"Body Soul and Spirit Part 1" Kathryn Kuhlman on Fasting and Sanctification

Someone asked the question, what is the difference between the spiritual and the carnal? Paul is talking about the spiritual. He's talking about the carnal. Let me read it, please. In 1 Corinthians, the third chapter. The first verse. And I, brethren. Now, first of all. I want you to see that he is addressing them as brethren. He would not have addressed them as brethren if he was not talking to those who were Christians. Only those who are born again, born into the body of Christ, are our brethren. We have no right to address someone as my brother in the Lord. If that one has never been born again, there is no spiritual relationship between the two of us. So I know immediately that when Paul addresses them as brethren, that both the carnal and the spiritual are born again. Now, let us continue. And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto babes in Christ, whatever he's going to write. Remember, he's writing to them as brethren, those who are his fellow believers, but who are babes, just babes. Now, Babies are lovely. Oh, babies are the cutest thing. But is there anything more disgusting, let me ask you, than to see a youngster walking around a full head of hair and carrying a bottle and every once in a while he's taking a drink of milk from the bottle and he has a nipple in his mouth. There's nothing more disgusting. Just imagine a three -year -old youngster walking around, still a baby on a bottle. A five -year -old youngster, still on a bottle. Is there anything more disgusting than that? And yet, in the spiritual family, there are men and women, born again, all... three years, four years, five years, some having been Christians ten years, and they're still bottle -fed. It's just like that. And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk. In other words, you're... Still on the bottle. And not with meat. I haven't been able to feed you. With good steaks and mashed potatoes and gravy. Why? For here too ye were not able to bear it. Neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal. Get it? I'm giving you the word of God. For whereas there is among you ending and strife and divisions, are ye not carnal and walk as men? Sure you've been born again. Sure you're in the body of Christ. But you're not spiritual. You're carnal. You steal. Not strong enough to take the real meat of the word. Nothing stronger than just milk. And you walk as men. You walk as those who've never been born again. There's envy. There's jealousy in your heart. You're critical. You're backbiting. You're finding fault. You cause disturbances. You're not spiritual. Another one in the Great Open Forum asked the question, what is the difference between the spiritual and the carnal? What was the difference? You know, I want to turn to one of the most beautiful things in the New Testament, the analysis of personality. that came from Paul's pen when he was writing to the Thessalonians. Paul certainly understood men and human nature. And I'm going to read you one verse of scripture that to my way of thinking are some of the most beautiful words that Paul ever wrote. 1 Thessalonians, the fifth chapter, the 23rd verse. I want you to mark it in your Bible. Even as I read it, there will be those who will have no understanding whatsoever. Because you're carnal now. You'll remain carnal. You'll never understand. what it means to be spiritual, deeply spiritual. And to the very last hour that you live, Paul will say unto you, I could not speak unto you as spiritual, but as carnal. And the very God of peace. Sanctify you wholly. W -H -O -L -L -Y. It means completely. All of you being immersed. Completely sanctified unto God. I'm talking to Christians who will live and die, never having known the fullness of that which Paul was talking about. And the very God of peace, Paul's right there. When you have experienced that one... wonderful state of knowing that you have surrendered unto him body, soul, and spirit, everything. You have withheld nothing from him, absolutely nothing. There will be peace of mind and peace of soul. It'll not make any difference to you how the enemy of your soul may accuse you. Circumstances will have nothing to do with that wonderful peace that he gives you. It isn't a peace that the world can give. It isn't a peace that any man can give. It isn't a peace or a satisfaction or a security that wealth gives you. It's a different kind of peace. It's a different kind of security. It's something that comes from the very God of peace. You can lie down at night, regardless of what has happened during the day, and before your eyes close in sleep, there's a... Peace that completely immerses you. You can awaken in the middle of the night, regardless of circumstances or the happenings of the past day. You may even face a very trying tomorrow. But through it all, the very god of peace. will give you his peace. Peace not only of soul, but peace of mind. Why? Because he has sanctified you