A DISCIPLINED SPIRIT

In the early Church there was a manifestation of the life of Christ that was powerful enough to move an entire nation. Rome was greatly affected by it and nations ever since have been affected by it. Although the members of this early Church had received the Holy Spirit and were used in the gifts of the Holy Spirit there were “spiritual qualities” that permeated these gifts which caused this powerful impact upon nations. Jesus said that He would give us the power to become “His witnesses.” This includes the ability to do the works that He did, but there is to be more than this moving in our lives. He was referring to a quality of life, an element of the Spirit which would become a point for our lives to be moored and our walk with the LORD that transcends good works and miracles. The first factor that is common to building a Christian life is also common in the building of the Church. Thus, the tutoring that is directed toward the individual is also given for the whole body. In Acts Luke writes, “But you shall receive power, after that the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and you shall be witnesses (martyr) . . . ” (Acts 1:8) This is not speaking of a “power” to go out and witness for each individual needs or power from God to tell others about the good news of the Gospel nor is this a power to go out and cast out demons and devils they were already doing this, but this baptism is to be the dynamic power (Greek – dunamis; it is where we get the word dynamite ) by which the Church will be built and it is to be the power that governs the discipline for our spirit so that we do not get off track. God gives us power not to live and do mighty things for Him, but to die to our selfish carnal desires. Jesus said, “if you lose your life for my sake surely you shall find it.” Did you know it takes great power and strength to die? Here in Acts 1:8 God gives us power to be a martyr in all the world and for sure the disciples and those who followed Christ knew this all too well. I would think if God gives us more time we may get to experience the price the early church paid to follow Christ. What is a disciplined spirit? This is a military term. Paul often used many military terms. The word here is used in connection with a General who has been disciplined in order to give discipline. He himself is under discipline so that the authority he now exercises will have a backing. One may have both power and even love, but unless there is a “disciplined spirit” behind them they will accomplish little. If you are not discipled in the natural/physical realm you probably will not be discipled in the spiritual realm, now these are not mutually exclusive, but they have a correlated core of characteristics that parallel in the inward and external man. Over the years Karen and I have eaten healthy and exercised, but old age has a way of putting weight on, so Karen and I have determined to lose weight before we our weight kills us. Sadly most Americans are 15-25 pounds overweight and in the southern States there is an epidemic of diabetes caused by obesity that is killing 1,000s daily. So we are pleased to report (as of this article) Karen has lost15 lbs and I lost 30 lbs (for me 40 more lbs to go) which takes great discipline on our part. It is no difference in the spiritual realm. The LORD showed through us disciplining (and I have been a mad man here) our eating habits, taking great caution to our life-style, and our manners we will gain the benefits we seek of weight loss and a healthy more productive life. As Karen says, “eat to live not live to eat.” Well it is no different in the spiritual realm when we exercise our spirit by the Spirit of God, read God’s word, pray for others, watch our words and our attitudes we will ensure optimal spiritual health. I wonder why we think we can be sloppy in both the physical and the spiritual realm and still be found pleasing to God? We will never ever have a disciplined spirit until there is some spiritual growth and development in our lives. Spiritual growth and maturity is a fruit of a disciplined spirit and without it we will become sloppy and fat eating at the table of God, but never coming to any understanding, maturity, or capability in the things of God and His ways. To destroy someone’s all you have to do is let them come up with two visions. We must have a vision for what God wants us to do in our lives, it is the faith and belief in the vision is what keep us going in tough times. In Proverbs we read, “Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.” (Proverbs 29:18) Now this vision is not some good idea to build a franchise or think what you want to be in five years, but a personal word spoken by God to you about something He wants you to do. And notice where there is no personal word from God, “the people perish.” The word “perish” here means to cast off restraint or know no limitations or restrictions. Why would we cast off restraint when Jesus talks about us entering into a yoke with Him? Because we have not allowed God to work a disciplined spirit into our lives a spirit that knows when to talk and when not to talk, a spirit that knows how to give honor when honor is due, a spirit that knows they cannot do or say something when others may, and so much more. Many Christians today are perishing (both physically and spiritually) because they do not know restraint, limitations, and restrictions in their lives. These Christians are double-minded, they may be nice folks and if they would die they may (God makes that call) go to heaven, but they do not know discipline, commitment, dedication, and do not have the ability to follow the Spirit of God in the things God has asked them to do. James said it this way, “But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. 7For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. 