I am a jay who has a soul that lives in a body. You are a spirit who has a soul that lives in a body. Now, may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. That’s 1 Thessalonians 5:23.
Your body is your earth suit. Your body is your connection with this world. Your body is the vehicle through which you experience the natural realm. Every single interaction that you share with others is through your body. With the body, you speak and communicate with your physical being. You see, hear, and touch the world around you.
Contrary to what some religious ideologies have led us to believe, the body itself is not a sinful, corrupt thing. Sure, the body is decaying and dying, and yes, your physical body can be trained to become an instrument of the sin nature, but that doesn’t mean that your body is itself sinful. Your body can be used for either sin or holiness. The choice is yours. In fact, your body can be a carrier of the glory of God. Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself. That’s 1 Corinthians 6:19.
Your body can be a holy host of the Holy Spirit’s presence. You can be the Holy Spirit’s physical connection with this world. Now, the soul is the realm of decision. In the soul lives your mind, will, emotions, and personality. Your mind is what you imagine, your will is what you want, your emotions are what you feel. The soul is the neutral ground between the body and the spirit. It is the place where free will is exercised. The soul is eternal, and everyone has a soul, redeemed and unredeemed alike.
The wicked have souls. The scripture says, “The soul of the wicked desireth evil; his neighbor findeth no favor in his eyes.” That’s Proverbs 21:10. The godly have souls. “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.” That’s 3 John 1:2. Every human being has a soul. “In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.” That’s Job 12:10. The breath of life is in the soul. The soul gives animation and consciousness. The soul is where your free will is exercised.
Your spirit is your connection with God. It is the innermost part of your being, the center of who you are, the source of your identity. Your spirit is the deepest part of you, and your spirit knows perfect fellowship with God. “But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets. No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit. And we have received God’s Spirit, not the world’s spirit, so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us.” That’s 1 Corinthians 2:10-12.
No one knows your thoughts like your spirit does. The same is true of God. The Holy Spirit knows God’s thoughts. The Holy Spirit, who is God’s Spirit, searches out the deep things of God. The Holy Spirit knows God’s secrets, intentions, and desires. The Holy Spirit knows God’s will. The Holy Spirit perfectly and completely understands God’s nature and power. Everything there is to know about our infinitely intricate God, the Holy Spirit knows. The Holy Spirit is not learning about God; the Holy Spirit knows God. He knows Himself fully. The Holy Spirit communicates what He knows of God with your spirit. God’s Spirit shares revelations with your spirit. God’s innermost being shares mysteries with your innermost being. In that place of inner oneness, divine secrets are being imparted by the Holy Spirit.
Every believer has the privilege of internal, eternal connection with God Himself. No matter how you feel in body or soul, your connection in the spirit remains. You live not to connect with God, but from connection with God. Your body belongs to God, your spirit is one with God, and yes, even your soul is filled with and owned by God. You are a spirit who has a soul that exists in a body.