Recognizing Worldly Thinking

“For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.” (Galatians 5:17)

The Spirit is opposite from the fallen human nature, called “the Flesh” in scripture. The Flesh opposes the Spirit. We are warned against “worldly thinking” which proceeds from the Flesh, human pride, and rationale. (Col. 2:8; Rom. 12:2, 8:5) A committee or task force is a group charged with solving a specific problem or planning. Brain storming is a common technique. Others include: 

• SWOT analysis — assessing strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.
• Nominal group technique — generating ideas individually, then ranking them as a group.
• Delphi technique — gathering and refining expert opinions, often anonymously.
• Fishbone diagrams — identifying the possible causes of a problem.
• Force-field analysis — examining factors supporting or opposing a proposed change.
• Brainwriting — writing down ideas before sharing them, so everyone contributes.
• Affinity diagrams — grouping related ideas or issues into themes.
• Flowcharts — mapping processes to identify bottlenecks or gaps.
• Decision matrices — comparing options against agreed criteria.
• Consensus building — discussing alternatives until the group reaches an acceptable decision.
• Action plans — assigning tasks, responsibilities, deadlines, and measures of success.
• Funding – relying on money.

All these rely on human, reason, values, strength, sources, fairness, measures, ideas and criteria.

The Holy Spirit indwells God’s Children who are submitted and surrendered to Yeshua, His will, ways and means. The Spirit is unlimited, supernatural, unseen, loving, humble, miraculous, prophetic, kind, powerful, able, life-giving, regenerating, transforming and restoring. His techniques are prayer, meditating on God’s word, encouragement, declaring God’s name and Word, waiting of God’s leading, faith, hope, love, giving, resisting the enemy and more.

The gifts of the Holy Spirit are abilities given for serving God and strengthening the congregation of Believers.

There are seven traditional gifts from Isaiah 11:2–3:

• Wisdom
• Understanding
• Counsel
• Fortitude or courage
• Knowledge
• Piety
• Fear of the Lord

The New Testament also lists spiritual gifts such as teaching, prophecy, faith, healing, miracles, discernment, speaking in tongues, interpretation, leadership, service, exhortation, giving, and mercy (Romans 12; 1 Corinthians 12; Ephesians 4).

The Holy Spirit’s principal works or offices are to:

• Convict people of sin
• Bring about spiritual rebirth
• Dwell in believers
• Teach and guide
• Comfort and encourage
• Empower believers for ministry
• Produce spiritual fruit
• Unite and build up the body of Messiah
• Seal believers as belonging to God.

All these rely on God’s enabling, sources, impartation, action and working.

Differences in these approaches must be understood as opposite, incompatible, conflicting, and adverse. To associate or relate these concepts is to miss-understand the critical difference between God’s ways versus Man’s. Perceiving this limited physical, material world, while ignoring and/or being blind to Spiritual reality, God’s existence, authority, sovereignty, and supremacy is the heart and crux of human depravity.