IN THE GARDEN - JESUS WON THE BATTLE FOR OUR SOULS
IN THE GARDEN – JESUS WON THE BATTLE FOR OUR SOUL
Matthew 26:38
Sunday, April 13, 2014, the Year of Our Lord
Pastor Carolyn Sissom
It was in the Garden of Gethsemane that the battle was won for our soul. We are familiar with the story of Jesus’ agony in the garden. The clouds had been gathering a good while, and looked black. But now the storm began in earnest. The time had come. The place where he underwent this mighty agony, was called Gethsemane. The name signifies an olive-mill, a press for olives, like a wine press, where they trod the olives. There our Lord Jesus began his passion; there it pleased God to bruise him, and crush him that fresh oil might flow to all believers from him.
He took only Peter, James and John with him into that corner of the garden that is preserved until this day. These same three were with Him on the Mount of Transfiguration. “Those are best prepared to suffer with Christ that have by faith beheld His glory. If we hope to reign with him, why should we not expect to suffer with him?”(M.H.)
Matthew 26:38: “Then says Jesus to them (Peter James and John). “My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even to death; tarry you here, and watch with Me.”
John 12:27: “Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour; but for this cause came I unto this hour.”
I had just glanced down at my open Bible on my desk and the scripture in Matthew 36:38 arrested my full attention.
Jesus’ soul was totally sanctified to the absolute extent that He fulfilled the prophecy given by Isaiah 42: 1-2:
Matthew 12: 18-21: “Behold My servant, whom I have chosen: My beloved, in whom My soul is well pleased, I will put My spirit upon him, and He shall show judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear His voice in the streets. A bruised reed shall He not break, and smoking flax shall He not quench, until he send forth judgment to victory.”
Jesus was so perfectly one with the Father that Father God’s soul was pleased with him. A sanctified soul is a living soul. The life of the Saint lives in the soul.
The soul in the Old Testament is “nephesh” (na-fash). It is the same word used in Genesis 1:21 when God created every living creature (nephesh- soul). It is the same word used in Gen. 1:30 for every thing that creeps upon the earth, where this is life (nephesh). Therefore, if anyone wonders whether animals have souls, I think this is the answer.
“…But man became a living soul.” (nephesh) (Gen. 2:7).
“Nephesh” means soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion:
- That which breathes the breathing substance or being, the inner being of man.
- Living being.
- Living being (with life in the blood).
- The man himself, self, person or individual.
- Seat of the appetites
- Seat of emotions and passions.
- Activity of mind (the carnal soul for evil and the sanctified soul for good).
- Activity of the will (the carnal soul for evil and the sanctified soul for good).
- Activity of the character (the carnal soul for evil and the sanctified soul for good).
The Greek in the New Testament is “psyche” (pronounced -su-kha). It has the exact same meaning as the Hebrew “nephesh”.
“A carnal soul is a dead soul. Death includes all misery; carnal souls are miserable souls. But to be spiritually minded is life and peace. A sanctified soul is a living soul, and that life is peace.” (M.H.)
Jesus’ soul was without sin. In the realm of the Spirit, there is no pain or sorrow. Therefore, in the garden he was sweating great drops of blood for our souls. John 10:11: “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd gives his life (“psyche” (su-kha) for His Sheep.”
The Spirit visits many who are unregenerate, but in all that are sanctified he dwells.” (Matthew Henry – page 1771)
This week I had a dream. In the dream, it shown that I had hostility toward one certain individual concerning the issue surrounding our church evacuation of “separation of church and state”. In the dream, I was clearly stating their error in judgment and our rights of peaceful assembly and to worship whether on federal land or private land. A voice from the church spoke to me that this was carnality.
Well I repented and got myself straightened out right away. However, I need to repent to the church because I am sure that I projected that same attitude about this individual on to you and some of you may be carrying that same resentment.
In 1990, the Lord took me through a breaking that I thought I had learned the lesson of dying to the Carnal Soul. I preached it and walked it--- dying daily in the first church that the Lord blessed me to pastor. I have learned to die ---I thought. I have certainly had plenty of opportunity to stay in practice in the last 15-years in Texas. However, I was not totally dead to losing the Little White Church. Brother Teale told me before I left for Israel to take my hands off the church. I did, laid it all down and died to the vision. However, I still held this brother in contempt for what I viewed as his lack of backbone.
I was voicing obedience, but still harboring resentment.
