Pray without ceasing. 1Th 5:17 We ought to walk in awareness of the Holy Spirit in us such that all our thoughts are shared with Him and processed in accordance with His Word.      In so doing, we pray without ceasing.

The following is from Reflection     ⇒
When we reflect on a thought, word or deed what is actually going on?     

And the very Holy Spirit of peace sanctify you wholly; so that your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1Th 5:23 This verse reveals the makeup of man which, because we are created in His image, is the makeup of God.        What is that makeup?       Spirit Soul And Body I am Spirit Soul And Body and so is God.        Who is God?       The Lord Jesus Christ who is also a man.        We are Accepted In The Beloved who is Christ Jesus.        His Holy Spirit will preserve us guilt free in anticipation of the completion of our redemption at Jesus` return.

Most people never consider the fact that they have a spirit as well as a soul.     The reason for this is that it is not apparent through the rational mind to separate the two.     

For the word of the Lord is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Heb 4:12 The Word of the Lord destroys our Sin Nature and makes us a New Spirit being.           → If we stay in the Word it will transform our minds to the Mind Of Christ.           → If we trust the Word it will heal our bodies.           → By the Word and the Holy Spirit we come to have the thoughts and intents of the Lord so purifying our hearts.

So what does the spirit and soul have to do with reflection?     Everything.     

Our mind is a part of our soul.     It gathers information and processes it much like a sophisticated computer.     

Our spirit is our value system, the essence of who we are independent of information.     

When Adam sinned his spirit died in the sense that it was corrupted.     Through that sin all his progeny inherited his dead spirit.     

What actually happened in the first sin is that Adam subjugated his spirit to his soul.     

What was wrong with that?     We are first and foremost spirit beings who have a soul and a body.     

The subjugation of our spirit to our soul and body is a perversion of our divine purpose in existence.     

Those who are led by their soul are referred to as Carnal Minded.     

Those are led by their spirit are Spiritual Minded.     

Reflection occurs when our soul communicates with our spirit.     It involves a reassessment of what has been considered, said or done.     

When a Carnal Minded individual reflects they invariably argue against higher moral value which, if they exist, come from their spirit.     

When a Spiritual Minded individual reflects they invariably argue for higher moral value which comes from their New Spirit by virtue of the New Birth through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.     

So, the Carnal Minded individual will dishonestly justify what they think, say and do from a practical, self-interest perspective.     

Whereas the Spiritual Minded individual will honestly judge what they think, say and do with respect to the character of the Holy Spirit.     

Reflection for a Carnal Minded person is actually a bad thing as it invariably results in self-deception.     Instead of growing, they shrivel up.     

On the other hand, reflection for a Spiritual Minded individual results in healthy growth as they reinforce the good and repent of the bad.     

In Joh 1:1-* we come to understand the nature of God who from the beginning is Spirit and Soul.     

Going back to Gen 1:26 we see the Spirit and Soul of God making a unified decision to make man in His image.     The use of the word 'us' is to indicate that God was comfortable with his decision to do so.     

Have you ever decided to say or do something but felt uneasy about it?     That is an indication of disagreement between your spirit and soul.     

Whenever that uneasiness arises more reflection is required with the hope that your spirit will dominate your soul for the final decision.     

For as many as are led by the Holy Spirit, they are the sons of the Holy Spirit. Rom 8:14 We are Sons Of The Holy Spirit by the New Birth but we manifest as sons by acting on His Revelation Knowledge of the Word and His power in us.        Very simply, walking in the Spirit is    → awareness of who we are in Him    → being immersed in the Word Of The Lord    → expectation of His Word and power working through us.        It is the New Spirit creation taking full control of our soul and our body.

How does one get to the point where they are led by the Holy Spirit?     

And be not conformed to this world: but be you transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of the Lord. Rom 12:2 What is wrong with the world that we should not be conformed to it?           → it is lost and confused    → it is filled with sickness and disease    → it is filled with violence    → it is filled with greed    → it is filled with hate    → it is filled with death    → it is hopeless    → it is apart from the Lord Conformity is good when it is to the Word and the Holy Spirit.       Otherwise it is evil.        In order for the New Spirit being to manifest in our flesh, we must be transformed in mind, emotions and will (our soul).        When we are transformed we receive the wisdom and power of the Lord to do the work of Christ Jesus in our mortal bodies.        What is the good and acceptable and perfect will of our Lord?           → It is that none perish 2Pe 3:9,    → it is that all be healed 1Pe 2:24,    → it is that all prosper 3Jn 1:2.        How is the Lord`s will proved?           → By the manifestation of evidence.        What evidence?           → salvation, healing and prosperity.        Hence, the only thing holding us back from experiencing the best that the Lord has for us is our minds.        Let the Mind Of Christ be in you.       - Phi 2:5

This verse is telling us that our soul must subjugate itself to our spirit (which is one with the Holy Spirit).     Hearing, believing, receiving and doing with Word Of The Lord is how your soul is knowingly and wilfully conformed to your spirit.     

Jesus said and did exactly what His Spirit wanted Him to say and do.     

Believe you not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me?       the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwells in me, he does the works. Joh 14:10 How can Jesus be in the Father and the Father be in Him?        Understand who the Father is.       He is a Spirit.       He is the Holy Spirit.       The Holy Spirit fills the universe and beyond.       But He birthed the body of Jesus and annointed Him to be Messiah - He filled the body of Jesus.        Jesus spoke what the Holy Spirit inspired Him to speak.       Jesus reached out to heal and deliver those whom the Holy Spirit empowered Him to bless.        Just as the disciples and others of Jesus` day could not look past the physical form of Jesus and see the Father, likewise today, people cannot see past our physical form to see the Father in us.        What is even worse is that many of us cannot look past our own physical form to realize Christ in us the expectation of the Father`s glory being manifested in and through us.        Greater works shall we do because the Father has made His abode in us.       We are filled with the Holy Spirit.        Father is a role.       It is not the name of a being.       The name of the Father is Christ Jesus.       (For that matter, the name of the Holy Spirit is Christ Jesus).       But Jesus was clarifying how He, as a man, was able to do what He did and say what He said.        The Holy Spirit is the Father of Jesus.       He is the one who impregnated Mary.       He is the One who inspires and implements the Word.        So, Jesus being the Word speaks and interacts with those in the Physical Realm, while the Holy Spirit from the Spirit Realm (Heaven) inspires Jesus to speak and then performs the works that Jesus does.        The Holy Spirit and the Word are One.       You cannot separate them.       If you try to you will either have the Word or the Power and neither will be effective.       The Word speaks the purpose, while the Power achieves the purpose.       The Holy Spirit and Word are inseparable.

When Jesus went apart to pray it was for the purpose of reflection.     It was time spent strengthening His mind (Soul) through reflection with His Spirit.     

The result was that He spoke with authority and performed with power.     

Before the Word became flesh, there was no temptation for the Soul and Spirit of God to be at odds.     In order for God to identify with mankind, Jesus was tempted in all manner as we are, yet without sin.     

So, the body of Jesus, being human, was subject to the desires of the flesh which pray upon the soul.     His time in prayer was to reaffirm His commitment to His Spirit to stick to the original plan of salvation.     

If we are to be conformed to the image of Christ Jesus we must
   → decide to follow Him
   → meditate on His Word
   → pray in His Holy Spirit