Sunday, September 18 | How to Win the Battle

Hello everyone,At the September Habitation service I shared a message titled, “How to Win the Battle.” Although many people do not realize it, there is a battle being waged inside each of us. Each of us is made up of three parts: a spirit, a soul and a body. The battle is to see which of those three will rule over you. God’s will is for your spirit to rule over your soul, which will in turn rule over your body (flesh). When your spirit rules, you are free to be led by the Holy Spirit, which is a key to walking in freedom and living the abundant Christian life. Unfortunately, many Christians are unable to walk in freedom because their soul is ruling over their spirit. The soul is comprised of the mind, will and emotions. When a Christian is led by their soul, their spirit is hindered from communing with the Holy Spirit and being led by Him. Through the leadership of the soul, a person can be led into bondage through sin, spiritual attack, and inner vows. During the service, we specifically focused on how to the power of inner vows. An inner vow is an internal promise we make to ourselves, usually due to a negative experience or a relationship. A girl who has a harsh mother may make an inner vow, saying, “I will never be like my mother.” But that determination of the will (soul) can actually draw your emotions toward the negative behavior, causing you to become exactly what you vowed you would not be. So, a girl who vows not to be like her mother will often become just like her mother. Romans 2:1 says, “Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.”The good news is that you do not have to remain in bondage to sin, spiritual attacks or inner vows. By the grace of God, you can become free. In John 8:31-32, Jesus said, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” You can choose to be free by having your spirit rule over your body, by humbling yourself, by resisting the devil and by breaking inner vows. To learn more, watch the service.September AssignmentYour assignment this month is to examine yourself to see who is winning the battle: your spirit or your soul. Ask God to show you any ways you are being led by your soul rather than your spirit. If there are any areas where you feel bound by sin, spiritual attack or inner vows, repent and ask God to give you His grace to overcome. I pray that as you humble yourself before God, you will experience His overwhelming love, and that His Holy Spirit would empower you to win the battle.The Next Habitation Service | October 16The next Habitation service will be held Sunday, October 16. We will have a special time of prayer and ministry in the Auditorium at 5:15 pm, and the service begins at 6:00 pm. Our focus will be on the presence of God, so we will have extended worship and more time for individual ministry. We look forward to seeing you at Habitation. God Bless, Steve Dulin For more information, visit habitation.gatewaypeople.com or email habitation@gatewaypeople.com.