The Suffering (Tortured) Soul

SOUL DETOX: RESTLESS SOUL — HEAVY SOUL — TORTURED SOUL

Neighborhood BULLY/Brother down the Stairs

…not physical torture of the body....a spiritual TORTURE of the SOUL

(S1)

WE ARE NOT A BODY WITH A SOUL — WE ARE A SOUL WITH A BODY.

FUNERAL

Our bodies will die...our souls will live on...Why Jesus said this about following him

“If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?” {Mark 8:35-36}

The importance of detoxing our bodies...

The global detox products market is projected to grow from 40.7 billion in 2025 to 72.6 billion by 2035

We most often ignore caring for our SOULS…FINE ON THE OUTSIDE/SUFFERING ON THE INSIDE — tortured, by a spiritual battle within.

(S2)

“Dear friends, I warn you as “temporary residents and foreigners” to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls.” {1 Peter 2:11}

Maybe you've done this before; you promise God, I'll never, ever do this or that again, ever again. I promise as long as I live! And then boom, you do it again!

GUILT — INWARD CONVICTION — COVER UP

You put on your I’M A CHRISTIAN FACE...but inwardly you’re suffering; your struggling with SIN and its TORTURING your soul.

Paul opens a window into one of the most vulnerable, relatable, and spiritually rich confessions in all of Scripture - a man transformed by the grace of God– lays bare the war still raging within him. He speaks not as one who has attained perfection, but as one who has come face to face with the ongoing tension between the new creation in Christ and the sinful nature that still clings to the flesh. The War Within the Redeemed

(S3) — {7:14}

“So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin.” {Romans 7:14 }

LAW? MOSES — TORAH

Acts 22:3 “I am a Jew and I was brought up and educated here in Jerusalem under Gamaliel. As his student, I was carefully trained in our Jewish laws and customs. I became very zealous to honor God in everything I did, just like all of you today.”

SPIRITUAL (Spirit of God)...and GOOD—TRUSTWORTHY and TRUE

1 Corinthians 2:13 “When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truths.”

Jesus to the religious leaders…

Matthew 5:17 ““Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose.”

(S4) —

{7:1-3} —the law was only binding as long as a person lives—It could not SAVE them

{Romans 7:4}

Paul, who had encountered Jesus after his resurrection, knew the law was good; but that there was something greater at work within him; causing a spiritual battle

Question of Paul’s PRE-CONVERSION...or his CURRENT struggle?

— The human struggle of SIN in the REDEEMED (the regenerated person with the spirit of God living in them.

All sincere, Bible-believing Christians recognize the ongoing struggle between what we know to be good and aligned with God’s will, and the actions we sometimes fall into.

(S5) —

TUG OF WAR—This tension between our physical desires and our spiritually transformed selves. This internal battle, this torturing of the soul.

The trouble...what Paul is struggling with is SIN.

What is sin?...doing something wrong...failing to do something right!

(archery term) Missing the Mark

It’s ANYTHING that separates us from God—WE ARE ALL SINNERS!

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God {Romans 3:23}

You have not only sinned…but you have broken the law!

SPEED LIMIT (LAW) - How much over you can go...

We ALL have a PROBLEM with sin…we CANNOT fix it ON OUR OWN!

— Even as good church-going Christians…WE ARE ALL PRONE to SIN MORE THAN NOT

SPEAKER IN JUMPSUIT

The GOOD NEWS is even with this spiritual TUG OF WAR going on, we can get closer to the bullseye; to hitting the mark

Paul’s struggle is real…being a slave to sin—in his human soul (nature), “I am too easily controlled by it”

(S6) — {15-16}

“I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good.” {Romans 7:15-16}

Paul is again preaching to himself…working out his theological convictions about sin, through his own soul struggle—WHAT’S TORTURING HIS SOUL

In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus challenged those who stood solely on the law(s)…..DIVORCE—REVENGE—LOVING YOUR ENEMIES

{Matthew 6:21-22, 27-28}

OUCH! How many had gotten angry or coveted their neighbors wife with their eyes? Is it any different for us? NO! What is it that can torture our souls…inner struggle?

Paul’s struggle is real, and SO IS OURS! Yours and mine!

{18-20)

Two causes of this inner turmoil? Tug of war in our souls?

I. TORTURED FROM THE THINGS WE’VE DONE

Its what BREAKS the HEART of God...feel guilty...carry an UNCONFESSED sin

— Since its easier to talk about someone else's sin than our own...David...feeling the weight of SIN

(S7) — {Psalm 38:3-4}

“Because of your anger, my whole body is sick; my health is broken because of my sins. My guilt overwhelms me— it is a burden too heavy to bear.” {Psalm 38:3–4}

Moral Failure {2 Samuel 11}

David has a weakness—gets comfortable with his success, and temptation and sin find an opening.

