Part 1- A Prospering Soul is a Yielded Soul
In 3 John 1:2 (NKJV), the Apostle John prays for Gaius, saying, “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.” This is God’s Will for every person. He wants us to prosper in everything we set our hands to do. Contrary to what many have wrongly believed and taught, God doesn’t cause people to become sick and afflicted. This is one of the reasons that Jesus’s ministry is so impactful to us. He was moved with compassion to heal the sick, give sight to the blind, and hearing to the deaf. He performed these wonderful miracles because it was God’s Will for him to do so. Paul’s prayer for Gaius beautifully reflects the Father’s Will for our total wholeness, where our body, soul, and spirit are all aligned with His divine purpose.
1 Thessalonians 5:23 (NLT) helps us grasp this more fully. Paul writes: “Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again.” In this verse, our Heavenly Father emphasizes the wholeness of humanity, describing the three parts that make up a person: spirit, soul, and body. Paul mentions these parts separately, and we can’t allow the truth of this to slip by us. He’s signaling that each part must be considered individually, but also in harmony with one another. This is necessary for us to understand and experience true wholeness in the way the Father desires. Paul has made it clear that individually, we each play a huge role in achieving this harmony and balance, because the soul and the body are governed by our free-will.
The Impact of Free-Will Choice
The soul is the part of us that we have control over, and within the soul lies our emotions, our feelings center, our thoughts (the mind), and another crucial component—the human will. It’s important to remember that God will never overstep the gift of free-will that He’s given us. Romans 11:29 (NLT) affirms this: “For God’s gifts and his call can never be withdrawn.” God’s gifts and call are irrevocable. This means He will never take back His call or overstep the gift of free-will He’s provided to every living person.
Essentially, we do what we want to do. There are rules that govern our daily lives, and more importantly, God has generously provided His laws to govern the way we should live as His children. Yet, in just about every aspect of life on earth, we find very creative ways of breaking these laws and requirements, and our Heavenly Father does not prevent us from doing so. Just as He allowed Eve to make the choice to sin when she was deceived by satan, and He allowed Adam to make the choice to sin when he was deceived by Eve, God will allow us to make our own free-will choices and decisions, even when they lead us to sin. We choose whether we will love and obey God or not. He doesn’t force us to live by the Holy Spirit, and He will allow us to go to hell if that’s our choice. Our Heavenly Father is committed to His Word, and therefore; He will not violate our free-will choices.
Before we are born again, we walk by the flesh and engage in works of the flesh. After we give our lives to Christ, in Galatians 5:16, we are instructed make a complete turnaround and “walk by the Spirit.” This is a powerful commandment intended to transform how we live. It is also, at its core, a choice that includes incredible privilege and responsibility. It’s an ongoing, day by day, moment by moment decision to allow God’s presence to shape how we think, feel, speak, and act. It is the way to consistently live victoriously and abundantly. Our Heavenly Father commands us to live this way and helps us through the Holy Spirit that indwells us, but He does not force us to do so.
We must not make the mistake of thinking the indwelling Holy Spirit will take control of our souls and make us yield to God. We must make the free-will choice to yield to Him ourselves. The Holy Spirit will not control our souls unless we surrender them, and most of us do this bit by bit—not in one fell swoop, but little by little.
Our emotions, thoughts, and will must be surrendered to His guidance. Romans 12:1-2 (NIV) tells us, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” In this passage, our Heavenly Father is lovingly imploring us to do what is best for our souls and surrender our entire existence to Him. Again, He does not force, but gently guides.
Say ‘Yes’ to God
It’s no secret that many of us struggle with releasing certain habits, addictions, obsessions, and phobias to the Lord Jesus Christ. He invites us to leave them at his feet, and never pick them up again, and it is our choice to do so. Everything in life, from the smallest to the greatest detail is spiritual, and sometimes there’s a ‘no’ in our souls that keeps us separated from the victory the Holy Spirit is leading us to.
There are hidden places within our souls that we often avoid confronting. These are areas where we hold back from fully surrendering to God’s Will. To experience true transformation, we must come to a place where we can say “yes” to God even in those deep, unyielded parts of ourselves. Our will must be fully surrendered to God’s Will. This means willingly allowing the light and guidance of the Holy Spirit to bring transformation and alignment with the Will of the Father. This is a soul that is yielded to the Holy Spirit, and when it is, we can truly experience the power and peace that comes from walking in the Spirit. It’s the key to a prospering soul—one that is continually surrendered to God’s transforming work. Pray, invite, and let the Spirit be at work in you. ■
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
“A Prospering Soul – Part 1- A Prospering Soul is A Yielded Soul”, written by Rev. Fran Mack. Edits by Kim Times and K. Lizzie for Sundie Morning Sistas ©2025. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! SMS is dedicated to inspiring and encouraging Christian Women through the Word of God.