“Not Loving the Soul-Life vs Loving the Soul-Life”
Matthew 16:23 But he turned to Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! You are my stumbling block, for you set your mind on human things, not on the things of God.”
Matthew 16:24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”
Luke 14:26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters—even his own soul and life—he cannot be my disciple.”
Luke 9:23 Jesus also said to the crowd, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”
|
Category |
Not Loving the Soul-Life |
Loving the Soul-Life |
|
Meaning |
Denying the self and rejecting the natural life so that Christ may live |
Preserving the self and natural life, living by oneself |
|
Reason |
Realizing that Satan is joined to man's soul-life after the fall |
Not seeing the connection between the self and Satan |
|
Figure / Metaphor |
A drink offering poured out to God |
Dust becoming food for the serpent |
|
Explanation |
The cross deals with the natural life so that God's life may be manifested |
Serving God by natural strength and ability |
|
Result |
Overcoming Satan and expressing Christ |
Giving Satan ground and becoming his instrument |
|
Purpose |
For God's satisfaction and the building up of the church |
For self-preservation and self-expression |
|
Relationship |
When the soul-life is dealt with, Satan loses his ground |
When the soul-life is preserved, Satan gains ground |
|
Biblical Examples |
Paul as a drink offering; Moses after being broken by God |
Peter speaking from the natural life to stop the Lord |
|
Application |
Not trusting natural ability but depending on the Lord |
Acting by talent, wisdom, and eloquence |
|
Burden |
To pass through the cross and have natural ability dealt with |
To rely on natural ability in service |
|
Prophetic Direction |
“Deny the self, take up the cross, and live Christ.” |
“Preserve the self, boast in ability, live by the self.” |
|
Conclusion |
Not loving the soul-life produces overcomers and God's building |
Loving the soul-life results in spiritual defeat |
|
Related Scriptures |
Rev. 12:11; Matt. 16:24; Luke 9:23; Luke 14:26; Phil. 2:17 |
Matt. 16:23; 1 Cor. 2:2-4; Phil. 3:3 |
Development of Spiritual Principles
|
Spiritual Principle |
Explanation |
|
Satan’s Strategy |
To cause believers to serve God by their natural strength |
|
The Work of the Cross |
To deal with the natural life and ability |
|
God’s Goal |
To leave only what comes from God |
|
The Way of Overcoming |
Not loving one’s soul-life |
|
Spiritual Result |
Christ is expressed and Satan is defeated |
Biblical Figures Comparison
|
Person |
Loving the Soul-Life Stage |
Not Loving the Soul-Life Stage |
|
Moses |
Acting in natural zeal to kill the Egyptian (Acts 7:23-25) |
Serving God after being broken (Acts 7:30) |
|
Peter |
Natural love yet denying the Lord (Luke 22:32-34) |
Humble shepherd after being dealt with (1 Pet. 5:5-6) |
|
Paul |
Zealous persecutor of the church |
Poured out as a drink offering (Phil. 2:17; 2 Tim. 4:6) |
*Integrated Spiritual Insight (Key Point)
The Bible reveals a spiritual equation:
Soul-life + Satan = The self (natural man)
Cross + Denying the self = The
expression of Christ
Therefore:
- Preserving the soul-life → Satan has ground
- Losing the soul-life → Satan is defeated
This is the life principle of the overcomers.
* Prophetic One-Sentence Summary
Victory is not a matter of ability but a matter of whether the soul-life has been dealt with by the cross.
Final Conclusion
Not loving the soul-life is the mark of the overcomers:
- Satan is overcome
- Christ is manifested
- The church is built up
- God is satisfied
*Practical Application
|
Practice |
Description |
|
Deny the Self Daily |
Reject self-confidence and natural strength |
|
Accept the Cross |
Allow the cross to deal with natural ability |
|
Depend on Christ |
Live and serve by Christ’s life rather than by self |
|
Become a Drink Offering |
Be willing to be poured out for God’s purpose |
*Please refer to the 2025 Winter Training: Experiencing, Enjoying, and Manifesting Christ (Part Four), Chapter Eight: The Male Child, the Heavenly Battle, and the Victorious Saints.
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