Training Our Spiritual Senses 2

As we continue our study, it is important for us to understand the triune nature of man. According to scripture man is comprised of three parts.

Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians 5:23 

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Hebrews 4:12

Without this basic understanding of the nature of man, it will be virtually impossible to walk in the spirit.

In our last post, we discovered the need to be alert, and deliberate as it pertains to spiritual awareness and sensitivity. Moses saw the burning bush and set out to discover why it was not consumed. Zacchaeus was intent on seeing Jesus and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him pass by. Paul saw a man at Lystra who was crippled from birth, and intently observed the man had faith to be healed and commanded him to walk.

All of these incidents had one thing in common. Moses, Zacchaeus, and Paul were intently observant and focused. This is necessary for all who want to learn to walk in the Spirit and to train their spiritual senses.

But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. Hebrews 5:14 

Natural Senses

Here is a definition of natural senses from Google Gemini.

In the simplest terms, senses are biological systems that allow an organism to detect and gather information about its internal or external environment through the detection of stimuli. 

Think of them as the body's internal reporting system, converting raw energy (light, pressure, chemical odor) into signals the brain can actually understand. This conversion process is called transduction. Proprioception, the body also has bonus senses or capabilities such as the sense of balance (Equilibrioception), body position (Proprioception), and more that are constantly working behind the scenes to aid us.

Spiritual Senses

Our spiritual senses are the root of our natural senses. Just as we have the faculty or capability of sight, touch, smell, hearing, and taste, so does our spirit. We are eternal beings, made in the image of God and have innate capabilities within us that allow us to be in contact with the spiritual realm and to know the things the Father wants to reveal to our understanding. He gives us revelation through our spiritual senses.

For example, if you get too close to a hot stove, you immediately back off because you sense you are getting too close to the heat and might be burned. Your senses made you aware of a potential danger in a non-verbal manner.

No words were spoken, but you knew you must quickly back away from the stove. Spiritual senses can operate in similar ways.

You suddenly sense something and have trained your senses to know if it is from God or the enemy. You immediately know if something is right or wrong, good or bad, godly or ungodly, holy or unholy, true or false.

Like a child learning to avoid being too close to a hot stove, you learn to avoid things that are not good or right. Your spirit broadcasts a warning to your understanding, and you immediately avoid it.

Spiritual Senses are Eternal.

Our spiritual senses are eternal. They do not vanish when we die, but remain intact in whatever eternal realm we will live after we take our last breath. Those senses will only become more heightened than we have ever experienced on earth.

The Rich Man and Lazarus

19) “There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. 

20) But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, 21) desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 22) So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. 

23 And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 24) "Then he cried and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.' 

25) But Abraham said, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. 26) And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.' 

27) "Then he said, 'I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house, 28) for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.' 

29) Abraham said to him, 'They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.' 30) And he said, 'No, Father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' 31) But he said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.' " Luke 16:19-31

This was not a parable, but a true story Jesus shared with his followers. This was about an actual man named Lazarus and a rich man who lived, died, and entered into eternity to experience what Jesus described. When Lazarus died, he was carried by angels to Abraham’s bosom (a temporary holding place for the righteous until Christ came, died, rose again, and ascended to heaven). There he was comforted and no longer in pain, hunger, and suffering.

The opposite was true of the rich man. He died and descended into hell where he was tormented by the flames. He had hardened his heart to the warnings of scripture and the prophets, and was doomed to suffer the consequences of his own decision. Although he could see, taste, hear, smell, and touch, he would now experience unending suffering through each one of these senses. Those spiritual senses were still functioning but now at a higher level because there was no flesh or distraction to mask or diminish his awareness of their full capabilities.

Note how the rich man not only had all of his sensory faculties, but he remembered his past, his family, and the opportunity he had to believe the scriptures and the prophets.

One of our greatest needs.

Learning to be spiritually sensitive is one of our greatest needs. Through our spiritual senses we can begin to understand the ways of the Father and the Lord Jesus and the moving of the Holy Spirit. We were created with senses to help us navigate through life safely and successfully. This applies both to the natural and spiritual realm.

When the Bible talks about being led of the Spirit, it includes being sensitive to His leadings through our spiritual senses. He communicates to our spirit, and our spirit then can communicate this information to our mind, so our minds are renewed to become more like Christ (Romans 12:1-2; Ephesians 4:23).

More on this next time. Until then, may God our Heavenly Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ richly bless and keep you.

James Brown CST 11/11/2025