Proverbs 29.11
“A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back.”
I believe this is one of the great spiritual / mental issues of our generation. Again, in the words of an earlier proverb, “A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls.” Without self-discipline we are left wide open to the attacks of the enemy and the impulses of our sin nature. Without self-discipline we are vulnerable and at great risk of defeat. Without self-discipline we are easily “broken into.”
We use the phrase “lose your temper” because controlling your anger and managing your emotions is an inner battle in which there is always a winner and a loser. If you fail to exercise self-discipline, you will lose the battle and your emotional impulse will win.
This is precisely why the first three disciplines of The R Factor are:
#1: Press Pause (gain clarity about any situation you face)
#2: Get Your Mind Right (create the mindset necessary for the situation)
#3: Step Up (take disciplined action in response to the situation)
Imagine what happens when these three disciplines are empowered by the Holy Spirit, directed by the truth scripture, and executed with faith!
Having said that, we all know it isn’t easy. Far from it! Every Christian has discovered the painful reality that the works of the flesh — the impulses of the old nature — come to us easily and relentlessly. If you fail to “rule your spirit” and you let your guard down just a bit, the impulses of the old nature will take over. It is for this very reason that self-discipline is the final fruit of the Spirit in Paul’s list in Galatians 5.
Walking in the Spirit and bearing the fruit of the Spirit requires trusting God, and it also requires discipline. It requires faith and effort. Obviously, there is self-discipline that is disconnected from the Spirit, which we could call “self-driven self-discipline.” That is not what Paul is talking about in Galatians 5. Paul is calling us to Spirit-empowered self-discipline, which is what happens when a Christian trusts God, seeks to obey scripture, asks for the Spirit’s power, recognizes and rejects the impulses of the sin nature, and exercises the spiritual virtue of self-control.
The fruit of the Spirit is produced when we respond to God working in our lives. It is a choice — a decision — that we must repeatedly make. This is the message of Galatians 5: “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.” (Galatians 5:16-17)
Here is what the scripture is saying: Recognize the impulses of the old nature and reject them. Recognize the fruit of the Spirit and walk in them. Make the choice!
Spiritual growth is largely determined by our commitment to faith-driven self-discipline. Without this foundational virtue, there can be no sustainable growth in grace. Before other disciplines can be applied, whether in the home, business, community, or church, there first must be Spirit-empowered self-discipline.
Do a self-assessment. What is the status of the “walls” of your “city?” Are you walking in the Spirit, and have you developed the fruit of self-discipline? If not, in what areas of your life do you need to trust God and do work?
