Wednesday, September 26, 2018

Strengthening Our Spirits: Why, When & How


Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you through and through; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept complete and [be found] blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Thessalonians 5:23)

Many Christians have been taught we have a spirit, soul and body but not too many understand the role of each of them. Some believe the soul and spirit are the same but that is not scriptural.

“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.”  Hebrews 4:12


The spirit is the part of us that is connected to God and Heaven,  the soul is our mind, will, and emotions: what connects to the things of this earth. It is God’s will that the spirit rule over the soul and body. The soul has a memory, will, and emotions. While the soul depends on the functionality of your brain and body for it to express itself or be conscious, the spirit on the other hand can exist on its own, apart from the soul and body.

According to many deliverance teachers, your soul can be effected in the following ways:
  • bound by swearing an oath (Num 30:2-13) 
  • knitted or tied with another soul (1Sam18:1)
  • dried away or withered (Num 11:6)
  • grieved, vexed or in bitterness (Judges 10:16, 16:16, 1 Sam 1:10)
  • cursed by words of the mouth (Job 31:30)
  • spoiled and humbled (Ps 35:12, 13) 
  • pant after and thirst for God (Ps 42:1,2) 
  • be lean; made empty (Ps 106:15, Is 32:6) 
  • be devoured, killed and destroyed (Ez 22: 25, Matt 10:28) 
  • be unstable, beguiled (entrapped) (2 Peter 2:14).
If a person has had any ungodly activities and relationships in their past, especially occult and sex related e.g rape, incest, beastiality or sex outside of marriage, they will have definitely opened the door to spiritual darkness in the soul and spirit.

Although many deliverance ministries have had good intentions, the dilemma has been that they have been too focused on healing the wounded soul and have completely neglected the spirit man. Many have failed to see that your spirit has become:
  • Feeble
  • Faint
  • Malnourished
  • Ignored 
  • Rejected
“So my spirit grows faint within me; my heart within me is dismayed...” (Psalm 143:4)
For years deliverance ministries have emphasised the importance of healing the soul, soul restoration, and on making the soul whole again. Many have purchased teachings and paid a lot of money to receive deliverance and yet have not succeeded in overcoming their problems. Why is that? I believe it is because things have been done in the wrong order. We have not recognized that our problem is a weakened spirit that does not have the strength, power or anointing to fight back any demons that will try to come back to invade the soul.

It is said that the power that controls the soul, controls the person. Satan’s goal is to control our soul by deceit. The soul will appeal to the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes. It is controlled by pride. Why would you want your soul to dominate your body and spirit?

During deliverance they will speak to your soul. They pray for your soul and they cast demons out of the soul, but where is the fruit? If the spirit is not strong enough to lead, then deliverance is often only temporary.

The key to freedom in Christ, is not to focus on healing the soul first but to focus on ‘strengthening the spirit’. When ministering to the spirit through the Word and prayer, we are asking God to bless us so that according to the promises of His Word, the Holy Spirit can move in with greater measure, taking His proper place, empowering your spirit to dominate the soul and body. 


WEAK or MALNOURISHED SPIRIT


One dilemma of a weak spirit is, if you have not spent time reading and feeding on the Word of God, your spirit is most likely malnourished, therefore it cannot be in a close relationship with God. Without the Word, and because the spirit is weak, your relationship with God is only ‘head knowledge’ within the soul and you rely on other people’s experiences or teachings about God but you really do not know God on your own.

You may think you are hearing the voice of the Holy Spirit but instead, it is a voice coming from your wounded, controlling, dominant soul.

REJECTED SPIRIT

“Answer me quickly, O Lord; my spirit fails. Do not hide your face from me or I will be like those who go down to the pit...” (Psalm 143:7)
If your spirit has been rejected for many years, and you’ve been through a lot of trauma in life, your spirit can gradually shrink back and possibly even go into hiding because it has not been recognised as an important part of the individual.

