Connected upward, yet pulled down ward

That is the battle within your soul.

But it’s for a purpose. And it’s good.

 

©2009, 2013, 2020 Ann Castro/desireofmysoul.faith & SoulBreaths.com. All rights reserved.

 

[Combat Zone series is the foundational post for soul basics.

 

SUGGEST READING PARTS 1 & 2 FIRST: COMBAT ZONE: PART 1—YOUR SOUL and COMBAT ZONE: PART 2—SOUL NUANCES

 

READING TIME: 3 MINUTES plus end scripture list.

 

Symbiotic. That’s what some rabbis say about the soul-body dynamic. You are a God-breathed soul—its biblical references breath, spirit/wind that rises/descends, and a “rested” life force—clothed in a body that’s from the earth and tethered to this world.

 

Your soul is called upward, the body downward. And so the battle ensues, along with a host of other factors that complicate your soul story (mentioned in Combat Zone, Part 1).

 

Here are five rules of engagement to help you stay the course and finish the race . . . well.

 

RULES OF ENGAGEMENT #1:

SECURE YOUR POSITION

 

We’re teetering on a broken bridge. Since the Garden of Eden debacle where rebellion exposed our desire for self vs. God, the dividing line was clear. God alone is holy. There are none righteous among us per His Word, often shared in this series and throughout this blog:

 

Genesis 8:21b, Ecclesiastes 7:20, Isaiah 59:1-2, Isaiah 64:6, Psalm 14: 2-3, Psalm 53: 3-4, 1 Kings 8:46, Jeremiah 17:9-10, Romans 3:23, Romans 3:10, Romans 8:6, among others.

 

But God is love, merciful, and l-o-n-g-suffering. So He made a way to restore that relationship with Him. There were temporary measures at first—blood sacrifices that had to be repeated daily, annually.

 

But those were mere shadows of what was coming, the greatest gift . . . a one-time holy sacrifice. A doorway giving us access to the Father, ADONAI, our Lord, our Master.

 

Fulfilling the soul’s journey begins with receiving the restoration gift from God: Jesus (Yeshua, in the Hebrew), our promised Messiah, the Son of God.

 

From there, your soul grows and is transformed by letting your soul [neshama], its wind/spirit [ruach] rest [nafash/nefesh] within the fibers of His presence, His Word, His ways . . . being hidden in Him, where you’re surrendered. Total white-flag territory.

 

It’s where your soul-body gets into sync,
working as a whole with God, bowing before Him.

 

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God’s way of restoring relationship with Him:

“I am the Truth, the Life, the Way . . . no man comes to the Father except through me.”

—John 14:6. The Messiah, Jesus (Yeshua, his Hebrew name)

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RULES OF ENGAGEMENT #2:

HONOR YOUR KING, YOUR COMMANDER IN CHIEF

 

It’s our human default to lean on our own understanding and to even get caught up in the emotions and mindset of the world at large.

 

But a good soldier needs to stand under his commander.

 

This slight paraphrase of Isaiah 8: 12-14 helps draw some clear-thinking guidelines. I’ve fleshed out the meanings of “fear” and “awed” from the Hebrew for a better visual.

 

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Don’t fear (be shaken, swept into conspiracies) what people fear
(what they call conspiracies) nor give strength to it
or be awed (shaken terribly, oppressed) by what awes them.
Let God be the object of your awe (trembling holy fear) . . .
consecrate Him.
He alone is to be your sanctuary.

 

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FAITH vs TRUST

AH, THAT’S THE THING.

 

ֱHebraically, faith—emunah (eh-moo-nah, אמוּנָה—means a knowing or understanding of who God is. He’s great, awesome, creator, redeemer, father, lover of our soul, and has His hand in the details of the world.

 

ֱTrust—bitachon (bee-tah-khon, בטחון) with the root batach—means trust, leaning on, resting on. So you might know that God is who He says He is . . . but bitachon means you put that emunah (faith) into action.

 

God is the author and perfecter of our faith—and the holy fire fueling that faith into motion.

 

Case in point: The Lord gave me a vision (more than once) when I was at a difficult part of my life. There I was in the vision, standing on the precipice of a huge, wide chasm—with God calling me to the other side. My soul knew what He wanted . . . my faith to move in action, to step out, to trust that He would break forth the impossible. To trust that He’d let the unseen be seen, manifesting what was totally illogical to my human mind.

 

Honestly, I rather think He joys over those moments when we really have only one choice—Him. A Father who delights in revealing more of His character as He watchfully coaxes His children to learn more and walk higher.

 

And so, in the vision, trust moved one foot off the ledge and stepped onto nothingness. But in that exact nanosecond, part of a bridge appeared beneath my foot. With each trust-step forward, God allowed another piece of the bridge floor to meet my foot until I reached the other side. To a place deeper in Him.

 

It’s like God is saying to you and me in our 21st century lives: Get out of the boat. Not to waltz on the shore but to activate our bitachon/trust and walk on the water with Him.

 

When that happens, we can consecrate God as Isaiah 8:14 commands.
 

Setting Him apart from all else for our hearts’ sake.

Setting Him apart from all else for our souls’ desire and strength.

Setting Him apart from all else for our daily lives and circumstances.

Setting Him apart from all else and recognizing Him as our sanctuary.

 

Bottom line for this Rule of Engagement: Know (emunah) that He is your sanctuary—but bitachon, actively live and move as if He is your sanctuary. Your refuge. Your protection. Your provision. Your home. Your very breath. Because He is.

 

You are soul journeying to more than a place. You are heading to ha makom (ha-mah-kome), the place—only to discover that the place is God Himself. He is ha makom, the destination, the journey, the place of holiness.

 

Remember, for the spiritual battle, your nefesh—the Hebrew word for soul referring to the life force that can cling, negatively or positively—needs to obey orders.

 

Clinging to God means He’s in front and you’re behind Him. That’s how you stay in position. That’s how you follow and honor your Commander-in-Chief.

 

Psalm 63:2, 9 (1, 8). O God, You are my God, I seek You. My soul [nefesh] thirsts for You, in an arid and thirsty land, without water. My soul [nefesh] clings to your hind parts; Your righteous right hand upholds me.

 

RULES OF ENGAGEMENT #3:

KEEP YOUR EYES RIGHTLY FOCUSED

 

You are battling on two main fronts—the spiritual world (your soul against the principalities and powers of the enemy) and the physical world. Like in any war, things shift, take on different patterns.

 

Do you know what you’re really seeing—or is it a delusion, a camouflage? There’s only one way to hold your position while waiting for intel about what’s really going on in a realm you can’t physically see or physically touch. Stay mindful, focused, in God’s presence.

 

“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:18

 

What is unseen . . . is God. Yet you are called to fix your soul’s eyes on Him, the Eternal One, to see more clearly in the battles down here. To not lose heart.

 

Although the body (“outer man”) is decaying and warring, your inner essence, your soul—breath from God/neshama, spirit/ruach, inner living substance/nefesh—is being renewed day by day in Him.

 

The next two scriptures reveal what your stance should be in battle . . . do what He has ordered to the best of your ability, then STAND.

 

Don’t leave your post. Stand, confidently, expectantly, faithfully in Him. Even (and especially) when the order is to simply wait.

 

“Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”—Joshua 1:9.

 

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.
—Ephesians 6:10-14a

 

READ THE LAST TWO RULES OF ENGAGEMENT NOW:

COMBAT ZONE: PART 3b—RULES OF ENGAGEMENT
 
 

PHOTO CREDIT

Sniper girl photo by Piotr Will on Unsplash.com

 

Combat Zone is the foundational post for soul basics. The original article was created/posted in 2009, but for easier reading divided into three posts in 2020. Judaic scripture number references used with Christian numbering in parentheses when it’s different.

 

The Heaven-Earth expanse. How can our fractured, earth-driven souls be guaranteed an eternity with God in His holy place? God made the Way. But accepting that way is up to you.

 

© desireofmysoul.faith & SoulBreaths.com. All rights reserved.

 
 

READING TIME: 4 MINUTES.

 

Worldview insists that there are many ways to reach God and enter heaven—and that God is whatever He means to you. Don’t fall for that. There’s no “harmonizing” of various religious ways or bundling it all under global religio-culturalism.

 

One World Religion and a whatever-you-do-is-cool spirituality are LIES from the master deceiver—satan—and a deceptive, self-desired-focus human soul.

 

God is clear in His instruction manual—the Bible—about who He is . . . and who we are. And what He requires for worship and salvation. Understanding that is the critical first step before you’re able to walk on His one-way road to heaven.

 

So let’s start our path toward those ABCs of Salvation by setting worldview aside and getting down to some straight facts about who God is—a quick 4-1-1—according to what He says about Himself in His Word, the Bible. Then we’ll take a look at how we stack up to who He is.

 

#1. HIS NAME IS HIS CHARACTER

 

The Great I AM. El Elyon, the Most High.

Faithful. Justice. Righteous. Truth.

Ha Kadosh, the Holy One.

Perfect. Steadfast. Mercy. Grace.

A Strong Tower. El Shaddai, the Almighty God.

El Gibbor, the Powerful Warrior, Hero, Mighty Champion.

Adonai, the LORD, Master.

Adonei ha’adonim, the LORD of lords.

The Living God, King of Kings, our Judge, the Rock.

He alone is God. There is none like Him.

Haggo’el, the Redeemer. Sar Shalom, Prince/Ruler of Peace.

There is no salvation apart from Him.

He knows all things and declares the end from the beginning.

His decisions stand, His rule is forever.

 

#2. THERE ARE NONE LIKE HIM

(more scriptures at end of post)
 

I AM the LORD, and there is no one else.
I have not spoken in secret, in some dark land . . .
I, the LORD, speak righteousness,
Declaring things that are right . . .
There is no other GOD besides Me,
A righteous GOD and a SAVIOR,
There is none except Me.
Turn to Me and be saved,
all the ends of the earth.
—Isaiah 45: 18b, 19, 21b, 22

 

But the LORD is the true GOD;

he is the living GOD and the everlasting King.

—Jeremiah 10:10a

 

Have you not known? Have you not heard?

The Lord is the everlasting God,

the Creator of the ends of the earth.

He does not faint or grow weary;

his understanding is unsearchable.

—Isaiah 40:28

 

You are my Lord,

apart from you I have no good thing.”

—Psalm 16:1

 
 

 
 

HOW DO WE STACK UP?

 

Ever since the Garden of Eden, humanity has shown its propensity for rebellion against God—choosing our selfish desires over His ways and falling for satan’s trickery.

 

Here are just a few (of many) scriptures revealing humanity’s soul condition. These are from both sides of the Judaic-Messianic bridge.

 

For there isn’t one righteous person on earth

who does [only] good and does not sin.

—Ecclesiastes 7:20 (CJB)

 

The Lord has looked down from heaven upon the sons of mankind

to see if there are any who understand, who seek God.

They have all turned aside, together they are corrupt;

there is no one who does good, not even one.

—Psalm 14:2-3 (NASB)

 

The imaginings [inclinations] of a person’s heart are evil from his youth.

—Genesis 8:21b (CJB)

 

True, I was born guilty

was a sinner from the moment my mother conceived me.

—Psalm 51:7 [5] (CJB)
 

For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of the Lord (ESV).
—Romans 3:23

 

OUR SINS SEPARATE US FROM HIM

 

Adonai’s arm is not too short to save,

nor His ear too dull to hear,

rather it’s your own crimes [sins]

that separate you from God.

