One day last year I had a Tony Evans sermon playing on my phone as I was putting on my makeup.

I was half listening, half hurrying when I heard him say something that stopped me in my tracks.

He recited 1 Thessalonians 5:23 NIV

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.

The fact that he emphasized the three parts separately was so appealing to me and helped me understand my own being better than I ever had before.

Tony of course went on to explain that verse in its entirety.

There was the subject of sanctification, the explanation of what it means to be blameless, and of course that Jesus is coming back.

Those are all huge lessons in themselves that require great explanation, but I was focused on the three parts of "us".

***

While I don’t claim to be a teacher of the word, I do want to share what God revealed to me in that passage and how it has changed my perception of our existance.

First of all just to be clear the subject of the Holy Spirit is by far the most exciting subject for me to study in the Bible.  I have my own personal story about my relationship with the Holy Spirit, which I share about in my book, The Change in Us.

But the Bible is very clear on the subject.

Although there are many verses that explain the Holy Spirit, I will try to simplify my understanding in hopes that it may help you understand the significance of the trinity.

Which is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; all equally God.

***  

Let’s simplify.

You first need to understand...

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.

Romans 10:9-10 NIV

If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.  For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. 

Romans 10:13 NIV

for, everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

Ephesians 1:13 NIV

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation.  When you believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possessions – to the praise of His glory. 

John 14:26 ESV

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

***

For the first time it hit me.

Not only the significance of the three parts listed in the passage but the roles each play and how we are to view and treat them.

Tony explained that the passage lists the parts in order of importance.

The spirit is first, which is the Holy spirit (which is God in you).

The soul is second which is the part of us that can be distorted by the world or given peace by trusting in Jesus as our savior.  The soul is also the part of us that either enters Heaven or Hell when our body dies.

Our body is just that; the house or temple for the soul and if you are a believer the house for the Holy Spirit.

1Corinthians 6:19

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?  You are not your own; you were bought at a price.  Therefore, honor God with your bodies.

***

As this became clearer and clearer, I was able to rest knowing that I am saved because I do believe Jesus is the son of God, who died for us.

Knowing and trusting in my salvation assures me I do have the Holy Spirit living within my soul, which is equally God living within me.

That truth gives me so much more strength! (Phillipeans 4:13)   .

Knowing this truth gave me the feeling that I felt when I was pregnant with my babies only times a million.

I was convicted that I am to nurture the gift within.

It is my responsibility to do the best that I can with my health, with what I allow my eyes to see, what I allow my ears to hear, and what I allow to come out of my mouth.

God deserves the best from me, and knowing He's so close, holds me so much more accountable.

***

God is living within us if we are believers.

It is my desire and I pray yours as well to nurture that seed, that gift, that miracle that God has given us to help us interpret what the will of God is in our lives.

I desire to please Him and press on to win the prize of spending eternity with my Heavenly Father and pray you do as well.

***

Can you rest in your salvation?

If so, do you understand that the Holy Spirit has been given to you as a helper in this crazy uncertain world?

Do you see now that the Holy Spirit can help you through anything, because He is all knowing God, and a gift to each of us.

When anxiety creeps in, when depression hits, when worry tries to steal our joy and when things around us are confusing and uncertain, remember

He is with you, in you, and will help you.

***

Claim your peace friend.

Claim your rest.

Don’t let the enemy try to steal the gift that has been given to you from God Himself.

If you have been saved, you have been sealed, and no one can take that from you.

If you have not been saved, you have today, you have now.

Do you believe in your heart?  Have you confessed with your mouth?

If I can help you please reach out here.

Thank you, Jesus for your Word, so we can rest in the truth.

Galatians 2:20 NIV

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.  The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Amen!