"We Need to Talk"

Can you relate? You arrive at work on Monday, when the boss stops you, says he needs to speak, and asks you to come to his office at 1:00 pm. Or when your spouse, teenager, or adult kid texts, “We need to talk.” What's your reaction? Fear, apprehension, anxiety? This response is based on a fleshly, soul-based perspective shaped by worldly influences.

You can enter the meeting without anxiety, confident that the goal is to encourage, not condemn.

Having accepted Jesus, you are now guided by the Holy Spirit and are being transformed into a new person in the image of God. Removing barriers helps shift from a soul-based to a God-based life, fostering honest relationships built on love, trust, and respect, which reduce reactions like fear, anxiety, and depression.

What is the Human Soul & Spirit?

The New Testament describes human nature as three parts: spirit, soul, and body (1 Thessalonians 5:23, NKJV). Before salvation, your spirit and soul were connected, with all information entering both simultaneously. After rebirth, they separated (Hebrews 4:12): your spirit became aware of God, while your soul stayed in the fleshly world. Over time, your spirit transforms into God's image, created in His image (Genesis 1:26, NKJV), the image of His Spirit, the Holy Spirit.

Your body relies on physical senses to perceive the world. Your soul is self-aware, made up of a mind (thoughts), will (choices), and emotions (feelings) centered on the flesh. Your spirit, created “in Our image,” is aware of God and led by the Holy Spirit.

Transformation involves aligning your soul with the Holy Spirit by shifting your mindset from a worldly to a Kingdom perspective. It's about becoming more like God and living in the Kingdom on Earth, not just waiting to go to heaven. Each day, you grow in awareness of the Kingdom of God as your soul aligns with your spirit through a Spirit-led thought process, enabling you to make informed decisions based on your relationship with God. Paul describes this as capturing thoughts and making them obedient (2 Corinthians 10:5, NKJV).

How Do I Transform?

Before your meeting, identify any negative thoughts and steer them in a positive direction. There's no reason to fear the meeting. Instead, you can approach it with eagerness and enthusiasm.

• The mind of the soul is based on knowledge or intellectual ability. When thoughts are captured and transformed into Kingdom-living, the Spirit will change your knowledge into wisdom and understanding, embodied in action.

• The will of the soul makes choices that are self-centered or focused on oneself. When thoughts are captured and transformed into Kingdom living, the Spirit will guide you to choose paths rooted in repentance and trust, with a focus on others.

• The emotions of the soul are rooted in fear, leading to anxiety, depression, anger, and various adverse worldly outcomes. When thoughts are captured and transformed into Kingdom living, the Spirit will turn your emotions toward love, fostering joy, peace, kindness, gentleness, and all the positive fruits of the kingdom (Galatians 5:22-23, NKJV).

Capture Your Thoughts and be Transformed

Romans 12:2, NKJV "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."

Satan can suggest thoughts, but he can't access your spirit unless you accept and act on them. Don't rely solely on emotions, especially negative ones, which can be recognized and dismissed without action. Capture and transform negative thoughts into positive, Kingdom-focused ones.

Challenges exist in capturing thoughts and transforming them. Daily, you face different thoughts to transform. Seek an ever-growing relationship with the Holy Spirit for guidance and support. The transformation journey never ends. Your relationship with God and others stays strong when you walk in wisdom, repentance, trust, and love.

1 Thessalonians 5:23, NKJV "Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ."