Video Transcript: Decluttering of the Soul Defined

So we're back. So last time we talked about anthropology, like, what is the soul? What is the working definition? When we think about decluttering the soul? How  are we going to think or talk about the soul, which is your body and spirit. So  today, we're going to talk about a little more definition, but then talk about  memory verses that by the end of this class, maybe you have heard once or  twice, but I recommend that here are some good soul decluttering verses. So  that's what we're going to talk about. So let's review you were are created a  living soul. Genesis 2:7, and Jehovah formed man out of the dust of the ground  and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul.  You are a physical dimension. With the breath of physical life and Spirit, you are  a spiritual dimension, with the breath of consciousness. And we talked, if you  remember, Where was Jesus between Good Friday, and Easter? So just to  review, remember that you are a living soul. If you were, you fell into sin. Um,  the only remedy is conversion, where you are restored in the new relationship  with God. So now what we're going to do is we're going to really talk about the  decluttering of the soul defined. So what does that mean? So, we're going to  define soul, heart clutter, are those worldviews or relationships, distractions or  junk, that hold us back, Master us, or put us or keep us in company with sinful or satanic enterprises or relationships. And we're humbled in how the apostle Paul  says all of us, also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our  sinful nature, following its desires and thoughts, like the rest we were by nature,  and nature being the human nature, the human fallen nature, objects of wrath.  And Titus 3:3, at one time, we too, were foolish, disobedient, deceived, enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures, we lived in malice and envy being hated, and hating one another. So that's our inclination that it when I read passages  like that, it makes me want to take the soul seriously, you know, take my identity  in Christ, my conversion in Christ seriously, and be humble about the fact that I  need to pay attention to the decluttering of my soul and be more and more  aware of how the spiritual dimension of my person is in need of, of care. And so  that I more and more put to death, the misdeeds of the body, so that the soul,  body and spirit Thrive very well. So I want to become aware of spiritual  distractions. So I put here, memory or reference verses so before we get into  talking specifically about some of the learning that we can share about  decluttering the soul I thought it'd be great just to give some Bible passages  here in the second presentation, that just sort of prime the pump for this kind of  discussion. So beware of spiritual distractions. Here's a great memory verse, I  Timothy 6:6-9, but godliness with contentment is great gain, For we brought  nothing into the world and we can take nothing out of it. For if we have food and  clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into  temptations and trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. Why I like this passage as a great memory passage for soul declutter thought and thinking and action is that in some ways, It keeps me 

aware that we have come into the world, a living soul with nothing but that  identity being a living soul, my body and spirit, and we take nothing out of the  world when we leave. So what there is for you and I is a deep concern for who  we are, where we're going, how we want to get there, how we don't want to be  distracted with, in I have met well meaning, people who had their soul  connected to Jesus Christ. But if you haven't given much, that can be a huge  distraction, because you can quickly put your soul for sale, and all of the things  that can beckon it away from God. But I've also seen people with very little, who  have been bitter and envious, in imagining themselves to be rich or envy, the  rich. The point is, be content, rich or poor. You come into the world with nothing  and you leave with nothing, you can't take anything with you. So what matters is  the care and feeding of your soul. So that's a passage I like to know and I have  memorized. Here's one, walk in a fruitful soul lifestyle. And, But the fruit of the  Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness  and self control against such things. There is no law, the fruit of the Spirit  passage, amazing passage that talks about what feeds the soul, love, joy,  peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness and self control, and to ask  the Holy Spirit, to fill your spiritual side your experience with his presence. And it changes how you live in your life in your body. Your body starts adopting  moderation, making sure that the cravings of the flesh don't become Lord over  you. So that's another great passage to memorize. Here's one, get rid of soul  junk food Ephesians 4:30-32. And do not greed, the Holy Spirit of God with  whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage,  anger, brawling, slander, along with every form of malice, be kind to compassion to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ, God forgave you. Here's a  passage that's just an action step for keeping the soul. Healthy, in part of that is  the forgiveness piece. I've seen bitter souls, bitterness, bitterness, because of  things that happened through the body. I've seen bitterness of things that  happened through the hurt of a soul through the Spirit. And then I've seen that  seen that bitterness set set in I can tell you as a minister, I've seen people die of  bitterness, way young, it affected their health, it affected every part of their  being. It took an took them to places unhappiness, that God did not create a  human to go into. So you know, there's a beautiful passage about not becoming  bitter. Here's another one growing beneficials soul choices, I'll add that  everything is permissible for me, but not everything is beneficial. Everything is  permissible for me, but I will not be mastered by anything. Being mastered by  things is really idolatry. Where if Jesus Christ is not your Lord and Savior in you  and thrown something else, ultimately it will have many implications for your  body and spirit. In a lot of ways, this is the moderation passage, that yes, you  are human and yes, you have the sinful nature. We're all in that one together,  but through being mastered at the spiritual level, and submitting putting to death  At the body level, our sin, a new form of godly moderation sets in, you know, 

