I don’t know if anyone ever told you this when you gave your life to Christ—but the real war didn’t start when I met Jesus. No. It began after. The moment I surrendered my life, when I said, “Here I am, Lord. Use me,” was the very moment I became aware of an intense, invisible battlefield. Not in my house. Not in my finances. But right between my ears—my mind. My soul.
I remember vividly one morning, I had just come out of deep prayer. The kind of prayer that leaves you drenched in sweat and tears. My spirit was stirred. I felt light, confident. I knew I had touched Heaven. But not even an hour later, I caught myself spiraling into thoughts of anxiety, fear, doubt—soul thoughts. The very faith that had filled my mouth in prayer was now under siege in my mind. I was puzzled.
Why was my spirit full of faith while my mind was screaming uncertainty?
That, right there, is the daily tension. The war between the soul and the spirit. Between what I feel and what God says. Between what I see and what Heaven is declaring. A battle that, if left ungoverned, can rob you of peace, joy, clarity, and even purpose.
Understanding the Difference: Soul vs. Spirit
Over the years in ministry, I’ve come to understand that most believers don’t struggle because they lack faith in God. No, their struggle is that their soul is louder than their spirit.
You see, the soul is the seat of the mind, will, and emotions. It’s where our thoughts, decisions, and feelings reside. It’s also the part of us that’s constantly shaped by past experiences, traumas, culture, and environment.
The spirit, on the other hand, is that divine part of us that was quickened at salvation. That part which bears witness with the Spirit of God. It’s the part of us that can hear God’s voice, carry divine instructions, and hunger for righteousness.
But here’s the twist—while the spirit is holy, it is not always louder than the soul. And therein lies the tension.
Paul, the Apostle, put it so perfectly in Romans 7:22-23 (NKJV):
“For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind…”
The war. The inner battle. The civil war of the saved.
When My Soul Wanted One Thing, But God Said Another
I recall a particular season in my life. Ministry was flourishing. Prayer requests flooded our inbox. Healing happened. Breakthroughs happened. Doors opened. And yet—my spirit was uneasy. I would lie in bed, staring at the ceiling, knowing something wasn’t right. I had aligned with people God hadn’t approved of. I had said yes to platforms the Holy Spirit had cautioned me about. But my soul—my logic—my desire for visibility, had overridden the still, small voice.
That’s when the Lord rebuked me. Not harshly. But like a Father who dearly loves His child.
“You trust your instincts more than My whispers,” He said.
And that was true. Because the soul is loud. It rationalizes, it justifies, it calculates. But the spirit? The spirit whispers. The spirit nudges. It’s a gentle wind—not a thunderstorm.
The Story of Two Voices: Elijah on Mount Horeb
I found my solace in 1 Kings 19. When Elijah was at his breaking point. Tired. Afraid. Running from Jezebel. God told him to stand on the mountain before Him. And then came the wind, the earthquake, the fire—all symbols of power, noise, and spectacle.
But God wasn’t in any of those.
Then came a still small voice (1 Kings 19:12, NKJV). That’s where God was. That’s where the spirit hears. Not in panic. Not in pressure. But in stillness.
That day, I repented. Not for sin as we know it. But for letting my soul become louder than the Spirit of God.
The Battle in the Garden
Even Jesus, in His humanity, felt the tension between soul and spirit. In the Garden of Gethsemane, as He faced the cross, He cried out:
“O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.” (Matthew 26:39, NKJV)
Can you feel the tug? The soul was heavy. The emotions were real. But the spirit chose surrender.
It was never a sin to feel afraid. It only becomes a problem when fear dictates our obedience.
That night, Jesus taught us how to submit the soul to the will of the spirit. It is in surrender that we overcome the war within.
Training My Spirit to Win
Over time, I began to train myself. Not in religious ritual, but in spiritual discipline. I learned to listen. To be still. To wait.
I stopped making quick decisions based on how I felt. I started asking, “Lord, what are You saying?”
I would fast—not just for breakthroughs—but to silence the soul.
I would wake up at 3 a.m. not because I had a request, but because I wanted my spirit to grow stronger than my mind.
And slowly, I noticed a shift. I’d feel afraid—but choose faith. I’d hear bad news—but stay at peace. I’d face rejection—but walk in joy. Because now, my spirit had grown bolder than my soul.
Encouragement to the Weary Believer
Maybe you’re reading this, and your soul is winning. Maybe your emotions are overwhelming. You cry at night, you overthink, you feel stuck. And every time God whispers peace, your soul screams fear.
Beloved, I’ve been there. But hear me—it is possible to live from your spirit. It is possible to align with the will of God and experience true victory within.
Galatians 5:16 says:
“Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.” It’s a choice. A posture. A discipline. But more than anything, it is a partnership with the Holy Spirit. Let Him lead. Let Him speak. And when He whispers, even when it contradicts your logic, say, “Yes, Lord.”
Because the safest place to be is not in the most reasonable plan—but in the center of God’s will. So today, I challenge you—quiet the noise. Tell your soul, like David did in Psalm 42:11:
“Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God…”
Yes, hope in God. Let your spirit rise. Let your soul submit. And watch the victory unfold—not outside, but within.
