Author Note: in a later blog post, I’m going to reflect on the two terms “soul” and “spirit” and clarify the differences between the two.

At Christian Life Center (CLC) in Dayton, Ohio, we just finished our first of six weekend services in the new series (and book study by the same name) titled, “Soul Deep Identity Theft.”

My hope is this set of sermons and the book will help explain why a person can accept Jesus as his or her Lord and savior; yet they feel so imperfect and have so many struggles in becoming who they desire to be. Our life is best seen as an (often invisible) battle. We have an adversary that takes aim at the core of who we are: our souls.

Our souls are the intangible aspects of our humanity.

It is commonly believed the soul includes the mind, will, and emotions. Furthermore, the soul is the place of cognition, feeling, and choosing.

Many understand the Bible to teach that we are wondrously created in three parts: body, soul, and spirit. The Bible isn’t a book of science nor a psychology textbook; still, timeless truths about us as humans are at the heart of its message.

Our bodies are amazing creations and complex collections of physiological systems, finely tuned to each other. We are indeed “fearfully and wonderfully made” as the writer of Psalms 139:14 accurately observes.

The soul is the part of someone that is transformed when a person decides to become a follower of Jesus Christ as his or her personal Lord and Savior. In fact, the Bible says God’s Holy Spirit dwells within us once we become a Christian.

When a person becomes a Christian, his/her spirit is instantly renewed (“born again” as Jesus described it in John 3).

However, renewed does not mean instantly changed. From then on, the soul becomes a battlefield that changes over time. The decision to follow Christ begins a process of becoming like Jesus. Theologians call this process, “sanctification,” which simply means the process of becoming holy.

None of us can do this on our own. Thankfully, God helps us through His Holy Spirit. It is a little-by-little process. 2 Corinthians 5:17 tells us we become a “New Creature” in Christ. Old habits, mindsets, and attitudes begin to pass away (and continue to pass away) as new healthy habits, mindsets, and attitudes begin and continue to take their place.

The process of becoming like Jesus is the journey of your lifetime if you accept Him as Savior and Lord of your life!

As surely as there is a God (the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), we have an adversary called “Satan.” This adversary is prepared to fight you every step of the way on your journey to become like Christ.

Jesus told us Satan’s agenda is to steal, kill and destroy (John 10: 10). In our series, we focus on his efforts to steal our identity (the blessing it is to be a Christian), to kill our dreams (the Bible makes it clear that God has plans for each of us), and to destroy our potential (you have more than you can dream of).

You may be overwhelmed with yourself or with others in your life. Perhaps circumstances are taking their toll. Be encouraged, you CAN overcome. The Bible has many positive and encouraging truths that point us to the success God intends for us.

Next Steps

Visit www.clcdayton.tv to watch this week’s message The Identity Thief After You on-demand, get your copy of the book Soul Deep Identity Theft on Amazon.com, and share your thoughts on social media using the hashtag #SoulDeepIdentity.