This may seem like a nit-picky point, but it’s important to distinguish between these two realms. By elevating aspects of the supernatural realm, like angels and demons, we give them much too much influence and authority in and over our lives. We will only begin to walk in authority over these areas in as much as we believe we have the authority. So let’s save the term “spiritual” for those things begotten of God Himself, and “supernatural” and “natural” for those realms God has already put under our authority, even though we may not yet be walking it out.
Category Archives: spiritual
The supernatural realm, therefore, is simply a temporary plane of existence that God created for the expression of His love. “Super” simply means “over” or “above.” So “super”-natural is simply over or above the natural realm. We perceive the supernatural realm with our supernatural (or soulical) senses, so it is important to finetune these faculties.
Soulical warfare refers specifically to us humans, and must be fought with weapons more powerful than the field of battle; we can’t use soulical weapons to fight soulical battles. The soulical battles involve overcoming the world, the flesh and the devil in our individual lives. These enemies can only be overcome through spiritual weapons made available through dependence on God.
Supernatural warfare, often erroneously called spiritual warfare, is waged between the inhabitants of the supernatural realm. This would be angels, demons and humans. As in all areas, warfare here is strictly under the control and direct supervision of God. Though we often differentiate between these realms, God does not, except to accommodate our current understanding: He is not nearly as picky about our using the right terminology and methodology as we are. He is sovereign as much here as anywhere, and has no battles to be fought or won. We, on the other hand, mistakenly believe this is our home, and spend much of our thought-life and energy dwelling on its terrain.
When we refer to something as “spiritual” we are saying it is from the same place and made of the same stuff as God; it is therefore eternal, righteous, perfect, holy, loving, kind, pure, unchanging, unchangeable, gentle, true, etc. If a concept or thing doesn’t fit this description, it is not spiritual, but fits into either the natural or supernatural realm.
There is no true “spiritual” warfare, that is, between spiritual beings or in the spiritual realm. By definition, that which is spirit is one with God, and in Him is no controversy, disagreement, or disorder. Therefore, the only kind of “spiritual” warfare going on now is actually between the spiritual and another realm, either the natural, the supernatural or both. Even these battles are completely under God’s control.
The environment inhabited by God is what we can refer to as the “spiritual environment.” This is where He dwells, and because we are in Him, this is truly where we already dwell (in spiritual places). Because we have not had our spiritual senses tuned, we often don’t realize the reality of where we already are, and so often misunderstand what our Father is doing and saying. We feel out of place here on earth, but instead of understanding that the reality we yearn for is available for us now (in spirit), we focus on the supernatural realm, which we can partially understand, investing in a future heaven-state. In this way we put off till “someday” what God is doing in us and through us today!
This morning’s Prepare Radio Program focused on keeping focused, by developing goals in all three realms, spiritual, supernatural/soulical, and natural. We’re reminded that as spiritual beings, we no longer have to achieve goals, since we are spiritually complete and one in Him. So spiritually our goals are going to relate to the other realms, supernatural/soulical and natural. Specifically, our spiritual goals will reflect our learning to live as spirit beings in our relationship with God, with our selves (soul), and with others. Next Saturday we’ll look at setting goals in the soulical realm, remembering that freedom = healing.
Click here for this morning’s podcast, and feel free to post any questions or comments on the show.