one of the qualifications of being an office bearer is that moderation, that not be  given to too much wine. It doesn't say don't have a drink. But addictions or stuff  like that, in many of you just maybe never want to drink. But my point is, is that  whole point about love masters you that there is truth, we know that we struggle  with sin, but are we mastered by it? So we ask the Holy Spirit to fill us more and  more and more that all of our life is to glorify God. Here's another passage that I  

look at often, great reference, great memory verse that we wage war against the strongholds of sin, demonic influence, II Corinthians 10:3-5, For though we live  in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with  are not weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to  demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets  itself up against the knowledge of God, and take captive every thought and  make it obedient to Christ. I like this passage when it comes to the decluttering  of the soul, because I first of all realize that, that satanic influence and my own  sinful nature, want my soul to be cluttered, and just totally not having my eyes  focused on God. It is a spiritual warfare Ephesians 6, where our fight is not  against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers. And it is a very  spiritual place. You know, a lot of people are talking about spiritual existence and the New Age movement in the fact is, that is spiritual powers, that war against  God. So, I like to put this passage as a reference to memory to remind me that  there is, there's a phrase that I remember when I went to college, Christian  training, the antithesis, there are spirits and we see that in the New Testament,  though, tests the spirits, there are spirits that war against God and can war in  us. And we need to be aware of that as we declutter our soul. We need to know  that the enemy wants to deceive us. Here's another one that's powerful.  Confess your sins and pray for more soul decluttering James 5:15-16 says, if we have sin, if he has sin, He will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to each  other and pray for each other that you might be healed. You know, I think that's  so amazing. Confess your sins to each other know what that's talking about? Is  Yes, it could be very much a moral thing. And in the Catholic Church, for  instance, they actually have a confession booth, where the health of you know  unburdening the soul is seen. And as time went on, in the Protestant church,  and now is generally understood that confession is healthy for the soul. And that in we often think of that often as moral confession. And that's good. But there's  also sort of like a transparency relationship. We are sinners and to get our lives  with other Christians who we can confess our sinful nature struggle to one  another. Not just the one or two sins here and there, but it's the whole truth that  our soul is needy and let's us rest in God. And when we have every soul all of  you all have I have those weak areas. But when we can find other believers that  can journey with us, and we have the transparency to share. Yeah, here is  where the more foot holds are involved. Here's where generational sin are.  Here's where a cleansing stream of healing from the Holy Spirit is needed in my 

life, and instead of hiding in the bushes It's like Adam and Eve and blaming  someone else, we come out, and we come out, and then confess and be  healed. I think these are powerful memory verses to think about. Here's another  one. I John 1:8-9, if we claim to be, well sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth  is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our  sins, and purify us from all unrighteousness. When we talk about the cleansing,  the healing the decluttering, of the soul in keeping your house in order,  confession is so important to that. It's like when you confess your brokenness,  your sin it's as if you just took junk out of your soul. You know, when I grew up,  every single weekend church, they had the call to repentance. Then there would be the prayer of repentance, and they would often quote this and then the  minister would say in Lord, whatever we have done to hurt our neighbor or hurt  you, Lord, whatever sin there was Lord in our life, we confess it to you. And we  give it to you right now in Jesus name. And then, after that prayer, there would  be the assurance of pardon. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and  will forgive us our sins, your sins and purify you from all unrighteousness. That  was about soul Declutter. So this is another incredibly awesome passage. And  one more that I feel must be mentioned. And again, I can mention hundreds, but I believe open up to the Word of God, to your soul, getting deep into your very  spirit. Okay, so what do I mean by that? Hebrews 4:12, for the Word of God is  living and active and sharper than any two edged sword and piercing even to  the dividing of soul and spirit of jointsaidn Mara marrow, quick and quick to  discern the thoughts and issues and intents of the heart. Oh, wow. Yeah. So we  got all these talk that we're talking about in here is the Bible, the Word of God,  where we ask the Holy Spirit to take God's Word, His Word of God the Bible,  and get into house cleaning, Soul cleaning, soul, and spirit, you know, in other  words, soul, led by that spiritual piece, down to all the way to the heart, That  wanter, and that the word of God gets to that level. That is a powerful passage  to memorize. So, the next time we're going to start digging into the nuts and  bolts of decluttering but here are some passages to just reflect on to think about  to pray about as you pursue the care and the decluttering of your soul.