Transcription
All right, I need you to really focus on what I'm about to share with you because what happened to me last week has completely changed how I understand myself, how I understand you, and how I understand the way God designed us. I've been wrestling with this question for years, and when I finally got the answer, it shook me to my core. You're going to discover the shocking difference between your soul and your spirit that most Christians don't even know exists and why understanding this distinction will revolutionize your relationship with God. What Jesus showed me about the human design will explain why you sometimes feel disconnected even when you're praying and why breakthrough feels so elusive.
I'm sitting here on this park bench in my neighborhood and honestly I can barely contain the excitement I'm feeling right now. The green grass stretching out behind me reminds me of the peaceful place where this revelation happened. And I keep thinking about how many people need to hear this. My mind is racing with everything I learned. But let me back up and tell you why this question became so urgent for me in the first place.
We just wrapped filming season 5 of The Chosen a few months ago and we're deep into production on season 6. Playing Jesus has been the greatest honor of my life, but it's also brought up some of the deepest spiritual questions I've ever faced. During filming, I spend hours in prayer asking God to help me portray Jesus authentically. But lately, I'd been struggling with something that felt almost embarrassing to admit. Sometimes when I prayed, it felt like there were different parts of me responding differently to God's presence, and I couldn't understand why that was happening. I'd read scripture about spirit and soul, but honestly, I always thought they were just different words for the same thing. You know, like how we say heart and soul interchangeably sometimes. I figured it was just biblical language being poetic. But something inside me kept saying there was more to discover here.
The confusion really hit me during one particularly intense scene we were filming. I was praying beforehand, asking God to help me connect with the character, and I noticed this strange sensation. Part of me felt completely aligned with God's presence, while another part felt restless and distracted, almost fighting against that peace. It was like there were two different conversations happening inside me simultaneously. One part was communing with God effortlessly, while another part was analyzing, questioning, and even resisting. I started to wonder, is this normal? Am I doing something wrong? Why does my inner experience feel so layered?
I began paying closer attention to this phenomenon. During worship, I noticed the same thing. During scripture reading, the same thing. During quiet prayer times, the same thing. There seemed to be different levels or dimensions to my inner life, and I couldn't figure out what was happening or why God designed us this way. I started researching, reading everything I could find about the soul and spirit. Most sources either treated them as identical or gave vague, confusing explanations that didn't match my actual experience. I felt like there was this profound truth just out of reach. And it was driving me crazy not understanding it.
The question became even more pressing when I realized how often scripture distinguishes between soul and spirit. Hebrews talks about the word of God dividing between soul and spirit. Paul talks about spirit, soul, and body as distinct. Jesus talked about both. Clearly, there was something important here I was missing.
I remember one particular night I was sitting in my trailer between takes, feeling frustrated and confused. I looked up at the sky and just asked God directly, "Father, I need to understand this. What's the difference between soul and spirit? How did you design us? Help me understand myself and help me understand others." I wasn't expecting what happened next. Usually when I pray, I get gentle impressions or a sense of peace. Sometimes I'll have a thought that feels divinely inspired, but this time it was like God said, "All right, Jonathan, you're ready for this revelation. Let me show you something that will change everything."
That night, I had the most vivid instructional dream of my life. I found myself in this beautiful garden, similar to the peaceful park setting where I'm talking to you now. The grass was impossibly green, the air was crystal clear, and I felt this overwhelming sense of anticipation, like I was about to receive something precious.
Hey, before I continue, would you do me a favor? Comment below and let me know where you're watching from and what time it is there. I'd love to know we're sharing this moment together across the world.
Back to what I was saying, Jesus was there and he looked at me with this knowing smile. He said, "Jonathan, you've been asking the right question. Most people live their entire lives without understanding how I designed them. But understanding the difference between soul and spirit will unlock everything you've been seeking in your relationship with me." He gestured for me to sit down. And as we settled on what looked like a stone bench, he began to explain.
