Even though, when we look in the mirror at ourselves or when we look upon others, all we see is flesh and blood, physical bodies. However, we do have a supernatural soul (spirit) that cannot be seen with the naked eye and that will live forever. We cannot see the invisible spiritual realm, but it is clearly there and exists. God’s Word reveals this truth and clearly explains how our flesh and blood bodies are temporary dwelling places where our spirit will last forever. All God’s children that are filled with His Holy Spirit will eventually be clothed with a new immortal tent that will remain forever. Paul states this in 2 Corinthians 5:1-5 (AMP):
For we know that if the earthly tent [our physical body] which is our house is torn down [through death], we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our [immortal, eternal] celestial dwelling, so that by putting it on we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened [often weighed down, oppressed], not that we want to be unclothed [separated by death from the body], but to be clothed, so that what is mortal [the body] will be swallowed up by life [after the resurrection]. Now He who has made us and prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave us the [Holy] Spirit as a pledge [a guarantee, a down payment on the fulfillment of His promise].
The scriptures also state how while our spirit dwells in this flesh and as we age, we ache with pains and groans for the promise of a new celestial dwelling place and eternal body from God in Christ. As our earthly body is wasting away, our inward soul is being renewed day by day by the power of God’s Holy Spirit that dwells in us while we eagerly await the final resurrection in Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18, Romans 8:23). The invisible things are eternal and immortal as revealed in 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (AMP):
Therefore we do not become discouraged [spiritless, disappointed, or afraid]. Though our outer self is [progressively] wasting away, yet our inner self is being [progressively] renewed day by day. For our momentary, light distress [this passing trouble] is producing for us an eternal weight of glory [a fullness] beyond all measure [surpassing all comparisons, a transcendent splendor and an endless blessedness]! So we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are unseen; for the things which are visible are temporal [just brief and fleeting], but the things which are invisible are everlasting and imperishable.
As God is the most powerful Spiritual being in all the universe, He created us as a spiritual being as well, dwelling in a temporary tent house called the physical body. We can never please God in the flesh but only in spirit. John 4:24 (AMP) states: “God is spirit [the Source of life, yet invisible to mankind], and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” Paul illustrated it this way in Romans 8:8-9 (AMP), “and those who are in the flesh [living a life that caters to sinful appetites and impulses] cannot please God. However, you are not [living] in the flesh [controlled by the sinful nature] but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God lives in you [directing and guiding you]. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him [and is not a child of God].”
Although we live in the flesh temporarily, we are to always walk by His Spirit living and dwelling in us. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5:
For though we walk in the flesh [as mortal men], we are not carrying on our [spiritual] warfare according to the flesh and using the weapons of man. The weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood]. Our weapons are divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying sophisticated arguments and every exalted and proud thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought and purpose captive to the obedience of Christ.
When God first created Adam, the first human being on the planet, He created his flesh from the dust of the earth. While Adam had a physical body, he was still dead without life until God breathed His Spirit of life into Adam as explained in Genesis 2:7 (AMP), “then the LORD God formed [that is, created the body of] man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living being [an individual complete in body and spirit].”
When Solomon, son of king David, was about to take the throne of Israel, God granted him a request, a desire that was on his heart. Solomon could have asked for longevity, wealth, and victory in battle over his enemies, but instead he asked for wisdom and discernment. This pleased God to where He gave Solomon extreme wisdom where he became the wisest man that ever lived on earth. 1 Kings 3:10-12 (NKJV):
The speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing. Then God said to him: “Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked long life for yourself, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have asked the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern justice, behold, I have done according to your words; see, I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has not been anyone like you before you, nor shall any like you arise after you…
King Solomon, with all his wisdom, wrote the book of Ecclesiastes and disclosed that when we die our bodies return to the dust but our spirit goes back to God, our heavenly creator, as revealed in Ecclesiastes 12:7 (AMP), “then the dust [out of which God made man’s body] will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.”
Many people will phrase this as “soul sleep,” but Paul illustrated this as gain because when we die, we are with the Lord Jesus, our Master and Savior. Paul had desired to leave this earth to be in the presence of God in Christ and all His glory as stated in Philippians 1:21-23 (AMP):
For to me, to live is Christ [He is my source of joy, my reason to live] and to die is gain [for I will be with Him in eternity]. If, however, it is to be life here and I am to go on living, this will mean useful and productive service for me; so I do not know which to choose [if I am given that choice]. But I am hard-pressed between the two. I have the desire to leave [this world] and be with Christ, for that is far, far better.
