3 John 2 "Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes will with your soul." (ESV) Before being saved, we were led by our soul, which includes our mind, will and emotions and senses. We were "carnal" or led by the flesh. Now that we have the life of God in us, we are to be led by the Holy Spirit who speaks to our spirit. He does not speak to the soul or lead by the body. In order for us to be able to hear and be led by the Spirit, our mind must be renewed so that our thoughts and reasoning are aligned with the word of God; we must consecrate ourselves to do His will as set forth in His word, and we have to "kill" the flesh. In other words, the flesh can't be renewed. We have to be strengthened through daily fellowship with the Lord to make a choice to produce fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, goodness, kindness, longsuffering, faithfulness, meekness and temperance) instead of fruit of the flesh (anger, wrath, strife, etc.). Think of it, faith works by love. If you allow offense, anger, strife, etc. to enter your heart it will bombard your thoughts and you cannot walk in love no matter how hard you try. You can say, " I am not offended", but if thoughts of the offense keep popping up, and you continue to talk about it, you are offended and you can't pray in faith while those thoughts persist. They will impede your ability to keep your focus on God and stand on His promises. How then can you prosper and receive answers to your prayers for health and well-being, if it does not go well with your soul?
Jesus wants to live through you and fill the earth with the fruit of His Spirit - love, joy, peace, goodness, longsuffering, gentleness, faithfulness, meekness and temperance (Galatians 5:22-23). May the Lord assign His angels to encamp around you and protect you (Ps 91:11-12, Ps 34:7) from Satan's fiery darts of offense and unforgiveness which are designed to arouse your flesh, keep unrelenting and tormenting thoughts filling your mind, and send your emotions out of control. He desires to steal the peace from from your soul but you can defeat him by weilding the sword of the Spirit (keeping your heart filled with the word), staying under the covenant blood of the Lamb by walking in love, and being a "doer" of His Word. Love God's law and nothing will offend you. Ps 119:165
3 John 2 "Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes will with your soul." (ESV)
ReplyDeleteBefore being saved, we were led by our soul, which includes our mind, will and emotions and senses. We were "carnal" or led by the flesh. Now that we have the life of God in us, we are to be led by the Holy Spirit who speaks to our spirit. He does not speak to the soul or lead by the body. In order for us to be able to hear and be led by the Spirit, our mind must be renewed so that our thoughts and reasoning are aligned with the word of God; we must consecrate ourselves to do His will as set forth in His word, and we have to "kill" the flesh. In other words, the flesh can't be renewed. We have to be strengthened through daily fellowship with the Lord to make a choice to produce fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, goodness, kindness, longsuffering, faithfulness, meekness and temperance) instead of fruit of the flesh (anger, wrath, strife, etc.). Think of it, faith works by love. If you allow offense, anger, strife, etc. to enter your heart it will bombard your thoughts and you cannot walk in love no matter how hard you try. You can say, " I am not offended", but if thoughts of the offense keep popping up, and you continue to talk about it, you are offended and you can't pray in faith while those thoughts persist. They will impede your ability to keep your focus on God and stand on His promises. How then can you prosper and receive answers to your prayers for health and well-being, if it does not go well with your soul?
Jesus wants to live through you and fill the earth with the fruit of His Spirit - love, joy, peace, goodness, longsuffering, gentleness, faithfulness, meekness and temperance (Galatians 5:22-23). May the Lord assign His angels to encamp around you and protect you (Ps 91:11-12, Ps 34:7) from Satan's fiery darts of offense and unforgiveness which are designed to arouse your flesh, keep unrelenting and tormenting thoughts filling your mind, and send your emotions out of control. He desires to steal the peace from from your soul but you can defeat him by weilding the sword of the Spirit (keeping your heart filled with the word), staying under the covenant blood of the Lamb by walking in love, and being a "doer" of His Word. Love God's law and nothing will offend you. Ps 119:165
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