6/29/11
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Our nature is composed of three elements — body, soul, and spirit; with “soul” being defined as our emotions and intellect. Without the HS, people are ruled by their body and/or soul while their spirit languishes. With the HS, we’re taught to put the body lowest, and subject to the soul; the soul is in the middle, and subject to our spirit; our spirit is highest, but is itself to be subject to the HS.
In our struggle for transformation the BHS brings the HS to live within our newly empowered spirit. We then spend months and years learning to control our spirit, and then to control other spirits — demons and angels. After we’ve gained power over all the various levels of demons, then it’s time to move on to the next arena.
Having gained authority in the spiritual realm it’s now time to gain authority in the physical realm — first over our soul and body, then over other souls and bodies. Later we’ll gain authority over nature and the physical realm around us.
Just as the BHS brought the HS within our spiritual being, I believe Pentecost brings the HS within our physical bodies, to empower and strengthen them just as He did our spirits.
Jesus’ trial by Satan in the wilderness involved temptations in each of the three areas of humanly being — body, soul, and spirit.
The temptation of the body was, “Turn these stones to bread”: This test appealed to appetite, the test Adam & Eve failed. After fasting for so long Jesus’ body was screaming for nourishment and this temptation offered a quick solution. Please note: This suggestion by Satan would have been meaningless if Jesus didn’t have the ability to really turn stones into bread, so by the time of this test He already had gained power over the physical realm.
The temptation of the soul was, “Cast yourself off the Temple, the angels will protect the real Son of God”: This test was directed at any self-doubt there might be. Jesus’ emotions and intellect may have thrown up questions to Him at times — “Are you really the Son of God? Or are you just deluding yourself?” Satan must have been aware of these doubts because he used this insinuation in his tests.
The temptation of the spirit was, “Bow down and worship me, for an easy way to fulfil your mission”: This test showed that Satan finally acknowledged Jesus’ control over His physical self and thus had turned to His spiritual being; it also acknowledged Jesus had a calling and knew what it was — to regain rulership over the world. So now Jesus is shown a way to complete the assigned mission, but in a different way than God called for, an “easier” way. This appealed to human pride and self-sufficiency: the temptation to think we can find a way better than what God has outlined. This is how Satan fell — he thought his own way was equal to God’s way.
In my personal experience, I was expecting that once free of the influence of Satan, gaining control over my own soul and body would be relatively easy; however, I found the opposite to be true. This battle was every bit as hard, and maybe even harder, than gaining authority over demons! Perhaps that is why this battle is left until after we have the experience of the other; for now I know how to fight, even though this fight requires more effort.
If you think of the test in the Garden of Eden, what was asked of Adam & Eve was to resist the temptations of indulging appetite and doing something forbidden; these are tests of the body and the soul. Thus the test was to show that if they could control these two — body & soul — then they could control everything; but if they couldn’t control these two, they couldn’t control anything.
I too must learn to control body and soul — impulses, desires, thoughts, and emotions. But these now rage more fiercely than ever; despite victories I gained when facing them earlier in my experience. I think that just as the HS shields us against the full force of demons while we’re in the learning phase, He also does the same for us with respect to our own body and soul. But once I’m no longer considered a learner, I have the task of gaining control over my own body and soul while facing the brunt of their full strength. My body and soul are every bit as strong as any demon; and they fight fiercely to retain their supremacy. I believe their power and effort is the result of “original sin” at work within me.
This battle involved re-experiencing emotions that I shouldn’t have suffered — jealousy, rejection, betrayal; and physical cravings that were brought under control long ago. And they presented themselves with such force that it was nearly impossible to break their hold. It was only when I turned my thoughts to Jesus that I gained any respite. But as soon as I relaxed my focus the thoughts come back. At first I thought it was the influence of demons; but the HS told me, No, it was coming from within. If you experience this fight, it may seem like the Enemy because we now recognize these desires as wrong; but in fact, this is a battle with “self”.
The good news in this is that once you win this battle you have passed a major turning point. The Enemy has nothing left in you; and the negative effects of living in this world no longer have the same impact on you. This IS the “transformation” that we’ve long prayed would take place: our “old nature” being put to death, and our “new nature” gaining the victory so we can live like Jesus. So don’t forget to call on Him continuously throughout this important battle! It’s perhaps the most important one to win.
Some verses to help in the fight are:
2 Cr 10:5, We take captive every thought and make them obedient to Christ.
Ga 5:16, Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. (sexual thoughts, desire for money, appetite for wrong food, yearning for TV)
1 Pe 4:1-2, Since Christ suffered in His body, arm yourselves with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin. He doesn’t live his life with human desires, but for the will of God.
One final thought related to the experience of the Israelites at Mt Sinai. Even though the Israelites had already received many miracles and manifestations of God’s presence with them, as they were waiting for Moses they became frustrated with the delay so they made the Golden Calf. In other words, the people grew tired of waiting for the new relationship with God to be established, so they went back to their old style of worship. Even though they had already begun to see that the new was great, it wasn’t immediately present; so they went back to what they had grown up with and which was comfortable.
As
we wait on God, let us not get discouraged with the delay. Pentecost
will come.
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