Hebrews 4:12-13 KJV
12) For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged 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.
13) Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
Have you considered, God knew how you would read His Word when He wrote it?
It will show us what is soul, that is, from our terrestrial "natural" life, and what it spirit, that is, our new celestial life, alive with Christ in the heavenly realm.
Galatians 5:22-25 KJV
22) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23) Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
24) And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
25) If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
"Yet it is no longer I, but Christ lives in me."
Christ in me loves! What I am loving, I am walking in the Spirit. When I am not, in those myriad ways we don't, that is the soul, and we are walking according to the flesh.
Christ in me rejoices! When I am rejoicing, all the way into my heart, this is walking in the Spirit, and there is no governance, this is God's intent for us, that we have a truly joyful heart.
Even when we are chastised, which God says, is not joyful, but grievous, even still, there is real joy that rests deeper than that, not something theoretical, but experiential. This what what happens in walking in the Spirit.
Christ in me rests! Peace is in walking in the Spirit. Anxiety, fear, worry dread, you know, are soul, feelings produced in the body.
Christ in me endures, endures all things, hopes all things, patiently pursues the prize, the high calling in Christ, and the edification of others. Impatience, irritation at others, anything less than loving diligence is soul and not Spirit.
The fruit of the Spirit is exactly that. The Holy Spirit lives in you, and as you walk in Him, He produces His fruit in your life.
We think of fruit as growing over the course of time, but the real idea here is not whether it grows quickly or slowly, but that it comes from HIM.
I've not found anything in Scripture or in life that indicates there need be any delay between committing yourself in faith to God, and the producing of real love, overflowing joy, unshakable peace, and so on.
For me, the truth is found in this.
When I accept by faith that I am fully and forever reconciled to God, because of His love for me, that He is here with me right now, that He loves me right now, that He is in charge of every detail of me! In His loving care! My heart just opens in trust in Him, I know He is good, He's proven His love for me! There is therefore now no condemnation . . .
"the fruit of the Spirit is . . . self-control"
Compulsions, obsessions, addictions, these too are subject to the Holy Spirit.
Romans 5:1-2 KJV
1) Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
2) By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
The same faith by which we were saved, trusting in Jesus, He died for me, and rose again so I too can live, this is the same faith by which we consistently live out a Godly Christian life.
"Lord, increase our faith!"
Just do what you're supposed to do, Jesus answered.
The Word of God divides between soul and spirit. Let's look at those divisions, and then choose the side of us that agrees with the Word of God.
Let's accept that those thoughts, feelings, whatever it is inside us, that is not described in the fruit of the Spirit, is not described in the Chapter of Love, that these are NOT Spirit, and are merely soul, to be discarded.
We practice this, we are being trained in this. It is the renewing of the mind, which is something God does in us.
He is the One working in us to want to do, and be ABLE to do what pleases Him.
Our job, our working out our salvation, is to realize this process is happening, and to make conscious choices to put on that which is the new man, of the Spirit, and put what is the old man, the soul.
God even further simplifies this for us,
1 John 3:22-23 KJV
22) And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
23) And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
Anything that is against trust in Jesus, and love for others, is soul, and not Spirit.
It gets easier as you go along, but then, God has much usefulness in testing us. But He's the all-wise God, so He knows what He's doing with you.
Much love!
12) For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged 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.
13) Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
Have you considered, God knew how you would read His Word when He wrote it?
It will show us what is soul, that is, from our terrestrial "natural" life, and what it spirit, that is, our new celestial life, alive with Christ in the heavenly realm.
Galatians 5:22-25 KJV
22) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23) Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
24) And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
25) If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
"Yet it is no longer I, but Christ lives in me."
Christ in me loves! What I am loving, I am walking in the Spirit. When I am not, in those myriad ways we don't, that is the soul, and we are walking according to the flesh.
Christ in me rejoices! When I am rejoicing, all the way into my heart, this is walking in the Spirit, and there is no governance, this is God's intent for us, that we have a truly joyful heart.
Even when we are chastised, which God says, is not joyful, but grievous, even still, there is real joy that rests deeper than that, not something theoretical, but experiential. This what what happens in walking in the Spirit.
Christ in me rests! Peace is in walking in the Spirit. Anxiety, fear, worry dread, you know, are soul, feelings produced in the body.
Christ in me endures, endures all things, hopes all things, patiently pursues the prize, the high calling in Christ, and the edification of others. Impatience, irritation at others, anything less than loving diligence is soul and not Spirit.
The fruit of the Spirit is exactly that. The Holy Spirit lives in you, and as you walk in Him, He produces His fruit in your life.
We think of fruit as growing over the course of time, but the real idea here is not whether it grows quickly or slowly, but that it comes from HIM.
I've not found anything in Scripture or in life that indicates there need be any delay between committing yourself in faith to God, and the producing of real love, overflowing joy, unshakable peace, and so on.
For me, the truth is found in this.
When I accept by faith that I am fully and forever reconciled to God, because of His love for me, that He is here with me right now, that He loves me right now, that He is in charge of every detail of me! In His loving care! My heart just opens in trust in Him, I know He is good, He's proven His love for me! There is therefore now no condemnation . . .
"the fruit of the Spirit is . . . self-control"
Compulsions, obsessions, addictions, these too are subject to the Holy Spirit.
Romans 5:1-2 KJV
1) Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
2) By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
The same faith by which we were saved, trusting in Jesus, He died for me, and rose again so I too can live, this is the same faith by which we consistently live out a Godly Christian life.
"Lord, increase our faith!"
Just do what you're supposed to do, Jesus answered.
The Word of God divides between soul and spirit. Let's look at those divisions, and then choose the side of us that agrees with the Word of God.
Let's accept that those thoughts, feelings, whatever it is inside us, that is not described in the fruit of the Spirit, is not described in the Chapter of Love, that these are NOT Spirit, and are merely soul, to be discarded.
We practice this, we are being trained in this. It is the renewing of the mind, which is something God does in us.
He is the One working in us to want to do, and be ABLE to do what pleases Him.
Our job, our working out our salvation, is to realize this process is happening, and to make conscious choices to put on that which is the new man, of the Spirit, and put what is the old man, the soul.
God even further simplifies this for us,
1 John 3:22-23 KJV
22) And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
23) And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
Anything that is against trust in Jesus, and love for others, is soul, and not Spirit.
It gets easier as you go along, but then, God has much usefulness in testing us. But He's the all-wise God, so He knows what He's doing with you.
Much love!
Last edited:
