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Author Topic: The Human Spirit
WildB
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Trinity in action.

A human being is a spiritual being in a flesh body with a soul (mind, will and emotions).

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That is all.....

Posts: 8775 | From: USA, MICHIGAN | Registered: Mar 2004  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Carol Swenson
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THE HUMAN SPIRIT - A FEW BASIC TRUTHS FROM SCRIPTURE


Psalms 51:10 - 11 (NASB)

Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from Your presence
And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.



1. The human spirit is the very essence of life in a human being. It is eternal and is created by the creator God, through Jesus Christ His Son.

(Ecclesiastes 11:5 NIV) As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother's womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things.

(Isaiah 44:24 NIV) "This is what the LORD says-- your Redeemer, who formed you in the womb: I am the LORD, who has made all things, who alone stretched out the heavens, who spread out the earth by myself,

(John 1:2-4 NIV) Jesus was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men.

2. The human spirit inhabits the human being at conception and departs the physical body at the point of death. The length between these two points is determined by our Creator God.

(Psalm 139:13-16 NIV) For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

3. From conception, our human body, together with the development of the soul, (mind, will and emotions), will progress in God's creative order. Within the human spirit at conception is contained all that God intended for us to have, to live and sustain life in human form for our life on earth.

4. God made mankind in His own image and God is Spirit.

(Genesis 1:26-27 NIV) Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground."
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

(John 4:24 NIV) God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."

5. The source of the human spirit is God's own spirit.

(Genesis 2:7 NIV) the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.

6. Our conception then is the most spiritual moment of our lives, when God used our parents as the vessel for giving us life.

7. Our Creator God Himself formed us and knows us.

As we develop this teaching on the human spirit we will be looking at the vulnerability of the unborn child, even from conception, to spiritual, emotional and psychological trauma. The human spirit is receptive to other human interaction around it and can suffer stress, anxiety and fear. It can suffer rejection by feeling unwanted and unloved. This is met clearly in Christian Healing Ministry but is now recognized in some secular psychological medicine. Such influence is of spiritual origin (spirit to spirit) by way of Godly or ungodly spiritual ties with parents, and attack from within the ungodly spiritual realms. It is now recognized that the early roots of human depression can stem from within the first three months of fetal life.

A human being is a spiritual being in a flesh body with a soul (mind, will and emotions). A human being has a conscience and can experience intuition--these are spiritual attributes.

8. Made in the image of God, the spiritual part of man was deemed to be in ascendancy over the flesh and soul. In rebellion against God un-regenerate man places the mind and body above, or even denies, the spirit within him.

(Romans 8:13 NIV) For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
(Romans 8:15 NIV) For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of son ship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.

THE HUMAN SPIRIT IS OUR HIDDEN REAL IDENTITY

1. The human spirit in mankind is the source of the whole life. Who we are, where we have come from, and where we are going. It makes sense of our journey.

2. In the human spirit is found the vitality, strength and power needed to sustain life, to nourish and nurture the soul and body, and to bring it to Godly maturity.

3. The health and condition of the hidden human spirit reflects back into the natural human mind, emotions and physical health in that person.

4. A broken damaged spirit will reflect in the natural life, a broken damaged person.

5. Where a seed of rejection is sown in a life and anger and injustice reign, then feelings and thoughts allow the soul to dominate the spirit.

6. This mechanism allows the soul to usurp the protective role of the spirit, and the flesh says, “I will do it my way". This is instead of allowing the spirit to find solace, healing, restoration, peace and joy that are in the Heart of God, through the Holy Spirit.

7. In our human spirit we have a true picture of our identity, or our real heart before God. It shapes our personality and nature, giftings and temperament. It is the precious core of who I am and who I am becoming. It is through my spirit that God is able to change me and give me new life.

(John 3:3-8 NIV) In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."

"How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!"

Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.' The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."

8. It is through the human spirit that our minds are renewed, mindsets are discarded, and truth replaces the lies implanted by Satan.

(Romans 12:2 NIV) 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.

9. It is through our human spirit that God gives us purpose in our lives through His calling and through mighty visions and prophecy. Through our human spirit He seals our destiny.

(2 Corinthians 12:1 NIV) I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to be gained, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord.

(Acts 2:17 NIV) "'In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.

10. It is in our human spirit that the roots of our individual sexuality are found that can be damaged or oppressed in sexual abuse.

Psalm 10:17 NIV) You hear, O LORD, the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry,
(Psalm 10:18 NIV) defending the fatherless and the oppressed, in order that man, who is of the earth, may terrify no more.

(Eccl 4:1 NIV) Again I looked and saw all the oppression that was taking place under the sun: I saw the tears of the oppressed-- and they have no comforter; power was on the side of their oppressors-- and they have no comforter.

(Amos 2:7 NIV) They trample on the heads of the poor as upon the dust of the ground and deny justice to the oppressed. Father and son use the same girl and so profane my holy name.

(Luke 4:18-19 NIV) Jesus said "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed to proclaim the year of the Lord's favour."

