Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Thessalonians 5:23

God designed you in three parts – spirit, soul, and body. Think of it this way: you are a spirit, you have a soul, and you live in a body. Your soul is made up of your mind, will, and emotions. 

God wants your soul to prosper along with your spirit and body. But often, the devil will use the things that affect your soul to keep you from God. Because our relationships with spouses, family, and friends affect your soul the most, they can be given as a great blessing or a challenging curse. When God wants to bless you, He will often bring someone into your life that will encourage, strengthen, and help you in your spiritual walk. But when the devil is coming against you, he will bring someone that tempts, distracts, and pulls you away from God. 

Through some of our closest relationships we create soul ties – a deep emotional bond that unites two people together. The Bible gives us two examples of healthy soul ties. First, when a man and a woman get married, “the two become one.” Marriage can be a beautiful example of unity, commitment, and devotion between two people. We see a second soul tie in David and Jonathan’s friendship. 1 Samuel 18:1 says, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.

Soul ties can help us experience closeness, intimacy, affection, and love. But when we create unhealthy soul ties we experience anxiety, confusion, loneliness, lust, and even abuse. The devil can work through these types of relationships to make you feel worthless, hopeless, purposeless, or lost. Unhealthy ties can come through unequally yoked relationships, sex outside of marriage, or personal vows you have made. 

It is important to create and maintain healthy relationships with godly people who strengthen and encourage you in your relationship with God. While it is important to reach out to those who do not know Jesus, be careful of who is tied to your soul. 

If you have identified an unhealthy soul tie in your life, God does provide restoration and a way out. Decide fully that you want freedom, break that tie, spend time building your relationship with God, and do not turn back!