The mind set on the Spirit IS life and peace.
As a branch is to the Vine, in this way abide in Christ.
Grace, life and love.
The highest level of spiritual experience I have ever been given was received by God's grace, through faith in Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit.
I have fallen back and then regained ground many times over the years.
The spiritual territory is so familiar, it's like hiking a path with well-known milestones, difficulties, revelations and raging rivers to cross, over and over.
It starts with simple faith in Jesus (and ends there, too.)
It winds through doubt, anger, fear, rules, gratuitous sinning, comparison with others, self-justification.
It makes stops, maybe, in focusing on logic, politics, focusing on and judging others, focusing on and judging self, mind, emotions, memories, external facts, Hell, philosophy, history, meditation. Carnally reading the Scriptures.
Then God gives you little gifts of insight. As you seek Him, and seek Him with all of your heart, you find Him.
You see how it is all of God's grace, all of His gift.
You see that God is sovereign and absolutely in control of everything, despite every terrifying and painful thing you experience inside, and every terrifying and painful thing you see around you.
You see how you cannot scare anyone into Heaven or away from Hell, or into faith. You cannot force them to believe.
You start to see through the deceptions of the world--you really see, not just believe, how every single person is just a sinner, no matter how rich, famous, beautiful, intelligent, talented, enlightened, wise or kind.
You go through pain, confusion, fear, depression, despair--and anger at God.
And healing, deliverance, prayer, humility.
Finally, you see that God is unimaginably good and loving and just and wise, and that you are a fool.
And an evil fool, at that.
That God is actually worthy of your worship.
Now you are really getting somewhere.
You see that only in putting Jesus in the center of your life do you really find yourself and really find soul-satisfaction and meaning.
That in denying yourself and following Him, you find even more.
Trusting.
You abide, as connected to God like a branch is connected to the tree trunk.
By His grace, you set your mind on the Spirit.
You experience life and peace.
You are filled with God's love from time to time. And more and more.
You lose your fear.
You start to believe the things God says about you in the Bible.
You start to become truly blessed.
You believe in your unity with God through the grace of Christ.
You grow in grace like a plant rooted in good soil.
Suddenly, you stop phrasing your prayers in terms of God "helping" you, because you *know* that He is your strength and you know that you are a new creature. You trust Him, and you are at peace, and you now are able to love, forgive, obey and believe more truths of God.
You are are walking with God.
Is this the "highest level"?
I don't know, but it is the highest level I have ever experienced...
Thank you, Jesus, Savior of my sinful soul and the Lord of Everything. Amen.
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