“Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.” Proverbs 16:32 ESV
Those who rule their spirit are those who remain at peace.
Anyone continually perturbed by external adversity will not be able to endure difficult times.
Anyone continually perturbed by external adversity will not be able to endure difficult times. Rather than rising to the occasion, there will be a prolonged state of discouragement. Weary from the fight, there will be no desire to continue to fight.
When we lose the strength to fight, we lose the strength to live.
When we lose the strength to fight, we lose the strength to live.
Those who learn to rule their spirit are amongst the greatest of men and women. They are those who learn the art of dismissing misinformed perceptions and distorted views of themselves by others. They do not listen to the criticisms of those unwilling to be criticized.
“If you faint in the day of adversity, Your strength is small” (Proverbs 24:10 NKJV). Those who learn to rule their spirit are amongst the greatest of men and women. They are those who learn the art of dismissing misinformed perceptions and distorted views of themselves by others. They do not listen to the criticisms of those unwilling to be criticized.
Those who rule their spirit do not allow compliments or critiques to invade their soul from those who do not know them.
Those who rule their spirit do not allow compliments or critiques to invade their soul from those who do not know them.
When we are born again, it is God Whose voice is the Final Voice that matters. If we are on His side, we have nothing to worry or fret about. We can walk throughout this life in peace and harmony, knowing that our eternity is secured.
““My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I and My Father are one”” (John 10:27-30 NKJV).
When we are one with God, not in substance but in spirit, we can have His peace and comfort. We can operate throughout this life with protection.
So long as we stay in tune with God, our spirit will be in tune with the Holy Spirit. When this occurs, our inner man is more protected and stable.
The Holy Spirit will protect us from the infiltration of the Enemy and the world. So long as we stay in tune with God, our spirit will be in tune with the Holy Spirit. When this occurs, our inner man is more protected and stable. We are less perturbed by the things of this life because our hope is not in the things of this life.
No one is perfect in this life. Even those we love the most will disappoint us and make us upset. When we remember these realities, our spirit will be more at peace.
When disappointments come, we allow ourselves to be down for but a moment. Then, we press on, remembering that nothing is perfect in this life. Even those we love the most will disappoint us and make us upset. When we remember these realities, our spirit will be more at peace.
Ruling our spirit comes by not being ruled by externals.
Ruling our spirit comes by not being ruled by externals. We will forever lack peace if people and events can grip our spirit. We will not be strong within. The inner Kingdom will begin to crumble from our failings. Slowly, the walls of comfort will crumble, and the Enemy and the world will take root. They will begin infiltrating our Sacred Temple where the Holy Spirit dwells.
Since darkness cannot match with Light, and demons cannot blend with God’s Spirit, there will be an inner war. We will begin to hate when we should love. We will begin to envy when we should be grateful. We will begin to curse when we should bless. We will begin to strive to get even in reality or entertain ungodly fantasies when we should forgive and move on.
“He who digs a pit will fall into it, And whoever breaks through a wall will be bitten by a serpent” (Ecclesiastes 10:8 NKJV). Whoever harms us will have harm done to them. God does not allow the wicked to go unpunished. “Those who are of a perverse heart are an abomination to the Lord, But the blameless in their ways are His delight. Though they join forces, the wicked will not go unpunished; But the posterity of the righteous will be delivered” (Proverbs 11:20-21 NKJV).
God is Omnipresent and sees all things. He will not allow evil done to us to go unpunished. There is a coming day when God will judge the living and the dead (1 Peter 4:5). There is a coming day when God ““will render to each one according to his deeds”: eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek; but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For there is no partiality with God” (Romans 2:6-11 NKJV).
““And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work”” (Revelation 22:12 NKJV). We can rest assured that God is for us and can give us internal peace that transcends all understanding. For we are called to “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7 NKJV).
We don’t have to find our identity in accomplishments, awards, money earned, or people’s opinions of us. We can remain in the peace and stillness of this one simple truth when we are born again: We are loved by God and found in Him.
We can rest in the Victory of Christ. We don’t have to find our identity in accomplishments, awards, money earned, or people’s opinions of us. We can remain in the peace and stillness of this one simple truth when we are born again: We are loved by God and found in Him.
When we learn to endure criticism and false accusations, we walk with the most mature saints.
“Whoever restrains his words has knowledge, and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding” (Proverbs 17:27 ESV). Not everything said should be said. Not everything thought should be thought. When we learn to endure criticism and false accusations, we walk with the most mature saints.
For Christ took the false accusation and did not argue; knowing that His Heavenly Father was in control of all things and would work out this evil for a tremendously greater good. “Then the whole multitude of them arose and led Him to Pilate. And they began to accuse Him, saying, “We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar, saying that He Himself is Christ, a King.” Then Pilate asked Him, saying, “Are You the King of the Jews?” He answered him and said, “It is as you say”” (Luke 23:1-3 NKJV).
May we learn to allow the Holy Spirit to rule our senses, thoughts, internal state, and comings and goings. May He change how we see people and what they do to us. May He give us the power and strength to love those we would otherwise hate in the flesh.
“Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly” (Proverbs 14:29 ESV). May we learn to allow the Holy Spirit to rule our senses, thoughts, internal state, and comings and goings. May He change how we see people and what they do to us. May He give us the power and strength to love those we would otherwise hate in the flesh. May He make us humble servants who are ruled by His Presence.
We don’t have to lay down and allow ourselves to be trampled by the world, but we do need to lay down our lives for the sake of others. We don’t have to give up when times get difficult, but we do need to stand firm and strong on the Word of God.
Though 1 Peter 3:4 (NKJV) is talking about wives to their husbands, we all can follow in like manner of Scriptures instruction: “let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God” (1 Peter 3:4 NKJV). We don’t have to lay down and allow ourselves to be trampled by the world, but we do need to lay down our lives for the sake of others. We don’t have to give up when times get difficult, but we do need to stand firm and strong on the Word of God.
If God’s Spirit resides within us, we can always have peace. We can be like Paul and declare, “for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:11-13 NKJV).
May God rule our spirit by His Holy Spirit so that we may be endowed with power On High to finish the race set before us. May we reveal the peace, gentleness, boldness, and love of Christ everywhere we go.
May God rule our spirit by His Holy Spirit so that we may be endowed with power On High to finish the race set before us. May we reveal the peace, gentleness, boldness, and love of Christ everywhere we go. May we never be ruled by externals but forever be at peace internally.
All things change and ultimately fade. Knowing this, we can turn to God and remain concrete in the Immutable One.
All things change and ultimately fade. Knowing this, we can turn to God and remain concrete in the Immutable One.
May we find our contentment, peace, and satisfaction first and foremost in Christ alone. Only then will we learn not to be perturbed by things that are fallen and bound to fade in nature, conduct, opinion, profitability, and new-ness.
May we find our contentment, peace, and satisfaction first and foremost in Christ alone. Only then will we learn not to be perturbed by things that are fallen and bound to fade in nature, conduct, opinion, profitability, and new-ness.
PRAYER
God in Heaven, You are the Giver of Life and the One Who blesses man with the ability to remain at peace in all seasons. God, rule our spirits by Your Holy Spirit. Renew our minds and help us to focus on things above. Make Your Will known to us, Lord God. Make us people of peace who are gentle and loving to all. Make us internally strong. Keep us from being perturbed by fallen things that are soon to pass. Keep us from the perceptions and accusations of those who do not know You and do not know us. May we carry the name of Christ well wherever we go, not in our strength but in the Power of the Holy Spirit. We love You, Lord God, and thank You for Your many blessings. Continue to change us, for Thy Glory alone. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Lance VanTine