"Let me show you something that will revolutionize how you see yourself and others. The confusion you've been experiencing isn't confusion at all. It's actually evidence of the beautiful complexity of how I created human beings." Jesus picked up a small stone and held it in his hand. "This stone has substance, weight, presence. That's your body, the physical vessel I gave you to live in this world. It's wonderful, necessary, and I declared it good. But you are more than just your body, aren't you? You know there's something deeper."
Then he picked up a flower. "This flower has life, beauty, the ability to grow and respond to its environment. This represents your soul, your mind, will, and emotions. Your soul is where you think, feel, choose, and experience the richness of human existence. It's the seat of your personality and your earthly consciousness."
Finally, he cupped his hands as if holding something invisible. "But there's a third dimension to who you are. And this is where most people get confused. Your spirit is the part of you that was designed specifically to commune with me. It's your God consciousness, the eternal part of you that transcends time and space."
I was beginning to understand, but Jesus could see I needed more clarity. He continued, "Think of it this way. Your body connects you to the physical world. Your soul connects you to the psychological and emotional world. And your spirit connects you to the spiritual world. Three distinct realms, three distinct parts of who you are."
Then came the moment that changed everything. Jesus looked directly into my eyes and began sharing what he called the seven revolutionary truths about soul and spirit. He said, "Jonathan, these truths will not only answer your question, they'll transform how you pray, how you worship, and how you help others connect with God."
The first truth, he said, is that your spirit is already perfect and complete in me. When you accepted me as your savior, your spirit was instantly made righteous, holy, and pure. It doesn't need improvement or fixing. Your spirit is where I live and it's always in perfect harmony with my presence. This was shocking to me. He continued, "The confusion you've been feeling isn't coming from your spirit. Your spirit is peaceful, connected, and secure. The restlessness, the questioning, the resistance you sometimes experience during prayer—that's coming from your soul, which is still being renewed and transformed day by day."
The second truth is that your soul and spirit operate on completely different timelines. Your spirit exists in the eternal. Now it's connected to my timeless presence. But your soul operates in linear time, processing past experiences, present circumstances, and future concerns. That's why you can feel peaceful and anxious simultaneously. He gestured to the garden around us. "When you pray, your spirit immediately connects with me. It doesn't need to work up to worship or convince itself to believe. It simply is complete, loved, secure. But your soul might be processing yesterday's stress or tomorrow's worries, creating what feels like internal conflict."
The third truth, Jesus continued, is that your soul learns through experience, but your spirit knows through revelation. Your soul accumulates information, forms opinions, and develops understanding gradually. But your spirit can receive instant, complete knowledge directly from me. This is why sometimes you know things you couldn't possibly have learned. I thought about all the times during filming when I'd had sudden deep insights about Jesus that seemed to come from nowhere. "That's your spirit receiving revelation," he confirmed, reading my thoughts. "Your soul might struggle to understand the Trinity, but your spirit simply knows and communes with Father, Son, and Holy Spirit naturally."
The fourth truth is that your soul has a memory, but your spirit lives in forgiveness. Your soul remembers past hurts, failures, and traumas. It holds on to experiences and uses them to form protective patterns, but your spirit exists in the reality of complete forgiveness and redemption. This is why you can feel guilty and forgiven at the same time. He leaned forward with intense compassion. "When people struggle with shame, they're usually listening to their soul's memory instead of their spirit's reality. Your soul says, 'But remember what you did.' Your spirit says, 'I am completely clean.' Both are speaking, but only one is speaking truth about your current standing with God."
The fifth truth, Jesus said, is that your soul seeks approval, but your spirit rests in acceptance. Your soul wants to perform, achieve, and prove its worth. It's driven by the need to earn love and avoid rejection. But your spirit already knows it's completely accepted, unconditionally loved, and permanently secure in me. This is why you can feel insecure about your performance as an actor while simultaneously feeling completely secure in your identity as my son. Your soul worries about reviews and criticism. Your spirit knows that your worth isn't based on how well you portray me, but on how completely I love you.
The sixth truth is that your soul reacts to circumstances, but your spirit responds from my nature. When difficult things happen, your soul might feel fear, anger, or confusion, and that's normal. But your spirit has access to my peace, my joy, my love. Regardless of external circumstances, you don't have to feel bad about what your soul is experiencing. I was starting to understand why I sometimes felt like two different people.
Jesus smiled and continued, "The final truth is that your soul grows gradually, but your spirit is instantly and permanently connected to me." Spiritual maturity isn't about perfecting your soul. It's about learning to live from your spirit instead of being dominated by your soul's reactions. Think of your soul as a beautiful, valuable part of who you are that's being renewed day by day. It contains your personality, your gifts, your memories, your emotions—all wonderful things. But it's not the part of you that determines your spiritual standing or your connection with me. That's your spirit's job."
Jesus stood up and began walking, motioning for me to follow. "Now, let me show you how this understanding changes everything about your relationship with me and your ability to help others." The garden around us seemed to shimmer with new meaning as we walked deeper into this revelation.
"When you pray, you're not trying to get your soul to connect with me. You're acknowledging the connection that already exists in your spirit and allowing that reality to influence your soul. Prayer isn't about working up faith. It's about recognizing the faith that's already complete in your spirit. When you worship, you're not trying to create feelings or manufacture emotions in your soul. You're expressing the love and adoration that already exists perfectly in your spirit. Sometimes your soul will feel it, sometimes it won't. But the worship is real either way because it's coming from your spirit. When you read scripture, you're not just feeding information to your soul's intellect. You're allowing my spirit to speak directly to your spirit, downloading divine truth that transcends human understanding. This is why the Bible can come alive with revelation that goes far beyond mere comprehension."
As we walked, I began to see how this applied to everything I'd been experiencing. The internal conflict wasn't a sign of spiritual immaturity. It was actually evidence of the beautiful complexity of how God designed us. My spirit was communing with God while my soul was being renewed. Both processes were happening simultaneously.
Jesus then addressed something that I'd been struggling with deeply. "Jonathan, you've been worried that your soul's questions and doubts somehow interfere with your connection to me. But I want you to understand, your soul's process of learning and growing doesn't threaten your spirit's perfect union with me. In fact," he continued, "I designed it this way intentionally. Your soul's journey of discovery and growth is beautiful to me. I enjoy watching you learn, question, and understand more deeply. Your doubts don't distance you from me. They often lead you into deeper truth. Your struggles don't disqualify you. They make you relatable to others who struggle. Your spirit provides the stable foundation of connection with me, while your soul provides the dynamic experience of growing in that relationship. One gives you security, the other gives you adventure. You need both. And I love both aspects of how I made you."
Then Jesus shared something that brought tears to my eyes. "The reason you sometimes feel disconnected during prayer isn't because you're doing something wrong. It's because your soul is learning to recognize and trust what your spirit already knows. This process takes time and that's perfectly okay with me. When your soul feels distant from me, your spirit remains close. When your soul feels uncertain, your spirit remains confident. When your soul feels unworthy, your spirit remains beloved. Learning to distinguish between these voices will revolutionize your spiritual life and bring you tremendous peace."
Jesus stopped walking and turned to face me with such tender love. "That's how it is. Here's what I want you to share with everyone who watches your video. They don't have to fix their soul before they can connect with me. They don't have to silence their soul's questions or heal their soul's wounds or perfect their soul's responses. Their spirit is already connected to me, already perfect, already home. From that place of security and love, their soul can safely heal, learn, and grow. They're not trying to earn my love through soul improvement. They're expressing my love through soul transformation. There's a huge difference. Tell them that when they feel conflicted during prayer, that's normal. When they experience doubt and faith simultaneously, that's human. When they struggle with unworthiness while knowing they're loved, that's the difference between soul and spirit. They don't need to resolve the tension. They need to understand it. And here's something that will set many people free: Their soul's struggles don't invalidate their spirit's connection with me. Their emotional ups and downs don't change their spiritual standing. Their mental questions don't threaten their eternal security. They can have a bad day in their soul and still be completely secure in their spirit."
