The consequence of neglecting our “heavenly bread” is a powerful reminder that what we feed—our spirit or our flesh—determines whether we will be spiritually conscious or unconscious.

“And the people spoke against God and against Moses: ‘Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and our soul loathes this worthless bread.’”
—Numbers 21:5

In today’s devotional, we see that the exiles physical cravings overshadowed their spiritual hunger, and in doing so, they became earthly-minded and spiritually dull.

Because they were spiritual unconscious they lost sight of the bigger picture as well as God’s purpose and blessing for them. Their neglect of the “heavenly bread” is a powerful reminder that what we feed—our spirit or our flesh—determines whether we will be spiritually conscious or dulled. If we, like the Israelites, prioritize the desires of the flesh over the needs of our spirit, we too will drift into spiritual numbness, losing focus on the eternal and becoming fixated on the temporary.

More importantly, it diminishes our appetite for the (spiritual) things of God.

The principle remains clear: “You are what you eat.” Feeding on spiritual junk food—worldly distractions and temporary pleasures—leaves us weak and hungry, but feasting on God’s Word builds spiritual strength and keeps us in tune with His Spirit.

THE DEBASEMENT OF OUR LOWER NATURE
Our lower nature, the flesh, is constantly drawn to the world through the physical senses—what we see, hear, taste, touch, and smell. These senses, while God-given, can easily enslave us if we allow them to dominate. We must choose who we will serve: either God or our flesh and its senses. The world knows this and appeals to our lower nature through these senses, drawing us into an existence focused on temporary pleasures, fleeting satisfaction and spiritual debasement.

When we live by the flesh, we become spiritually dull and unable to perceive the things of God. We are then spiritually blind.

IT’S A CHOICE

As Paul writes in Romans 8:5-6,

“For those who live according to the flesh set their minds [focus] on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds [focus] on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind [focus] on the Spirit is life and peace.”

When Paul mentions those who live according to the flesh or the spirit, he means those who choose to live according to the flesh or the spirit (small “s”).

The wrestling between the human flesh and the human spirit is ever-present, and we “live” or “die” by the choices we make.

Choosing to feed our spirits with God’s Word instead of constantly feeding the insatiable appetite of the senses, leads to connection, that is “life.” By contrast, choosing to feed our lusts instead of our recreated spirits, is disconnection and therefore spiritual “death.”

By feeding one and neglecting the other strengthens it, and that is how we can rise above our lower animal nature and desires.

“Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? If you present yourselves to anything as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?” (Romans 6:16)

Is it always easy? No, but then that is why it’s called a sacrifice, and sacrifice is our worship (Romans 12:1).

FAITH IS SEEING WITH THE SPIRIT

Faith is not about living according to what our physical senses tell us; faith is seeing with the spirit (small “s”). Faith after all, is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1). When we live by faith, we transcend the limitations of our flesh and what it can perceive and access the spiritual realm where God’s promises and provision become our reality.

Walking in the Spirit is the natural consequence of feeding the spirit with God’s Word. Galatians 5:16 instructs us,

“Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.”

Although spelled “Spirit” is spelled with a capital “S” in English, it is incorrect. The verse should read:

“Walk by the spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.”

Walking in the spirit (small “s”) means being spiritually strong and conscious and consequently living as a such. This requires a steady diet of spiritual nourishment.

GOD’S CREATION AND THE GOODNESS OF THE PHYSICAL WORLD

It’s important to remember that God created the physical world and declared it “very good” (Genesis 1:31). The problem lies not in the physical world itself but in how we allow our lower nature to be controlled by it. The Hellenistic dichotomy of seeing the physical as bad and the spiritual as good is misleading. Both are part of God’s creation, and both have a purpose. The key is to place the physical in submission to the spiritual, not the other way around.

While the world entices us to live in service to our lower nature through the senses, we must instead choose true life and fulfilment by feeding on the Word of God.

That is after all what we are after isn’t it? Fulfilment!

REMEMBER, YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT

Just as our physical bodies are affected by what we eat, so too are our spirits. Spiritual junk food—constant distractions, worldly pursuits, and shallow indulgences—will leave our spirits weak and malnourished. But spiritual nourishment from God’s Word strengthens our spirits, enabling us to walk in the Spirit and live in the fullness of God’s promises.

Spiritual strength comes from regularly consuming the Word of God. As Charles Spurgeon once said, “A Bible that’s falling apart usually belongs to someone who isn’t.” This profound truth reminds us that the more we immerse ourselves in Scripture, the stronger our spirits will become.

ADDITIONAL VERSES AND QUOTES TO STRENGTHEN YOUR SPIRIT

• Matthew 4:4: “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.”
• Job 23:12: “I have not departed from the commands of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my daily bread.”
• Psalm 119:11: “I have hidden Your word in my heart that I might not sin against You.”
• Jeremiah 15:16: “When Your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight.”
• Psalm 119:103: “How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!”

As we feed our spirits with God’s Word, we become attuned to the Spirit of God and able to walk in His will. This is the key to living a victorious life, not by our own effort, but by the strength that comes from God’s nourishment.

Let us not despise the heavenly bread that nourishes our spirit, but instead embrace it, becoming heavenly-minded and fully alive to God’s presence and purpose in our lives.

KEY TAKEAWAY: The consequence of neglecting our “heavenly bread” is a powerful reminder that what we feed—our spirit or our flesh—determines whether we will be spiritually conscious or unconscious.

A PRAYER FOR TODAY
Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Word, which is the bread of life. Help me not to despise Your provision or seek satisfaction in the things of the world. Teach me to feed my spirit with Your truth, to walk in the Spirit, and to resist the pull of my lower nature. Strengthen my faith so that I may see beyond the physical and live in the fullness of Your promises. In Jesus’ name, Amen.