Also, stated another way is in Hebrews 9:27, “And just as it is appointed and destined for all men to die once and after this [comes certain] judgment.”
Our body and soul are not our ownership, but God’s property and creation. We were bought with the price that Jesus paid for us at Calvary to honor and glorify God. We were made for praising Him while being indwelled with His Spirit. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (AMP), “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is within you, whom you have [received as a gift] from God, and that you are not your own [property]? You were bought with a price [you were actually purchased with the precious blood of Jesus and made His own]. So then, honor and glorify God with your body.”
Jesus tells us in the Gospel of Matthew, to fear only God the Father who has the power to destroy both our body and soul in the lake of fire. Jesus gives us this warning to not fear any other, but God alone as revealed in Matthew 10:28 (NKJV), “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” We are also told to remove all sin from our lives that prevent us from having a relationship with God through Christ.
If living for the world in sin causes us to end up in hell after condemnation at the great judgment, then our soul will burn forever and ever as illustrated in Mark 9:45-46, “If your foot causes you to stumble and sin, cut it off [that is, remove yourself from the source of temptation]! It would be better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet and be thrown into hell, [where THEIR WORM DOES NOT DIE, AND THE FIRE IS NOT PUT OUT.]”
God’s Holy Spirit continues to transform us to the image and mind of God in Christ as we continue our daily and obedient walk with Him. As we continue to be filled up on Him (Ephesians 5:18), we are molded and shaped to His pleasure as disclosed in 2 Corinthians 3:18 (AMP), “And we all, with unveiled face, continually seeing as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are progressively being transformed into His image from [one degree of] glory to [even more] glory, which comes from the Lord, [who is] the Spirit.” As we are drunk on His Spirit (not the world), the Holy Spirit unveils the depths of God to us as revealed in 1 Corinthians 2:10-12 (AMP):
For God has unveiled them and revealed them to us through the [Holy] Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things [diligently], even [sounding and measuring] the [profound] depths of God [the divine counsels and things far beyond human understanding]. For what person knows the thoughts and motives of a man except the man’s spirit within him? So also no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the [Holy] Spirit who is from God, so that we may know and understand the [wonderful] things freely given to us by God.
Because of the price Jesus paid for us, and as a child of God with a relationship with Him through Christ, we will never see death. We will live forever as stated in 1 John 2:17, “The world is passing away, and with it its lusts [the shameful pursuits and ungodly longings]; but the one who does the will of God and carries out His purposes lives forever.” We have victory over death in Jesus as our Lord and Savior. At the resurrection (rapture), our soul/spirit will be clothed with an everlasting body to live with the Lord forever as revealed in 1 Corinthians 15:53-58 (AMP):
For this perishable [part of us] must put on the imperishable [nature], and this mortal [part of us that is capable of dying] must put on immortality [which is freedom from death]. And when this perishable puts on the imperishable, and this mortal puts on immortality, then the Scripture will be fulfilled that says, “DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory (vanquished forever). O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin [by which it brings death] is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory [as conquerors] through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers and sisters, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord [always doing your best and doing more than is needed], being continually aware that your labor [even to the point of exhaustion] in the Lord is not futile nor wasted [it is never without purpose].
Watch this inspiring video by Servants for Jesus Christ – Jesus Fulfilled All OT Prophecies. Watch another inspiring video by Servants for Jesus Christ – God Has Always Been. Watch another inspiring video by Servants for Jesus Christ – Be Filled With The Holy Spirit.
Do you know where you will spend eternity after you die on earth? Will Jesus be your Lord and Savior or your eternal judge – John 3:15-21, Romans 2:16, 2 Timothy 4:1? Jesus says He is the narrow gate to heaven where it is difficult to find and only a few will enter by it where many will enter the easy, wide and broad gate that leads to Hell and destruction – Matthew 7:13-14. Will you experience the second eternal death (spiritual death) – Revelation 2:11, Revelation 20:6, Revelation 21:8? Do you know for sure that you are written in the eternal Lamb’s Book of Life – Revelation 3:5, Revelation 20:12-15? The place called Hell is NOT a myth and is very real and an extremely scary place – Watch this Video!
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