—Isaiah 59:1

 

Against you, you only, have I sinned

and done what is evil from your perspective;

so that you are right in accusing me and justified in passing sentence . . .

Turn away your face from my sins, and blot out all my crimes.

—Psalm 51:6,11 (4,9)

 

THE HUMAN HEART LIES TO OUR SOUL

 

The heart is deceitfully wicked,

who can know it?

I, Adonai, search the heart.

I test inner motivations in order to give to everyone

what his actions and conduct deserve.

—Jeremiah 17:9-10

 

If we claim not to have sin,

we are deceiving ourselves,

and the truth is not in us.

—1 John 1:8

 

HUMAN GOOD FALLS SHORT

 

All of our righteousness

are like menstrual rags [filthy],

misdeeds blown in the wind.

—Isaiah 64:5 [6] (CJB)

 

For the person who keeps all of the laws except one is

as guilty

as a person who has broken all of God’s laws.

—James 2:10

 

Yep, that’s us: we all break His Law every day . . . one way or another, at any given moment. In thoughts, words, actions. And it’s by those thoughts, words, actions that we’ll be judged.

 

HOPE UP AHEAD

 

With that reality check, how can any of us bridge the relationship gap with a holy God? We’re only human, right?

 

READ THE ANSWER in Part 2. ABC ROADMAP TO HEAVEN: FIRST, THE REAL JESUS.

 
 
 

* * * * *

 

MORE REVEALS ABOUT GOD’S CHARACTER

 

The Bible is filled from page one to its last page with truths about God’s character and our fractured state. The scriptures below are but a few more revealing His majesty and power.

 

For I am GOD, and there is no other;

I am GOD, and there is no one like Me,

declaring the end from the beginning

and from ancient times things not yet done,

saying, “My counsel shall stand,

and I will accomplish all my purpose.”

—Isaiah 46:9-10

 

There is none holy like the Lord:

for there is none besides you;

there is no rock like our God.

—2 Samuel 2:2

 

The LORD passed before him [Moses] and proclaimed,

“The LORD, the LORD, a GOD merciful and gracious,

slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness,

keeping steadfast love for thousands,

forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin,

but who will by no means clear the guilty,

visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children

and the children’s children,

to the third and the fourth generation.”

—Exodus 34:6-7

 

For I will proclaim the name of ADONAI.

Come, declare the greatness of our GOD!

The Rock, his work is perfect,

for all his ways are justice.

A GOD of faithfulness who does no wrong,

he is justice and righteous.

—Deuteronomy 32:3-4
 
 

For My thoughts are not your thoughts,

Nor are your ways My ways, declares the LORD.

For as the heavens are higher than the earth,

So are My ways higher than your ways

And My thoughts than your thoughts.

—Isaiah 55:8-9

 

PHOTO CREDITS:

Lit cobblestone photo by Ray Fragapane on Unsplash.com

Person in red photo by Elia Pellegrini on Unsplash.com

 

It’s true. There is a way—ONLY ONE WAY—for our fractured, earth-driven souls to spend eternity with God in His holy place. But let’s first get these facts straight.

 

© desireofmysoul.faith & SoulBreaths.com. All rights reserved.

 

Suggest reading this first: ABC ROADMAP TO HEAVEN: THE BROKEN BRIDGE

 

READING TIME: 5 MINUTES.

 

The bottom line? Your sin debt (and everyone else’s) has to be paid. Because God is not only MERCY but also JUSTICE—and as a RIGHTEOUS JUDGE he can’t let sin (our crimes against His Law and ways) go unpunished. He can’t go against His own character.

 

Yet God’s love is relentless. Even while humanity was neglecting Him, doing their thing, rebelling and widening that relationship gap with Him, God’s love stepped in.

 

He maintained His righteousness and justice yet made a way—the ONLY WAY—to pay for our sin.

