Dear Fellow Believers in Christ, (Christians today need the Division of Soul and Spirit) 

Did not Paul command us to rightly divide the word of truth? Is not religion mixing concoctions of law and grace? How do you determine if your decisions and actions are out of the flesh or out of the Spirit? Why does Holy Spirit mind renewal become an essential and progressive part of life? How does the division of soul and spirit protect us from Satan? How does this discernment enable Christ-life to flow in and through us for others and to the Father? Holy Spirit guide us into Your understanding of all truth.

THE DIVISION OF SOUL AND SPIRIT

For the Word of God is ever living and energetic, and sharper than every two-edged sword, even ever penetrating through to the division of both soul and spirit, and of both joints and marrows, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart" (Hebr. 4:12, author's translation).

First, the Word of God is Ever Living and Energetic in Us
Paul, most likely the author of Hebrews, lets us know that the Word of God is ever living and energetic. The Word of God is quickened to us and made alive by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit reveals and opens up the word of God to us. He makes the word of God work for us and become energetic in us. Some versions render energetic as powerful. The Holy Spirit teaches and reveals the Christ within us (John 16:13-15). Christ is the power that comes forth from within us (I Cor. 1:24; Eph. 3:20). Christ is the living Word brought forth from the written Word and quickened by the Holy Spirit in us. We were born again by the incorruptible Word of God and we ever live and operate by that same word (I Pet. 1:23). We are living by the Son in us Who is our life (I John 5:11,12; Gal. 2:20).

Second, the Word of God is Sharper than a Two-Edged Sword
The Word of God within us is a discerner. The illustration given is that the Word of God is like a two-edged sword. A two-edged sword is sharp on both sides. It cuts going in and cuts going out. The Word of God illumined in our hearts by the Holy Spirit provides us the discernment of truth. The truth of the Word goes in and provides us Spiritual direction on how to let Christ be our life within us as our expression as He comes out through us (Gal. 2:20). We are told to "rightly divide the word of truth" (II Tim. 2:15). Divide means to distinguish or discern the difference between two things. Many people take the Word of God and put everything together like in a blender and mix it all up. All you get that way is a mixed up concoction of man or religion. We must take this Scripture to heart and let the sword of the spirit, the word of God rightly divide and discern the truth with the help of illumination and revelation of the Holy Spirit.

Third, the Word of God will Divide the Difference of the Soul and the Spirit
God uses contrast throughout the Word of God. The Word separates the soul and the Spirit. The Word also separates the flesh from the Spirit and the temporal from the eternal (II Cor. 4:18). Each of these are similar comparisons to show the difference or division between the soul and the Spirit by the Word of God. Soulish is considered to be fleshly or carnal. "For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap eternal life" (Gal. 6:8). Our soul consists of the mind, will, and emotions, with the seat of the will and emotions called the heart. Since the Spirit rebirthing, man has Christ living in him as the new man, his Spirit life, power, strength and expression. Man is to live spiritually and not to live soulishly. Paul tells us that, "those who are in the flesh cannot please God" (Rom. 8:9). Paul also declares, "But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit" – "the Spirit of Christ" (Rom.8:9).

Fourth, the Word of God is used by the Holy Spirit to Renew our Mind
After the Spirit rebirthing, there are only two (2) reasons man lives in soulish expression rather than the Spiritual expression of Christ in and through him (Gal. 2:20). Either his mind is not renewed to the reality of Christ in Him as his life and only life, revealed by the Holy Spirit, or he just chooses not to live to that revealed and discerned truth. This is the main reason that Paul talks about mind renewal throughout the majority of his epistles. Paul knew from the re-birthing that the Spirit in man was complete, however, the mind is being renewed on a continuous basis. Paul commanded us, "And continually be renewed in the spirit of your mind" (Eph. 4:23). We have to let the Holy Spirit renew our mind for Spiritual discernment. Then we will discern and can know, "For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace" (Rom. 8:6).

Fifth, the Division Between Soul and Spirit Separates Us from Religion
Religion is soulish. Religion has mixed up a soulish concoction with law and grace and calls it spiritual. Since Christ died on the cross, was buried, and now is resurrected, we are now under grace. Christ fulfilled every jot and tittle of the law in His Jesus of Nazareth body and that body was nailed to the cross and put to death. The Word of God says that Christ abolished in his flesh the hatred, the law of commandments contained in ordinances and put them to death on the cross (Eph. 2:14-16; Col. 2:14). Religion attempts to use the law today to control and manipulate people. Grace brings liberty to God's people in Christ. The Word divides between soul and spirit – between religion and Christianity.

Sixth, The Division Between Soul and Spirit Protects us from Satan
"Having once then separated out of us everything used by the rulers and authorities, He once then presented them now powerless in open speech, once then triumphing over them in it" (Col. 2:15, author's translation). Paul tells us when Jesus paid the price on the cross in His broken body with His shed blood, that all of the law and ordinances were also nailed there (Col. 2:14). After our Spirit rebirthing, there is nothing else that Satan can rightly accuse us with, according to the Word of God. Does that mean we will never sin, err, or make a mistake? No, but according to the Word of God, Jesus has already paid the price for even those things, and Satan has no right to accuse us. Don't be deceived and let him. We are righteous and justified before God by the precious blood of Jesus. However, this is only the first half of the work of the Spirit in us.

Seventh, This Discernment Enables Christ-Life Flow to Others & the Father
The second half of the work in us is a progressive work of the Holy Spirit with His mind renewal process. The Holy Spirit makes the division between soul and Spirit as He renews the mind. The renewed mind enables Christ to flow spontaneously with His love-for-others expression in and through us. This discernment between soul and Spirit is essential as we make decisions and operate in life. This Spiritual discernment provides immediate indication to us, whether Christ operating and flowing in and through us by His Spirit, or whether our flesh is operating aside from the Christ-life in us. Our Father certainly never intended for us to operate in our flesh aside from Christ but has allowed us a choice, in order that we may have a love choice relationship with Him. Allowing Christ in us to flow will open up an indescribable love fellowship with our Father.