God-Control

"He conquered the world."

THE EMOTIONS LET LOOSE always turn to anger, and anger released without any rein to it becomes destructive. There is no personal guidance which can properly control the emotions. We are not made in our own image, after our own likeness, to deal with ourselves. That is worldly philosophy, the thinking of the unsaved mind. A Christian, one saved by confession of Jesus’ death and Resurrection, must renew their mind to think correctly. Though the spirit man is made new, thinking like God desires us to think does not happen instantly. We can, in fact, neglect our mental health, taking in more of distractions from God’s Word, and never be strong in God and think like Him. We are what we eat.

When our jobs and our hobbies, our social calendar, becomes greater than time studying God’s Word, (and many eyes are rolling at me now for saying that), then we are out of whack. Why take a class to learn to sew and fail it? Why pay for study materials and book supplies to become proficient at accounting and never bother to do the assignment? A child would say they were forced, and perhaps that is the answer. Is God forcing you to become a godly person? A better person. The truth is, the devil is a sea of negative emotions, wavering up and down without any measure. As high as he can go in elation is as low as he will go in hatred.

The only true self-control is Spirit led. The Holy Spirit is the greatest example of self-control in existence. Just think what His endless power (ability) could do if He never held back. The truth is, He is always holding back for the benefit of the children of God and the correction of the world, who has no idea He exists, much less that He’s always working. Minus His presence within us, all we see is darkness, although it looks like light.

“But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!” (Matthew 6:23)

God’s life does more for us than eternity in heaven. It is a well within us springing up to provide wisdom, healing, complete health and wellness, peace and well-being, safety and protection, and a myriad of other things. We need never fear the snare of the fowler, Psalm 91:3. That’s an old-fashioned way of saying “falling into a trap.” Whether it’s a literal trap of sickness and injury, or financial ruin, or a mental trap of worry, doubt, and fear, depression, loneliness, pride … Pride is a huge trap which seems self-sustaining but is destructive instead.

Our only strength comes from leaning on the One who makes us strong. He had no sin. He had no failure. He had no lack of knowledge or understanding. He was never overcome by the devil, never overwhelmed by the world. He conquered the world.

“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

Our mental reasoning is always to find a way to save ourselves. The greatest moment in my life was when I let go completely and knew only Jesus could fix me. I felt helpless, my emotions were wonky, but my heart was the strongest it has ever been, and that strength, that control was the Holy Spirit within me. He only takes control when we give Him control, and we can only give Him control by letting go of our selfishness. Because that’s what it is. The world believes only the strong survive, and in their system, that’s the truth. But God in us doesn’t work that way. He humbled Himself to become Savior and be crowned King. Standing in the garden, sweating blood, He lifted the cup the Father had given Him and drank. He told Pilate He could have called for legions of angels to save Him, but notice, He didn’t do that. Men did to him what their mind decided was justice but was actually their own death.

We are tiny fish in a large ocean whose only salvation is the oasis on the other side of the cross where quiet pools and sunny shallows promise endless freedom. But to get there, we have to see the sharks staring us in the eye and let the ocean current, which is God, move us forward. All of our swimming efforts will only propel us deeper until we drown. We have emotions for the joy of the future, for the peace of the present, so that the laughter that illuminates heaven will fill our days on earth. It was sin that introduced fear and only one generation later, hate. It was Jesus who showed love to us and cleansed our hearts from the damage of it, returning to us the presence of God that had filled man in the beginning when God looked at all He’d made and said, “It’s very good.”

“Adam, the first man, being the conduit through which the infection entered humanity, also represents the one man who is the conduit of the antidote that cures all those who accept it.” (Romans 5:14, Remedy)

“Where, then, is human bragging or accomplishment? It has no place, for our healing has been accomplished by God, through trust made possible by Jesus.” (Romans 3:27, Remedy)

Cross Image by DONGHWAN KIM from Pixabay
Clouds Image by Gun from Pixabay


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Suzanne D. Williams, Author
www.suzannedwilliams.com
www.feelgoodromance.com