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In Every Dimension
"Soul—Renewed"

By David H. McKinley

Message Notes pdf version (2 pages)

Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.
—1 Thessalonians 5:23-24

Spirit–pneuma Distinctive
Soul–psuche Operative
Body–soma Active

SEARCHlNG THE SOUL

Soul: Reflection/Thoughts; Emotion/Feelings; Decision/Choices

• Your soul is the storehouse of your identity, personality and integrity.

Identity = How you see you.
Personality = How others see you.
Integrity = Who you really are.

• Your soul can provide a faux-finish for true spirituality.

“Our natural life is a formidable obstacle to spiritual life. Never satisfied with God alone, it invariably adds something extra to God. Hence it is never at peace. Before the self is touched, God’s children live by very changeable stimulations and sensations. That is why they exhibit a wavy up-and-down existence. Because they allow their soulical energies to mix in with spiritual experiences, their ways are often unstable. They accordingly are not qualified to lead others. Their unrelinquished soul power continually deflects them from letting the spirit be central. In the excitement of soulical emotion, the spirit suffers great loss in freedom and sensation… Many saints who seek a spiritual walk share a common experience—one of groanings because their soul and spirit are not at one. The thought, will and emotion of their soul often rebel against the spirit, refuse to be directed by the spirit and resort to independent actions which contradict the spirit. The life in their spirit is bound to suffer in such a situation.” —Watchman Nee

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. —Hebrews 4:12

Nothing hides us from the precise and strategic strike of Scripture. God's Word exposes hypocrisy and reveals the need for truth and grace. God knows counterfeit faith and "soulish" religion that lacks spiritual reality!

• Your soul is the foremost battleground for spiritual warfare.

Jesus warns against the betrayal of the soul:

For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works. —Matthew 16:25-27 NKJV

SANCTIFYING THE SOUL

Sanctification: “…the act or process of making holy; setting apart.”

• Secure Your Thoughts

You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. —Isaiah 26:3

The world is unprincipled. It's dog-eat-dog out there! The world doesn't fight fair. But we don't live or fight our battles that way—never have and never will. The tools of our trade aren't for marketing or manipulation, but they are for demolishing that entire massively corrupt culture. We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ. Our tools are ready at hand for clearing the ground of every obstruction and building lives of obedience into maturity. —2 Corinthians 10:3-6 (The Message)

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. —Romans 12:1-2

God's Word is a cleansing agent of our thoughts. God's Word renews and restores our minds as we allow the "mind of Christ" to rule in us.

• Temper Your Emotions

“God does not do His deepest work in the shallowest part.”

• Measure Your Decisions

On May 4, 1865, the body of Abraham Lincoln lay in state in the State House in Springfield, Illinois. A 250-voice choir sang a hymn just before the casket was closed and taken to the cemetery:

Peace, Troubled Soul, Thou Need'st Not Fear

Peace, troubled soul, thou need’st not fear;
Thy great Provider still is near;
Who fed thee last, will feed thee still:
Be calm, and sink into His will.

The Lord, who built the earth and sky,
In mercy stoops to hear thy cry;
His promise all may freely claim;
Ask and receive in Jesus’ Name.

Without reserve give Christ your heart,
Let Him His righteousness impart;
Then all things else He’ll freely give;
With Him you all things shall receive.

Thus shall the soul be truly blest,
That seeks in God His only rest;
May I that happy person be,
In time and in eternity.

—Samuel Ecking

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This message was preached from the pulpit of Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas, on Sunday, August 3, 2008.

Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® unless otherwise indicated, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

NKJV: Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

The Message: Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.