Important Definitions

Three-person man: 1 Thessalonians 5:23 “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.” (See chart)  Our soul is our mind, which includes our will power, feelings and thoughts.  Our spirit or heart is the core of who we are and where the Holy Spirit dwells if we are saved.  What we participate with in our spirit/heart is evident in our mind/soul (Matthew 15:18).  We can grieve or quench the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30, 1 Thessalonians 5:19) by participating with evil or can cooperate and walk in the Holy Spirit, allowing Him to transform us mind/soul, body and spirit/heart.  What we think and feel are a “symptom” of what we are participating with and signal us to realign ourselves with the mind of Christ and repent if we are feeling and thinking evil or negative things and so the Holy Spirit can transform us in our spirit to affect our soul to feel good or think in healthy ways.  Only God can change how we truly think and feel, which results in freedom and joy and not in struggle or cycling back and forth between good and evil in our souls/minds.

Sanctify: Sanctification is the work of God’s free grace, where we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God and are enabled more and more to die to sin and live in His righteousness. It is a continuing change worked by God in us, freeing us from sinful habits and forming Christ in us- His affections, dispositions and virtues.  Sanctification is different from salvation.  We are sealed and saved once we ask Jesus to be our Savior, however ongoing renewal and transformation (sanctification) is a work of the Holy Spirit in us until our death when we will be made perfect in heaven.

Strongholds: “A well-fortified place; fortress.  A place that serves as the center of a group, as of militants or of persons holding a controversial viewpoint.  A place that is well defended or center for particular beliefs or activities.  A place that has been secured tightly in case of attack, or where a particular belief or ideology is firmly believed and staunchly defended.” Famous verse about strongholds: 2 Corinthians 10: 3-4 “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds…”

Strongholds in a person’s life look like sins that are deeply entrenched.  You will feel caught by them and in captivity.  They may feel like you have always had them.  They will cycle if you try to stand up to them without spiritual repentance/surrender to the Holy Spirit.  Cycles look like thoughts that return over and over, negative words/phrases we speak over and over, and/or feelings and behaviors that you can stop with will power for a while, however always return.  An example: Unforgiveness as a stronghold is when you decide and say you have forgiven someone and yet you feel a “zing” or “stab” when you see them or hear about them.  You will feel like you have to continually fight the sin and do not feel free.

Foothold: In the Greek means “an inhabited place” (demonic).  Ephesians 4:26-27: “Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.” Demons can have a place in us.  They cannot possess us if we are saved, however they can have a place in our spirit, speak into us and oppress us physically.  Jesus describes this in Matthew 12:43-45 with the house representing a person’s spirit.  The Holy Spirit is always in our spirit so we cannot be fully possessed, but we can grieve and quench the Spirit and participate with evils that can feel controlling or strongly influence how we think and act.  Christians with strongholds will often say they felt that they had no control over their thoughts or actions (anger is a good example of this, as is addiction).

Sin: Means to “miss the mark” as in target, like shooting an arrow or a gun at a target and missing.  It does not just mean “bad” things.  Sin is not us- not who we are- it is just something we have agreed with that is in opposition to God’s laws and promises.  Romans 7:17 says, “But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.”  It means doing, thinking, allowing ourselves to feel or have attitudes that do not align with God’s perfect laws and promises or include God in them.  He needs to be consulted and be Lord over every thought, feeling, action, memory, decision and attitude we have.  Romans 14:23 says, “Anything that is not done in faith is sin.” Adam and Eve lived without sin, meaning they had no irritation, anger, rebellion, stress, hurts, etc.  Negative feelings are a symptom of sin in our lives and help us to recognize that we are not aligned with God.  If Christ died to take away our sin and give us victory over sin, then being free is possible if we walk with the Spirit and learn how to access the promises we have in Christ.  This doesn’t mean we will never sin (because we still have the “old man” and live in a fallen world), however it does mean we can be free from “slavery” to sin (Romans 8 and Galatians 4).

*Negative emotions, struggles in relationships, discontent, negative thoughts, mental illness, addictions and some health problems (approximately 80%) are symptoms of sin.  They are meant to draw our attention to the fact that we are out of alignment with God.  We can be off in just our relationship with Him or how we view/treat ourselves and others (which is still ultimately a problem between us and God-our identity in Him and our purpose).  Please notice the symptoms- any negative attitudes, beliefs, memories, thoughts and feelings- and start asking God what you can surrender and repent of that is causing these.

Promises: The Bible says that through Christ we have sonship and are heirs with Him.  Galatians 4: 6-7 “And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!”  Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.”  Romans 8:32 “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things (spiritual blessings)?”  We have power in Christ then to defeat strongholds, sin and to receive peace, power, love, and all the gifts of the Spirit.  We can be free: Galatians 5:1a “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.”

Demons: Demons are called many different things in the Bible, including spirits, unclean spirits, evil spirits, gods, devils, dignitaries, principalities, powers, might, dominions, idols, high things.