GRIEVED, CRUSHED, BROKEN or BRUISED SPIRIT


Your spirit man can also grieve to the point that it can become so burdened down that it feels crushed, broken and bruised.  When your spirit is unbearably burdened, it is just too heavy to bear for a weakened spirit and you begin to have no hope for the future. The spirit then starts thinking about death or suicide.
For the enemy has persecuted me, He has crushed my life down to the ground; He has made me dwell in dark places, like those who have been long dead.  (Psalm 143:3)
“My spirit is broken, my days are extinguished, The grave is ready for me.  (Job 17:1)
Examples of a person with a broken spirit can be someone who is a rape victim or one who has witnessed a horrific crime. It could be a person that was given too much responsibility when they were children e.g. they had an ailing mother so had to fill her shoes of taking care of the family. They may have been abused by someone in authority and the words spoken over them crushed their spirit.
A happy heart is good medicine and a joyful mind causes healing, But a broken spirit dries up the bones. (proverbs 17:22)

DEFILED SPIRIT


A person can also have a ‘defiled spirit’ especially if there has been occult practice personally or by their ancestors. This will block them from being able to enter into true worship with God. Their spirits can even become imprisoned or caged if witchcraft rituals have been performed on them. Do you fall asleep whenever you attempt to read the bible?

A defiled spirit is the result of the sin of Idolatry; worshipping other Gods, participating in all forms of witchcraft and freemasonry. If this is you, you need ministering to your spirit immediately!
“So come out from among unbelievers and be separate,” says the Lord, “And do not touch what is unclean; And I will graciously receive you and welcome you [with favor], (2 Cor 6 17)

RULED BY THE SPIRIT


Let us emphasize that when the spirit is weak and the soul is the ‘centre of attention’, the soul then is allowed to rule and reign over the spirit man. Focusing on repairing the soul first, is not how you are going to get your breakthrough. Even going through the courts of Heaven is not a guarantee you will hold on to your healing, unless your spirit and soul are cooperating with the Holy Spirit together. 

When the soul, spirit and body are out of order, it is your responsibility to gradually feed your spirit truth so that the soul can step back to its proper place submitted to the spirit. Over time your spirit will once again feel legitimate and be recognized as an important part of the person.

Your goal is for your spirit to become ‘actively engaged’ in the healing process and be alert enough to work with the Holy Spirit. When the spirit is engaged in receiving ministry it can tap into the resources of God, the gifts of God and the power of God.

Clear signs of a weakened spirit are: a lack of peace with no evidence of the fruits of the Holy Spirit manifesting in your life. If you do not have love, joy, peace, patience (an even temper, forbearance), kindness, goodness (benevolence), faithfulness, Gentleness (meekness, humility), and self-control truly manifesting in your life as explained in Galatians 5:22 then your spirit is not fully engaged with the Holy Spirit. You still must learn how to die to the flesh and feed yourself spiritual food from the Word of God. You cannot sustain the anointing of the Holy Spirit if your spirit is weak. It is your spirit that enters the Courts of Heaven and is seated in Heavenly places.

When you meditate daily on the Word of God, your spirit will be able to obey God.
Keep [actively] watching and praying so that you do not come into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the ]body is weak.” (Mark 14:38)
Our soul must submit to our spirit and our flesh must die and submit to the soul. Spirit, soul and body is the order in which we must live as Christians. The Bible tells us clearly that we must die to the flesh.
For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. (Romans 8:13) 
We must understand that the spirit is meant to reflect the seven fold nature of God because it was created in the image of God: wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord  Isaiah 11:2
The spirit has also been given the seven motivational or operational gifts by our Heavenly Father.
Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to use them accordingly: if [someone has the gift of] prophecy, [let him speak a new message from God to His people] in proportion to the faith possessed;  if service, in the act of serving; or he who teaches, in the act of teaching;  or he who encourages, in the act of encouragement; he who gives, with generosity; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy [in caring for others], with cheerfulness. (Romans 12:6-8) 
Then there are also gifts of the Holy Spirit which are given to believers.
Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.  (1 Corinthians 12:7)
So as we minister to the spirit, we are legitimizing the nature of God that our spirit was born with. We are drawing out that which God gifted us with.

When going into the Courts of Heaven (COH), our spirit must be alert and strong so that when you are in the COH and a verdict is called out by the Mighty Judge, and the Holy Spirit instructs the guide to evict the demons, they will flee for good and stay out. Your spirit man will immediately recognize that deliverance has taken place and will discern later on if they try to return.

