Moses recorded by THE SPIRIT in Leviticus chapter 16:
29 “This shall be a statute forever for you: In the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month (Yom Kippur), you shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether a native of your own country or a stranger who dwells among you.
30 For on that day the priest shall make atonement for you, to cleanse you, that you may be clean from all your sins before the LORD.
31 It is a sabbath of solemn rest for you, and you shall afflict your souls. It is a statute forever.
The word afflict means: to be put down, become low, to stoop, to humble oneself, bow down, to weaken oneself.
It is imperative that our spirit man be stronger than our soul and flesh. This is only done by each of us making the decision to subdue the soul and flesh thereby weakening them relative to the spirit.
Yom Kippur fast day is the Holiest day of the year, when Jews are closest to GOD and to the essence of their souls. Yom Kippur means “Day of Atonement,” as the verse states, “For on this day He will forgive you, to purify you, that you be cleansed from all your sins before GOD.” This is the day that the Jew afflicted their souls and humbled themselves before GOD. You and I are called to live a humbled life daily.
We must empty ourselves of pride. The very first sin was pride that was found in Lucifer when he tried to exalt himself above the Lord God Almighty. The result was that he was cast out of Heaven and made low. On the other hand, Jesus humbled Himself and was made low which resulted in Him being exalted to the Throne Room of GOD.
It was recorded by THE SPIRIT in Ezra chapter 7:
10 For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel.
It was on Ezra’s heart to restore The Temple in Jerusalem even though there were enemies of the Jews who wanted to prevent this from happening.
And in chapter 8:
21 Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river of Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from Him the right way for us and our little ones and all our possessions.
22 For I was ashamed to request of the king an escort of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy on the road, because we had spoken to the king, saying, “The Hand of our God is upon all those for good who seek Him, but His power and His wrath are against all those who forsake Him.”
23 So we fasted and entreated our God for this, and He answered our prayer.
Afflicting one’s soul is a consistent theme throughout Scripture.
James wrote by The Holy Spirit in James chapter 4:
7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
9 Be afflicted and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.
10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.
We must surrender our soul to GOD which allows us to move our heart closer to HIM. If we are willing to be made low before THE LORD, HE will exalt us. If our soulish man tries to exalt us, the result is that we will be made low. It is our choice.
17 Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.