For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. (Rom. 8:5)
It helped my faith immeasurably when I was able to say, “I am a spirit being. I have a soul. And I live in a body” (see First Thessalonians 5:23).
You see, my spirit is my heart. It is with the heart, with the spirit, that I believe. When I learned this, I stopped paying attention to my body. I stopped paying attention to my feelings. Instead of being body-conscious, I became spirit-conscious.
Now if you’re more body-conscious, you’re concerned about the body. And you’ll see someone and say, “How are you feeling?” And the person will respond by saying, “I’ve got a sore throat [or some other ailment].”
People are more conscious of the body than they are of the spirit. The body dominates them. The body rules them.
All they can ever talk about is the physical man. Well, the spirit man ought to be first. And if they’ll stop being so conscious of their body and become spirit-conscious, their body will get in line and will start acting and feeling better.
If someone asks me how I’m feeling, I don’t tell him or her how I feel. I don’t pay any attention to my feelings. I say, “I’m well. Thank you.” Then I begin to tell them what the Bible says.
And I have learned by experience that the more I say what the Bible says, the better I feel. I believe in health and healing, so I talk health and healing. And my body responds to those words.
Confession: I am a spirit. I have a soul. And I live in a body. Instead of being so concerned about my body – instead of allowing my body to rule me – I let my spirit man, my heart, rule me. As a result, my body lines up with my spirit.
(Taken by permission from RHEMA Bible Church , aka Kenneth Hagin Ministries , Tulsa , OK , USA. www.rhema.org )