You have heard Lynn say the Courts of Heaven is a place for mature believers. A mature believer has its spirit overruling the soul and manifesting most of the fruits of the Holy Spirit. One cannot get offended when correction is given in the COH.

When your soul is submitted to the spirit and in unity with the spirit man, the correction given is well received and brings joy not offense. Both soul and spirit must honor that the COH is the place of the highest authority over Heaven and Earth. The soul will do that by submitting to the spirit and allowing the Holy Spirit to guide our spirit in the COH.

Deliverance in the Courts of Heaven is only the beginning. The true purpose of the Courts is not to obtain healing, but to remove the enemy so we can have a deeper relationship with God. Those only seeking healing and freedom may obtain this in the courts and rarely think of God in the busy hustle and bustle of life. That is not what God intends.

Once victory is achieved in the COH, the most important step for you to do is continue “ministering to your spirit.” This deepen your relationship with God. In many cases, just because you have completed your visits in the COH it does not necessarily mean you have finished the healing process. You have formed good habits of being in the Word, do not stop after you have been through the COH.

You do not want seven more demons to come back… We must continually work out our salvation, as Paul states in the Bible, “going from glory to glory” and that is done daily with the Word of God which gives life to our spirit, soul and body.

Mature believers and baby Christians alike all need to be ministering the Word God into their spirit daily. How else are you going to remain mature if you don’t stay in the Word? We cannot live on yesterday’s manna. It will become stale. We need fresh bread daily which is the Word of God. The Word of God is what gives life to our spirit. The Word of God is Jesus. The Word of God is truth. The Word of God is bread that our spirit cannot live without.
Jesus then said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread out of heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread out of heaven. "For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world." Then they said to Him, "Lord, always give us this bread."  (John 6:32-35)
The Word of God will continue to usher in the anointing from the Holy Spirit that gives peace to our spirit and soul. Your spirit needs daily communication with the Holy Spirit. This is what God initially intended for all of us in the Garden of Eden. We must renew our spirit man daily.
“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.” (2 Cor 4:16)
“But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.” (1 Peter 3:4)

PRACTICAL STEPS TO MINISTER TO YOUR SPIRIT


Reading the Word out loud is blessing your spirit, and this has been proven to be one of the most fruitful exercises you can do to help strengthen your spirit. In fact it will bless your spirit, soul and body!

Ideally, if someone can partner with you, your spirit is far more receptive to listening to the reading of the Word and the prayers being prayed out loud. Your spirit can focus on the words being said when you can look at the person in the eyes and allow them to ask God to bless your spirit. If you can do this with each other daily, or even weekly, you will both grow in Christ at a much faster pace allowing your spirits to gain strength.
“And the child grew and became strong in spirit” (Luke 1:80)
To begin with we simply ask the soul to step aside and call your spirit to the forefront or to attention in the name of Jesus of Nazareth.  Many will begin to feel their spirit respond to this command. This is called engaging the spirit on purpose.

Our spirit is the dwelling place for the spirit of God and by engaging the spirit we are helping it to recognize it’s value; who we are in Christ and encourage the spirit to operate in all the gifts that was given to it. God desires our daily presence and our spirit desires His presence. This is our goal: to enter into the secret place and commune with God everyday.

Below are sample prayers to pray to minister to your spirit with the word of God. When praying a blessing do not say I bless you. Instead say, may the Lord bless you, or the Father blesses you. We have nothing to give them other than the Word of God. The blessings come from God not us.

