The Attitude of Self Discipline- Version 2
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The Attitude of Self Discipline
Text: Proverbs 25:28 (AV)
28 He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.
Introduction:
* Years ago when I was a young man in Bible college, one of my teachers made a statement that I have never forgotten.
* This statement was the result of man years in the ministry, observing the people that God uses in a great way.
* This man said that “No matter what people say, the bottom line is that people always do what they WANT to do. It’s just human nature.”
* People will say, “I would come to church preacher, but I just don’t have the money for gas”, but somehow they seem to have enough money to do all the other things they want to do.
* People say, “I would come to church preacher, but this sciatica preacher, it bothers me something terrible! I just can’t sit that long, but they seem to do just fine riding in a car for the same amount of time.
* They don’t seem to have any problem sitting and watching TV for hours on end.
* The bottom line is that “People do exactly what they WANT to do!
* It’s all about attitude! I would like to take at what the Bible teaches about the Attitude of self-discipline this morning.
* Our text this morning from is from Proverbs, the “book of wisdom.”
* Turn with me to Proverbs 25:28 this morning.
Proverbs 25:28 (AV)
28 He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.
* I want you to notice first of all from our text that God intends for a man to RULE his own spirit.
* The Bible teaches that you have to take control of your own spirit and rule it! You have to tell your spirit what to do!
* The Bible teaches that you must control yourself!
* An attitude of Self-discipline does not come naturally. The sinful fallen nature of the natural man is wild and untamed.
Jeremiah 17:9 (AV)
9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
Job 5:6–7 (AV)
6 Although affliction cometh not forth of the dust, neither doth trouble spring out of the ground; 7 Yet man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward.
* If the spirit of a man is allowed to rule it’s self, that man will become like the city in our text verse,
broken down, and without walls.
* We see people every day who have not learned to rule over their own spirit.
* We call them names like alcoholics, crack-heads, thieves, sex offenders, deadbeats, lazy people, gossips, junkies, habitual liars, whores, pimps, sluts, players, winos, drunkards, and the list goes on and on.
* The people who I just mentioned are like the city in our text verse, they are “broken down.”
* Have you ever looked at a photo of a crack-head?
* Have you ever saw a drunk laying on the side of the street wallowing in his own vomit?
* Have you ever tried to help someone who is foolish with money and debt?
* They will always be in want, because they do not rule over their money, they don’t tell their money what to do- so it just leaves!
* Have you ever tried to council with someone who has destroyed their life by sleeping around and jumping into one relationship after another?
* Because they don’t rule their own emotions- they don’t tell their emotions what to do, their lives are a mess of tangled relationships, heartaches, and drama!
* These are all examples of what happens when we fail to RULE the spirit that is within us.
* We become broken down! In the end we become helpless like the drug addict, or the alcoholic, or the gambler who can’t stop.
* If we don’t take heed to what the Bible tells us about our own spirit, we will be controlled by our spirit instead of us ruling our spirit.
* God intends for you and I to step in and take charge of our spirit! We are supposed to train our spirit, to RULE our spirit.
* To rule your spirit means to put your spirit under your subjection.
* For the child of God this also means we are to put our spirit under the subjection of the Word of God.
* This battle to rule our sprit is what we call “spiritual warfare.”
* Spiritual warfare is not as much about “fighting the Devil and demons, as it is fighting and warring with your very own spirit!
* We are constantly in an all out war with “natural man”, or fallen nature, the nature of sin that is within us!
* The spiritual battle field is not our here in the physical world- it is in the MINDS and HEARTS of men!
* Listen to what the Bible has to say about real spiritual warfare and our weapons that we use to battle our spirit:
2 Corinthians 10:3–5 (AV)
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
* A strong hold is a mental habit. A strong hold is a fort that your spirit has build in mind that keeps you from submitting your spirit to God.
* According to the Word of God, real spiritual warfare consists of “capturing every thought that exalts it’s self against the knowledge of God, and taking it captive!
