CHARACTERISTICS OF LIVING SPIRITUALLY: RESPIRATION

You can eat all the best foods and have the most balanced diets. Without the process called respiration it becomes useless and results in death. 

Likewise even more so is the Holy Spirit essential to make the Word effective and to produce spiritual energy. Remember the letter killeth but the Spirit giveth life: 2 Corinthians 3:5-6 KJV   5   Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;  6  Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

In Genesis 2:7 KJV the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

In John 20:22 KJV Jesus breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:

In Acts 2:1-4 KJV when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.  2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.  3   And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.  4   And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Job said The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.  Job 33:4 KJV

  

Romans 8:1-17 KJV   There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.  2   For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.  3  For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:  4  That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.  5   For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.  6   For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded islife and peace.  7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.  8  So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.  9   But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.  10   And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.  11   But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.  12   Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.  13   For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.  14   For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.  15  For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.  16   The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:  17   And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

NATURAL RESPIRATION	SPIRITUAL RESPIRATION	REFERENCE
1.      There is an external process of oxygen transfer to cells (breathing)	There is a visible coming of the Holy Ghost on a believer in what is referred to as baptism.	Simon in Acts 8 saw the Samaritan believers receiving the Holy Ghost. It is vital that the church of Christ receive the Holy Ghost.
2.      There is also an internal cellular process to produce and release energy	There is an internal work of the Spirit in producing fruitfulness and empowerment	But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23 KJV
3.      Breathing is an active process and requires effort on the individual to breathe	The Spirit comes to those who are actively seeking Him in prayer fasting and worship.	And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;  Ephesians 5:18 KJV
4.      The lungs are specifically maximized to take in as much oxygen as possible	The more we are yielded and open to the Holy Ghost the more He is able to work in us.	If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Galatians 5:25 KJV This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.  Galatians 5:16 KJV
5.      In order to efficiently receive oxygen the cells have to release the carbon dioxide they have attached to them.	We need to release that which would impair the effective release of the Spirit in our lives. The more He works the more He reveals.	For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.  Romans 8:13 KJV
6.      We cannot afford to stop breathing if we want to go on living! Death can result from lack of or improper respiration.	If we would live spiritually the Holy Spirit is vital in our lives. Neglect and lack of the Holy Ghost is an invitation to spiritual suicide	But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.  Romans 8:9 KJV For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.  Romans 8:6 KJV
7.      Much of the body’s respiration takes place invisibly but the results are soon revealed in growth and activity.	Much of the Spirit’s work takes place invisibly until we see the results.	The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.  John 3:8 KJV Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. John 16:13 KJV

It is said that the human body contains about 75 trillion to 100 trillion cells with about 25 trillion being used to transport oxygen to the other cells by means of an amazing network of blood vessels that ensures vital oxygen reaches every cell. Respiration is that important! 

Danger of improper respiration

It is believed that when cells become oxygen-starved they are forced to resort to fermentation, a primitive form of respiration called anaerobic respiration Because of this impaired cellular respiration the cells are no longer saturated with oxygen and become severely damaged. The cell loses all its higher functions and the only option left to maintain life is through fermentation. Because of its inefficient nature, fermentation will only allow the cells to grow, but incorrectly producing lots of lactic acid in the process. The oxygen starved cells try to catch up but can only ferment more and no longer take part in the higher functions of cells except to produce more of its damaged kind resulting in cancerous growth.

In similar manner if as believers we do not allow the Holy Ghost complete access and control in our lives we are in danger of  becoming not only seriously or fatally damaging our spiritual life but also the spiritual life of the body of Christ

John 4:23-24 KJV But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.  24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

John 14:16-17 KJV  And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;  17  Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

John 14:26 KJV  But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

QUENCH NOT THE SPIRIT!