(Name) ___________________ I
ask your soul to step aside and I call your spirit to attention in the name of Jesus.
The Lord loves me with an everlasting love and has promised to give me a future and a hope. With loving kindness He has drawn me unto Himself. I look carefully and intently at the manner of love the Father has poured out upon me.It is through this love that He has called me to be His dear child. I am completely and fully accepted in Him, my God and Saviour.
Nothing can separate me from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus my Lord - not tribulation or distress, not persecution, famine or nakedness, not peril, sword, angels, principalities, powers, death nor life, neither things present nor things to come - absolutely nothing can separate me from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus my Lord. 
God's love towards me is patient and kind. His love for me bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things and endures all things. His love will never fail. His love for me is so rich that He gave His only begotten Son. Because of this I will never perish but will have everlasting life with Him. As a result of God’s great love for me I have an unbreakable, eternal covenant with Him. Through this covenant of love, He has put His laws within my heart and has written His commandments upon my mind. 
I have been invited to the Lords banqueting table and His banner over me is love. His love is better than the choicest of wines. Through His intimate love, He draws and invites me to follow after Him. I am fair and pleasant to Him. I am rooted and grounded in His love and am well able to comprehend with all believers what is the width and length and height of His unfailing love. I have been called to know this rich love that surpasses knowledge so that I may be filled with all the fullness of God. I truly am the object of His deepest affection. 
Christs perfect love has cast out all fear in me and has enabled me to be a passionate lover of God and others. Love is my greatest aim in life
Song of Solomon 1;2-4 2:4 Jeremiah 31:3 Matt 22;37-40 John 3;16 Rom;8;38-39 1Cor;13;4, 7-18; 14;1 Eph;1;6, 18-19 Heb;8;10 1 John 3;1;4;14

Agape Christian Fellowship holds an online weekly meeting where we will minister to your spirit for an hour with Lydia to help you get started. We also have a daily prayer time on Facebook with Lynn and a weekly communion time with Sandra. These meetings are for everyone; especially those that do not have a prayer partner that can minister to them. If you register for these events on our website, then you will receive a reminder the day before the meeting:

https://www.agape-cf.org/events

When you come to the meetings please just come and relax as we minister to your spirit. It will refresh you and strengthen you. Once your spirit is engaged and participating, you will feel the presence of God as you allow the Holy Spirit to minister to your spirit when the Word is being read out loud. Awesome things happen at these meetings.
May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  1 Thes 5:23
 More Articles on the Courts of Heaven can be found in the: 

Courts of Heaven
tab in the menu at the top.

FREE Books

Believers' Boot Camp series

Believers' Boot Camp - Volume One
Believers' Boot Camp: Volume Two
Roadmap to Heaven
Destroying Curses
in the Courts of Heaven


Many people think of boot camp as a place you train for combat. Any veteran will tell you that basic training is about three things:
  • Knowing what weapons are available 
  • Learning how to use those weapons 
  • Receiving orders and following them 
Believer’s Boot Camp series is a collection of books which teach us how to hear more clearly from God with the goal to ready ourselves for a face-to-face meeting with our Lord, Jesus. The series reveals the “weapons and tools” God has given us and how to use them, so we can bring God’s kingdom to Earth. Each book in the series focuses on a single topic to clearly define one tool or weapon from our Heavenly Father. 

The series uses the Word of God to reveal all that He has given us through Jesus. The Bible is our instruction manual and the Holy Spirit is our guide to understanding it.

Why Doesn't God Speak to Me?

Eager hearts cry out, hoping for a single word to confirm that He hears us. Yet, many times the only sound is silence. Over the years I have heard several reasons why God speaks to some and not to others. One night, as I tossed and turned, I brought each of these reasons before the Lord, stating why each of them did not line up with who I thought He was. 

Words rose from my soul, pleading for Him to reveal why He has remained silent when a single word from Him would mean so much to so many. For the next few hours, God used things I learned about years ago and things I had just discovered to show why He talks to some and why He doesn’t, and in demonstrative ways. 

In His grace, He also showed me how people could hear more from Him. Basic instructions on how to hear more from God and how to be led by Him are included in this book. Thank you for taking time to consider the answers I received and share with you now.

Keys to Authority for Every Believer

There is untapped power that is easy for every Christian to access in the form of authority. The keys to this authority will unlock weapons we can use to free ourselves from the attacks of the enemy. We must be intimately aware of the bounds and limitations of our weapon if they are to be used effectively. 

Find out about your authority:
  • Why you need it.
  • Where it comes from.
  • What you can do with it.
  • How to get more.

1 comment:

  1. Thank you, Lynn. This is the BEST, backed by scripture, outline, defining the human spirit and soul and their relationships to one another and the Holy Spirit. I have complained mightily and epically about not having any beginner books for people who have never been exposed to the truths and operations of the human spirit and soul.
    I can't wait to read your books!

    ReplyDelete