8A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.” (James 1:6-7) Now it says, “a double minded man is unstable in all his ways” not just the way the man has lost his way, but the verse says “all” and when the Bible says “all” it means “all.” In everything this man does his ways are unstable. This is why it seems he is tossed and driven by the wind he wavers on righteous decisions that would lead him to do the right things in God. In our September 2012 newsletter I talk about a young zealous preacher I met. At first things were on track (he was greatly drawn to the ways of the Spirit) and we talked often over email and the phone, but as I started to introduce him to the things of the Spirit he drew back and began to dispute my words and the project that brought us together fell by the wayside not because it was not God’s will, but because this young zealous preacher got side tracked thinking God had something else (that satisfied his flesh and family more) for him to do instead of doing what God has called him to do and in spite of two supernatural confirmations from God revealing His plan to him again, yet he wavered. My friend God rarely goes back to show us His will a third time. He expects us to be able to see what He wants and expects us to move in it, He then will take care of the details. In the end something God wanted to happen was set on the self at the cost of his own selfish desires. My friend God NEVER gives us two visions we are the ones that takes on the second vision that confuses us and gets us off track to what God wants us to do. Just read the Bible nowhere did God tell someone to do something and then give him something else to do; nor does God change His mind as if to say He made a mistake, oh no it is us who disputes God’s word to us so we can (most often) do what we want to do and satisfy our flesh. God is single minded and focused. God has a purpose and a plan He has an end in mind and no one ever reached His goal without a disciplined spirit. Did you know there is a fine line between working with someone and using someone to get something accomplished? If not careful in God we can use people while thinking we are working with them to achieve what God wants us to do. Guard your heart my friend and allow no one access that you have not observed for some time and then take heed many people (includes Christians) are skilled at manipulation. Not that I am all knowing and have made it, but I find such Christians and church leaders are insecure within themselves and not sure of who they are in God, not sure if God spoke to them, and not sure where they are going in God. These folks my friend are very dangerous to the body of Christ, but these are the folks that seem to be out in front leading the Body of Christ. But if the leaders are off target missing the mark then the followers will follow and miss the mark also. Churches are filled (I have seen them and I have taught in them) with Christians who have been led astray by their leaders and do not even know it. These are the same Christians who run to people for help instead of God. People who get off track in God seem to have a strange sympathy and tolerance for each other while running to this person or the next person to find someone who will agree with them, well God does not operate that way. Forgiveness is there if we get off track, but we must recognize we are off track and then we must get back on track and only God can provide that information since He was the one who spoke originally. Take heed to the people in your lives! Although Jesus teaches us the necessity of receiving this power, it is dangerous to allow its impact to overrule us. The same power that we feel when we are filled with the Spirit is the very power that can make us almost irrational with its moving. In response to a manifestation of this power, we feel that we must do something, but we are not quite sure what it is. Then we become agitated and confused because the result was not what we expected. We must come to understand that there is another element must be added – discipline. In the building of our spiritual life the field of motivation must be carefully thought about. There must be a right motivation behind each manifestation, as we respond to the power of the Holy Spirit moving within us. God gave John (one of the sons of thunder in Mark 3:15) a vision and in it He covered every element of the earthly realm: the world, all creation, the skies, moon, stars, animals, trees, people, cities, nations, floods, winds, thunder, lightening. The Lord was after John; He is after us, even more than He is interested in anything we will ever be able to do for Him. God took every tangible thing that John had ever known and used it all to make a most complicated, yet marvelous display. God has thundered in Revelation. But, did you hear John thunder in Revelation? No, all that was gone. What is the difference now? God is thundering through John. God did not call John because he could thunder. He did not want John's thunder. He wanted John’s “capacity” for thunder, so that He could thunder through him. A marvelous change has taken place within his spirit. When John came back from the Isle of Patmos, we read, “Little children, let us love one another.” There is a softness, a tenderness, a brokenness, and a graciousness that was not evident when John thundered. So it is with our development. We have this capacity for thunder within us, but He will let us move along, for awhile, in our own thunder. But someday God will come after us and say, “I am going to dry up your thunder.” He will put us on an “Isle of Patmos” and everyone will wonder what in the world is wrong with us. He is bringing forth a disciplined spirit within this one and unless we allow God to built this discipled spirit in us we will never be able to function in God correctly, we will be running wild in the Spirit; singing and dancing about liberty and freedom, but never coming to the freedom and liberty through His restrictions and limitations. When God begins to deal with us to accomplish within us His purposes let us not be fearful; He has not given us a spirit of fear rather He has given us power (to establish a disciplined spirit), love, and a sound mind. He has a purpose in view for us, both in time and in the ages to come. We are safe and secure in the hands of the living God knowing, “He who has begun a good work in you will also finish it.” (Philippians 1:5) Written by David Stahl