Jesus then showed me something beautiful about how this understanding transforms our relationship with others. "When someone is struggling, you'll now be able to minister to both their soul and their spirit. You can comfort their soul while reminding their spirit of truth. You can validate their human experience while anchoring them in spiritual reality. Instead of telling someone to just have faith when they're struggling, you can say, 'Your soul is going through something difficult right now, and that's understandable. But let me remind your spirit of who you really are in God.' This approach brings healing instead of shame."
As our walk continued, Jesus addressed something else I'd been wondering about. "Jonathan, you've noticed that some people seem to connect with me easily while others struggle. Often, this isn't about how much faith they have. It's about whether they're trying to connect from their soul or recognizing the connection that already exists in their spirit. People who try to connect with me through their soul often get frustrated because they're using the wrong tool for the job. They're trying to think their way to God, feel their way to God, or achieve their way to God. But spiritual connection happens spirit to spirit, not soul to soul. This is why some people can have incredible experiences with me even when their life circumstances are difficult. Their soul might be going through hardship, but their spirit is communing with me in perfect peace. They've learned to live from their spirit instead of being controlled by their soul's reactions."
Jesus then shared what might be the most practical truth of all. "When people learn this distinction, they stop being so hard on themselves. They realize that having a bad emotional day doesn't mean they're spiritually immature. Having doubts doesn't mean they lack faith. Struggling with circumstances doesn't mean they're disconnected from me. Their soul might be having a human experience, but their spirit is having a divine experience. Both are real. Both are valid. And both are part of how I designed them. The goal isn't to eliminate the soul's experience. It's to let the spirit's reality influence and transform the soul's experience. And here's something that will particularly help you as an actor portraying me: You don't have to become perfect to represent me well. Your soul will continue learning and growing. And that's beautiful. Your job is to portray me from your spirit's connection with me, allowing your authentic humanity to show through your soul. People don't need to see a perfect representation of me. They need to see how I love imperfect people and work through broken vessels. When you let your soul's struggles show alongside your spirit's security, people see that following me is possible for real humans, not just spiritual superheroes."
As our time in the garden began to wind down, Jesus shared one final, powerful truth. "Jonathan, this understanding will also transform how you see your purpose. You're not trying to fix people's souls or convince their minds. You're helping them recognize what's already true in their spirit and supporting their soul's journey of aligning with that truth. Ministry isn't about soul improvement. It's about spirit recognition. It's helping people discover who they already are in me, not who they need to become to earn my love. This takes all the pressure off of you and puts all the glory on what I've already accomplished. When you share your testimony, speak to both soul and spirit. Validate people's soul-level struggles while declaring spirit-level truths. Tell them it's okay to feel uncertain while being completely secure. Tell them it's okay to have questions while possessing unshakable truth. Give them permission to be beautifully, complexly human."
Then Jesus looked at me with such profound love and said, "Jonathan, I'm going to give you one more gift that will seal this revelation in your heart forever." Suddenly, I felt this incredible rush of love, acceptance, and understanding flowing through every part of my being. It was like experiencing God's love in three dimensions simultaneously. In my body, I felt warm, safe, and completely at peace. In my soul, I felt understood, valued, and cherished for exactly who I am, struggles and all. But in my spirit, I experienced something beyond words: complete union, perfect love, absolute security. All three levels were distinct yet beautifully connected. "This," Jesus said, "is how I love you completely in every dimension of who you are. I love your body and want you to take care of it. I love your soul and am patiently transforming it. And I am perfectly united with your spirit for all eternity. You are loved wholly, not partially."
The feeling was so overwhelming that I began to weep, not from sadness, but from the sheer relief of being so completely known and accepted. All the performance pressure I'd been carrying, all the confusion about my internal experiences, all the fear that my struggles might disqualify me—it all melted away in the light of this three-dimensional love.
"This is what I want everyone to experience," Jesus said as I continued to cry tears of joy and relief. "Not just intellectual understanding about soul and spirit, but actual personal experience of being loved in every dimension of who they are. This is the love that casts out fear and brings perfect peace."
