Step Back and Take Another Look

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. I Thessalonians 5:23 (KJV)

This verse tells us that we are tri-part beings, made up of three parts: spirit, soul, and body. Your spirit was born-again when you were saved. Your soul (mind, will, and emotions) is being renewed by the renewing of your mind by the Word. This affects your will and emotions as well. Your body is not saved and will not be saved until the rapture. You are to yield, or give control of, your body to God.

We all face things in life: hurts, struggles, etc. Learn to separate what you go through from who you are. You might hurt and be in pain, but your name is not “Hurt.” Your spirit man has a new name: “Christian.” You are born of God. Don’t let anyone or anything redefine who you are in God’s eyes. In our spirits, we are overcomers, so don’t let anything overcome you. Live out who you are in Christ: a new creation. Don’t identify with the old you, your old self. That person’s gone.

When bad things happen, that’s not who you are. You are more than what happens to you in life. Renew your mind to God’s Word. Get His viewpoint on things and act accordingly. What we face in life is separate from who we are in Christ. Step back and really view the situation, the emotions, the thoughts, and know that you are more than all those things. And act like the new creation in Christ that you are.

Your body might give you trouble, whether it is sickness, temptation, or weakness. Just know that you are more than what you are presently experiencing or producing. Know that whatever you put your hand to do, God will give you the increase. Remember that God needs just a little to make much. Just do what He tells you to do, then He will do what only He can do.

We are each spirit, soul, and body. The real you is a spirit- the deepest part, your inner man. Your soul is your mind, will, and emotions, your middle man. Your body is the outer man. All of these together make the entire person. Trust God to preserve all three parts until Jesus comes. He will finish the work, and all three parts will be perfect at the rapture.

Just step back and look at all the areas in your life, and don’t let anything but God define who you are. You may struggle in your thoughts or emotions but know that you are more than what they try to tell you that you are. Your body may try to limit you, but God is unlimited in your spirit. You know, have, and can do all things through Christ. So, live out of your spirit, renew your soul, and yield your body to God. In the end, it will all be made perfect.