Man is a spirit being. He is a spirit; he has a soul: mind, will, and emotions and he lives in a body. We need to understand man’s nature because the devil works through man’s five physical senses and his unredeemed soul and body to try and 
defeat him. When a believer understands that, he can close the door to the devil by renewing his mind (his soul) and keeping his body (his flesh) under the dominion of his recreated spirit. That’s essential in standing victorious against the devil.
Believers must learn how to let the real man—the spirit man on the inside—dominate their soul and body. That will solve many problems as far as the devil is concerned. As believers let their recreated spirits dominate, they will learn how not to give the devil any access—spirit, soul, or body.
When you are born again, your outward man does not change in the new birth, and neither does your soul-your mind, will, and emotions. Only the inside changes. If you had red hair before you were born again, you will have red hair after you are born again.
It is easy to distinguish between the body and soul of man because that difference is obvious. But it is more difficult to distinguish between man’s soul and spirit. To stand strong against the devil you will need to learn how to renew your mind and feed your spirit. To gain a better understanding of your nature, it would help you to go through this process in your thinking:
- With my spirit, I contact the spiritual realm.
- With my soul, I contact the intellectual and emotional realm.
- With my body, I contact the physical realm.
Hebrews 4:12 tells us that only the Word of God can divide between the soul and spirit of man: “For the WORD OF God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of SOUL and SPIRIT, and of the JOINTS and MARROW [body]…”
James 1:21 also makes a distinction between the soul and spirit of man. Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to SAVE YOUR SOULS.
Are souls are not saved when we are born again because the new birth is a spiritual birth. It’s not an intellectual birth—a rebirth of man’s mind. It’s not a soulish birth—a rebirth of man’s soul and emotions. And it’s not a physical birth—a rebirth of man’s body.
Although the believer’s spirit is recreated in the new birth, he will have to do something about his soul himself. If he doesn’t do something with his soul, he will give the enemy access to his life.
James is saying that the Word of God is the only thing that will save the believer’s soul. The word “save” in James 1:21 is the Greek word sozo. It is defined as to save, deliver, protect, heal, preserve, make well, and make whole. So we could read James 1:21 …receive with meekness the engrafted Word, which is able to save, heal, deliver, protect, preserve, make well, and make your soul whole.
As you actively feed on God’s Word, it saves, delivers, protects, heals, preserves, and makes whole your soul, which is one of your greatest defenses against Satan. But we do not only have to hear and receive the Word, we also have to act on it before it will do us any good.
Hearing the Word and acting on it is a powerful defense against Satan, because the Bible says, Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you (James 4:7). When you are submitted to God’s Word, you are submitted to God. And as you keep your soul strong and renewed, it’s easier to resist the devil on every front.
Portions were taken from Kenneth E. Hagin’s book called The Triumphant Church.
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