11. It is with our human spirit we commune with God in Jesus.

(Hebrews 13:15 NIV) Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise--the fruit of lips that confess his name.

(Matthew 6:6 NIV) But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

THE HUMAN SPIRIT IS THE LIFE SPRING OF THE PERSON

1. Intuition prompts the mind and can promote caution in any natural activity. It is an out working of the human spirit

2. The human conscience is in the human spirit and promotes an inherent knowledge of good and evil.

(Romans 9:1 NIV) I speak the truth in Christ--I am not lying, my conscience confirms it in the Holy Spirit-- In the following verse of scripture reference is made to instinct, which in this case is in unredeemed man (not born again in the spirit). Acting instinctively is spirit activity.

(2 Corinthians 1:12 NIV) Now this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, in the holiness and sincerity that are from God. We have done so not according to worldly wisdom but according to God's grace.

(Jude 1:10 NIV) Yet these men speak abusively against whatever they do not understand; and what things they do understand by instinct, like unreasoning animals--these are the very things that destroy them.

3. Creativity and inspiration are deep, fragile, and an often damaged part of the human spirit. We are made in the image of our Creator God and creativity it is a precious gifting in this.

(Genesis 1:1 NIV) In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
(Genesis 1:27 NIV) So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

4. It is only through the human spirit that we are able to pray and offer true worship to our Father God.

(John 4:24 NIV) Jesus said "God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."

5. There is a special bonding between the spirit and the emotions of human beings. The emotions reflect in the human soul (mind, will and emotions) the true state and health of the human spirit.

(Hebrews 4:12 NIV) For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

(1 Samuel 1:13 NIV) Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk.
(1 Samuel 1:15 NIV) "Not so, my lord," Hannah replied, "I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the LORD.

(Job 3:20 NIV) "Why is light given to those in misery, and life to the bitter of soul,

6. It is through the human spirit that we yearn for spiritual bonding. In unregenerate man this search is to fill a void , which is rightly God's abode. For the spiritually reborn, this bonding is a spiritual love and acceptance.

(Job 19:26-27 NIV) And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes--I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!

(Psalm 84:2 NIV) My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.

(Isaiah 26:9 NIV) My soul yearns for you in the night; in the morning my spirit longs for you. When your judgments come upon the earth, the people of the world learn righteousness.

7. A human spirit is redeemed or unredeemed, but it contains all the above elements.

FUNCTIONS OF THE HUMAN SPIRIT

1) The primary function of the human spirit is to be the life-spring of the being.

2) To receive from God the life for our body and soul.

(Luke 23:46 NIV) Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last.

(James 2:26 NIV) As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

3) To receive new birth.

(John 3:16 NIV) "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

4) To communicate and encourage life to others, spirit to spirit.

(Colossians 2:5 NIV) For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how orderly you are and how firm your faith in Christ is.

5) To bring comfort to body and soul.

(Psalm 42:5 NIV) Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.

(2 Corinthians 7:13 NIV) By all this we are encouraged. In addition to our own encouragement, we were especially delighted to see how happy Titus was, because his spirit has been refreshed by all of you.

6) To reveal the things of God.

(1 Corinthians 2:11 NIV) For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.

(Ephesians 1:17 NIV) I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.

7) To bring conviction through the conscience.

(Romans 2:15 NIV) since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.)

8) To release creativity.

(Exodus 31:6 NIV) Moreover, I have appointed Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, to help him. Also I have given skill to all the craftsmen to make everything I have commanded you:

9) To enable true worship of God.

(John 4:23 NIV) Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.
(John 4:24 NIV) God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."

10) To empower the whole being.

(Proverbs 18:14 NIV) A man's spirit sustains him in sickness, but a crushed spirit who can bear?

11) To facilitate the plans of God.

(Psalm 37:30-34 NIV) The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks what is just.
The law of his God is in his heart; his feet do not slip.
The wicked lie in wait for the righteous, seeking their very lives; but the LORD will not leave them in their power or let them be condemned when brought to trial.
Wait for the LORD and keep his way. He will exalt you to inherit the land; when the wicked are cut off, you will see it.

(2 Kings 5:26 NIV) But Elisha said to him, "Was not my spirit with you when the man got down from his chariot to meet you? Is this the time to take money, or to accept clothes, olive groves, vineyards, flocks, herds, or menservants and maidservants? Naaman's leprosy will cling to you and to your descendants forever." Then Gehazi went from Elisha's presence and he was leprous, as white as snow.

(Proverbs 15:13 NIV) A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit.
(Proverbs 17:22 NIV) A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

(1 Thessalonians 2:20 NIV) Indeed, you are our glory and joy.

DAMAGE TO THE HUMAN SPIRIT

1) The Human Spirit can be traumatized.

(Lamentations 1:16 NIV) "This is why I weep and my eyes overflow with tears. No one is near to comfort me, no one to restore my spirit. My children are destitute because the enemy has prevailed."

2) When the Human Spirit is traumatized it can not function fully to sustain our physical and spiritual life, and carry out all life and health sustaining Functions.

