Fifth in a series highlighting things the Bible has to say about the spiritual connections to health and healing. (This installment obviously a discussion with Jesus from my personal journal.)
Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. It gave me great joy when some believers came and testified about your faithfulness to the truth, telling how you continue to walk in it. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.
3 John 1:2-4 (NIV)
Bible Hub Interlinear for 3 John 1:2
Me: Lord , it seems there are a lot of senses that the word “soul” is given. Some take it to be synonymous with “spirit” and, if I recall correctly, Watchman Nee translated it as meaning the mind, will, and emotions (as distinct from the spirit). Strong’s has the Greek for this passage as psyche (from psucho; breath, spirit). Looking psyche up in the dictionary only serves to reinforce that this word has been twisted around a lot of different axles. How does the sense in which this is understood matter?
Jesus: To start on your question, let Me refer you to a passage that explicitly talks about bridging (or unifying) this division:
And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit (pneuma) and soul (psyche) and body (soma) be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Thessalonians 5:23
God is Spirit (Pneuma), and those who worship Him must worship in spirit (pneumati) and truth.”
John 4:24
This passage in John 4 lets you know that God is Spirit. Yet no one who knows God would consider this identity as excluding the mind of God. Or emotions:
The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love.
1 John 4:8
Let me circle you back to the reference to walking in the truth in that opening passage from 3 John and compare this:
Jesus saith unto him, I Am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
John 14:6
You asked how the sense of soul (and spirit) matter. Let me remind you that John’s prayer is about “walking in the truth”. That is, that there be no shadow of division between the spirit soul and body. You referenced Romans 12:2 last time. That is a good verse to remember in this context. Those who are trusting in Me have been renewed in their spirit, in fact – have My Spirit indwelling, and must still be diligent to renew the mind. The body will be much more likely to align to the redeemed spirit if the mind is renewed with the truth (filled with the word, believed, and exercised in faith).
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
Philippians 4:8 9
You also referenced this passage from Philippians last time, but it is well worth remembering. Many live as though they have no control over their own thoughts. The Spirit empowers such control, if the believer is willing to submit to the truth of the Word.
We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
(2 Cor 10:5 NIV)
Paul shows a stark contrast between the negativity of the unregenerate heart and the one bearing a spiritual crop by the power of God:
Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Galatians 5:21-23
See here, as I spoke of the kingdom of God, and the people were healed as the truth was given:
And the apostles, when they were returned, told him all that they had done. And He took them, and went aside privately into a desert place belonging to the city called Bethsaida. And the people, when they knew it, followed him: and He received them, and spake unto them of the kingdom of God, and healed them that had need of healing.
Luke 9:10-11
But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:
1 Peter 1:15-17
One important marker of holy conversation is that it aligns with the Truth.
Me: Thank You Jesus! I love You! You have given me a lot to mull over!
Jesus: You are welcome! I love you!
Lead Photo: https://www.Pexels.com
Missionary Sojourn 
I often think the fine hair splitting we do of the material of our body and the immaterial of our soul or spirit is more than the Scriptures ever explicitly define. With sense, Father wants the whole person. Just as a body without our spirit indwelling it is dead, the spirit is not really a complete person without our body.
Spirit or soul; mind, will, emotions; body, breath, psyche: all make up the complete person. Take away any “part” and we cease to be “a person” as God created us to be.
I love your conversations with Jesus, though. This is what prayer should be rather than a “grocery list” of give me this and that. 😉
❤️&🙏, c.a.
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Thanks C.A. I believe you are right about the whole person. Seems to me that is what Jesus was trying to set me straight about, even that last passage about being holy (whole) because God is holy (whole). We are, after all, made in His image.
By the way, loved your Christmas photos at the Arc Encounter! Had no idea they did all that decoration.
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If you’re ever in the Lexington area, let Anita and me know and we’ll take you there or The Creation Museum. 🙂
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