As the experience began to fade, Jesus placed his hand on my shoulder and said, "Remember this feeling, Jonathan. When your soul gets confused again, remember that your spirit is still connected to this love. When circumstances challenge your soul's peace, remember that your spirit remains in my perfect peace. And when you share this message with others, don't just teach them about soul and spirit. Help them experience the love that flows to both. Let them know that they don't have to choose between being human and being spiritual. I made them to be both, and I love them as both."
Then something amazing happened. Jesus began to laugh, not at me, but with pure joy and delight. "Jonathan, do you realize what this means for how you'll pray from now on? Instead of trying to get your soul to feel close to me, you'll simply acknowledge that your spirit already is close to me. Prayer becomes recognition, not achievement. And worship, instead of trying to work up emotions in your soul, you'll express the love that already exists perfectly in your spirit. Sometimes your soul will feel it, sometimes it won't. But the worship will always be authentic because it's coming from the eternal part of you that never stops loving me. When you read scripture, you'll receive revelation in your spirit. Even when your soul doesn't understand everything, you'll trust that my spirit is speaking to your spirit, downloading truth that goes beyond intellectual comprehension. The Bible will become a living conversation, not just an ancient text. When you face difficulties, instead of thinking your soul's struggles mean you're spiritually weak, you'll remember that your spirit remains strong in me. You'll comfort your soul from the security of your spirit rather than trying to convince your spirit from the anxiety of your soul. And when you help others, you'll speak to their spirit's truth while validating their soul's experience. You'll remind them who they are while acknowledging what they're going through. This brings healing instead of shame, hope instead of condemnation."
Jesus then said something that I'll never forget. "Jonathan, you've been playing me on screen, but now you're going to live from me in your spirit. There's a difference between portraying love and expressing love, between acting like you're connected and knowing you're connected. This revelation will transform both your performance and your personal life."
As the garden began to fade and I sensed the dream ending, Jesus gave me one final instruction. "Share this not as complicated theology, but as liberating truth. Help people understand that they're not broken and needing to be fixed. They're beloved and in the process of discovering just how loved they are. Tell them that their soul's journey is beautiful to me, not burdensome. Their questions don't annoy me, they delight me. Their struggles don't distance them from me. They often draw them closer, and their spirit's connection to me is unshakable regardless of what their soul is experiencing."
I woke up from that dream completely transformed. The confusion I'd been carrying for months was gone, replaced by this deep understanding of how God designed us. I immediately knew that this wasn't just for me. This was a message that needed to be shared with everyone who's ever felt confused about their spiritual life.
For the past week, I've been living differently. When my soul feels anxious about something, I don't panic about my spiritual state. I simply acknowledge the anxiety while resting in my spirit's perfect peace. When my soul feels discouraged, I comfort it from my spirit's unshakable hope. During prayer, I no longer try to work up faith or manufacture feelings. I simply recognize the connection that already exists and let that reality influence my soul. Sometimes my soul feels it strongly, sometimes it doesn't. But I know the connection is real either way. When I'm preparing for scenes as Jesus, I no longer pressure my soul to feel worthy of the role. Instead, I rest in my spirit's connection with him and let that authenticity flow through my performance. It's taken all the performance pressure off and replaced it with genuine relationship.
The people around me have noticed a difference. There's a peace and confidence that wasn't there before. Not because my circumstances have changed, but because I understand which part of me to listen to in different situations. My soul still has its ups and downs, but my spirit remains steady. I've started sharing this understanding with fellow cast members. And it's been incredible to watch the relief wash over their faces when they realize they don't have to perfect their soul to connect with God. They can be beautifully human while being spiritually secure.
This revelation has also transformed how I read scripture. When I encounter passages I don't fully understand with my soul, I trust that my spirit is receiving truth. Anyway, the Bible has become a living conversation rather than a textbook I'm trying to master. Most importantly, this understanding has filled me with such compassion for others. When I see someone struggling, I no longer think they need to fix their faith. I see someone whose soul is having a human experience while their spirit remains perfectly loved. This perspective changes everything about how we minister to each other.
