#030

SPIRIT  WALKS

          I realize that what God has me serving is strong meat that is understood more by the spirit than by our souls.  When our souls are reading God’s Word, it’s difficult to read anything other than black and white print.  It’s hard to feel His presence and understand the personal interaction that is being transferred to our spirits.
          Yet, something is always being transferred to us, first through our souls and into our spirits as we read God’s Word.  It’s usually a desire to know more…about Him.  Eventually, that desire grows to know Him personally.
          As we consistently come to His Table to be fed (reading His Word and conversing with Him) He always has something fresh and new that He places on the table of our heart…to be examined, identified, and to be digested as it becomes an extension of His will and a part of our personal being of sprit-soul-body. 
SPIRIT  VERSUS  SOUL

          As I continue to search for recognition of the difference between our spirit and soul, and perhaps you too are seeing the significance of refining this matter, I can only share the way God trained me in the Spirit before He began to teach me about my soul.
          I think Holy Spirit wants me to share this story today.  He knows who it is for.

TAKING  A   WALK
WITH JESUS

          I had not idea what “soul” meant.  And, actually was not interested.  All I knew was that I wanted to know Jesus better.
          God placed me in environments that taught about the Holy Spirit whom I had not recognized while growing up.  Soon the scriptures about walking in the Spirit and about being Led by the Spirit, took on significance for me.
I wanted to be Led by the Spirit.

          There is a country lane beside my house and I envisioned walking beside Jesus on that lane.  It felt like He was saying, “Now, don’t walk ahead of Me, Gwen.  And don’t lag behind.  Just walk beside Me, hold My hand, and I will teach you many things.”  There was PEACE in walking as close to Him as I could.
          Some may call this our imagination, which is an area of the soul (our mind).  But, knowing no other way to get close to Jesus, God allowed the components of my soul to work to His and my advantage.  My spirit was affected even when my soul had no understanding about the division the Holy Spirit would reveal to me many years later.

LIKE  A  CHILD
ZIG – ZAGING

          Like a child, I began to walk a zig-zag pattern in my spirit.  “This is the way -  walk here.”  I’d go to the right.  “Now, this is the way, walk here.” and I would go to the left.
          I wanted so much to be sensitive to God’s leading.  Of course, it didn’t make a lick of sense to my soul (natural man), but it made all the sense in the world to my spirit.  The Holy Spirit was leading me.  I could see it, feel it, and knew it was true.
          With this zig-zag process, the Holy Spirit was teaching me at lot like a rider trains his cutting horse with gentle tugs on the reigns.  The more sensitive the horse becomes to his master’s pulls, the smoother the ride becomes. 
          Well, it worked for me.  This was my personal training.  Perhaps you have had a similar experience…yet, different.  This lasted a long time for me.  In fact I still adhere to it today. 
          I think it’s because God (of course) knows each of our souls (who we are through personality and experiences accumulated in our lives) that He has a special and usually different way to teach us.  He is so personal!

LAMA?  (WHY?)

          Oh my, there’s that Lama again. J Why did the Holy Spirit see fit to teach me to walk in the Spirit before showing me how my damaged soul (mind and emotions) could be restored?  At this point I really don’t know.  But, at this point I don’t have to know.  God is still God and will always be God…never asking more of us than He is able to provide.

OUR  STORY
HIS STORY – HISTORY CONTINUING
(Through us)

          We each have a story of an experience with Him.  These are my very favorite stories.  And they must be His, as well.
          Do you have an example of how the Holy Spirit taught you to be Led by His Spirit?  If so, please share it with me or others.  I’m not nearly as interested in the story of a stranger as I am in a friend that I know.  Surely, there are many untold stories that need to be released and shared as our Lord prompts us.

SOULISH  SHARING

          Yes, these stories could appear soulish and tasteless…if they do not come from a heart of gratitude (not for our glory) and the ability to step over the soulish pride of our past…and share an experience that could help someone else. 

STILL DIVIDING SOUL AND SPIRIT
   
          “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…, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” 
Hebrews 4:12.

FOR  BIBLICAL HEBREW  SCHOLARS

          I am definitely not a Bible Scholar in the soulish sense; that is, in the natural.  It doesn’t appear to be my part in the Body of Christ, but I do Praise God for these dedicated men and women of God who are.  They teach and bless us.
          However, from Hebrew Scholars…an area where I am also very limited, this I have learned.  One reason many are being brought to study Hebrew at this time is that words like:  SOUL – SPIRIT – HEART have different meanings in different scriptures.  Understanding their original meaning in Hebrew or Greek…often clarifies what God is consistently teaching us through His Word.

ONE MORE LAMA
(Remember “lama” means “why?” in Hebrew.)

          If you find yourself zig-zagging like I did, and constantly hearing His quiet voice that says… “This is the way…walk here” (Isaiah 30:21 LBP), please find comfort in it and know that your spirit is hearing from the Spirit of your Heavenly Father.
          We aren’t there yet.  Still in training.  About this time, soul pops us and asks….  “For What?”  “Training for What?”
          Yes, I guess this is a type of teaser because I leave that question to you.  Isn’t it interesting how we each seem to be assigned our own special Lamas (whys?)?  And my wild imagination (soul-mind) being put to good use, I can see now how Lamas can lead us to great conversations with our Lord.
          Go ahead and ask God, “WHY?”.  God has the answer to every question our minds can ask.  He SATISFIES our SOULS.
And when we are full from our daily bread, we are now prepared to
SHARE

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