“Not Loving the Soul-Life vs Loving the Soul-Life”

 

“Not Loving the Soul-Life vs Loving the Soul-Life”

Matthew 16:23 But he turned to Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! You are my stumbling block, for you set your mind on human things, not on the things of God.”

Matthew 16:24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”

Luke 14:26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters—even his own soul and life—he cannot be my disciple.”

Luke 9:23 Jesus also said to the crowd, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” 

Category	Not Loving the Soul-Life	Loving the Soul-Life
Meaning	Denying the self and rejecting the natural life so that Christ may live	Preserving the self and natural life, living by oneself
Reason	Realizing that Satan is joined to man's soul-life after the fall	Not seeing the connection between the self and Satan
Figure / Metaphor	A drink offering poured out to God	Dust becoming food for the serpent
Explanation	The cross deals with the natural life so that God's life may be manifested	Serving God by natural strength and ability
Result	Overcoming Satan and expressing Christ	Giving Satan ground and becoming his instrument
Purpose	For God's satisfaction and the building up of the church	For self-preservation and self-expression
Relationship	When the soul-life is dealt with, Satan loses his ground	When the soul-life is preserved, Satan gains ground
Biblical Examples	Paul as a drink offering; Moses after being broken by God	Peter speaking from the natural life to stop the Lord
Application	Not trusting natural ability but depending on the Lord	Acting by talent, wisdom, and eloquence
Burden	To pass through the cross and have natural ability dealt with	To rely on natural ability in service
Prophetic Direction	“Deny the self, take up the cross, and live Christ.”	“Preserve the self, boast in ability, live by the self.”
Conclusion	Not loving the soul-life produces overcomers and God's building	Loving the soul-life results in spiritual defeat
Related Scriptures	Rev. 12:11; Matt. 16:24; Luke 9:23; Luke 14:26; Phil. 2:17	Matt. 16:23; 1 Cor. 2:2-4; Phil. 3:3

Development of Spiritual Principles

Spiritual Principle	Explanation
Satan’s Strategy	To cause believers to serve God by their natural strength
The Work of the Cross	To deal with the natural life and ability
God’s Goal	To leave only what comes from God
The Way of Overcoming	Not loving one’s soul-life
Spiritual Result	Christ is expressed and Satan is defeated

Biblical Figures Comparison

Person	Loving the Soul-Life Stage	Not Loving the Soul-Life Stage
Moses	Acting in natural zeal to kill the Egyptian  (Acts 7:23-25)	Serving God after being broken  (Acts 7:30)
Peter	Natural love yet denying the Lord  (Luke 22:32-34)	Humble shepherd after being dealt with  (1 Pet. 5:5-6)
Paul	Zealous persecutor of the church	Poured out as a drink offering  (Phil. 2:17; 2 Tim. 4:6)

*Integrated Spiritual Insight (Key Point)

The Bible reveals a spiritual equation:

Soul-life + Satan = The self (natural man)
Cross + Denying the self = The expression of Christ

Therefore:

• Preserving the soul-life → Satan has ground
• Losing the soul-life → Satan is defeated

This is the life principle of the overcomers.

* Prophetic One-Sentence Summary

Victory is not a matter of ability but a matter of whether the soul-life has been dealt with by the cross.

Final Conclusion

Not loving the soul-life is the mark of the overcomers:

• Satan is overcome
• Christ is manifested
• The church is built up
• God is satisfied

Practical Application

Practice	Description
Deny the Self Daily	Reject self-confidence and natural strength
Accept the Cross	Allow the cross to deal with natural ability
Depend on Christ	Live and serve by Christ’s life rather than by self
Become a Drink Offering	Be willing to be poured out for God’s purpose

 

 *Please refer to the 2025 Winter Training: Experiencing, Enjoying, and Manifesting Christ (Part Four), Chapter Eight: The Male Child, the Heavenly Battle, and the Victorious Saints.

Satan's Defeat Timeline in the Whole Bible

 

Satan's Defeat Timeline in the Whole Bible

Genesis 3:15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.

Revelation 12:5 The woman gave birth to a male child who will rule over all nations with an iron scepter; and her child was caught up to God and to his throne.

Revelation 12:10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven saying, “Now have come our God’s salvation and power and kingdom and the authority of his Christ! For the accuser who accuses our brothers and sisters day and night before our God has been hurled down.”

Revelation 20:2 He seized the dragon, the ancient serpent, the devil, and bound him for a thousand years.

Revelation 20:10 The devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet are; and they will be tormented day and night for ever and ever. 

Stage	Biblical Event	Satan's Action	God's Action	Spiritual Meaning	Result	Scripture
1	Satan's rebellion	Satan rebels in pride	God declares judgment	Sin enters the universe	Satan becomes God's enemy	Isa. 14:12-15; Ezek. 28:12-17
2	Temptation in Eden	Satan deceives humanity	Promise of the woman's seed	Beginning of redemption	Satan will ultimately be crushed	Gen. 3:15
3	Christ's coming	Satan tempts and opposes Christ	God becomes flesh	God enters human history	Redemption begins	Matt. 4:1-11; John 1:14
4	Victory on the cross	Satan attacks Christ	Christ is crucified	Judgment on Satan	Satan is condemned	John 12:31; Col. 2:15
5	Church age	Satan accuses believers	God produces overcomers	Execution of Christ's victory	Satan's position shaken	Rev. 12:10
6	Man-child rapture	Satan still accuses in heaven	Overcomers are caught up	War in heaven begins	Satan  cast down	Rev. 12:5-9
7	Great tribulation	Satan persecutes the earth	God preserves the remnant	Final conflict	Satan defeated	Rev. 12:13-17
8	Millennium	Satan bound	Christ reigns	Kingdom manifested	Satan restrained	Rev. 20:1-3
9	Final judgment	Satan deceives again	God judges	Satan cast into lake of fire	Eternal defeat	Rev. 20:10

 

✨ Spiritual Integration Vision (Key Point)

Satan's Rebellion → God's Promise of the Woman's Offspring → Christ's Victory on the Cross → The Victorious Ones Execute Judgment → Satan is Thrown Down → Satan is Bound → Satan is Cast into the Lake of Fire

 

This shows:

The entire Bible is a history of Satan's gradual defeat.

 

📣 A Prophetic Summary

Christ defeated Satan on the cross, and the victors execute this victory until Satan is cast into the lake of fire forever.

 

👑 Ultimate Conclusion

God's entire plan of redemption and kingdom is to completely end Satan's power.

 

🔧 Spiritual Application 

1. Stand in the position of Christ's victory.

2. Do not accept Satan's accusations and deceptions.

3. Live the life of the victor.

4. Cooperate with God's Kingdom actions.

 

*Please refer to the 2025 Winter Training: Experiencing, Enjoying, and Manifesting Christ (Part Four), Chapter Eight: The Male Child, the Heavenly Battle, and the Victorious Saints.