Heart/Spirit versus Soul/Mind versus Evil

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jshiii

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Ok! I've been trying to sort through this to get a better understanding of what exactly is going on with a christian's mind and heart while in the flesh (here on earth as a human).



My HEART, which I believe is my deep conscious, is also lead by Christ (his SPIRIT).

Heart=Conscious
Spirit=Christ who owns my heart at the time I accepted him as my savior.

Evil/Satan cannot touch my heart in anyway. However, my MIND...my decisions, choices and thoughts that I am forced to make each and every day can be influenced by 1. Satan, 2. World, 3. My Heart, 4. My self (flesh).


So, I find a battle going on every day for my mind and when I fall (sin) it's because my choices/decisions was lead by either 1,2 or 4 (see above). But if I constantly stay focused on #3 My heart (lead by the spirit) in all choices that im confronted with during the day, I make the right decisions.


Does anyone have any further insight into what I'm saying?

The main point of what im saying is that I dont believe in demon possesion, but I do believe Satan can influence our mind with ideas/temptations...just as the world or our flesh can do the same. But our conscious (heart/spirit) will always give us the correct answer to make the right christian choices. This is where christians have the power to defeat all that is evil.?
 
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Prentis

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I think that's pretty accurate. God gives us a new heart, what is left after is the renewing of the mind, thus why we must continue unto the 'saving of the soul'.

God restores our spirit first, then we must follow his lead to be renewed in our mind.

The power does lie in the Spirit, and I think the power lies in OUR weakness. When we are weak and humble, and we look to God, he gives us victory... The battle is the Lord's! :)

God bless you brother, may he strengthen your inner man!
 

ajdiamond

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You have learned of your heart, son of God. Well done. :) The kingdom of God is within us; not in our minds, but at our center. In learning how to live from the center of our being, it's important to observe the carnal mind and know it's nature and function.

1. The mind is reactionary. Situations arise and boom!--the mind instantly has a thought and idea of what to do. This is great when you are driving a car or cooking supper or any repetitive task; however, it's usually not so good in interpersonal communications. When we follow the reactionary thought of the mind we are not walking in the Spirit. In observing the mind, we can see the reactions it makes and might realize that we are not our thoughts. And we just might find space within to realize that we need not react to everything; but rather that we can choose to respond. Reacting is just re-acting, acting again the way we have before, Seeing the difference between reacting out of the mind and responding from the heart is key to our freedom.

2. The mind replicates. In some ways the mind is like unto an organic computer, in that it only operates with what has been programmed into it (all the actions of your lifetime, plus generational programmings). And in this it is replicatory. It will re-act and replicate the past over and over again because that is what it is programmed with, your past experiences. If we follow the replicant thought, we walk not in the Spirit. And truly, until we awaken to this, we experience very little of life first hand because we are usually too busy "experiencing" our thoughts about things and not the things themselves. Selah. (For those with ears to hear, the keys to the kingdom involve loosing content from ourselves so we need not have the same junk come up again and again; a renewing of the mind, or better said, a renovating of the mind)

3. The mind is not in the now. God operates now, today, in the moment. As does our heart. The mind only deals with it's memories of the past and it's fantasies of the future. When we are centered in our minds, we miss God, for the mind is enmity against God (Rom 8:7). When we be still and are centered in our hearts, we can know God, in the now. Today, Now is the time, if you will hear His voice (Heb 3:7). When we are centered in our hearts, we can discover the mind of Christ within us.

4. The mind deals with the names of things and not the things themselves. The name of a thing is not the thing. The word water will never quench your thirst. When you live in your mind, you have a relationship with the word God; you define salvation instead of work it out; you spend years thinking up a framework of theology instead of experiencing the Life of God in Christ, now. The mind can only deal with the names of things and not the things themselves. .

5. The mind is self-preservationist, self-survivalist. I am right, you are wrong. I knock you down to preserve my self. I have it all together, no one else does. I look out for number 1. My self must survive at all cost. If I hear truth from another that is contrary to what I hold, a part of my self is shown to be a lie. My self must survive therefore I will not hear. I will put things on the shelf and deal with them later. My mind will react and try to lead me to run away, ignore, suppress, repress, lash out, begrudge, fight...anything for the preservation of self.
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We have all experienced wonder and beauty and truth, pre-mind, pre-thought. Recall a breathtaking experience. You saw a painting, a sunset, heard a song, held an infant; something where the mind was silent and you didn't need to think about what you were experiencing, you just experienced the truth of the moment. The more we live from the heart, the more of these moments we have; and the more we live in the heart, the more we walk in Spirit, for the fullness of the kingdom of God is within us, apart from the reactionary replicant egoic mind.

The mind is an arena that we use for our purposes; we bring things TO our mind. Solve for x, 3x+28=190. There, you brought something to your mind. How many cups in a liter? How do I get to Dallas from here? How do I fill out this form? We are not our minds, we are not our thoughts. We use our minds. We are it's master, not the other way around.
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How? The next time your mind is going all jibber jabber, yada yada yada....close your eyes and focus on your breathing. Notice how the mind goes quiet. In this you draw the focus of your attention away from the mind to the center of your being, your heart. Make your home in the breath and you can observe the mind. And you will discover that by focusing on your breathing, you withhold the energy that thoughts need for them to go a mile a minute. Where your attention is, is what you are giving life energy to.

