Spirit

The word pneuma found in the scriptures is translated as spirit. Pneuma means the essence, the core, the center, the central thing, and this is the component of our design that is eternal and that lives forever.

Our spirit was in the before-here component of our eternity -- before we entered time, and before our here-and-now component began. At an appointed time, our spirit will leave the earth realm and return to be with our God and our Father in the forever-hereafter component of our eternity.

Our spirit was with God, and He knew us and He approved of us as His chosen instruments for His kingdom before He formed our bodies in the womb to house our spirit and to give physical expression to our spirit in the earth realm. Sounds a great deal like deployment and assignment.