So a disciplined person is able to subject or control himself

ByPastor Rufus Ajiboye Reading Time: 6 minutes
Welcome to the column of our „Daily Word for Spiritual Edification”! Grace and peace from our Lord Jesus Christ be multiplied unto you! We have been talking about discipline in the past few days and we are trying to define what discipline really mean. We have established that discipline is the subjection or submission of oneself to a well defined outward order or a set of rules for the purpose of attaining desired results. Discipline therefore is a product of a well defined desire. If we really want something so bad, that will discipline us in the area of our choices. For example, you have a desire or a dream to become a better wife, a better husband or a better minister in a year’s time. Or you want to see a greater success in the ministry, career or finances in two year’s time. That type of vision is able to motivate and encourage you to make right choices, since you understand that your vision won’t just happen on its own, if you do not work for it. You also understand that any progress in life requires certain changes in you. So with a definite vision or desired result in mind, it is easy to make right choices such as studying, learning, doing research and so on. Your vision will prompt you to want to understand the changes you need to make in order to attain your goal. As a result of right decisions in this areas, you will find out what you need to become, what qualities and skills you need to develop, what you must do or what you need to avoid in order to reach your goals. Such knowledge will help you to create some rules, laws and routines for yourself that will help you arrive at your desired destination. When you now submit yourself to those self-impose rules and laws that are suppose to help you achieve your goals, — that is discipline. (As we said previously, discipline is submitting yourself to certain rules that you have made for yourself in order to reach a goal). A disciplined person is always in submission to certain set of rules and order. If you do not have any rules or regulations, if you avoid the word ‘order’, in your life, then you are undisciplined, and you won’t be able to experience any spiritual progress or growth. Spiritual growth which is related to positive changes in a person’s life is not a heritage meant for undisciplined people. If a person lacks discipline, he will always break and ignore rules and regulations. It does not matter how many sets of rules and regulations he impose on himself for noble purposes, an undisciplined man will break them all as soon as he made them. Remember that these rules we are talking about are not imposed on you, you made them yourself for your own personal good, because you want to achieve some particular goals in life and develop some character traits. If you are able to control your own behaviour and make sure no circumstances or outward factors will distract you from your goal; if you can harness your willpower and submit yourself to the self-imposed order you’ve created, then you can count yourself to be a disciplined person. Let’s look at the life of Apostle Paul. In 1st Corinthians Paul wrote the following: 
«And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified» (1 Corinthians, 9:25-27).
 In this passage Paul talks about a desire he is working towards in his life. He doesn’t want to be counted unworthy or disqualified by God at the end of his ministry. This is something concerning his future, because Paul is quite aware of the fact that a time is coming when Jesus will assess his life and work, so Paul wanted to be found worthy when that time comes. In order for that to happen Paul said he has to continually bring his body under subjection. In other words, Paul is saying he subjected himself to certain routines or rules. That is to say Paul disciplined himself for the sake of reaching this goal he had set before himself. Paul was comparing that process with gruelling training that athletes are involved in so they can reach their goals in sports (for example, participants of Olympic Games). These people sacrifice so much and restrain themselves from many things to set a record and win competitions. 
«And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown…» (1 Corinthians 9:25).
 Everyone athletes that competes put some restrains on himself and depriving himself from many lawful things in order to obtain a perishable crown. We have a much better reason for self-discipline than athletes do, – we have eternity in our hearts and we are to impose restrains on ourselves for the sake of eternal reward: 
«And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown» (1 Corinthians, 9:25).
 We know Paul didn’t mention what his routine was and how he trained himself in the passage we read from 1 Corinthians, 9:25-27. But we can see from that same passage that Paul was extremely a disciplined person who was able to control his body and „bring it into subjection” in order to reach his goals in life. So a disciplined person is able to subject or control himself. He is not subjected or controlled by his flesh; rather he subjects his flesh and his desires and put them in their rightful place in life.  Tomorrow we will continue to learn from Paul in the area of self-discipline.  I wish you abundant God’s blessings! Pastor Rufus Ajiboye

Support us so we can do more

We’ll get right to the point: we’re asking you to help us support our Church online minisry. We’re a nonprofit that relies on support from people like you. If everyone reading this gives €12 monthly, Spirit and Truth city Church can continue to thrive for years.

Similar Posts

  • The importance of unity

    AutorsPastor Rufus Ajiboye Reading Time: 3 minutes
    This Scripture tells us that the people had one goal, they had one language, and they put forth a unified effort, and it says about them that “now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them”. God said that because of their unity they would be successful in everything that they do. In the Bible God often speaks to His people about unity. Unity is a very important key that allows us as God’s people or the Church to fulfill the will of God and our calling in this earth.

  • How can we experience God in our life?

    AutorsPastor Rufus Ajiboye Reading Time: 6 minutes
    Studying the Bible we see God doing great feats through many people. He was able to realise His intentions using those people just due to their revelation and understanding of God´s key principles. While living in the different times, educated on a different level, belonged to the different cultures all Bible heroes basically have something in common. The secret of the success and feats they had is obvious – they knew God and interacted with Him. They experienced God´s power and His mercy in their lives. How did they succeeded? It became possible because they dedicated themselves to God. That´s exactly what God is inviting us to do.

  • The importance of our faithfulness to God

    AutorsPastor Rufus Ajiboye Reading Time: 4 minutes
    «.. and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful» (Revelation, 17:14).In order to join the army of victors in Christ Jesus, it is important for us to be qualified in these three areas: in your calling, in been a chosen vessel and in faithfulness. Tomorrow we will talk about it in detail, but today I’d like you to see that the war is inescapable; but in this war God counts on His called, chosen and faithful people.

  • We are hands, feet, mouth and heart of our God

    AutorsPastor Rufus Ajiboye Reading Time: 3 minutes
    We concluded that we are hands, feet, mouth and heart of our God. If we refuse to collaborate with God, He will not be able to act or fulfil His plan in our cities and our countries. We stopped at what do we have to do in order to witness spiritual revival filling our cities? To make it happen we must become obedient disciples of Jesus Christ. God uses this kind of people to fulfil His prophesies and restore His will on Earth.Obedient disciple is one who moves and works for God, not sitting and doing nothing, so God can move through such person.

  • You are the epistle of Christ through which His salvation can spread through the whole world!

    AutorsPastor Rufus Ajiboye Reading Time: 6 minutes
    Paul is saying that many people hear the Gospel but still are not enlightened by that. These people had made their choice to continue living in sin, therefore, satan, the god of this world had blinded their minds so that the light of Gospel remains unveiled to them, regardless of how hard somebody tries to share the gospel with them. Nevertheless, Paul and his partners presented to others the brightest light of the Gospel, – that is Christ Himself, who is the image of God. Paul was convinced that people should be able to see God in Christ, so he preached Christ and instead of preaching about himself.

  • Organization of effective prayer life III

    AutorsPastor Rufus Ajiboye Reading Time: 5 minutes
    Prayer is getting close to God.Let’s look at James (4:8): «Draw near to God and He will draw near to you…».Prayer means to consciously draw near to God. Prayer means to approach God on purpose.Who of you wants to draw near to God? Who of you desires for God to draw near to you? God cannot be closer to you than He is. But you can draw near to Him. God is so close to us; He says: „I am here!” You are asking: «God, where are You?” Remember when Elijah ran away and cried: «God, where are You?” But God was with him. God is everywhere! And we can draw near to Him through prayer.