“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.” ~ I Thessalonians 5:23
REFERENCE:
Humans are three-part beings. We are a spirit, have a soul, and live in a body. For this reason, God wants us to live lives that cater to this triune reality – a three-way living. Paul said God wants our spirit, soul, and body to be wholly sanctified; He wants us to live balanced lives that make significant investments in each of these parts. Not doing so is living a lopsided life.
We must balance setting our affections on heavenly realities and engaging intelligently with earthly matters. Christians who lose this balance are either so weird – seeing spirits and demons everywhere or are ignorant of spiritual warfare and realities. They see things carnally, are scientific and methodical, thinking that prayer is a waste of time.
The Christian, mindful of the three-way living, has his gaze on heaven but gains mastery in life’s affairs. He is guided by the Word of God. He pays attention to his social life, physical exercise, career, family, diet, emotional well-being, personal hygiene, etc. He understands that his spirit is the foundation that carries other areas of his life; hence he invests bible study and prayer in it. He constantly renews his mind (soulish realm) and takes good care of his body.
God wants you to experience prosperity in your spirit, soul, and body. If you make the right and proportionate investments in three-way living, your life will attract non-believers; you will know total-life prosperity (nothing missing or broken), a life of faith and prayer, success in business, marital bliss, financial sufficiency, healthy life, and excellence in your career.
Avoid extremes as much as possible, so you will not suffer burnout, complaints, or boredom. Be intentional about the three-way living; give a priority ratio of 3:2:1. Invest ‘3’ in your spirit, ‘2’ in your mind, and ‘1’ in your body. This may require you to make sacrifices, let go of some habits or friends, and give more time to reading, bible study, and fellowship with the Holy Spirit. Doing these will help you to live a fulfilled life of significant impact that cannot be erased.
PHOTO QUOTE
ADDITIONAL STUDY:
3 John 1:2, I Timothy 4:6-16, & Ecclesiastes 7:16 -18 (NIV)
REFLECTION
+ Think through your daily routines. Where are you lagging behind in three-way living? Your spirit, soul, or body?
+ What goals would you set to help you achieve the three-way living?
+ Are there practical ways you can adopt these goals daily?