He sees a beautiful woman bathing from his roof; the wife of Uriah the Hittite.. He sends for her and has an affair with her, knowing she is married, and married to one of his most devoted soldiers who is at this very time out fighting the king’s war. He knowingly commits adultery, and when, when she becomes pregnant he concocts a huge lie and deception in order to hide his sin.

A man after God’s own heart? Well, he is a man anyway. A fallen, sinful man that, if not for the PROVISION and PROTECTION of the LORD, would have been nothing more than a shepherd.

BOY SEEING TOO MUCH—MEN 50% STRUGGLE(D) WITH PORN/WOMEN (39%)

Hidden sins create shame and guilt—as we can begin to lose a bit of our soul—over-spending, over eating, anger, greed, lust, coveting…they can all torture the soul.

KEEP AWAY (Bar)/CHANGE YOUR HABITS/EXPOSE WHAT IS HIDDEN/SEEK COUNSEL/ACCOUNTABILITY

THE HUMAN STRUGGLE IS REAL! No persons heart is void of temptation from the devils schemes...Is your soul suffering because of something you’ve done?

The weight of David’s Sin was torturing his Soul

II. WE’RE TORTURED BY LIES WE BELIEVE

We believe lies that our spiritual enemies (satan) whispers to our souls. There is this other voice trying to tell us what isn’t true.

ANIMAL HOUSE—DEVIL/ANGEL

You’re a good Christian, ever have doubts? About yourself...Satan is the father of lies and he will do anything to get you to believe something is true when its not!

(S8)

“He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies. {John 8:44–45 }

The lies we believe can torture our souls!

— You’re not good enough...your divorced…feel like a failure because a friend or worse yet the church told you a lie. Had an abortion and people say your bad because you made a mistake or were told a lie. Maybe you were told a lie and influenced by others

{2 Peter 2:8 }— Lot who was a righteous man, was tormented in his soul by the wickedness he saw and heard day after day.”

IT’S OK, EVERYBODY DOES IT!

GULT and SHAME are the devils LIES...

—If anyone knew what I did in secret they wouldn't like you anymore. That’s a lie—Its why there are AA and other self-help groups

If your being tortured in your soul; TELL YOUR SOUL

1) IT’S BETTER TO CONFESS YOUR SINS THAN HIDE YOUR SINS.

(S9)

People who conceal their sins will not prosper, but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy. {Proverbs 28:13}

It’s always better to tell the truth! If you hide them its not good for the soul. If you don’t own up to them and take responsibility it will TORMENT YOUR SOUL

John 10:10 “The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy.”

UNCONFESSED SIN IS POISON TO THE SOUL

FOOD POISENING—YOUR BODY REJECTS IT

If you hold it in it poisons you...if you let it out CONFESS and TURN from them...then Jesus tells us we we will receive MERCY! Where grace meets forgivness in your time of need

John 10:10 “My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.”

Unconfessed sin will lead to spiritual death of the soul—Confessed sin leads to RESTORED LIFE in the spirit

Confess in two different ways...

We confess to God for forgiveness of sins.

(S10)

“If we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.”{1 John 1:9 }

Some may be feeling guilt or shame...confess to God—He will forget your sin but he...

Etch-a-sketchwhite board

When we confess God FORGETS YOUR SIN, but God HAS NOT FORGOTTEN YOU!

Romans 8:1 “So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.”

There is one more step that many don’t make but we must do...

We confess to SOMEONE for HEALING from sins.

(S11)

“Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.” {James 5:16}

Confession gets us closer to the bullseye—its GOOD FOR THE SOUL

KIDS CONFESSION AS ADULTS

Not saying that we confess everything to everybody...Confess SOME things to SOMEBODY

“One of the greatest marks of spiritual maturity is a short time span between sinning and confessing” C.G.

Invite God into your struggle...invite someone else into your battle...

LIFE GROUPS—BAND GROUP

Confess to God...confess to someone...

CHRIST WILL SET YOU FREE!

(S12)

24 Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? 25 Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord.

There is a better way...and Jesus paved the way with his life

“The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.” {1 Corinthians 10:13}

...I have found this to be true in moments of weakness; feeling sorry for myself...the phone rings

“He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed. Once you were like sheep who wandered away. But now you have turned to your Shepherd, the Guardian of your souls.” {1 Peter 2:24–25}

TALK IT OVER

• What's torturing your soul? How has your tortured soul affected you?

• Share a time when you confessed sin to God and to others. What resulted from your confession?

• What steps will you take to allow Christ to set your soul free? 


(S13)

Do you struggle with THE THINGS YOU’VE done? Been tortured by the LIES YOU BELEIVED?

CONFESS TO GOD—CONFESS TO SOMEONE—CHIRST WILL SET YOU FREE

“If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.” {1 John 1:8-10}