The Fruit Of The Spirit - Sef Control (Part 4)

The Fruit Of The Spirit - In the Mystery of Christ

Self Control (Part 4)

The Terror Of God

Americans treat God as though He was some kind of fool. We don't mean to. We often know for sure that, in our heart of hearts, we love God with everything in us. But we have this little problem with our body and natural mind. But as soon as God strikes our natural body - or if our mind and body get a big scare - we're like: "OKAY! OKAY! I'll obey!" The love of God makes us want to draw near to him and obey everything he tells us. But our body is like a bad dog that won't be trained.

Our Natural Mind

If you have been following the entire series, we have been stressing the need for the controlling function of our brain to be broken and forced into surrender. This is "Sweet Surrender" - as we have said - WHY? It's sweet surrender because our heart is held in bondage by our natural mind. Only when we are broken in such a way that we glady yield to the Holy Spirit's leading are our hearts set free such that we inwardly "leap for joy". All of our dreams instantly begin to come true as soon as we yield.

What Helps Us Yield?

There are many things which force us to yield. Eternity is incomprehensible to us. So when we look up into the night sky we actually look into infinity - something we are absolutely incapable of comprehending - yet we are staring at it. Then we are broken by God's awesomeness and yield to Him. There are many things we have discussed and many more we will discuss that cause us to be broken and yield control to God.

Why Does Pain Work For us?

Pain gets our attention in a big way. In theory, pain is just a warning signal to our brain which we should, logically, be able to take note of then ignore if we so desire. But God ties pain into our controlling function so that we simply can't seem to ignore it. God does this for our own good.

So pain can work for us. Pain is such a potent function that God doesn't even necessariy have to inflict an injury to get our attention. Just the thought of open heart surgery - when you realize what that means - will scare us into dieting properly - IF we are wise.

So pain can force our natural mind to surrender. And submitting to pain or discomfort can promote humility. So fasting can be a way of submitting to God's surgery. I'm using pain and discomfort to rebuke my body and natural mind - bringing both into submission.

Amazingly, once we've yielded control to God pain is greatly reduced. Even doing something as small as relaxing and yielding before you get your finger pricked for a blood sample greatly reduces the pain.

Only Our Hearts Know The Full Benefit Of Discipline

We don't know our own hearts. Some of us are impacted by the immenent possibiiity of death. For some it is the issue of control. If we are insecure and tend to domineer people, our natural minds are deeply offended by God's abiity to wound our body to get rid of our cockiness. There are issues with the sexual part of our nature that pertain to a woman's willingness to go through the pain of childbearing and birth. So we are often "in travail" for new birth in our lives and the lives of others. There seems to be an instinctive parent/child thing - with corporal punishment. When we are not properly disciplined by God we may begin to exhibit masochistic tendencies. Some even begin to cut themselves. But when God disciplines us, some or all of these aspects come into play in complex ways only he understands. These are mysteries worth exploring. God's Word is rich with these thoughts.

I Love Your Judgments!

Most Christians are totally lacking in the intimacy with God required to experience richness in a personal relationship with Jesus that includes willing submission to His intimate work of discipline - a work which totally renews us. All I know is that when God so moved on me that I would throw myself on my prayer mat crying out, "I love your judgments!", he took me to a place where I suddenly began to really live and see the wonders God was bringing into my life. My heart was set free because my natural mind - my controlling mind - got FIRED. The Holy Spirit began to take control and life began to flow through my mind and body. Not only did I feel His marvelous love, I began to notice that the sky was really blue! I heard the birds sing with new joy. It's like being "in love". God's discipline has wonderful benefits. This is something we learn to seek, not to dread.

A Powerful Move Of The Holy Spirit

I've watched God free people powerfully - immediately - when they experienced "an impartation of the fear of God". One should not seek this lightly. When this was offered at one gathering I attended, few were humble enough to admit they were still "on milk". We'll gladly serve and comfort the weak - new believers - and those who are recovering from deep wounds. But when many asked for an impartation of the fear of God, I heard a cry of repentance like you cannot imagine. It's true that this particular group had been trampling God's grace. But most of us are doing that. They were just forced to admit it because they'd been so overtly evil and rebellious.

