“The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul” (Psalm 19:7).
The longer we walk with the Lord, the more we will discover that once we are a citizen of the kingdom of God, our primary battle is over our soul.
The soul is an especially fascinating study. The information contained in this message is for those of you who want to learn more Hebraic truth. I am bringing some new things to you to encourage you and give you hope.
Understanding Nephesh And Lev
God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils his very breath. (Gen. 2:7). By the breath of God, the dust became a living soul (in Hebrew, “nephesh”). Interestingly, man does not seem to have exclusive possession of a soul. Genesis 1:21 teaches us that God created every living creature. “Living creature” in Hebrew is the word “nephesh” or soul. However, man’s advantage over animals in this matter is that man’s soul can be converted.
Our souls have appetites and need to eat. Our soul is the seat of our appetite, our emotions and our passions. The activity of our mind is also called the soul. Our souls and our mind are one and must be transformed daily, converted if you will.
When Adam was created, his soul/heart was called “nephesh.” After he sinned, his soul/heart was called “lev.” Interestingly, the word “lev” is not found in Scripture before Adam fell, only afterwards. When we were born we were not in the state as Adam was before he fell. We were born “lev.” Mercifully, because of the sacrifice of Yeshua our Messiah, we we can be restored in our soul/minds to the state that Adam enjoyed before he sinned (nephesh). The only way to be restored to “nephesh” is to be converted. The soul of man can only be restored and return to its original state by consuming and obeying the instruction of God through Jesus Christ. I learned from Hebrew scholars that by studying and obeying the law of the LORD, I am being restored from “lev” to “nephesh.”
The Prophet Isaiah asks the question, “Wherefore do you spend money for that which is not bread? And your labor for that which satisfies not? Hearken diligently unto me, and EAT that which is good, and let your SOUL delight itself in fatness” (Isaiah 55:2).
What Comes Out Of The Battle?
Our souls have to eat spiritual food (bread) in order to be converted. The reason the battle is against the soul/mind is because the enemy knows that if we do not live by every Word that proceeds from the mouth of God, he can keep us from being transformed from “lev” to “nephesh.” This is an example of how idolatry comes into our lives.
We are warned to keep ourselves from idols. (I John 5:21) If we have idols in our souls (minds), we are driven to find relief. Thus, we may start spending money to satisfy what only the bread of life, that is Jesus and His instructions written in His Word, can bring. Trying to satisfy our soul with anything that is not of the Spirit, will open the door for the enemy to enter and trap us in an endless cycle of seeking, but never finding. Understanding what bread means in the Hebrew language will give us a picture of why I called this teaching “The Battle Is Over Your Soul.” Bread and battle are close companions.
What does“BREAD” have to do with a battle? The Hebrew word for battle is “milchamah.” As we learn to study Hebrew, we learn to discover the roots of a word. In the middle of the word “battle”, we find the Hebrew word, “lcham. “Lcham” means “bread.” What comes out of the battle? Bread!
We can better picture this by examining the process of making a loaf of bread. To make bread, we must first mix the flour and water together creating the dough. Then we must vigorously knead the dough. Kneading is a picture of war in the sense of having to “fight” with the dough in order to produce a proper outcome. Whether making bread or battling in a personal war, many times, we are actually in a struggle for our lives (a proper loaf of bread.) Without bread (food), we perish; without victory in battle, we perish. In reality, every time we eat a piece of bread, we are celebrating the spoils of a war.
What is the battle of the soul? The battle over the soul is a result of the enemy lying to us as he did Eve, to doubt God and keep us from His word, our “bread of life.” Of course, there is more to this than can be contained in this short message, but I write this to stimulate our minds and to prepare us all for the “Idols Riot Healing School” we are hosting this weekend at OTC, presented by Katie Souza and Dr. Francis Myles.
It is time for the victory over all idolatry and an renewed appetite for those things which CANNOT satisfy the soul. It is time for us to return to the original state in which God ordained us to live at creation and forever more.