 

That’s what the three A-B-C steps for salvation are about. Accepting His plan—His substitutionary gift, His son Jesus, the Messiah, to pay for our sin—a perfect, holy atonement that wipes our slates clean and restores our relationship with our Creator, the lover of our soul.

 

But the decision to believe, accept, and walk in that LOVE GIFT is up to you.

 

Enter the ABC steps of salvation—admit, believe, confess—once you know who the REAL Jesus is.

 
 
 

 
 

The facts . . . your eternal life hinges on getting this part right. The truth of who Jesus is—and who He’s not.

 

The world tries to stamp it out, put His truth, His name, under their feet.

 

Worldview attempts to eclipse His glory. Maligning, diluting, convoluting, and conjuring up an amalgamation of cultural, philosophical, and religious babble—as if that could possibly stand up against His truth, His glory, His holy sacrifice.

 

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We’re talking about the REAL Jesus—the promised Jewish Messiah
who came from the Father, is one with the Father,
who is the Great I Am,
who fulfilled over 200 messianic prophecies,
is the visible image of the invisible God,
and is the Word of God manifested in the flesh.
He dwelt among us—yet was glorified in the Father’s presence
before the world existed.
The Savior of the world who took on the sin of the world
as the holy, perfect Lamb sacrifice of God,
the only sacrifice required for eternal life.

 

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JESUS IS NOT what or who the cults or WOKE culture or New Age or one-world religion mentality says He is.

 

JESUS IS NOT the “first of creation.”

Actually, Colossians 1:15 says Jesus “is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation—firstborn in the original Greek in that text means he held preeminence over all creation.

 

JESUS . . .

— IS NOT a “false dream” (sorry, L. Ron Hubbard)

— IS NOT Michael the Archangel (and Jesus didn’t merely “resurrect invisibly as a spirit”)

— IS NOT the spirit brother of satan

— IS NOT one of many gods who were once humans and evolved to gods—nope, you’re not getting your own planet to be a god over . . . God says He alone is LORD

— HAS NOT evolved spiritually via good works to become god

— IS NOT a product of spiritual incest or physical incest/sexual relations between a father god and Mary

—IS NOT insufficient and his blood sacrifice/crucifixion isn’t foolishness, unable to atone for sins

—IS NOT “just a man” or a “divine idea”

—IS NOT “just a prophet”

—IS NOT “just a rabbi” or “only the messiah for gentiles”—because God’s Redemptive Plan, as prophesied, came through the Jews, for the Jews and for the whole world

—IS NOT “just a moral teacher”

—IS NOT some iChing element

—IS NOT an astro projection or a magician

— IS NOT an “advanced medium” in the 6th sphere/astrological projection

—IS NOT some guru

—IS NOT a man who “failed” his mission

—IS NOT one of nine world manifestations

— IS NOT reflective of some cosmic consciousness

 

JESUS IS WHO THE BIBLE AND GOD HAVE SHOWN HIM TO BE SINCE GENESIS 1:1.

 

THE WORD THAT CAME UP FROM THE FATHER IS ONE WITH THE FATHER, HIS SON, JESUS OUR MESSIAH.

 

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John 1:1-4, 14 reveals it clearly,
mirroring that Genesis passage
to show that Jesus is the Word of God
manifested in the flesh:

 

“In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.

He was in the beginning with God.

All things were made through him, and without him nothing was made.

In him was life, and the light of men . . .

the Word became flesh and dwelt among us

and we have seen his glory,

glory as of the only Son from the Father,

full of grace and truth.

 

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And with that, here are God’s ordained steps to spending eternity with Him: ABCs of Salvation

 
 

 
 

THANKS: To Christian Ministries International for Ron & Jason Carlson’s summary on The “Jesus” of the Cults.
 

PHOTO CREDITS:

Lit cobblestone photo by Ray Fragapane on Unsplash.com

Truth ticket in stoney dirt photo by Michael Carruth on Unsplash.com

White arrow photo by Hello I’m Nik on Unsplash.com