Spirituality
Inside my body lives the real person that's called me. I have a personality. It's really ageless and goes into eternity. I can feel, I can know things, I have a will to make decisions.
But apart from my own self, I can get into contact with other spiritual beings. They also have personalities. And they can also come and influence the use of my body. For example, (a bad one) a spirit of drugs(or smoking, alcohol,etc)can come and make suggestions first, saying,"come on, just try one, it's not gonna hurt you, everyone else's having fun, just be cool." Then I might agree with that suggestion and put into action. The spirit gained an access. The next time it'll get a bit stronger, and stronger.Gradually it will find a place and stay. Now all this spirit wants is drug, it can not live without drugs. So I'll start to feel desperately in need of drugs all the time and losing control and will of decision. It's like another personality in us that's constantly battling with me wanting drugs. With my knowledge I know it's not good, but this other person starts to have more and more control over me each time I give in.
Now (a good one)the Holy Spirit can also come and live in our bodies. He's a gentlemen, He won't come unless we ask and invite. He also has a personality. He can also have many forms(or mostly called, gifts). Like, a spirit of dance. I can be natually totally untrained in dance, but when this spirit comes in, I can feel a deep desire to dance, to move my body the way the spirit wants me to move, and when I move, this spirit will be very happy, in the meantime, "me" can feel totally different, like shy, questioning, selfconcious... Or it can be a spirit of songwriting. I might not know anything about writing songs, but this spirit comes, and I just feel "myself"singing new songs that're amazing to myself. "Gee, is that me? I don't know I can write that beautiful songs and everone else like them,too." And when I'm writing songs, it becomes so natural, so smooth, without much thinking or my effort trying to make things up: it's already there! All I need to do is let this spirit live through me. If I don't do the things that the spirit wants to do, I'll grieve this spirit, but this spirit will not force or manipulate me(big difference!). If I yield to this spirit, and let this spirit live out, people will feel the presence of God. The forms of the Holy Spirit can be many, like teaching, prophesying, hospitality, singing,writing,etc. Have you heard this term, "She's a gifted singer." that means, she has a singing ability that's beyond herself. It's different than the skills that are learned.
The Spiritual gift is also an annointing. Literally, it's to put oil with something to make it shiny. If someone has an ability that makes itself look like shiny, it's because of the annointing.
Recognise what spirit is influencing us can bring a dramatic change in our lives. When you have the discernment and the dicision to choose which spirit you'll allow and follow, I'm sure you'll know the difference!