Exploring the Spiritual Landscape

All scriptures are from the NKJV unless otherwise noted.

Diagram of the levels of reality revealed by scripture

Note the fallen counterparts of spiritual darkness to those of Light (in vertical correspondence) and how both are converging on the earth.

Heaven—eternal dwelling of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, angels, saints (1Pe 3:21)
Kingdom of God—invisible, spiritual realm surrounding earth (Ro 14:17)
Church—the Body of Christ, partly visible, humanity organized by God (Mt 16:18)
New nature—the new creation, Christ's life in us, regenerated spirit (2Co 5:17; Col1:27)
Earth and its heavens—natural/physical realm of 5 senses and matter (Ps 24:1-2)
Fallen nature—the flesh, Adam's life in us, spiritual death (Ro 8:6-9)
World—the Kosmos, partly visible; humanity organized by Satan (Jn 12:31; 1Jn 2:15)
Kingdom of darkness—invisible, spiritual realm surrounding earth (Eph 6:12; Col 1:13)
Hell—eternal place of punishment for Satan, fallen angels, demons, the damned (Mt 5:30)

Descriptions of self

There are three ways in which we can see and understand ourselves.

True self—who I am in Christ, new creation life, released by trust and obedience.

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

False self—who I am apart from Christ, fallen nature, restrained by inward crucifixion.

Galatians 5:24 And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

Actual self—who I am at this moment, a mixture of the two, revealed by testing.

Deuteronomy 8:2 And you shall remember that the LORD your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.

Jeremiah 17:10 I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings.