Basic TrainingBible MinistriesGene CunninghamBasic Training Bible Ministries KBKnowledge Base

What does the Bible teach about the soul, including its strengths and weaknesses, and how it relates to spiritual warfare and the filling of the Holy Spirit?

The Bible teaches that the soul is a complex entity with various strengths and weaknesses. A person's volition, mentality, conscience, emotion, and self-consciousness can all be either positive or negative influences on their life. The soul is also the battleground where spiritual warfare takes place between the flesh (sin nature) and the Spirit of God. As believers, we are born again into this world as frontline fighters in a universal conflict against Satan and his angels. Our old man was crucified with Christ, but the sin nature is still present and will fight the work of the Spirit at every step. The solution to this conflict is willing surrender by the believer to the Spirit of God, which leads to confession of sin and cleansing. We can produce either 'the works of the flesh' or 'the fruit of the Spirit.' A person is spiritual when—and only when—he is filled by means of the Holy Spirit. Spirituality is an absolute—at any moment of time we are either one hundred percent filled by the Spirit and therefore spiritual, or we are not filled by the Spirit at all and are therefore carnal.

Also asked: What are the strengths and weaknesses of the human soul according to the Bible? · What does the Bible say about spirituality and being filled by the Holy Spirit? · How does the Bible explain the conflict between my flesh and the Holy Spirit, and how can I overcome it?

Source: The Basics The Basics — Soul (canonical doctrine) · Read this lesson in the book →

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Lesson 3–2: The Danger—Spiritual Retreat/Reversion

Lesson 3–3: The Promise—Spirituality

Lesson 4–5: Empowering—The Spirit

Lesson 1–4: The Power—The Holy Spirit

Lesson 2–2: The Base—The Church

Lesson 1–1: The Problem—Sin

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