What is the soul?
נֶפֶשׁ “Nephesh” (Hebrew); ψυχή “Psuche” (Greek)
Life or breath;
The inner being of a person;
The seat of one’s conscious mind, emotions, will, and character
The soul is:
- The immaterial and metaphysical animating force of the physical body
- The eternal collection of one’s conscious thoughts, emotions, will, and character
Question: Where does the soul come from, and where does it go?
“For then the dust will return to the earth, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.” -Ecclesiastes 12:7 (NLT)
What is sin?
- Any act of defiance toward God’s commands or rejection of God’s Truth.
- It doesn’t come from outside. It comes from our souls.
- Sin separates both your soul and body from God.
What happens to the soul when it sins?
“The soul who sins is the one who will die.” – Ezekiel 18:4 (NLT)
So… to have a healthy soul, I just need to follow Jesus? We need help!
- John 15
- Romans 11
Do you want a new spirit? (Ezekiel 36:25-26)
- Confess your sins to Jesus
- Declare that Jesus is Lord
- By faith, believe Jesus died and rose again (Romans 10:9-13)
A healthy soul flows from a healthy mind.
The mind is a battleground.
αἰχμαλωτίζω “Aichmalotizo”
- To lead a captive away, as a captured prisoner of war.
καθαιρέω “Kathaireo”
- To pull or throw down with violent force;
- To pull down a corpse from a cross or pole
When it comes to our thoughts:
- it’s “kill or be killed”
Proactively controlling our thoughts:
- Cultivate the right mental environment
- Meditate on God’s Word
- Pray continually to invite the Holy Spirit in
- Worship God and serve others
- Recognize the power of our patterns
Lust pattern… is this your pattern?
- It’s OK to look lustfully! It’s not hurting anybody!
- It’s GOOD to look lustfully! It makes me feel good!
- I should be ENCOURAGED to look because I’m supposed to feel good!
- I’m ENTITLED to look! Those women owe it to me!
What’s your pattern?
- It’s OK to ____.
- It’s GOOD to ____.
- I should be ENCOURAGED to ____.
- I’m ENTITLED to ____.
Is there a pattern of behavior in your life whose power you haven’t yet recognized?
Sin is corrosive (rust analogy):
- When the corrosion of sin causes your soul to fail, what will you lose?
Apply “paint” over your mind!
“Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night, so you will be sure to obey everything written in it.” Joshua 1:8a (NLT)
A healthy soul flows from a healthy mind!