February 10, 2008
SoulTalk
Think Beneath: Seeing the Real Battle in the Soul
SoulTalk4.mp3
Pastor Wade Burleson
Emmanuel Baptist Church
Enid OK

Jeremiah 6:14 (ESV)

14. They have healed the wound of my people lightly, saying, 'Peace, peace,' when there is no peace.

In our study on SoulTalk we have proposed that life is all about knowing and enjoying God. When secondary things become the primary passion of our life, the soul is in crisis. SoulTalk is the ability to ignite another person's passion for God above everything else. We introduced the Five Stages of SoulTalk last Sunday and now we begin our journey with the reminder that matters of the soul are important to God. "They have healed the wound of my people lightly, saying, 'Peace, Peace,' when there is no peace" (Jeremiah 6:14).

1. The beginning of SoulTalk occurs when someone shares something with you.
   SoulTalkers will resist the urge to run, resist the urge to help, resist the urge to refer. Think beneath - to the life that is within you and the battle that is going on in them.
   

   Principle: Whatever I can do without the Spirit of God is SelfTalk.
   Whatever I can do only with the Spirit of God is SoulTalk.

   We've been told that God has enabled us to speak words of life to others. But it seems when Jesus spoke Lazarus came alive, and when we speak people yawn. I'm not sure that any of us consciously rely on what it is that God has given to us. "The mystery in a nutshell is just this: Christ is in you . . . it's that simple" (Colossians 1:28). "We've been given a brand new life . . . one with a deep consciousness of God" (I Peter 1:3).
2. The breakthrough of SoulTalk is the Spirit leading you to see the invisible battle.
   Paul calls this new way of relating to others "The new way of the Spirit" (Romans 7:6). We Christians are excellent at the old way (designing programs, building attendance, religious events, etc. . . .), but in our busyness and bigness we miss the individual soul. Peter Kreft quotes an ex-professing Christian who became a Zen Buddhist: "I could find books and teachers who told me what the Christian doctrine was, but I could not find anyone who experienced the doctrine." Larry Crabb writes, "Few people puzzle me with how radically dependent they are on God and how deeply satisfied they are with just him. I can explain most of the joy I see on the basis of blessings." How true. Only the Father loves us as we long to be loved. Only Jesus can transform our heart. Only the Spirit can fill our soul with joy and peace. The soul must experience Him. Here's the battle: God's people want something else more than they want Him.
3. The blessing of SoulTalk is the ability to ignite a passion to know God Himself.
   SoulTalk is not easy. It is a battle. It is not instant. It is a campaign for the soul itself. Centuries ago God had been observing his people gather for worship, and He saw how determined they were to make their lives work. There was no joy in knowing Him. They were busy trying to live religiously so their lives would be blessed and go well. Why doesn't one of you just shut the Temple doors and lock them? Then none of you can get in and play at religion with this silly, empty-headed worship (Malachi 1:10). Efforts to get God to make your life work, rather than loving Him, will wear you out. If someone shares with you that life is not good -- resist the urge to run, help or refer. Think beneath -- to the life of God within you and to the invisible battle within your friend.