There are all kinds of -ologies. Psychology, biology, spiritology and then there’s geneology, methodology, immunology, pathology (what my mom did. Fun fact: She was so brilliant that she clept her way through college and ended up having the job of a Pathologist with a Phd without actually having those initials behind her name.) That all has nothing to do with this blog, well, except the -ology part. Let’s talk about the one that will help you train your senses today.

Let’s talk about Spiritology. That was always my favorite class I taught in our Bible School in India when we lived there. Actually, it’s what I have devoted the last almost 10 years to studying. In fact, this is what I have discovered: you will only be as happy in life as you are familiar with this -ology…and not only familiar but become skilled in this field of study.

Your spiritual maturity and mine are marked by our practices of training our senses to discern between good and evil- blatent sin as we think of it like stealing, lying, addictions, and cheating but also worry, anxiety, gossip, and glutony, disobedience to God’s will for our lives, and strife or being argumentative….things not so easy to point out or things that we don’t want to get real with ourselves about and call it what it is. This discernment only happens by the renewing of our minds by The Word of God. Habits that were part of our old nature before Christ begin to fall away as new habits form that replace them. But, before I lose ya here, I am NOT talking about will power. I am talking about maybe just what you have been wondering about and especially the latter part of that list of yuckiness above that you as a genuine follower of Christ just haven’t seemed to be able to beat. And you’re like me, asking, “What is the deal? How do I kick this?”

When I hear the phrase “Train your senses” I think of boot camp, cheerleader camp or basketball camp. And there are correlations because those kinds of training programs are designed to train your body and even your mind or you might say your senses so that it becomes second nature to respond a certain way when the enemy attacks, a ball is passed, or a touchdown is scored. So first of all, all three – spirit, soul, and body – are super connected. But for study purposes, we seperate them so we can understand more about each.

Spiritology 101 is: You are a spirit. You have a mind. And you live in a body.

Spiritology 201 is: As you think in your heart, so are you. If you want your life to change, your thinking has to change. But how does this happen? By renewing your mind with The Word of God. Daily washing your mind with the water of The Word. Much like we need a bath daily to get the grime off of us physically, we so much need this spiritually and mentally as well.

Spiritogy 301 is: Your spirit man is stronger than your intellect and your body’s cravings. Your spirit is in charge the majority of the time. As a result of studying to show yourself approved as Scripture advises, your life is going in the direction of God’s will and not your own. You know what it means to surrender your will to His. I am not saying you are perfect, but you are set apart, a peculiar people, not of this world, a pilgrim passing through, a soldier not entangled with civilian life, living life on mission.

If there were a master’s degree or a residency like in the medical field for this, at this level of study, you would begin to actually put into practice “walking in the spirit so you do not fulfill the lust of the flesh”. This is at which point your life begins to reflect 1 Corinthians 13, Romans 8 and Galations 5:22-23 begins to describe your personality.

In order to train your senses, it’s important to note that your spirit yields to God and His wisdom first and foremost as your go-to responses, not the world’s wisdom. There is a wisdom in this world right now that is so close to the same as God’s that so many are deceived. There is supernatural power available to us as we learn to yield to these forces inside of us called the fruit of the spirit in day to situations we are faced with that enable us to train our senses. It is beyond will power. Will power alone will get us to a certain place but then when we come to the end of us and get good at yielding instead of powering through in our own strength, that’s when we really begin to live a life that works.

My husband often says a great gauge of this is our mouths. When tragedy strikes even in the form of a stumped toe or a finder bender, if the words out of your mouth are d@m% then you will be damned to destruction of some kind but if your first words are Jesus, calling on the name of the Lord, you will be saved. That toe will go straight into healing mode or God will turn the accident for good with health and wholeness as your reality one way or another. The point is that living by the spirit will train your senses to respond in life giving ways rather than flesh ruled, carnal ways that end in death – whether spiritual death, mental death, or physical death.

Choose life. Choose to train your senses. Think of all the other -ologies we study. Study this one. Grow up spiritually and go from milk to meat. Determine to take God at His Word and watch it change your life and even change your family tree like it has mine. There is no more joy than abiding in The Vine like John 15 says and simply staying connected letting the very life of God change you and your life from the inside out.

Go on a journey with me and train your senses. This is the essence of #GodisLoveisHappy

Happy Monday!

Adrienne

ps…sorry I missed last Monday. My husband was leaving the country and I just had a lot on my plate. I used to say I’ve only missed fewer Mondays than you can count on one hand of Happy Monday Blogs but now we are probably up to two hands. Life happens but it’s been such a joy connecting with you for almost 10 years now on most each Monday! I hope this week’s made up for missing last week. THIS truth in this blog is real truth that I believe will set many free in really big ways!

pss…go and register at adriennecooley.com for Happy Girl 2024 so we can all connect as a Happy Sisterhood, gain support and find friends who can help us in our journey toward being the happy girl God has called us to be! And if you are looking for a church or more life giving messages, check out http://harvestmobile.com