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Bible Study: As Thy Soul Prospers!

"Beloved, I wish above all things that you prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospers" [3John 1: 2]
 
Questions:
• What is the Difference Between The Soul and the Spirit?
• What Does the Bible Mean When it Says "As Thy Soul Prospers"
 
In order for us to understand the full meaning of 3John 1:2 we must first understand some of the basic principles of HOW man was created, and what we, as created beings made by God Himself consist of. In other words, the basic make-up of our being.
 

Scripture Reference:
""Beloved, I wish above all things that you prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospers" [3John 1: 2]
 

Spirit - Soul - Body:
"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." [1Thess. 5:23]
 
Did you notice from the above scripture that according to the Word of God, MAN is a three-part being. According to scripture: Man is a SPIRIT - He has a SOUL - and He lives in a BODY.
 
We understand that we were created in the very image and likeness of God (Gen 1:26) - and because GOD is a SPIRIT (John 4:24) WE must therefore also be spirits.
  
We also understand that scripture teaches that even when we are 'born-again' it is our SPIRIT that is recreated (reborn) even though our natural bodies may remain the same until the return of Christ. We know that scripture gives many references to the fact what we are spirits and therefore we accept this as being true: We are first and foremost: spirits.
 

We Have A Soul:
• "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." [1Thess. 5:23]
 
• "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]
 
• "Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls." [James 1:21]
 
Scripture also teaches us that while we are in essence SPIRITS - we also have a SOUL - and while our soul may be housed within our spirit, it is NOT the same as our spirit. Notice that Hebrews 4:12 tells us that the Word of God is able to "divide our soul from our spirit". This tells us clearly that while the soul and spirit may be joined together, they are not the same thing and can be divided or separated.
 
It is important for us to understand this Biblical principle if we are to understand many of the deeper things that pertain to the spirit (the strong meat) as mentioned by Paul in Hebrews 5:11 thru 6:3.
 

We Live In a Body:
• "Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:" [2Cor. 5:6]
 
• "We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord." [2Cor. 5:8]
 
Notice that the above scriptures tell us clearly that when we are "in the body" we are absent (not with) the Lord (in spirit) - and to be "with the Lord" (in spirit) we must be "absent from the body".
 
In other words: If we are to remain on earth we must retain our natural body. And, while there will come a time when our bodies will be glorified, and thereby allow us to be travel between earth and heaven, that time is not now. [Rom 8:11 • 1Cor. 6:14 • 1Cor. 15:15-23 • 1Cor. 15:35-54]
  
"Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed — in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable (body) must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal (body) with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory." [1Cor. 15:51-54]
 

Defining the Soul:
Now that we understand that man is a spirit - Man Has a soul - and Man lives in a body, it is important to us that we understand exactly WHAT the soul is. The original text (written in ancient Greek) uses the word "psuche" that is translated into Modern English as "soul".
 
Vine's Dictionary of Greek words defines the soul as "the seat of Intellect": the seat of the sentient element in man, that by which he perceives, reflects, feels, and desires. Basically, the soul is the place that houses our will, our emotions, and our intellect (the thinking, reasoning part of us: The Mind).
  
Because scripture tells us clearly that there IS a difference between the spirit and the soul, it therefore becomes easier to understand such passages as 3 John 1:2, Romans 12:2, James 1:21. Failing to understand this significant difference can lead only to confusion and as in the case of most Christians: Error.
 

 As Thy Soul Prospers:
Let's examine a few scriptures to see how they read now that we understand that the SOUL refers to (in part) "the thinking, reasoning part of us: The Mind".
 
• "Beloved, I wish above all things that you prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospers" [3John 1:2]
 
Did you notice according to 3 John 1:2, the level or degree to which we prosper, and/or obtain the health and healing of God is directly related to the level or degree that our SOUL ("the thinking, reasoning part of us: The Mind") is prospering?
 
Romans 12:2 states almost the same thing only in different language:
"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."
 
Notice again that according to scripture, situations and circumstances can be transformed (CHANGED) - but only when what we THINK about them changes. If we will renew our minds ("the thinking, reasoning part of us") to What God has promised in His Word, then things will CHANGE.

What We Think Matters:
"For as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he:" [Proverbs 23:7]
 
God has stated emphatically that what we THINK will have a direct effect on us! Jesus told us the same thing in Luke 6:45, therefore it is vital that we RENEW what we think, and make sure what we think is in agreement with what God has said in His Word about the situation.
 
It is important to understand that what we THINK is based entirely upon what we BELIEVE. If our believing is WRONG, then our THINKING will be wrong. And, if our thinking is wrong, then instead of the BLESSINGS manifesting in our life we will have something other than the blessing that we desire.
 
Jesus told us in Luke 6:45: "The good man brings GOOD THINGS out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil (doubtful, unbelieving) man brings evil things out of the evil (doubt and unbelief) stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks."
 
In other words, what we BELIEVE in our heart, and what we THINK in our mind is what we will speak out and talk about. And, when we do: We will experience not what we want, not what God has promised, but instead we will experience what we have been saying about it.
 
Therefore if we want to experience the blessing of God in our life, is vital to us as Christians what we speak health and healing, provision and prosperity, deliverance and freedom from affliction, addiction, oppression and depression and anything else that might come against us!
 

A Prospering Soul Causes Everything Else to Prosper:
More often than not, Christians focus on the wrong things. When trials and troubles come against them all they can THINK about is the trial and the trouble. This is why they speak of them so often. And when this happens, the power of God's Word that might otherwise change (transform) the trouble into BLESSING is not released by speaking in faith.

But! When a Christian RENEWS his/her mind to the Word of God, and their SOUL begins to prosper, suddenly the power of God's Word is released and things begin to CHANGE!
 

Allow Your Soul to Prosper:
How do we allow our soul to prosper? The answer is found in scripture:

• "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the RENEWING OF YOUR MIND...." [ROMANS 12:2]

• "Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls" [James 1:21]

Can I share a little secret with you?
The word "save" used in James 1:21 comes from the Greek word "euodoo" which is the SAME work used in 3John 1:2 that is translated as "prosper"!

Therefore, if we translate this scripture using the same principles of translation that were used in 3John 1:2 - the translation would be rendered: " Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to PROSPER your souls"
 

How Do We Assure That Our Soul Prospers?
Begin to study and learn the Word of God. Don't just read it: STUDY it!
• Ask the Lord for the wisdom to UNDERSTAND it.
• Ask Him to reveal the TRUTH of the Gospel to you.
He Will!
 
And, when this happens you will begin to see things as you never saw them before. You will begin to see ALL that Christ has purchased for you and what you have in Him as a child of God and an heir of Christ.
 
The result will be that your soul will begin to prosper as scripture has promised, and little-by-little you will begin to see changes in your finances, your body, your business, your marriage, your children, everything!
 

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In addition to his contributions to this website Reverend W. C. Slyde Moran also has a weekly television show • Online Audio Studies • and an ever-increasing outreach ministry providing free Audio teachings on CD to enable the growth and maturing of the body of Christ.

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