We are all experienced in overcoming the struggle to die to self and die to the flesh. We must all be willing to die to the carnal soul. The devil has access to our flesh and soul through our Adam nature. “The first Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening Spirit”. As Christians, through the Blood of Jesus we can chose to live at a higher level; “In the Spirit”.
I believe Jesus’ soul being sorrowful and troubled was because He was carrying the burden of our carnal souls. In Christ’s perfect righteousness of His obedience to the law is fulfilled in us, when by the Spirit, the law of love is written upon our hearts. For those who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
In my self-righteousness and righteous indignation, my soul had slid back into carnality. I weep that I condemned this brother.
The favor of God, the welfare of the soul, and the concerns of eternity, are the things of the Spirit. Which way do the thoughts of our mind move us? The mind is the seat of wisdom. Are we wise for the things of the world or for souls?
“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”
Did we make an idol out of the church? No! I don’t think so. I think everyone in our church truly loved the place of worship because of the Glory of God that was revealed time and again. As well as the wonderful fellowship, good memories, and wonderful ministry.
Let us join together like the multitude of them that believed who were of one heart and of one soul (Acts. 4:32) and “allow none of these things to move us, neither count I my life (psyche) dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts. 20:24).
Eph. 6:6: “Not with eye service, as men pleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.”
“Whatever has power over us to control us, cause us pain, or make us sad is the very avenue the devil will use to break through our fortress and steal our joy, peace and happiness. God is bringing the Church to a place of maturity whereby we can stand boldly against the devil’s schemes and not be moved. The ways of the world are attached to worldly things that follow after the spirits of “lust of the eyes”, lust of the flesh”, and the “pride of life”. These desires gratify the cravings of our sinful nature. But, Praise God, He made another way to live due to Jesus’ resurrection from the dead which raises us above this lower level of life. It is Life in Christ, walking, in the Spirit, not by sight, having nothing to do with circumstances, but obedience to the revealed Will of God. This higher level is not what we desire, but what He desires. It is being concerned with His eternal purposes. It is when Jesus becomes the desire of our heart. When we reach a place where we no longer ask God to accommodate himself to our small kingdoms, but we ask Him how we can fit into His eternal plans and how we can flow in His Kingdom.” (Sermon note by: Pastor Carolyn Sissom – Death of the Carnal Soul)
Paul said if best: “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, not things present, not things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” At this point in Paul’s life, the devil had no more power over him in any area of His life. He was no longer vulnerable to the devil’s schemes. He knew how to abound or abase. Suffering and pain were no longer his enemies. The “ruler of the kingdom of the air” was under his feet in the same way he is under the feet of Jesus Christ.
When the Holy Spirit of truth revealed my “soul”, I did not defend myself to the Lord. How could I? I praise God that in the Garden of Gethsemane, he saw my weakness and won the victory that I might by Grace enter into His Righteousness. Jesus, whose soul was perfect before God, was sorrowful and troubled to the extent that He sweated great drops of blood for me as well as for my enemies, I can only fall on my knees and thank Him for loving me enough to die for me.
1 Pet. 1:22: “Seeing you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that you love one another with a pure heart fervently.”
Let us accept the Gift of Life that God hands us, in the form of His choosing, yielding our wills and desires to His perfect love toward us.
Jesus made a way to set people free from the law of sin and death within our carnal souls. We can own all things, possess all things, enjoy all things, but we must be willing to be tent dwellers in our attitudes toward these things. We can’t camp around the last touch or move of God in our lives. We must live in the present with expectancy.
The righteousness of Christ imputed to us secures the carnal soul from death with our bodies, preserves it, elevates it, and we become partakers of a supernatural gift of light, life and love not possible to the carnal soul.
1 John 3:16: “”Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life (psyche’) for us; we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.”
Phil 1:27: “Let your conversation be such as it becomes the gospel of Christ, that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one Spirit, with one mind (psyche) striving together for the faith of the gospel.”
“The Spirit visits many that are unregenerate; but in all who are sanctified he dwells. (M.H.) I put this question to my own heart. The Lord answered and showed me my heart. Having the Spirit of christ is the same as having the Spirit of God to dwell in us.
Matthew 12: 18: “Behold My servant, whom I have chosen; My Beloved, in whom My Soul is well pleased; I will put My Spirit upon him.”
1 Th. 5:23: “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Carolyn Sissom, Pastor
Eastgate Ministries, Inc.
Scripture from K.J.V. – I entered into the labors of Matthew Henry’s Commentary and sermon notes by: Pastor Carolyn Sissom – April 1991 – Death of the Carnal Soul-posted under sermon notes on www.eastgateministries.com