PILLAR 1: SPIRIT
Spirit:
Spirit is the core.
This is your inner life with God: Prayer, Bible reading & study, Worship, Gratitude, Listening, Humility, Truth, Purity of heart. Spirit holds everything together. The supports orbit around it.
To learn more about what it looks like to be walking in the Spirit vs. walking in the flesh, click the button below.
Tools
Here are a few tools that can help towards keeping consistent with your prayer, bible reading/study and worship life:
A silent vibrating alarm wristband: Helps with waking in the morning for prayer (also making it easier to move the phone away from the bed for better sleep practices).
Wireless bluetooth earbuds/headphones: Headphones/earbuds help with listening to worship music or the bible on a regular basis.
The Christian self-care journal: Blending faith with healthy habits, keeping your relationship with God consistent & close whilst not neglecting your body.
Spiritual virtues to cultivate
Righteousness
1. Choosing the Right Path Daily: “Blessed are those who keep justice, and he who does righteousness at all times!” Psa 106:3 & Deu 30:19.
2. Discernment and Knowledge: “Then you will understand righteousness and justice, equity and every good path; when wisdom enters your heart, and knowledge is pleasant to your soul.” Pro 2:9–10 & Heb 5:14.
3. Knowing and Living God’s Word: “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” 2 Tim 3:16 also Mal 2:7 & Psa 119:9.
4. Righteousness Grows Through Obedience and Practice: “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” Jam 1:22 & Phi 1:9–11.
Righteousness in the way that you walk, involves making the right choices daily – choosing good and rejecting evil. It is not only about avoiding sin, but, about actively living in ways that please God. This requires spiritual wisdom and understanding to discern between good and evil. As we grow in knowledge and apply it to our lives, our ability to make godly decisions is strengthened. Righteousness is practiced through obedience and faith. God’s servants should treasure His truth and speak it faithfully. A true righteous walk, flows from knowing God’s Word, valuing His standards, and applying them daily in both small and significant choices.
Truth
1. Truth Comes from God and His Word thus transforming our lives: “The entirety of Your word is truth…” Psa 119:160 also “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.” Joh 17:17 also Jam 1:22 & Rom 12:2.
2. Study and Meditate on the Word: “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Tim 2:15 & Jos 1:8.
3. The Spirit of Truth Leads Us into all Truth making us free: “…when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth…” Joh 16:13 also “…the truth shall make you free.” Joh 8:31-32 & 1 Joh 2:27.
4. Testing, Guarding and loving the Truth: “Test all things; hold fast what is good.” 1 The 5:21 also “but rejoices in the truth.” 1 Cor 13:6 also “…just as you walk in the truth.” 3 Joh 1:3 & 1 Joh 4:1, 1 Joh 3:18.
Truth is what makes us free. The Spirit of truth will lead us into all truth if we listen to Him and love the truth. Testing everything and grounding our life in God’s Word helps us avoid deception and bondage, enabling us to walk in freedom. Regular study of Scripture fills our hearts and minds with God’s thoughts. Meditation on the Word is not about emptying the mind, but about dwelling deeply on God’s truth and listening for His guidance. Study involves focus, understanding, reflection, and repetition. It renews the mind, shapes our beliefs, and changes the way we live. Knowing the truth helps us recognise falsehood thus keeping us anchored in God.
Wisdom
1. Wisdom Comes from God: “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” Jam 1:5 also Pro 2:6 & Psa 119:24.
2. Knowledge fitly spoken: “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.” Pro 25:11 also “A man has joy by the answer of his mouth, And a word spoken in due season, how good it is!” Pro 15:23.
3. Having understanding and giving sound advice: “Plans fail for lack of counsel…with many advisers they succeed.” Pro 15:22 (NIV) & “Get wisdom! Get understanding!…” Pro 4:5 & Pro 12:15.
4. Skill in knowing how to deliver truth: “And on some have compassion, making a distinction; but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire…” Jude 1:22-23 Also Eph 4:15, Pro 11:30, 2 Tim 2:24–25 & Col 3:12–13.