* In other words, you rule your own spirit by forcibly taking over your mind and RULING your own spirit!
* Listen to the apostle Paul as he talks about having to fight his own spirit to win control:
Romans 7:14–8:39 (AV)
14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. 16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.
17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. 20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. \
24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
* In Romans 7 Paul says that there is something in our body that is at war with our mind!
* This is that “sprit” that we must fight and capture and control!
* For a man to RULE his own spirit, this means he must first control his WILL.
* Disobedience and rebellions comes from the WILL.
* Satan said “I Will”.
Isaiah 14:12–16 (AV)
12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! 13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. 15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.
* We were born with the fallen nature of our father the Devil that says I WILL! I Will!
* You can see the rebellious nature of the human will revealed in the very nature of the infant- without being taught, a baby pitches a temper tantrum and screams I want this daddy!
* Daddy says no, but the child screams the louder BUT I WANT IT!
* This spirit of rebellion must be tamed; it must be put under subjection of the will of the parent!
* Even so our adult will must be tamed and forced to be under subjection to our mind.
* The spirit within us says “My will! My will! But when we take on the attitude of the mind of Christ we be begin to pray like Jesus
“nevertheless, not My will, but Thy will be done!”
* What we refer to as the Lord’s Prayer, says “Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.”
* How is God’s will done in Heaven?
* God’s will is done in Heaven immediately, and without question.
* Let’s look at some tools that we can use to control our will, or our spirit, and make it obey us.
1). Determination- Make a conscious decision what to do with your life.
* Determine what are the most important things to do with your life, and decide that’s what I am going to do with my life!
* This involves the decision making process of your mind. You “make up your mind” that you are going to do something.
* When you “make up your mind,” you are telling your spirit what to do. You are “ruling” your own spirit.
* The best example of this is waking up in the morning. When you learn how to rule your spirit, you will no longer have trouble getting up in the mornings.
* Guard against allowing excuses for not doing what you have decided to do with your life!
* Excuses are the attempt of your spirit within you to fight back and argue with you about these things you have determined to do!
* The nature of our spirit is to be lazy, or as the Bible words it, slothful.
* Since the spirit that is within us is naturally lazy, our spirit will give the mind all kinds of excuses when we exercise rule over it.
* Once, I became so tired of you youngest son’s making excuses every time Debbie and would give him instructions, that I posted the following verses on his bedroom door!
* Listen to what the Bible says about excuses:
Proverbs 26:12–16 (AV)
12 Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him.
13 The slothful man saith, There is a lion in the way; a lion is in the streets.
14 As the door turneth upon his hinges, so doth the slothful upon his bed.
15 The slothful hideth his hand in his bosom; it grieveth him to bring it again to his mouth.
16 The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason.
* The result of a Lack of self-discipline is laziness.
Proverbs 24:30–34 (AV)
30 I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding; 31 And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down. 32 Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction. 33 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: 34 So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth; and thy want as an armed man.
Proverbs 6:6–11 (AV)
6 Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: 7 Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, 8 Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest. 9 How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep? 10 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: 11 So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.
* It is not natural to be prudent, (the opposite of lazy). But the benefits far outweigh the results of laziness of the mind.
Proverbs 14:8 (AV)
8 The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way: but the folly of fools is deceit.
Proverbs 16:16 (AV)
16 How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! and to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver!
Proverbs 8:17–21 (AV)
17 I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me. 18 Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness.
19 My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver. 20 I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment: 21 That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures.
Proverbs 13:4 (AV)
4 The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat.
Proverbs 20:4 (AV)
4 The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing.
The result of a lack of self-discipline is not only laziness, but it is also spiritual drunkenness.
Ephesians 5:17–18 (AV)
17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. 18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
1 Peter 1:13 (AV)
13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
* The prophet Daniel was able to overcome all the excuses he may have had not to eat the things that were unlawful for him to eat. The bible says that he had “Purposed in this heart.
* ”Daniel had his mind made up!
