18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth (lives) no good thing (that is my sinful nature): for to will(desire) is present with me; but how to perform(carry out) that which is good I find not.
Rom 7:18
“For the word of God is living and operative, and keen above any two-edged sword, and penetrating up to the parting of soul and spirit...”
Heb.4:12
Soul Scars
· Scar tissue of the soul leaves a debilitating loss
· Scar tissue of the soul is also called hardness of the heart and stubbornness of heart. The Lord Jesus Christ quoted Isaiah 6:9-10 as the reason for teaching in parables to the Jews of His day who had hardness of the heart (Matthew 13:13-16; Mark 4:12; Luke 8:10; John 12:40)
· Scar tissue of the soul that restricts capacity for life and love.
· Scar tissue only cure for such problems is a divine solution, which requires application of Bible Doctrine which brings in The Mind of God in to the categories of our Mind. Our unconsciousness after we are saved still has residual effects of irrational thought and hardness. The Word of God will till the hardness of our thought life. How we think will transfer into how we believe, how we believe, translates into faith action.
Scar tissue of the soul, however, is not the same as the Old Sin Nature, which is the motivation to sin. Every cell of the body contains the Old Sin Nature or the flesh. In the absence of the Filling of the Holy Spirit, the Old Sin Nature our Flesh will motivate irrational thinking and sin will control the our outward life from within our minds that are naturally bent towards a temporal value system. Scar tissue of the soul will add fuel to the fire of the soul under the control of the Old Sin Nature. However, the power of scar tissue of the soul will be thwarted by the Filling of the Holy Spirit. The Zoe life of the Holy Spirit will convince us in our the battle Ground of the mind. We are not to fight our own battles, not fight our own thoughts. God will fight them for us if we just live in faith rest in receiving the Holy Spirit of Grace, through Mercy, and by the Word of Living Truth.
We have a lifetime of habits and wounds that have caused soul scars over the many years our minds we not merged with a Christly Mind. A scar is a natural part of the healing process. The worse the damage is, the worse the scar will be.
A soul scar is SCAR TISSUE: unhealed wound,unresolved pain, deeply seated doubts, hidden chambers of idolatry, and any other initiations from our senses or impressions from the cosmic world system that have marked us in the past or present. The combinations of these have caused numerous residual effects such as to have mental blocks, spiritual blindness, and mental darkness. We need more than salvation we need illumination. “Illumination may be defined as the divine quickening of the human mind in virtue of which it is enabled to understand truth already revealed.” It does not reveal new truth, but makes the old truth understandable. Someone said, and I don’t know the source of this, “What light is to the eye, illumination is to the mind.”
"BEING CONVINCED" - ILLUMINATION
· REMOVES BLINDNESS IN OUR MIND
· GIVES INSIGHT
· PREPARES ACTION IN THE WILL
Illumination brings deliverance which promotes spiritual harmony with in our mind which in turn will heal the soul by the Holy Spirit .
Our lives are full of unwelcome behaviors and overwhelming emotions. The fact that we still feel the pain from our past is not a sign of a failed relationship with God. The presence of the pain does not lessen the impact of the salvation in our lives. This is a signal that we need to begin the process of moment by moment inner-healing. God will make the necessary interior healing and transfiguration. To admit to pains and problems may seem to be a contradiction of our claim to salvation, but it is not. The bible is a masterpiece of men and women who struggled continually to overcome past mistakes and present temptations. This is the evidence that God is at work in lives to conform individuals into His Image.
Look at the Apostle Paul , he wrote about this matter clearly and proves the bible is true. He wrote about his uncontrollable life and behaviors as proof of his separation from God. Yet, his admission does not interfere with his commitment to do God’s will. Paul’s will got in the way with God’s will. This is part of the pride complex that is in every man. The pride of the old man that cries with in us for his own will and works against us to frustrate God’s plan for us.
We have a culture that places a high value on individual accomplishment and success. There for we want to have our own Human remedy for our own problems. We want to follow our spiritual father the FIRST ADAM who operated in independence, self-sufficiency, relative righteousness and preoccupation. These aspects of personality are in various degrees of impression on every person. So it is very common to bring in the Cosmic world system in to our new found faith and return back to the way of self-performance. These human remedy's will leave us frustrated and experiencing constant defeat. This is right where the we get debilitated and usually remain not moving forward through life, If we think that we are defeated failures, be will begin to act like defeated failures.
Most of us from birth have been bombarded by our self the old sin nature, the devil, and the world system the ideal of high achievement and performance. Being successful and competitive is viewed by society as important. We are taught that if we compete hard enough we will be “winners” and, therefore good people. If, however we don’t measure up to what is expected of us we are losers, we believe of ourselves as failures. This combination creates a poor self-image, desperation, frustration, and utter despair. Due to the absence of good role models, during childhood, many of us are confused with these ideals and the biblical definition of a Victorious Christian life. We don’t know where we fit in. We continue to allow our worth and self-esteem to be determined by what we do and what others think about us, and not by who we are in Christ and what he has accomplished upon the Cross. We have conditioned ourselves to fail and learned anxiety from our much confused and misguided lives.
Surrender to Grace, we admit defeat and recognize that our obsessive traits manipulate the affairs of our lives to ease inner pain of our separation from God. Thus making our lives uncontrollable and will continue to be until we surrender our own will.
Romans 11:6-7
6 But if it is by grace (His unmerited favor and graciousness), it is no longer conditioned on works or anything men have done. Otherwise, grace would no longer be grace [it would be meaningless].
7 What then [shall we conclude]? Israel failed to obtain what it sought [God's favor by obedience to the Law]. Only the elect (those chosen few) obtained it, while the rest of them became callously indifferent (blinded, hardened, and made insensible to it).
AMP
[And if grace ...]
If the fact that any are reserved be by grace, or favor, then it cannot be as a reward of merit. Paul thus takes occasion incidentally to combat a favorite notion of the Jews, that we are justified by obedience to the Law. He reminds them that in the time of Elijah it was because God had reserved them
Romans 11:6
[Otherwise grace ...]
If people are justified by their works, it could not be a matter of favor, but was a debt. If it could be that the doctrine of justification by grace could be held and yet at the same time that the Jewish doctrine of merit was true, then it would follow that grace had changed its nature, or was a different thing from what the word properly signified. The idea of being saved by merit contradicts the very idea of grace. If a man owes me a debt, and pays it, it cannot be said to be done by favor, or by grace. I have a claim on him for it, and there is no favor in his paying his just dues.
[But if it be of works ...]
"Works" here mean conformity to the Law; and to be saved by works would be to be saved by such conformity as the meritorious cause. Of course there could be no grace or favor in giving what was due: if there was favor, or grace, then works would lose their essential characteristic, and cease to be the meritorious cause of procuring the blessings. What is paid as a debt is not conferred as a favor.
And from this it follows that salvation cannot be partly by grace and partly by works. It is not because people can advance any claims to the favor of God; but from his mere unmerited grace. He that is not willing to obtain eternal life in that way, cannot obtain it at all. The doctrines of election, and of salvation by mere grace, cannot be more explicitly stated than they are in this passage.
(from Barnes' Notes, Electronic Database Copyright © 1997, 2003, 2005, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)
Ephesians 2:8-9
8 For it is by free grace (God's unmerited favor) that you are saved ( delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ's salvation) through [your] faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [of your own doing, it came not through your own striving], but it is the gift of God;
9 Not because of works [not the fulfillment of the Law's demands], lest any man should boast. [It is not the result of what anyone can possibly do, so no one can pride himself in it or take glory to himself.]
AMP
Galatians 5:4-6
If you seek to be justified and declared righteous and to be given a right standing with God through the Law, you are brought to nothing and so separated (severed) from Christ. You have fallen away from grace (from God's gracious favor and unmerited blessing).