Some were smitten with pain in their body, that very moment, that was only healed several days later when full testimony had been given regarding the power of God. I myself found out what it meant when a pain shot through my body and I thought I was about to pass out. (I've hit the floor once before. I remembered that it hurts when your arms stop working and you go down). This was not comfortable or desirable. It wasn't a phoney "slain in the Spirit" thing. I didn't want to be laying on the floor with these Christians I'd just met, slobbering on myself and crying "Help me!". Thankfully, after a few moments of seeking, both the pain and light headedness passed. But my body remembered! I realized why people immediately obey when they get a true "impartation of the fear of God". God is God. Don't toy with him. It's neither smart nor safe to do so.

There were numerous couples living immorally in this group. They all immediately seperated or got married. Now this is not uncommon in a country like Haiti - where people are much humbler and less demanding to run their lives as they see fit. But to see young people give up their pride - and all the excuses people give for not marrying - and just make that life long commitment - here in this country - WOW! And marriages based on the fear of the Lord are far more durable than emotion based marriages executed by the selfish will of the natural mind of the couple. We normally enter marriage under our own terms. And that's how we divorce. When marriage is a necessity, not an option, then divorce is never an option. In the context of such yielding the natural man has lost his job and the Holy Spirit can teach true love.

We are such proud, stubborn, self willed people. And we suffer so much because of it.

Self Control Blossoms In The Mystery Of Christ

Many Christians are furious with me. They want to have God under their control. They have him trapped between the covers of their bibles - or so they think. They let him talk when THEY give Him permission. And if a passage of scripture offends them, they skip it.

We need to be humbled as pain humbles a person. We need to be disciplined so we stop being a bunch of brats. Believers need The Baptism Of The Holy Spirit and regular Infillings Of The Holy Spirit. But we also need The Baptism Of Fire ("He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with FIRE"). This Baptism of Fire - a real "impartation of the fear of God" - burns up all that could possibly harm us. It brings real freedom.

This is all in "The Mystery Of Christ". Only when we learn to wait on God do we get to have the joy of spiritual union with Him. And only in that spiritual union do we obtain the PRACTICAL experience of death to sin and resurrection life.

A powerful impartation of the fear of God is essential to achieving the kind of yielding which leads to spiritual maturity. Spirituall babies can keep sucking on their bottles. And they should. I heard one young lady crying "Take it back! Take it back!". She had sufficient yielding as a newborn believer - putting her full faith in Jesus as a Spiritual infant should.

But those who, in accordance with Hebrews 6, desire to go on to Spiritual Maturity must be prepared to yield to greater discipline. Otherwise you will lack self control.

A Warning To False Leaders

Many who fancy themselves Spiritual Leaders and teachers are cocky, arrogant, and unbroken. They lead to feed their deep inner insecurity. Such people need to hear this and hear it well: "We are not interested in your words, but in your power!" You may well be subjected to spiritual discipline and get a pretty good spanking. Such should know that they are no match for those who are broken, humble, gentle, and self controlled. Godly leaders are quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to become angry. God will not trust you with his power any more than you'd trust your 2 year old with a power tool. Do not test God. Do not open your mouth with arrogance our you will need to learn "the hard way". You may be a fat sheep and expect to throw your weight around and have your way. But beware. Do not mistake the "meekness" of those who have been properly disciplined for "weakness". If you mess with them, you're messing with God - and that's not smart.

A New Day Of Freedom

Many will soon experience "the terror of God". Judgment is about to fall on this world. But first it will fall on the household of faith so that we can escape the judgment that is coming on this world and have what it takes to endure to the end.

This will bring a revival such as we have never seen. We will still experience the love and mercy of God. We will still want to be near him - even more so. When people know their God has real power, they are drawn to him and take shelter in Him. They know how kind our Lord is. They know he is gentle and merciful. They can bring forgiveness and mercy to the worst sinner. But they are able to say, "Go and sin no more." with real power.

God's people will experience all the fruit of the Spirit - with real self control - not because they are strong and mighty - but because they have fully surrendered to God. They will yield to Him - and experrience Spiritual Union with Him. God opposes the proud. But we will submit - yielding control - and he will be able to fill us each morning. In brokenness we will awake early for the joy of waiting on Him and experiencing Spiritual Union with Him as we pray - not with our natural minds - but in the Spirit.

No longer will we be an unspiritual people - beating people with our bibles and acting like we are God. No longer will we be secretly enslaved to sin. No longer will we be frustrated and carnally minded - full of anxiety and worry. Yielding to Him, and gaining all we need in the Mystery of Christ, we will have a new day of freedom.