Created man:
- We are made in the image and likeness of God
- We possess His nature, His qualities, His essence
- He is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
- We are Spirit, Soul, and Body
For us to function in life at 100%, it is imperative that our WHOLE man be in good working order. In other words, our spirit, our soul, and our body must each be healthy and prospering in order for our life to prosper.
Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. – I Thes. 5.23
In this episode, I am talking about the SOUL of man.
What is the SOUL?
Our soul is the part of us that contains our will, our emotions, memories, core/root beliefs, and our thoughts. It is the place where memories are kept—good and bad. It is the place where wounds, hurts, disappointments, fears, and our sense of failures are contained. These in turn, control the course of our mind and produce corresponding actions, decisions, attitudes, pre-suppositions, etc.
- What I carry in this compartment GOVERNS my thoughts, actions, decisions, etc.”
- The SOUL is the WOMB
- It is the carrier and nurturer of SEED
- Therefore, my life will LOOK LIKE the contents and context of my soulish arena
- It is the SOUL, when not whole, causes us ill effects as long as they are undiscovered, unaddressed, and not broken.
Factors That Shape the Mind and Heart (or SOUL) of Man:
- As we discuss this list, I ask that you consider this
- Our SOUL contains ALL the information received by my senses, and that received by feeling and perceiving.
- What I experience, whether real or perceived, is retained on the hard-drive of my mind, and affects the short and long term health of the soul
- My experiences are real
- My perceptions of these experiences form my thoughts
- My thoughts form my beliefs
- My beliefs form the patterns of behavior
- These patterns of behavior produce and ultimately determine the quality and fruit of my life
- The quality of fruit in my life AFFIRMS what I already believe, good or bad
- As affirmation occurs, the pattern/cycle starts all over again
- Here are some examples of factors that shape us …
- Pre-Natal Memories
- Childhood Trauma
- Childhood Memories
- Rape
- Molestation
- Premature Sexual exposure or experience
- Observed/Perceived Behaviors and Truths
- Learning Deficiencies
- Self-Esteem formation
- Absentee Father
- Absentee Mother
- Deficient Father/Mother Relationships
- Domineering Mother
- Unhealthy Parental Philosophy and Indoctrination
- Absence of parental involvement, influence or mentoring
- Deficient Models for healthy relationships
- Cultural Environments
- Social Environments
- Abandonment
- Rejection
- Absence of Affirmation and Praise
- Overt Criticism
- Hurtful Words
- Failure/Mistakes
- Embarrassment or Shame
- Faulty image of God as Father
- Religious legalism
- Religious Teaching
- Authority Abuse
- Manipulation and Control
- Etc.
All these factors, (and so many others), can greatly affect the condition of one’s soul. These things shape …
- Our Emotions
- Our feelings
- Our Beliefs
- Our Guiding Philosophies of Life
- Our Process Orientation
- How we see life
- How we see ourselves
- How we see others
- How we view relationshipsHow we handle conflict
- Etc.
These are all SOUL matters –
They GOVERN our lives
They LIMIT our performance
They STEER our relationships
They CONTROL our emotional state
They SHAPE our worldview
Proverbs 23.7 – “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he …”
What I hold to be true in my heart and soul, whether true or not, becomes the governing factor in my life. If I believe I am used goods, I am used goods. If I believe I am worthless, I will behave and act like I am worth (less). If I believe that I cannot trust people, I will not trust, even if the person I am in relationship with is trustworthy. If I believe that I will always be poor, then no matter how much Ii want to be prosperous, I will always find a way to remain poor.
The Soul is the Key!
Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers. – III John 2
It is impossible to erase the WHAT’s that have happened. It is impossible to erase the WHO’s we have come in contact with. It is NOT, however, impossible to have the WHAT’S healed, and the effects of the WHO’S severed and disconnected. Our journey is our journey; we only arrive at a lesser destination if we stop traveling before we get ‘THERE’. Many of us have experienced some of the things we have mentioned here tonight. Because of this, the progress and productivity of our lives have been less than our potential mandates. The SOUL is the key to prosperity, and your SOUL can be healed.
QUESTIONS:
- Take some time for honest reflection concerning your life.
- Where has your soul been wounded, and your beliefs limited?
- Do any of the areas we mentioned in this episode apply to you?
- Are you willing to deal with the hurts and disappointments of your past?
- If so, are you ready to give those to God?
RESOURCES:
Book:
The Ties That Bind
Blog Posts:
Healing The Broken Soul – Part 1
Healing The Broken Soul – Part 2
NEXT WEEK:
- Next week I’m going to be talking about ‘How To Discover Your ONE Thing’
- People spend their entire lives doing everything; living to impress and please other; striving to make a living; most never find that LANE where true happiness and fulfillment is
- What if you could zero in on your true God given destiny?
- What is it that you were designed for?
- If you inventory your life (passions, dreams, talents, desires), what do those things point to?
- I like to call this your ONE THING
- Be sure to leave us a question at www.BrianHolmes.com and we will do our best to answer it in the show
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