5 For we, [not relying on the Law but] through the [Holy] Spirit's [help], by faith anticipate and wait for the blessing and good for which our righteousness and right standing with God [our conformity to His will in purpose, thought, and action, causes us] to hope.
6 For [if we are] in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith activated and energized and expressed and working through love.
AMP
Romans 4:1-7
Chapter 4 1 [BUT] IF so, what shall we say about Abraham, our forefather humanly speaking — [what did he] find out? [How does this affect his position, and what was gained by him?]
2 For if Abraham was justified ( established as just by acquittal from guilt) by good works [that he did, then] he has grounds for boasting. But not before God!
3 For what does the Scripture say? Abraham believed in (trusted in) God, and it was credited to his account as righteousness (right living and right standing with God). [Genesis 15:6.]
4 Now to a laborer, his wages are not counted as a favor or a gift, but as an obligation (something owed to him).
5 But to one who, not working [by the Law], trusts (believes fully) in Him Who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited to him as righteousness (the standing acceptable to God).
6 Thus David congratulates the man and pronounces a blessing on him to whom God credits righteousness apart from the works he does:
7 Blessed and happy and to be envied are those whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered up and completely buried.
AMP
Ps 6:6-7
6 I am weary with my groaning; all the night make I my bed to swim; I water my couch with my tears.
7 Mine eye is consumed because of grief; it waxeth old because of all mine enemies.
(KJV)
1) What keeps you from recognizing your unrestrained life?
2) What area of your life is causing you the most sadness?
Our pride cries out against the idea of being not in control and giving up power. We are accustomed to accepting full responsibility for all that happens in our lives and in the lives of others. The dysfunction of the environment of the world system that surrounds us teaches us reaction and we learn to become overly responsible. Liberation and renewal of strength will come from total surrender.
3) What events in your life caused you to realize the extent of your pain?
Deut 30:19-20
19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:
20 That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land
(KJV)
4) Pain is a signal to act out your addiction, obsession, or compulsion. Now pain can be a signal to acknowledge your lack of control and to choose life. What specific pain is your strongest signal?
As we begin to accept and surrender the reality of our condition, we naturally reach out to others for answers. There will be no true relief for us until we, by ourselves, in our own minds ands hearts acknowledge our lack of control.
1 Cor 8:2
2 And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know.
(KJV)
5) We think that life is working when we rely on our old survival techniques. How has this blocked you from seeing your real problems?
The ongoing commitment to surrender, we remember that our damaging traits, habits, and behaviors are a part of us. They are unconscious reactions to the scars that are in our soul. The unhealed wounds are these soul scars. We observe our behavior patterns for the appearance of destructive tendencies. As we notice self-defeating behaviors and reactions surface, we can surrender and seek rescue from God. God will open new courses for action for us.
6) In what area of your life do you experience the strongest need to be in control?
7) What are the results of self-defeating habits?
Mark 4:35-40
35 And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side.
36 And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships.
37 And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.
38 And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?
39 And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
40 And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?
(KJV)
8) The apostles felt fear and doubt, because of the situation of their personal powerlessness. What do you fear the most? What causes you to doubt?
Recovery from Scar Tissue of the Soul
By your patience possess your souls —Luke 21:19
When a person is born again, there is a period of time when he does not have the same vitality in his thinking or reasoning that he previously had. We must learn to express this new life within us, which comes by forming the mind of Christ (see Philippians 2:5 ). Luke 21:19 means that we take possession of our souls through patience. But many of us prefer to stay at the entrance to the Christian life, instead of going on to create and build our soul in accordance with the new life God has placed within us. We fail because we are ignorant of the way God has made us, and we blame things on the devil that are actually the result of our own undisciplined natures. Just think what we could be when we are awakened to the truth!
