Believers today lack knowledge as to the existence and operation of the human spirit. Many are unaware that in addition to the functions of their soul they also have a spirit.
Even when they have heard of the spirit, many Christians either consider their mind, emotion or will as the spirit or else plainly confess they know not where their spirit is.
Such ignorance affects their cooperation with God, control over self, and war against the demonic, the execution of which requires the operation of the spirit.
It is imperative that believers recognize their spirit within them. God’s people not only must know they possess a spirit; they also must understand how it functions. Only in this way can they walk according to their spirit and not the soul or body of their flesh. The flesh is that union of soul and body that acts independently of the Lord.
The spirit and soul of the those not born again have become fused into one; therefore they do not know at all the presence of the deadened spirit; they are very aware of their souls’ functions.
Those who have been born again sometimes walk after the spirit and sometimes after the flesh even though they have received spiritual life and have experienced to some degree victory over the things of the flesh.
To be unaware of the demand, movement, supply, sense, and direction of the spirit naturally limits the life of the spirit and allows the natural life of the soul to go unchallenged as the living principle of one’s walk.
Because of believers ignorance concerning the spirit’s operation, those who honestly desire deeper experience upon having overcome sin may all too easily be led astray into seeking knowledge with their minds, or a life and labor originating from their will power.
They are deceived into overly esteeming their soul experiences and thinking they are spiritual.
For this reason God’s children must be very humble before Him and seek to know the teaching of the Bible and the functioning of the spirit through the Holy Spirit in order that they may walk by the spirit.