whole. And you have been sanctified wholly, completely, because you have yielded unto him everything. the soul and spirit. Do you know what I'm talking about? Do you really know what I'm talking about? Do you really know what Paul was writing when he wrote those words to the Thessalonians? He knew. There was a reason why God entrusted to Paul some of the greatest spiritual truths that he has ever entrusted to any human being. So great was the knowledge that God gave to Paul that there were some things that Paul never wrote. There were things that God gave to Paul. that he never spoke of. They were so precious, and he knew it would almost be like casting pearls before swine were he to give them to just anyone. They were sacred. And God is not promiscuous in his giving. Always know that. God is very careful to whom he gives certain gifts. He's never promiscuous in his giving. He knows those that he can trust. And there's always a price to be paid for anything that we receive from him. Gifts are cheap that come cheap. Blessings are cheap that come cheap. But the greater the price that we pay for a blessing, the more priceless is that blessing to us. Things don't just happen with God. Paul knew the price that he had paid. for the spirituals. He knew. He understood. But he also knew that in paying the price, the God of all peace had given him the most priceless thing in the world, peace of mind and peace of soul. But he didn't stop there. And you and I are not to stop there. God of peace, sanctify you wholly. And I pray, God, your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. I still contend, my friend, that the most beautiful words that ever left Paul's pen were the words that I've just read to you. I've just read one of the most wonderful things in the New Testament, the analysis of personality that came from Paul's pen when he was writing to the Thessalonians. He understood human nature perfectly. Man is a trinity. You are a trinity. I do not care who you are, rich or poor. I don't care nationality, color. Remember, if you have had that physical birth, if you are a part of humanity, you... are a trinity body soul and spirit you are not just body and soul you are body soul and spirit and paul continues by saying and i pray god that your whole spirit just a part of your spirit not just two -thirds of your spirit but to your whole spirit be preserved blameless under the coming of our lord jesus christ does he stop there no i pray god that your whole soul not just a part but all that there is of your soul shall be preserved blameless unto the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. I pray God, your whole body. Now it's coming to where it hurts. Now it's coming to where man really has to pay the price for anything that affects the body. hurts most. That's the reason I've seen it over and over again. Where when we come to this thing of even fasting, oh, it sounds good. It sounds easy. And every man wants the result of having fasted. But when it comes right down to fasting, Many a man would rather put $10 in the offering plate than to do without three meals a day. It kills him. He looks up and said, well, dear Lord, I can't possibly. How can I do without my breakfast? How can I do without my lunch? It'll kill me. You ask too much when you ask me to do without my dinner. How can I possibly fast for a day? And he'll proposition God and say, just between the two of us, wouldn't it be much better if I put $10 in the offering plate and let me eat? Uh -huh. Why? Because the flesh and the satisfying of the flesh is the most important thing to him. I can prove that in our miracle services. Oh, sure. The thousands come by the loaves and the fishes. It's the body. And yet you've heard me say over and over and over again, there's something far more important than the healing of the body. There's something far more important than the flesh. Because, you see, the body is only temporal. Oh, I do thrill. And believe me, I'm not underestimating the healing of cancer, the healing of the body. I stand there just as thrilled as the one who is healed, whose body has been healed. I'm thrilled as thrilled and as thankful to God as to any person in the whole world. But what I'm trying to say is... The body is still temporal. And you can well afford to go through life with a sick body, but you cannot afford to go through life without the spiritual healing. And the spiritual is far more important than the physical healing. But Paul is saying something. I pray to God that your whole body Body, soul, and spirit. Be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Have you ever surrendered that whole body? I'm talking about the physical. Oh, sure you surrender to him your spirit. your soul. But remember, it was also Paul who said, it's the most reasonable thing in the world for you to present your body unto him as a living sacrifice. And you'll still be in the carnal state. and you never will reach the spirituals until you surrender unto him, body, soul, and spirit.