Scar tissue has been around throughout history. It is a common problem. Our Lord dealt with it in those he tried to teach, and through his teaching the recovery process can be learned. When teaching people with scar tissue, our Lord taught them in parables. After teaching the Parable of the Sower, his disciples asked him why he had taught in parables. His answer was because his audience had scar tissue of the soul. He quoted Isaiah 6:9-10 in Matthew 13:14-15. Since most people with scar tissue aren't going to learn Bible Doctrine anyway, because their internal capacity is very minimal and their mind continually wanders therefore He taught them with symbolic messages, or parables, to illustrate the Spiritual principles. The parables served two purposes: (1) They hid the true doctrine from those who would never learn it anyway, and (2) they required analysis to understand just like the application of Bible Doctrine that would be required to handle the testing associated with scar tissue of the soul.
The recovery process from scar tissue of the soul was taught by our Lord in Matthew 13:14-15. Recovery is complicated by the problems that characterize scar tissue. The person with scar tissue of the soul is his own worst enemy; and what's more, he doesn't understand his own problem. There are certain things in life that we need not pray about— moods, for instance. We will never get rid of moodiness by praying, but we will by kicking it out of our lives. Moods nearly always are rooted in some physical circumstance, not in our true inner self. It is a continual struggle not to listen to the moods which arise as a result of our physical condition, but we must never submit to them for a second
"And in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says,
'You will keep on hearing, but will not understand;
And you will keep on seeing, but will not perceive; (Matthew 13:14)
People with scar tissue of the soul may see the Scars of their soul but not be able to understand what it means spiritually. Although they have heard doctrine taught, they are unable to make application. They keep on hearing Bible Doctrine taught, but they do not understand how to apply it to their life individually. Thus, scar tissue of the soul hinders the metabolization of Bible Doctrine and the execution of the Spiritual Life. The only solution and hope of recovery is to stop Trying and begin Trusting that God's way and power is the only deliverance of our Soul Scars. The divine recovery procedure must be received by Grace not by our own strength no performance; otherwise, there will be no recovery from scar tissue. The Scar Tissue will only be more deeply engrained and habitual failure becomes our frame of Reference. This old frame of reference energized by our own performance and frustration of defeat forms a cycle of failure. The only divine remedy to break this cycle of Failure is to stop trying in our own performance and receive the Grace of God which will cause us to trust in God's performance even when we do not immediately see results. God works in the invisible not in the visible. That is why we need to look through faith eyes not though our own perception and opinions of our own mind which is conditioned by the comic world system, our flesh, and from the Devil.
For the heart of this people has become insensitive,
And with their ears they are hard of hearing,
And they have closed their eyes
Lest they should see with their eyes,
And hear with their ears,
And understand with their heart and return,
And I should heal them.' (Matthew 13:15)
You have become estranged from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by the Law; you have run aground from grace. (Galatians 5:4)
The word for running aground is the Greek ejkpivptw (ekpipto), which means to drift off course or run aground. Those who run aground cease to advance in the Spiritual Life.
Scar tissue of the soul makes it more difficult to stay on course. In addition to ignorance, which makes navigation in grace difficult, scar tissue of the soul may add the additional lure of lust and lasciviousness or legalism to go astray.
Ephesians 4:18-19
18 And they have been darkened in their way of thinking, and they have been alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance which is in them, because of the scar tissue in their heart. 19 Who, because they have become callused, they have given themselves over to licentiousness resulting in the practice of every kind of immorality with insatiable lust
The believer with scar tissue of the soul is alienated from the life of God and easily tempted by lust to go astray from grace. Scar tissue of the soul is an added burden to those who are trying to advance in the Spiritual Life.
1 Strong, James, Strong's Exhaustive Concordance, Crusade Bible Publishers, Inc., Nashville, TN, pp. 1340, Dictionary of the Hebrew Bible, pp. 127, Dictionary of the Greek Testament, pp. 79.
2 Kittel Gerhard, and Gerhard Friedrich (Editors), Theological Dictionary Of The New Testament Collected Dialogues Of Plato Including The Letters, Abridged and translated in one volume by Geoffrey W. Bromiley, W. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, MI, 1985 (Reprinted 1992), ISBN: 0-8028-2404-8, p. 1342-1353.