(Proverbs 17:22 NIV) A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
(Proverbs 18:14 NIV) A man's spirit sustains him in sickness, but a crushed spirit who can bear?

ATTITUDES WITHIN THE HUMAN SOUL THAT HAVE A CRITICAL EFFECT ON THE HUMAN SPIRIT

1. BLAME

(Isaiah 58:9 NIV) Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. "If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
(Isaiah 58:10 NIV) and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.

2. JUDGING

(Matthew 7:1-5 NIV) "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?
How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?
You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.

(John 8:15-16 NIV) You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no one. But if I do judge, my decisions are right, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me.

(Romans 2:1-3 NIV) You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. Now we know that God's judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. So when you, a mere man, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God's judgment?

3. DISAPPROVAL

(Psalm 69:20 NIV) Scorn has broken my heart and has left me helpless; I looked for sympathy, but there was none, for comforters, but I found none.

4. CRITICISM

(James 3:8-11 NIV) but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring?
(James 4:11-12 NIV) Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you--who are you to judge your neighbor?

(John 13:21 NIV) After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, "I tell you the truth, one of you is going to betray me."

5. CONDEMNATION

6. DESPISING

7. SHAMING

(Isaiah 54:4-6 NIV) "Do not be afraid; you will not suffer shame.
Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated. You will forget the shame of your youth and remember no more the reproach of your widowhood.
For your Maker is your husband-- the LORD Almighty is his name-- the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; he is called the God of all the earth.
The LORD will call you back as if you were a wife deserted and distressed in spirit-- a wife who married young, only to be rejected," says your God.

8. UNFORGIVENESS

9. RIDICULE

10. HATRED

11. DISHONOR

BIBLICAL EXAMPLES OF RESULTS OF TRAUMA

A TIMID SPIRIT

(2 Timothy 1:7 NIV) For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

1. A timid spirit could show lack of power for living.
2. Impaired ability to give and receive love.
3. Uncertainty in rationalization, judgment and understanding.
4. Possibly caused by early trauma, from conception onwards, anxious or a fearful nature or a spirit of fear.
5. This may result in difficulty or inability to empower.
6. Difficulty in relationships.
7. Problems in giving and receiving comfort.
8. A wrong understanding of Father God and other people.

AN OVERWHELMED (IMPRISONED) SPIRIT

(Psalm 142:3-4 NIV) When my spirit grows faint within me, it is you who know my way. In the path where I walk men have hidden a snare for me. Look to my right and see; no one is concerned for me. I have no refuge; no one cares for my life.
(Psalm 143:3-4 NIV) The enemy pursues me, he crushes me to the ground; he makes me dwell in darkness like those long dead. So my spirit grows faint within me; my heart within me is dismayed.

Resulting in:

1. Insecurity.
2. Isolation.
3. Poverty.
4. Distress.

Possible causes could include:

1. Rejection.
2. No protection.
3. Lack of nurture.
4. Persecution.
5. Domination.
6. All types of abuse.

Damaged spirit function:

1. Inability to give or receive life.
2. Relationship difficulties.
3. Loss of joy and creativity

A DEFILED SPIRIT

(2 Corinthians 7:1 NIV) Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.

1. A defiled spirit must affect our walk with a Holy, pure God, to the extent of excluding Him, and losing reverential fear.

2. This will produce difficulties in prayer and entering into worship and praise.

3. A common cause of a defiled spirit is sexual or occult sin, which may also be in the family line.

(2 Corinthians 6:16-17 NIV) What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people."
"Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you."

4. A defiled spirit will eventually dull and sear the conscience element of a human spirit.

5. A defiled spirit may lead to a distorted perception of God and His truth.

A BROKEN SPIRIT

(Proverbs 15:13 NIV) A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit.

(Job 17:1 NIV) My spirit is broken, my days are cut short, the grave awaits me.

1. Lack of joy in daily living, having a sad and heavy attitude to life.

(Psalm 34:18 NIV) The LORD is close to the broken hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

2. Being like "dried up bones" Physical problems with obvious cause.

(Proverbs 17:22 NIV) A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

3. Sleeplessness.

4. A Broken Spirit can be caused by extreme sorrow, grief and loss, and may well have its roots in rejection (even from conception), betrayal of trust especially repeatedly, all types of childhood abuse especially sexual abuse, and repeated traumatic experiences.

5. A Broken Spirit may be fractured repeatedly giving rise to what in secular society is known as multiple personality disorder, each with its own characteristics. Only Jesus himself can restore each in order and bring wholeness of spirit again.

6. In lesser degrees the human spirit which is partially or fully broken will have difficulty, or even inability to empower body and soul with life.

7. A broken spirit also can impair or prevent the ability to receive comfort into the inner distress within the person.

8. All other functions of the human spirit are affected to some extent in those suffering a broken spirit.

http://www.daniel-trust-ministries.org/humanspirit/index.html

Posts: 6787 | From: Colorado | Registered: Dec 2007  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator


 
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