The Soul And The Spirit

                                          1 Thessalonians 5:23
                     "And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly;
                       and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and
                       body be preserved blameless unto the coming
                                        of our Lord Jesus Christ"
                         
         Many find it hard to believe that a born again believer can have a demonic spirit.  Simply they don't understand the difference between the soul and the spirit of a man.  Most people believe that everything is made new the moment a person accepts Jesus; (which is true for the man's spirit), but they naturally accept the fact that a person can be born again, yet they can still be in bondage to sin (darkness or evil).
        The soul and the spirit are not the same.  Even though our Bible uses the words soul and spirit interchangeably, there is a very distinct difference that we cannot ignore. These passages in God's Word that make a very clear distinction between the soul and the spirit: (Hebrews 4:12), "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."  And, (1 Thessalonians 5:23), "And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ."  Our Scripture for today.
        So what is the difference between the soul and the spirit?  We are a spirit being, we live in a body and we possess a soul.  The real person inside of us is our spirit.  Our soul consists of our mind, will and emotions.  Our bodies are obviously what we live in while we are here on earth.  How did demonic spirits possess (control) people in the Bible?  It was through their souls (minds, as in mental illness and insanity), and their bodies (as in the woman who had the spirit of infirmity.
        Here is an examples of physical (bodily) demonic affliction:  (Luke 13:11), "And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself."
        And here an example of mental (soul) demonic affliction. (Matthew 17:15,18), "Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatic, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water, and Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour."  Our spirits ARE born again!  Our souls ARE Not!
        Amen!

Reading: (1 Thess. 5:12-28)   
               ( Eccl. 12:7)


                                      May God Bless You
                                       And Your Families

                                                     Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.
                                                     The Cross Life Ministry