our ways. Now that it’s time to move on, it’s like unnerving umm type territory… lol”
Esther, for many years, operated in the spirit alone. This was more out of necessity than choice. When you experience spiritual things, often times you can’t tell people about them because they get nervous and sometimes misjudge you. You fear to let people get closer.
Many misunderstand those with spiritual gifts
People with spiritual gifts learn very quickly, if they are not in the right environment, that they must hide who they really are in God. Now that God is bringing those gifting’s out into the open with our spiritual connection, it feels a bit uncomfortable for Esther.
Many people have squashed who they really are in God. Unfortunately, when people hide their spiritual natures, the whole Body of Christ suffers lack. We need to identify and nurture those God moves in, however strange or different that manifestation of His Spirit may be, encouraging them to be who they really are. We do not need to fear what God does because our Father promises to give us only good gifts.
Loving and fearing spiritual intimacy at the same time
Esther,
“It is like I want to let go and be deep and be intimately closer in spirit with you wherever that goes, but at the same time I don’t know how far or what is right and acceptable and honorable to do in God. I don’t know what to make of the feelings and reactions it’s creating.
On one hand, surely if our hearts are with God in all this, then He is guiding us and nothing can be bad or wrong. On the other hand; I don’t want to be bad and do something that leads me wrong.”
Michael,
“Just know that your body reacts to spiritual love pretty much like it does to natural love. So don’t be freaked out and think you are unholy. Misjudging what God is doing can cause condemnation if you allow the devil to make you think you are sinning because of physical reactions…or emotional for that matter. Love feels like love no matter if it comes through our spirit or our soul.”
This is potent stuff!
Esther,
“Yeah I understand that. Potent stuff spiritually huh…how can it be you wanna be closer than close with someone and then that be right? It certainly flies in the face of what churchianity teaches you. I equally don’t want to upset or freak you out either because really I struggle to explain this without sounding wrong.”
Michael,
“I am not bothered at all. When you live so completely intertwined you begin to be one in God and that has side effects. If you don’t understand what is going on, that kind of stuff can really mess with your natural mind.”
Esther,
“I begin to think that I need to process this whole thing. Then I think, no I don’t at all because that’s half of mankind’s problem…always needing and wanting to process things. I feel much comfier and free-er (if that’s the word to use) just going with the flow than thinking, even though, in the natural, I need order, method and processes to my life.”
Aroused in the Spirit
With very strong connections, like Esther and I have, as you love each other in the Spirit your bodies sometimes react as they do if you loved someone naturally. The difference is, that the love you feel is coming through your spirit and not your soul. Some experience feelings of arousal when strong spiritual experiences occur and think, “Oh no! I can’t be having this happen to my body at the same time I am experiencing God!”
However, God made our bodies to react to pleasurable experiences whether they come from the spiritual realm or the natural realm. If you are literally experiencing the spirit of your connection inside you, of course your body’s going to react.
Pure and holy love
However, God says that when you walk in the spirit, you do not fulfill the lusts of your lower nature. A woman or man may be aroused by strong feelings of spiritual love between them, but never desire to act on them inappropriately. Obviously, if you kiss someone with a holy kiss, it is going to feel good because it is pure love.
When I speak about such things, I do so because these are the real issues that come up during spiritual connections. People, who are coming closer together in the spirit may feel their private areas become aroused. For some, this brings condemnation because these are the same sorts of feelings that other, less godly, activities produced. The motivation, though, is totally different. Whereas one is Eros and selfish, spiritual love is Agape and self sacrificing. Therefore, I believe that, instead of leaving people to figure this stuff out on their own, it is better to talk about it openly so that these concerns will not become a stumbling block to them.
The unity of the Spirit is a spiritual experience that brings you closer
In conclusion, the unity of the Spirit is a literal experience that connections feel between and in themselves. It is a sense, it is a knowing, that somehow your connection dwells inside of you and you in them. It is spiritual, yet it produces physical sensations which are good and holy before God.
Finally, these chronicles are meant to be bread crumbs so that when you come along these same paths you can take comfort in knowing that others have gone before you. Trust God in all things, remain humble and open to His Spirit, and you will do fine.