Previous Sessions:
     1.   You are equipped to hear God speak to you. You have a spirit; God is Spirit; God
     communicates with you spirit-to-spirit.
     2.   God wants to have continuous spiritual dialog with you. But we saw that sin separates,
     and if you're nurturing some favorite sin, it will interfere with your ability to
     communicate with God.
     3.   If you rely on others to hear God for you, you will not have intimate relationship with
     him.
     4.   Today: where thoughts come from; first must briefly examine human structure

Typical Human (not a Christian)
     1.   3 levels of existence corresponding with 3 levels of creation (Gen 1)
               a.   spirit, mind, body
               b.   distinction between spirit and mind:  1 Cor 14:14-15 “For if I pray in a tongue,
          my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. So what shall I do? I will pray with
          my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I
          will also sing with my mind.”
               c.   original language: “spirit” [pneuma] & “mind” [nous]; clearly identifies both,
          distinguishes between them; my spirit, my mind.
               d.   Every human has a spirit, regardless of their spiritual condition.

     2.   Mind:
               a.   defined as: conscious awareness, intellect, rational thought, emotions, feelings,
          decisiveness.
               b.   Typical human: unaware of spirit; unaware of God's presence &
          communication.
               c.   occasional inputs from own spirit interpreted as functions of the mind:
          impressions, hunches, feelings, dreams, etc. Some people more spiritually-
          oriented, so they recognize these more frequently, give them more value.
               d.   mind receives inputs from physical body through 5 senses.
               e.   mind controls physical body.

Carnal Christian
     1.   Functions basically the same as a nonbeliever, except God communicates more
     frequently with his spirit; occasionally detected by the mind and interpreted as
     impressions, hunches, feelings, dreams, etc.

     2.   Basically cerebral (Bible & God have to make sense to him, or appeal to his nature);
     governed by feelings or thoughts (functions of mind), practices "religion."

Mature Christian
     1.   Mind:
               a.   renewed ("repent" means to change way you think).
               b.   thinks about spiritual matters, feeds spirit (Bible study, prayer), exercises spirit
          (pray in spirit, meditate, dialog with God).
               c.   pays attention to spirit; keeps spirit clean by not defiling it with ungodly
          activities.
               d.   recognizes God's Word as absolute standard by which to measure spiritual
          activity.

     2.   Basically spiritual, rather than cerebral; has relationship with God instead of a religion.

Christian in eternity
     1.   Physical body (compatible only with physical world) replaced by spiritual/glorified
     body (compatible with all of God’s kingdom, including physical world).  Actual
     composition of "glorified body" is unknown.
     2.   Spirit in constant & direct contact with God.

               Recognizing where thoughts come from

Thoughts generated by your mind (probably is "conscious thought")
     1.   Sequential
               a.   One thought is built on another
               b.   A leads to B, which leads to C; defined as sequential

     2.   Example:
               a.   Invention is taking preexisting items & using them in a new way.
               b.   Each invention is based on a previous idea or device.

     3.   Caution; be careful not to stereotype
               a.   "Only analytical people think sequentially.  I'm not analytical, so I don't think
          that way."
               b.   Any conscious thought you have is based on previous idea, an experience you
          just had, something you're thinking about, something triggers a memory; that is
          sequential thinking.
               c.   some people’s thoughts always seem spontaneous, but are still sequential —
          they make more distant connections, longer “links” but still sequential
               d.   You can usually identify a cause for your thoughts.
               e.   Not a distinction between rational and intuitive; both are psyche.

Thoughts generated by your spirit (may be "subconscious thought") — We don't know how
our spirit functions, so we use mental terms: know, feel, think.
     1.   Characteristics:
               a.   Usually spontaneous, not sequential
                         i.   may or may not be related to current thought pattern; i.e., spirit & mind
               can be focusing on different topics.
                         ii.  “spontaneous” in sense not related to mind’s thought pattern.
                         iii. your spirit initiates input to your mind based on its experience or will.
               b.   Takes form of a mental function: thought, idea, single word, feeling,
          impression, hunch, mental image, dream, vision.
               c.   Remember analogy of spirit = pond, mind = boat
     2.   key:  spontaneous, compared to what your mind is thinking about.
     3.   Some “spontaneous” thinkers listen more to their spirits; but still human, not any
     better.

Thoughts generated by God
     1.   God speaks to you spirit-to-spirit
               a.   Evidence Rom 8:16, “The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are
          God’s children.” God’s Spirit communicates with our spirit; i.e., spirit-to-spirit.
               b.   Your spirit communicates with your mind.

     2.   Usually spontaneous, compared to what your mind is thinking about.

     3.   Speculation: At first, almost always unrelated to current thought pattern. I think God
     does this intentionally to help you identify thoughts coming from him, especially when
     you’re learning.

     4.   With experience, spontaneous thoughts from God more frequently related to current
     thought pattern.
               a.   this enables you to "dialog," interact with God.

     5.   Characteristics:
               a.   spontaneous (compared to your thoughts) or sequential.
               b.   same form as thoughts from your own spirit: thought, idea, single word,
          feeling, impression, hunch, mental image, dream, vision.
               c.   light & gentle
                         i.   easily cut off by your effort (thoughts, choice).
                         ii.  typical reactions that cut off these thoughts: doesn’t make sense; don’t
               know where it came from; that’s just my thought.
               d.   God speaking to you personally ("I" and "you").
               e.   unusual content
                         i.   expression of his love for you
                         ii.  correction or rebuke
                         iii. guidance or direction
                         iv.  call to faith
                         v.   revelation (knowledge, insight, wisdom, understanding)
                         vi.  superior to your own thoughts
               f.   What is God’s intent in speaking to you?
                         i.   more intimate relationship
                         ii.  spiritual maturity
                         iii. active involvement in kingdom
                         iv.  overcoming sinful nature
               g.   often causes reaction:
                         i.   excitement, conviction, faith, awe, peace, confidence in what God said,
               etc.
                         ii.  may even have physical reaction: “feel” excitement or awe

Class Activity
     1.   pencil, paper.
     2.   develop a relaxed attitude, not struggling to accomplish anything.
     3.   focus attention on the Lord, imagine yourself sitting in front of the Lord, listening
     4.   record whatever spontaneous thoughts come to your mind, especially those that are like
     someone speaking to you.
     5.   Ask someone to read what they wrote. Class:
               a.   Is it possible this was from God? Self? Satan?
               b.   Does it conform to scripture?

This is a skill to be developed, will take practice.
     1.   Most common problems:  intense preoccupation (mind working hard, trying to think of
     what God would say) or skepticism (mind is prejudiced).
     2.   That’s why you must focus on positive image of him, appreciate your relationship with
     him; gives your mind positive activity to perform; creates a positive spiritual
     environment for spiritual communication.