My laptop’s screen broke… YES, my parents also told me not to play with balls in the house when I grew up, but if you have a serious contentious wrestling match with your 9 year old daughter, you need to throw a soccer ball in the attempt to get away from a death grip… it was a matter of win or lose… she was three-two ahead, I couldn’t go down like that, the ball was thrown, in the house, on the laptop, okay… That’s why I haven’t posted anything for some time now.
In this time of “absence”; a friend and I had a road trip planned to the most southern point of Africa in Struisbaai. A trip that had a lot of spiritual expectations. The same friend and his wife went to a farm in the Free State the week leading to our trip, in a small town called Hobhouse. I left for the farm early on the Thursday morning, along with their children. OUR plan was for us 2 to leave early the following morning for Struisbaai, and get his family again on our way back. Soon after my arrival to the farm my friend called me aside… “Bro, I feel we must stay on the farm and reschedule the Cape trip.” He started sharing some revelations he had in the time he was there, which made me very curious and hungry. We chose to stay on the farm… as God planned it. The first 2 days we spent time at God’s feet and fed by His word… Our hearts were open to receive that which He wanted to feed us.
The rest of the weekend was all about relaxing, in a beauty of landscapes, created by God, showing off His art skills. Horse riding in the mountains, quad biking to the river, walking in the veld amongst cow and sheep, sunsets, sunrises, star gazing, lightning storms etc. etc… I didn’t have much alone time to tap into His presence, to feel His touch, to hear His voice… However, His beauty could be seen all around, His majesty could be experienced first-hand, the Word He has spoken at the beginning of our time is still at work and flowing in energy.
I went to hike alone early on the Sunday morning to see the sunrise. As I was praying, I heard Him saying “Look at Me… Just, look at Me.” My whole being became silent, dead quiet… Spirit, Soul and Flesh in total silence and shut down, sitting under a cross that the owners erected on a small cliff… it was amazing… shutting down all thoughts and emotions, surrendering it ALL to God, while I looked at His splendor unfolding in front of me with the dawning of a new day. These words got stuck in my head, and I can still hear it, over and over and over…. “Look at Me… Just, Look at me.”
Since this day God has been speaking a lot to me about these words (Look at Me) and revealing more about the composition of us as human beings, Spirit, Soul and Flesh. Let’s jump into the juicy part…
“Look to Me, and be saved, all you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other.
Isaiah 45:22-23
In 1 Thessalonians 5:23 Paul tells us to have our Spirit, Soul and Body blameless unto the coming of Jesus.
Spirit meaning in Greek (Pneuma): the disposition or influence which fills and governs the soul of any one, the efficient source of any power, affection, emotion, desire.
Soul (also referred to as the Heart) meaning in Greek (Psuche): (a) the seat of the feelings, desires, affections, aversions (our heart, soul etc.) (b) the (human) soul in so far as it is constituted that by the right use of the aids offered it by God it can attain its highest end and secure eternal blessedness, the soul regarded as a moral being designed for everlasting life.
Body meaning in Greek (Soma): the body or corpse both of men or animals. Referring to 2 Corinthians 10:3-4 which says “even though we walk in flesh, our warfare is not against flesh.” This FLESH meaning in Greek (Sarx): flesh or carnal nature, which denotes mere human nature, the earthly nature of man apart from divine influence, and therefore prone to sin and opposed to God.
A phrase commonly used in the Christian body is “Give your heart to Jesus.” It sounds cliché, but what does this really mean? As per the above translation of the word Soul, which is also referred to as heart… we can say “Give your Soul to Jesus.” The soul is where the thoughts, emotions, feelings, desires and affections are. By the right use of support given by God it can achieve its highest form, and eternal life.
Another phrase we commonly hear is “You are a New Creation in Christ.” But which part of this composition is “New”? Ezekiel prophesied in Ezekiel 11:19 (NIV) ‘I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them.” In John 14:15-31 Jesus so beautifully explained to us that He will send us the Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor, Counselor, Strengthener… The Holy Spirit, which the world cannot take to its HEART, because they don’t know Jesus. Romans 8:11 tells us that God has given us the same Spirit that resurrected Jesus; Galatians 4:6 tells us that we are Sons of God, part heirs and God has sent Jesus’ Spirit into our hearts.
In Colossians 3:5 we are told to kill the evil desires, the “animal impulses” that try to infiltrate our hearts, our souls, this is being said after a powerful introduction in Colossians 3:1-4 of “You are sharing in Christ’s resurrection, thus set your minds on things above, where Christ is seated, at the right hand of God. Our New life is hidden in Christ, and you will appear in the splendor of His glory when He appears in your life.” In Ephesians 4:20-24 Paul tells us to put on the new, regenerated self which is created in God’s image and that we should put away the former corrupted desires.
We are designed in Spirit, Soul and Flesh (Carnal Animal instincts). Our core is in our Soul, our thoughts, emotions, desires and affections are seated in our Soul. When our soul or hearts are empty, drained or tired it will seek to be filled… The Animal instinct will kick in, with the attempted involvement and schemes of the enemy, to try and infiltrate it with carnal “short-lived” desires and cravings, when we give into these desires and cravings, the temporal escape can turn into bondage, causing idolatry, which is taking our devotion above God.
However, we have been resurrected from death with Christ, and God has sent the same Spirit to influence and govern our hearts. God has given us a new undivided heart that is open and receptive of the influence the Spirit is giving us, a heart that is fully devoted to God’s truth. Romans 12:2 beautifully explain that we should be focussing on Godly values and ethical attitudes, to have your mind inline with God’s will and purpose, to think the way God thinks.
This choice of thinking, life or death, have a ripple effect in our lives. If we look for satisfaction for our broken souls in fleshly actions, we will never experience God’s love, we will believe the lies the enemy is telling us and not fulfil God’s purpose in our lives. If we chose to allow the Holy Spirit to filter into our soul, and our way of thinking, we will appear in Jesus’ glory, and live by the Truth and how God sees us, whole and complete, without spot or blemish, cleansed by the precious blood of Jesus Christ. The beauty in this choice is comfort, peace, love, joy, kindness, patience, faithfulness, self-control, goodness and kindness… not only will we experience this in our own souls, but it will produce these fruits for our neighbours to feed off.
“Look at Me… Just, look at me… I am the author and finisher of your faith… I am the way, the truth and the life… I am the bread of life, and whoever come to Me will not go hungry, whoever believes in me will never thirst.”
John 14:6; Hebrews 12:2, John 6:35
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