There are times in all our lives when we face battles between our soul and our spirit. We need others to help us get through. None of them are as bad as the battle Jesus went through, and when we suffer, it is good to remember that.

Most of us have had days which have not gone well, and we have had to choose whether to remain in a grumpy mood or push ourselves to snap out of it. The fact is that none of us, lives totally alone in the world.

Paul often talks about the battle between the soul (or the sinful nature), and the spirit. It was all very clear for him. Maybe he saw it clearly because he had spent many years in hard religion before his Damascus road experience after which he knew that God loved him.

A common problem today is that too often people do not know how to listen to their own spirit. Too many of us do not understand that all understanding worth having, comes from the Holy Spirit. He is ready to share that with us whenever we are ready to listen.

Many of us have met people we would describe as radiating the presence of God, and that is what this verse is referring to. When we live according to His plans, then our spirits are connected to Holy Spirit and He radiates the love of the Triune God through us.

The expression born again is used by many who attend evangelical churches today. Sadly for many it means a date when they accepted Jesus, but nothing else. If we are born again and have God's Spirit within us, our actions and our conversations should demonstrate that fact.

I believe that at that moment when they disobeyed God, their spirits died. There was a part of God that was in them that they had not realised was there until the moment it disappeared! From that moment on, their souls took over the running of their lives.

Paul, the author of this epistle to the church in Thessalonica, is very clear that our bodies have three parts, we are all made up of body, soul, and spirit. Much of His teachings are intended to help us keep them all working well and working together.

We are looking at this verse for a second day because there is so much in it. The word of God is the measuring line for our thoughts and attitudes. God wants us to be a holy people because He is a holy God. The only Holy God!