Wisdom is the knowledge and understanding that you posses, have received through experience and which comes from above. It involves self-control and discernment – choosing the right words at the right time for the benefit of others. Wisdom requires gentleness and patience, offering guidance that helps others grow toward God’s purposes for their lives. It means being sensitive to each situation, embracing the spiritual immaturity of others with love and patience, seeking their growth rather than self-interest. It is knowledge and understanding that you posses which empowers others to make the right choice, whilst bearing with them in love.
Purity
1. Clean Heart & Pure Living : “Create in me a clean heart, O God…” Psa 51:10 & “…do not be conformed to this world…be transformed by the renewing of your mind…” Rom 12:2 also Tit 2:11-12, Pro 4:23 & 2 Cor 8:21.
2. Freedom from Sin & the Past: “…if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation…” 2 Cor 5:17, “…forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead…” Phi 3:13 also Isa 43:18-19.
3. Confession, Forgiveness, and Renewal: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us…and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 Joh 1:9 also “Confess your trespasses to one another…” Jam 5:16.
4. Walking in purity & Holiness: “But as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct…‘Be holy, for I am holy.’” 1 Pet 1:15-16 also “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” Mat 5:8.
Purity is having a clean heart, free from guilt, bitterness, willful sin, and anything that blocks the flow of unconditional love toward God and others. It involves keeping an open heart, walking in honesty, and living in freedom from past mistakes and regrets. Purity directs our minds toward heaven, allowing God to renew and cleanse our minds. Confession is admitting sin to God and others and allowing God’s grace to heal and transform us as we acknowledge that we want to change our behaviors. It calls us to seek forgiveness, make amends, and walk in continual renewal. Living with sincerity and embracing the freedom found in His love.
Humility
1. Having a Modest View of Oneself: “…in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.”
Phi 2:3 also Rom 12:3 & “…Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble…” Rom 12:16.
2. Openness to Correction and Submission: “Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid.” Pro 12:1 also “Submitting to one another in the fear of God.” Eph 5:21.
3. Respecting Leadership and Authority: “Obey those who rule over you…be submissive, for they watch out for your souls…” Heb 13:17 & “…be submissive to one another…with humility…God resists the proud…” 1Pe 5:5.
4. Humbly Serving Without Seeking Praise: “…put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another…forgiving one another…” Col 3:12-13, Eph 4:2, Mat 6:3-4 & 1 Pet 5:5–6.
Humility is having a modest view of oneself, paired with a readiness to connect with people from all walks of life without thinking of yourself as higher than them. It means being open to correction, quick to admit when you are wrong, and not seeking attention from others with the purpose of receiving worship/adoration from them. Humility shows itself in a willingness to submit to others in love and to respect the leadership of those God places over us. It involves showing empathy, offering grace in judgment, and giving others the benefit of the doubt. A humble heart is quick to forgive, eager to help and serves without seeking recognition.
Rejoice
1. Keeping a Joyful Spirit as it is your strength: “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!” Phi 4:4 also 1 The 5:16, Psa 118:24 and “…Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Neh 8:10.
2. Filling the Mind with What is Lovely and Pure: “…whatever things are true…noble…just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely…meditate on these things.” Phi 4:8.
3. Worshiping God in Spirit and Truth: “…worship the Father in spirit and truth…” Joh 4:23-24.
4. Hope and Focus on Heaven: “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is…Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.” Col 3:1–2 and “…rejoice because your names are written in heaven.” Luk 10:20.
Rejoicing is living with a joyful spirit, keeping a hopeful attitude throughout daily life whilst also remembering to empathize with others who are sad (Rom 12:15). Not taking yourself too seriously, forgiving quickly and filling your mind with lovely and pure things. Singing/humming to God in worship, or admiring God’s creation can lift your heart into a peaceful, content and happy place of profound reverence for God. Focusing on the hope of heaven and that the earth is not our home whilst being grateful for blessings we experience. With joy, gratitude, and surrender, rejoicing keeps our hearts anchored in God’s love and fills our lives with His Spirit.