How to Train the Human Spirit
// Kenneth E. Hagin
THE LORD ENLIGHTENS US and guides us through our spirits (Prov. 20:27). If that be the case—and it is—then we need to become more spirit conscious. We need to become more conscious that we are spirit beings, not just mental or physical beings. We need to train our spirits so they will become safer guides.
One thing which has held back the Christian world as a whole is that we are more physical-conscious (body-conscious) and more mental-conscious (soul-conscious) than we are spirit-conscious. We have developed the body and the soul, but we have left the spirit of man almost untouched.
Our spirits can be educated just as our minds can be educated. Our spirits can be built up in strength and trained just as our bodies can be built up and trained.
Here are four steps by which you can train and develop your own human spirit.
1. Meditate in the Word of God
The most deeply spiritual men and women I know are those who give time to meditation in the Word of God. You cannot develop spiritual wisdom without meditation. God made that fact known to Joshua just after the death of Moses.
JOSHUA 1:8
8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
If you ever want to do anything great in life, if you ever want to amount to anything in life, take time to meditate in the Word of God. Start out with at least 10 or 15 minutes a day—then increase the time.
How do you meditate? Talk about the Word. Think on the Word. The Hebrew word translated meditate also carries this thought with it: to mutter. Mutter the Word.
As you meditate and walk in the light of the Word, you'll have good success. You'll know how to deal wisely in all the affairs of life.
2. Practice the Word
Practicing the Word means being a doer of the Word. James 1:22 says, "Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only."
We have many "talkers about the Word" and even many "rejoicers about the Word," but we do not have many doers of the Word. Begin to practice being a doer of the Word by doing in all circumstances what the Word tells you to do.
For example, Philippians 4:6 says, "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." The Amplified translation of this verse begins, "Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything."
Now, we don't mind practicing part of this verse—the part that says to pray. But if we practice just that part and not the first part, we are not practicing the Word. If we are going to fret and have anxieties, it will do no good to make requests. That kind of praying does not work. An over-anxious prayer full of fretfulness does not work.
We have to practice the Word and then we will get results. God's peace will keep guard over our hearts and minds (Phil. 4:7), and we will grow spiritually.
3. Give the Word First Place
The training—the developing and educating—of our spirits comes by giving the Word first place in our lives. Proverbs 4:20–22 says, "My son, attend to my words [Give heed to them—Put them first]; incline thine ear unto my sayings [Listen to what I have to say]. Let them not depart from thine eyes [Keep looking at the Word of God]; keep them [My Words] in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh."
Why is it that God tells us to put His Word first, to listen to what He has to say, to keep looking at His Word, and to keep His Word in our heart? It's because there are rich dividends for doing this. "They [God's Words] are LIFE unto those that find them, and HEALTH to all their flesh." The margin of my King James Bible says the word translated health is the Hebrew word for medicine. God's Word is "medicine to all their flesh." There is healing in the Word.
That's why we should train ourselves to put the Word first. We should train ourselves to ask in any matter of life, "What does God's Word have to say about this?" And then we should put that Word first.
4. Instantly Obey the Voice of Your Spirit
The human spirit has a voice. We call that voice conscience. Sometimes we call it intuition, an inner voice, or guidance. The world calls it a hunch. But what it is, is your spirit speaking to you. Every man's spirit, saved or unsaved, has a voice.
The human spirit is a spirit man. We cannot see him with the physical eyes, nor touch him with our physical hands. This is the man who has become a new creature in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17). When a man is born again, his spirit becomes a new spirit. And that spirit has within it the life and nature of God (1 John 4:4).
As you give this newborn spirit the privilege of meditating on the Word of God, the Word becomes the source of its information. Your spirit will become strong and the inward voice of your conscience, educated in the spirit, will become a true guide.
You can—and should—learn to instantly obey this voice, the voice of your spirit. If you are not accustomed to doing this, of course, you will not get there quickly. Just as you did not begin school in the first grade one week and graduate from the 12th grade the next week, your spirit will not be educated and trained overnight.
However, if you will follow these four points and practice them, after a while you will always know in your spirit what you should do. You will receive guidance. You'll know the will of God the Father even in the minor details of life!
[Editor's Note: This article was adapted from Kenneth E. Hagin's book How You Can Be Led by the Spirit of God: Legacy Edition.]