Now, I want to speak directly to you wherever you are, whatever you're going through. If you've ever felt confused about your spiritual life, if you've ever wondered why you sometimes feel connected to God and sometimes don't. If you've ever struggled with feeling worthy of his love, this message is for you. Your spirit is already perfect in Christ. Right now, as you're listening to this, the eternal part of you is completely loved, fully accepted, and perfectly connected to God. Your salvation isn't partial or pending. It's complete and permanent. Your spirit knows this truth even when your soul struggles to believe it.
If your soul is going through a difficult season, if you're dealing with depression, anxiety, grief, confusion, or any other human struggle, that doesn't change your spiritual standing. Your soul's experience is real and valid, but it doesn't define your connection with God. You can comfort your soul from the security of your spirit. Stop trying to fix your soul before you connect with God. Stop waiting until you feel worthy before you approach him. Stop thinking that your struggles disqualify you from his love. Your spirit is already home, already accepted, already beloved. From that place of security, your soul can safely heal and grow.
When you pray, you're not trying to reach God. You're recognizing that he's already reached you. When you worship, you're not trying to create feelings. You're expressing love that already exists perfectly in your spirit. When you struggle, you're not failing spiritually. You're being beautifully human while remaining completely secure in God's love.
This week, I want you to practice living from your spirit. Instead of being controlled by your soul's reactions, when your soul feels anxious, speak peace from your spirit. When your soul feels unworthy, declare your belovedness from your spirit. When your soul feels disconnected, rest in your spirit's perfect union with God. Remember, your soul's process of learning and growing is beautiful to God. He's not frustrated with your questions, impatient with your struggles, or disappointed in your humanity. He loves watching you discover more about who you are in him. Your journey is precious to him, not burdensome.
If you're someone who helps others spiritually, whether as a pastor, counselor, friend, or family member, let this understanding transform how you minister. Speak to people's spirits while validating their souls. Remind them of truth while acknowledging their experience. Bring hope without bringing shame. And if you're carrying guilt about your past, shame about your present, or fear about your future, I want you to know that your spirit exists in complete forgiveness, absolute acceptance, and perfect security. Your soul might remember and worry, but your spirit knows the truth about who you really are in God. The goal isn't to silence your soul or eliminate its struggles. The goal is to let your spirit's reality transform your soul's experience. Both parts of you are valuable. Both are loved, and both are part of God's beautiful design. You don't have to choose between being human and being spiritual. You're designed to be both.
As I wrap up this message, I want to pray for every person listening because that's what Jesus would do. He would ask the Father to help you experience this truth, not just intellectually, but personally. He would pray for your soul to find peace and your spirit to recognize its perfect connection with God.
Father God, I pray for everyone hearing this message right now. You know exactly what their soul is experiencing, and you see their spirit's perfect connection with you. I pray that this revelation would bring them tremendous peace and freedom. Help them stop trying so hard to earn what they already possess. For those whose souls are struggling with depression, anxiety, or any form of emotional pain, I pray you would comfort them from the security of their spirit. Help them know that their struggles don't change their standing with you. Bring healing to their soul from the truth of their spirit. For those who have felt unworthy of your love, I pray you would help them hear their spirit's voice above their soul's accusations. Remind them that they are completely beloved, not because of what they've done, but because of who they are in Christ. Let this truth settle deep into every part of their being. Help all of us to live from our spirit's security rather than our soul's insecurity. When we pray, help us recognize connection rather than strive for it. When we worship, help us express love rather than manufacture it. When we struggle, help us remember that we're human and spiritual simultaneously. Thank you for designing us so beautifully with body, soul, and spirit, each playing their perfect role. Thank you for loving every dimension of who we are. Help us receive this love fully and share it freely with others who need to know they're beloved just as they are. In Jesus' name, I pray that this understanding would transform lives, bring peace to troubled souls, and help people recognize the incredible love that's already flowing to every part of who they are. Amen.
Thank you for listening. And remember, you are loved completely, accepted fully, and connected perfectly through your spirit to the God who created you. If this message touched your heart, please subscribe for more content like this, and I'd love to hear your own story in the comments below. Share how this revelation speaks to your journey or what God has shown you about your own soul and spirit. I love