Luke 21:19 “In your patience possess ye your souls”
This sounds odd: surely, we have our souls, don’t we?
But do you?
Are you a person who has an uncontrollable temper?
Do you have a habit you can not give up?
Do you let your feelings “get the better of you”?
Anytime we, as Christians, let something else but God rule in our hearts, minds and wills; we do not “possess” our souls,…….they are being influenced by the World, our old nature which still wants it’s way, or the Devil.
Our souls are our personality: our mind, heart, and will, are it’s faculties.
What we think, influences our personality. (And how often our way of thinking is shaped by what is around us: at home, at work, or school?)
What we feel, influences our personality. (Hurt feelings, unforgiving anger, or inappropriate affections; often get into our hearts and want to stay)
What we will, really influences our personality; for our wills, are the whole of us active.
From an early age, we decide what we will, whether we can carry out our decisions, or not.
How many times have we thought:
“I will do this, no matter what you think.”
“I won’t, even if you want me to.”
How many children (and some adults, too) have indulged in these thoughts; only to find out that they turn into attitudes, when they don’t even want them to.
Rebellion is really in our make-up (from our first parents: Adam and Eve)
We often choose it, instead of yielding to authority.
And yes, this includes God’s Authority.
But when we are born again, then our wills begin to be trained to yield to God, by the power of the Holy Spirit within us, helping us to yield.
This is when we can truly “possess” our souls, with the freedom which comes from the guidance, peace and power of the Holy Spirit.
Ephesians 1:17-19 “That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him:
The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,
And what is the exceeding greatness of His power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of His mighty power,”
Ephesians 5:17-18 “Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
And be not drunk with wine (don’t place yourself under the influence of wine), wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit.(place yourself under the influence of the Holy Spirit)”
1 Corinthians 2:12 “Now we have received, not the spirt of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.”
2 Corinthians 3:18 “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”
Romans 15:13 “Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.”
2 Corinthians 13:14 “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.”
Communion means fellowship here. His Presence with us is the help we need at every time.
And as He “helps”, we become more and more able to know, see, act and react in freedom…we can be the personalities we truly are…..freed from the restraints of habits, attitudes we don’t even want, and all that hinders us from coming close to Jesus.
We can possess our own souls, for we will know who we are, and where we are going, with the Lord.
The Lord wants us to “possess” our souls; to be free from the influences of the world, the flesh, and the Devil; and be who He has created us to be.
Preaching, Teaching, and Notes 