Soul Ties in the Church

When I write, I prefer to focus on writing all day. Many times before composing I take some time to worship and set my mind on Almighty Yahweh.

This morning as I worshipped, I began praying about holy connections within the Body of Christ. As I did, the Spirit of the Lord began to download something into my spirit about 'soul ties'. Although I had not planned on blogging today (I have another project on my mind), I knew I was to share this.

What is a 'soul tie'? My understanding of this phrase is that it is referring to a relationship with another person or group that is of an intimate nature. If you were to look up the exact phrase, 'soul tie', in the Bible, you will not find it. What you will find, however, are examples of holy and unholy soul ties.

David and Jonathan had a holy soul tie.

And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit [qashar--to bind, tie, bind together, league together, conspire] with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. - 1 Samuel 18:1 KJV

The Book of Ephesians shows that marriage ties two souls--they become 'one flesh'.

For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined [proskollaō--from kolla ("glue")] unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. - Ephesians 5:31 KJV

 

This union is not only through a sexual relationship, but also through vows spoken to one another. I Corinthians gives an example of an unholy soul tie via sexual union:

What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh. - 1 Corinthians 6:16 KJV

So you can see that soul ties can be made in a number of ways. What hit my spirit this morning, however, was how we can actually have unholy soul ties within the Church. Because we fellowship with other believers in the Lord, we can innocently or perhaps more accurately, naively, form a union that is not Godly.  Sometimes we might have ulterior motives to connect with someone in a leadership position in the church body.

Our Heavenly Father created our physical bodies to be made up of interdependent parts or members. When even an individual cell within a part operates outside of its purpose towards another part, the brain is alerted. So it is with the Body of Christ. Just as human body parts were made to be interdependent, members in Christ's Body are to be mutually supportive of one another. BUT when an individual operates outside of how Christ the Head has ordained, they are in danger. This includes relationships we have with other members of the Body of Christ!

Do not confuse this with church leadership. What I mean is, just because your church is set up where a pastor or bishop is the overseer, does not mean he is the head of the church! Yes, an overseer has responsibilities towards the church body, but it is not to be a dictatorship.

Neither as being lords over [katakyrieuō--1) to bring under one's power, to subject one's self, to subdue, master; 2) to hold in subjection, to be master of, exercise lordship over] God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. - 1 Peter 5:3 KJV

Whenever we allow a church member--whether in leadership or not--to manipulate or control what we do or not do, this is an unholy soul tie.

It is only through an intimate relationship with the Head, Jesus our Yahshua, that we will know who we are to be in relationship with and how intimately we are to be connected, for He alone is the true lover of our souls.

Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love [chashaq--' to love, be attached to, long for']to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back. - Isaiah 38:17 KJV

 

Genuine unity can only be accomplished through the Spirit of the Lord.

But he that is joined [kollaō--glued]

unto the Lord is one spirit. - 1 Corinthians 6:17 KJV

For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

Ephesians 5:31-32 KJV 

 

Sleeping Beauty

Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. - Isaiah 60:1 KJV

Remember the Disney classic movie Sleeping Beauty? Recently, the Holy Spirit gave me a vision while praying that reminded me of that movie. The vision was a path or road being blocked by briers and thorns. It reminded me of the scene where the Prince bravely hacks at the briers with his sword determined to reach Sleeping Beauty in yon castle to awaken her with a kiss.

The Church is Sleeping Beauty and the Prince is—you guessed it—the Lord Yahshua, our Jesus. Those who are awake and standing with the Prince of Glory are also facing a pathway blocked by dangerous barbs. I prayed for the Holy Fire of God to burn away the briers (see Hebrews 12:29) and obliterate any doubt or fear His people were suffering with.

The briers are from the enemy of our soul who is ‘pulling out all the stops’ for he knows his days are numbered (see Revelation 12:1-12). He does not want the sleeping giant, the beautiful Bride of Christ, awakened. He wants her out of commission!

And that, knowing the time, that now [it is] high time to awake out of sleep: for now [is] our salvation nearer than when we believed. - Romans 13:11 KJV

 

Do you remember how Sleeping Beauty ends? The valiant Prince flings his trusty sword at the Dragon and strikes it precisely in the heart ending its life. In these tremulous days, if we can remain determined to stand (Ephesians 6:13), we will see great and mighty things happen at the hand of God (Jeremiah 33:3).

Despise Not Small Beginnings

Writing is one of the main passions poured into me by the Lord. Most any subject interests me, but the things of the Spirit of God intrigue me the most. I am a grandmother now but began journaling my thoughts and experiences when I was a young mother and then published them in 1991 in a book entitled The Mommy Manual (With Notes for Daddy Too). While working recently on a new book project, I stumbled across a copy of my first publication. Nostalgia swept over me and I began to think about when my kids were first born and remember how in the midst of the hustle and bustle of motherhood the Holy Spirit was there helping me. I flipped open the pages and began reading one of the many stories...

One day as I was bathing my newborn son, he seemed unusually fussy and wouldn't stop crying. Thanks to God, I noticed that there was a clear plastic thread wrapped around one of his toes which was cutting off the circulation. His toe was very red but had not turned blue yet.

Later on as I shared with my husband what had happened I realized it was the Holy Spirit who spoke to my spirit to check the baby's toes! Because of incidents like this I learned that I served a practical God--one that cared about everyday quandaries. Not an unfeeling, uncaring deity but the epitome of LOVE!

It is stories such as this I would like for you to share with me--everyday situations (big or small) where God showed up. Perhaps He spoke to you and gave you enlightenment of a scripture or understanding as to why someone spoke to you the way they did. My purpose in blogging and my prayer for the Body of Christ is Ephesians 1:4-23 which states (in part):

According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love...That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to usward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ...

The computer is not a whole new world to me, but blogging is. Sometimes I think too much about what I am to write because I don't want to dishonor the Lord in any way. I was even obsessing over what I should use as a title for this first post when I heard that still small voice say, "Despise not small beginnings".