And in making your home in the breath, you discover what 'poor in spirit' means. Blessed are those who are being poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom. (Mt 5:3) Look up spirit and you will see that it also means breath. You can be centered in your mind or in your heart. Our habit is to live in the mind. Breath is the avenue we take to get out of the mind and into the heart. Focus on your breathing and focus on the center of your torso. You will find this quiet, still state, destitute and devoid of stuff (ie. poor). And from this place you'll then be able to see the rich state of the carnal mind, filled with all kinds of activity and thoughts and concepts and temptations.

The smart, rich man of self doesn't get to go to the kingdom within you. But in breath, as a little innocent and ignorant child, we may enter the kingdom within and discover the Life therein that we so desire.
 

Angelina

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Hi jshiii!

I like your thoughts on this subject...well said ^_^

The main point of what im saying is that I dont believe in demon possesion, but I do believe Satan can influence our mind with ideas/temptations...just as the world or our flesh can do the same. But our conscious (heart/spirit) will always give us the correct answer to make the right christian choices. This is where christians have the power to defeat all that is evil.?

Demon possession exists whether we believe in it or not...it is biblical

I have never, in my 20+ years of Deliverance ministry [casting out demons] seen a believer totally possessed by demons. Yes I have seen areas of their lives held captive by demonic influence because of unconfessed sin but not total possession.

I have however, encountered demonic possession in unbelievers and it is truly a gruesome thing to behold. Jesus himself met a man who was possessed by a legion of demons [6 thousand], dwelling among the tombs Mark 5:6-9 and he permitted them to go into a group of 2 thousand pigs who then rushed into the lake and drowned.

If you want to know more about this area you are welcome to PM me... :)

PS: getting ready for work....have a great day

Blessings!!!
 
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jshiii

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Thank you all for your many thoughts on the subject. It's a wonderful time to know Jesus.:)
 

Comm.Arnold

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Ok! I've been trying to sort through this to get a better understanding of what exactly is going on with a christian's mind and heart while in the flesh (here on earth as a human).



My HEART, which I believe is my deep conscious, is also lead by Christ (his SPIRIT).

Heart=Conscious
Spirit=Christ who owns my heart at the time I accepted him as my savior.

Evil/Satan cannot touch my heart in anyway. However, my MIND...my decisions, choices and thoughts that I am forced to make each and every day can be influenced by 1. Satan, 2. World, 3. My Heart, 4. My self (flesh).


So, I find a battle going on every day for my mind and when I fall (sin) it's because my choices/decisions was lead by either 1,2 or 4 (see above). But if I constantly stay focused on #3 My heart (lead by the spirit) in all choices that im confronted with during the day, I make the right decisions.


Does anyone have any further insight into what I'm saying?

The main point of what im saying is that I dont believe in demon possesion, but I do believe Satan can influence our mind with ideas/temptations...just as the world or our flesh can do the same. But our conscious (heart/spirit) will always give us the correct answer to make the right christian choices. This is where christians have the power to defeat all that is evil.?

You don't believe in demon possession ? You either come from one holy place or you are one lucky fella. It exists man Ive prayed out a fair share with help from the wonderful folks on the board and mostly the power of Jesus of course. Actually Cam Ward the goalie of the Carolina hurricanes is very demon possessed maybe you can go exorcise him...
 

jshiii

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You don't believe in demon possession ? You either come from one holy place or you are one lucky fella. It exists man Ive prayed out a fair share with help from the wonderful folks on the board and mostly the power of Jesus of course. Actually Cam Ward the goalie of the Carolina hurricanes is very demon possessed maybe you can go exorcise him...


I believe that unbelievers can be fully possessed, but christians no! However, I believe christians can have demons that have difficult holds on parts of their life, but not fully pssessed, because the spirit of Christ owns the heart of a christian and gives protection from the ability of complete and total possession that, yes, I have seen in an unbeliever.
 

Comm.Arnold

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I believe that unbelievers can be fully possessed, but christians no! However, I believe christians can have demons that have difficult holds on parts of their life, but not fully pssessed, because the spirit of Christ owns the heart of a christian and gives protection from the ability of complete and total possession that, yes, I have seen in an unbeliever.

Brother a branch must bear fruit otherwise it is lopped off and cast into the fire.
 

jshiii

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Hi jshiii!

I like your thoughts on this subject...well said ^_^



Demon possession exists whether we believe in it or not...it is biblical

I have never, in my 20+ years of Deliverance ministry [casting out demons] seen a believer totally possessed by demons. Yes I have seen areas of their lives held captive by demonic influence because of unconfessed sin but not total possession.

I have however, encountered demonic possession in unbelievers and it is truly a gruesome thing to behold. Jesus himself met a man who was possessed by a legion of demons [6 thousand], dwelling among the tombs Mark 5:6-9 and he permitted them to go into a group of 2 thousand pigs who then rushed into the lake and drowned.

If you want to know more about this area you are welcome to PM me... :)

PS: getting ready for work....have a great day

Blessings!!!



I guess I have been out in the desert/wilderness for the last 10 years! IM BACK! The Lord brought me back!!!

Demon Possession? Oh yes! I sadly say, that I have been coming in contact with unbelievers more and more, some fully possessed, and unfortunately I've seen them die right there in front of me, from wounds.....bullets, knives, etc. Never an easy task to have a career in Trauma as a ED Nurse. I sit out in my vehicle and pray to Jesus before every 12 hour shift. However, I have also seen some of the most BEAUTIFUL spirits (christians) goto sleep (die) with smiles on their faces. It's an incredible thing to see!
 
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