Man was uniquely created by God as being above all creation. Man’s human spirit is central to the creation as we may note from this verse. Zech. 12:1 … the Lord, which stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him.

You might ask how Zech 12:1 makes man central to creation. Note the context of the verse that lists man’s human spirit third in the line of the most foundational items of God’s creation. We might consider that 1) the heavens were created for the earth (the heavens light and rain. Light and water the earth to bring forth life), and 2) the earth thereby becomes the immediate source of man’s physical supply, and 3) man, by virtue of his human spirit, was created to one day become as “the Holy of Holies” was in the OT Temple. Thus, man’s human spirit is the focus and intended to become the eternal abode of Christ’s “spirit of life” (Rom 8:2a).

“The spirit of man” in the believer serves as God’s living spirit-container for God’s Spirit, which now is in Christ, as the life-giving spirit. Man’s spirit then is to be the precise abode for “the spirit of life in Christ Jesus”

Proverbs 20:27 (Darby) Man's spirit is the lamp of Jehovah, searching all the inner parts of the belly.

The “lamp” noted here was the ancient oil lamps that consisted of a reservoir to hold the oil, which burned to give light. The Bible consistently likens “beaten olive oil” (Exo 27:20) metaphorically to that of God’s Spirit. Just as the olive had to be crushed and beaten to release its oil, our Lord was crushed and beaten at the cross to release the life-giving spirit (1Cor 15:45), making it available to indwell man’s spirit. Metaphorically, our spirit is the container (lamp) for the oil of Christ’s spirit.

In the Bible, the Spirit of Christ is also seen as “water.” Now mixing metaphors, the oil of God’s Spirit in the lamp of man’s spirit, seems to parallel Christ as the “water of life,” as seen below. The metaphor of “oil” here has become “water.” Both “oil” and “water” are Biblically metaphorical of the God’s “one Spirit” (Eph 4:4 ).

John 7:37-38 …Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. ³⁸ He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

Christ’s presence in our spirit gives light to our inner being – our spirit, and thereby our soul, By Christ’s Spirit may see reality as we cannot see apart from His Spirit. With that light of Christ shining upon our soul we can gain true understanding that is of the Lord, by His Spirit indwelling our spirit. Thus Job tells us in Job 32:8 (KJV) there’s a spirit in man: the inspiration (neshamah, spirit) of the Almighty gives man understanding. The Hebrew word “neshamah,” is here above translated “inspiration,” yet the very same Hebrew word is elsewhere translated “spirit of God” and “breath of God.” Thus, the inspiration of the Almighty is nothing less than “the Spirit of the Almighty,” giving man true understanding in his consciousness, via the spirit of man.

We know from John 4:24 (KJV) “God is a spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” Note the Amplified Bible, John 4:24 God is a Spirit (a spiritual Being) and those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth (reality). The Amplified says God is “a spirit is”; as a ring may be made of gold. True worshiper can only worship Him by worshiping “in their spirit” – spirit to Spirit.

Only spirit can relate to spirit. In the three realms of man, a man can relate physically, his five senses, to the physical realm; psychologically, by his soul (psuche) to communicate thoughts and ideas, and spiritually, by virtue of his human spirit he may have communion with God, who is spirit in His very substance.

True knowledge flows to man by the union of God and man. This union then requires two spirits; 1) the omniscient (all knowing) God, who “is spirit,” and 2) man, having “a spirit,” as described earlier. By the union these two spirits a man may have real two-way communion with God. Hence, we may better understand that being born-again brings about the union of Christ’s eternal enlivening Spirit and man’s human spirit. John 3:6 … that which is born of the (God’s) Spirit is (man’s) spirit. From the moment we receive Him, we and the Lord are of “one spirit.” 1 Corinthians 6:17 But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.