* This morning there are some things that every Christian should have his or her mind made up about! Reading your Bible, having a definite regular time to pray, using your money wisely so that you pay your bills on time, protecting your mind from the temptations of sin, and the list goes on.
* Making rock solid decisions- knowing where you are headed with your life- is the first step in training your mind, will and spirit.
* God has determined what He things you should do with your life, and then He wrote it down! We call it the Bible!
2). Setting Goals- Set your goals
* Now go write your decisions down!
* I guarantee you will not remember the decisions you have made concerning your life if you don’t write them down!
* What is it that needs to change in your life? Sit down with a pencil and paper and make a list- write it down!
* Make a list of the changes that need to be made in your life.
* This list of decisions you have made have now become your list of “GOALS.”
* When I first became pastor of Blue Springs Baptist Church, I sat down and asked myself the question; “what is it that this church needs?”
* My answer was, that this church needs, more than anything else, is to know what the Bible says.
* I then gave to the copies of written Bible reading plans that would guide us to reaching a goal.
* My personal goal as your pastor has been to cause everyone in this church to read the Bible completely thru each year.
* And my next goal has been to teach everybody in this community about God as I possibly can.
3). Protect your “PRIORITIES.”
* Goals are the tools that help you choose you’re “PRIORITIES” in life.
* Once you have written down your goals for your life, then organize the list from the most important goal, down to the least important goal.
* Now you can use this “prioritized list” as your guide to help you decide what to put first when things conflict in your life.
* I will give you a personal example.
* I used to love to play the guitar. When I was young wanted to be the best guitar player I could possibly be.
* When I got older, the time it took to keep up with my playing skills began to conflict with other duties in my life.
* I was also preparing for the ministry and Bible College, and raising a young family at the same time.
* I had resolved to become a good guitar player, but I had also surrendered to God to be a preacher.
* Both of these goals were good and noble, but I only had time to do one well.
* That’s where the prioritized list comes in.
* I had to look at the list and choose what was more important. It was much more important to keep people from dying and going to Hell than to impress people with playing music.
* I had to discipline my will to do what was the more important duty.
* Duties never conflict; one will always have priority over another.
* You job is to choose which is most important, and go down that path with your life.
* Once you have chosen your priorities, then, protect them with all your might!
* Many people are tricked by the Devil- he is sneaky and will temp you to substitute something good for what is best.
Romans 12:1–2 (KJV 1900)
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And be not conformed to this world:
but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind,
that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
* If you don’t have your prioritized list, you have no way to stay on the right path.
Proverbs 3:5–6 (KJV 1900)
6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, And he shall direct thy paths.
Psalm 37:3–5 (KJV 1900)
4 Delight thyself also in the Lord; And he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
5 Commit thy way unto the Lord; Trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.
4). Write down a “PLAN” to get you to your goals.
* Now, for every goal on your list, make a Plan as to how to arrive at each goal.
* Remember, Make determined decisions, make a list of goals, now make a plan to reach your goals!
* This is the path to train your mind- this is how you control your spirit!
* The written bible reading plans were the “Plan” to get folks at Blue Spring Baptist Church to read the Bible.
* You plan should take you toward your goal in small, achievable, steps.
* Did you know that is exactly how God causes us to be conformed to His will?
* God will not give you any more light, if you have not obeyed the light that He has already given you. (Rom.1)
* As you step through your plan for each goal, you will be effectively “training”, or Ruling, your spirit.
3) Evaluate yourself.
* Keep your list that you have made for future reference.
* You must train yourself to continually monitor your list and check your progress.
* There is an old say that goes “You cannot EXPEXCT what you do not INSPECT.”
Conclusion:
1). Take some time today and determine that you will rule your own spirit instead of our your spirit ruling you.
2). Learn to repent of our spiritual laziness in the past, and turn from our laziness.
3). Go home this week and literally evaluate your life, find where you have been weak and wavering in your determination to live for God, and “make straight paths for you feet.”