Part 4, The Spirit, Soul, and Flesh
Pastor J. R. Wilhite, author
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Now that we have covered the Spirit, Soul and Flesh, it is time to tie them together. In the following overview we will review some of the highlights of each. The Spirit is a gift from God. It is what was lost because of the original sin of Adam in Genesis 3. If we live by the Spirit, then we are living in the will of God. We live not by actions, or by words, but by allowing the Spirit to have its own way in our life, and living the life of the Spirit. Reference verses John 14:26, 15:26 - Romans 8:16 - I Cor. 1:24 - I John 2:20-27. John 14:26 But the Comforter, [which is] the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. John 15:26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, [even] the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: Romans 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 1 John 2:27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him. The Soul is our mind will and emotions. We choose what we do and how we do it by our will. Our mind is the battleground. It is where we accept the Word of God (and let it grow in us) or allow the ways of the world to control us. We either are of the world or of The Word. Reference verses Eph 6:12 - 2 Cor 10:5 Ephesians 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places]. 2 Corinthians 10:5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; The Flesh is the world. We either overcome and become more than conquerers based on He Who is in us or we are ruled by the flesh based on he who is in the world. The flesh is the skin physically, but it is also our lust and desires. Reference verses I John 4:4 - Romans 8:37 1 John 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. Romans 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For by the blood of Jesus we are saved, but it is through the Spirit we overcome and live. The Soul is who we are. It makes up our memories, our emotions, our will, our mind. So as long as Satan can divide us from God by placing thoughts not of God and get us to maintain those thoughts so they will manifest in the flesh, he (Satan) has wins. Example: you get mad, mad enough to kill. You dwell on the reason to the point you justify the killing; you may just do it. That is why Jesus said that when you lust after someone or something else you have sinned. Because if the thought enters and you cast it down, it does not get a chance to develop into lust. And if you keep casting down those thoughts, then eventually they will not come back. Agreed others will, a whole new set, but you do the same and they will flee. (James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.) God knows that by getting your thoughts in line with His will save you from destruction. He (God) does not take away your life or fun, He gives you life and fun. He (God) just helps you remove those things that are destructive in your life. Example: Drugs, by injecting drugs you can get aids; the drug can damage parts of your body, upset your internal chemistry. Having sex without being married and with many increases your chances to get aids and many other diseases. Hate, jealousy, strife, offense, etc will lead you to the world not God. Satan wants you in these because he knows they feed on you and you will feed on them until one day you do not know God anymore. So you get the point about the soul, the flesh is nothing more than a vehicle that carries us around in this life. But it also can be trained and manipulated. If it is trained by the Spirit via the soul, then it will not get in the way or cause problems, but if manipulated by the world it will lead you to destruction. So you have the Spirit which is of God, the soul (who you are), and the flesh that is of the world. If you spend time with God and in His Word (Jesus) then the Spirit will, with the help of the soul (You), whip the flesh in shape. But if you follow the ways of the world, you are not in control, but the world is, and you are not you, but another pawn of the world. But if you are of the Spirit, you are of free will and yourself. My prayer for you is that the Spirit rule in your life and the flesh is trained to be obedient to the Spirit.