1 CORINTHIANS 9:24-27 – Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.
THEME OF THE DAY. OVERCOMING OURSELVES. Peter learned it the hard way. And perhaps we will need to do so likewise. Our greatest spiritual foe we must face and do relentless battle against is not the devil or the world. It is ourselves. We are our own worst enemies. Back to Peter. Remember his boast before the Lord and his fellow disciples? “I will never deny you. In fact, I am ready to die for You” (Matthew 26:33-35). Oh, Peter. You meant well, but you didn’t learn or listen well. Don’t you remember all those lessons of weak faith Jesus taught you about not trusting yourself? And He just told you, ‘They will strike the Shepherd and the sheep will scatter’ (Matthew 26:30-31). He even looked you in the eye and said, ‘Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brother’ (Luke 22:31-34). Oh, Peter, we don’t mean to be hard on you for we are just like you. We, too, need to know ourselves so that we will not trust ourselves. When it comes to doing daily spiritual battle against ourselves, there are at least three things we need to confront, defeat, and overcome. Not just once, but daily, for the unyielding self will never cease to do us great spiritual harm.
The first area in ourselves to overcome is our bent to surrender to the demands of our flesh and body. In today’s scripture, the Apostle Paul addresses this foe. He was keenly aware that any hope of winning in the Christian life demands a resolve to exercise self-discipline over our body. Let’s face it. If we are going to get close to Christ, make a difference for Christ, and grow like Christ it is going to cost us. We simply cannot give in to the cries of the flesh and body for ease and comfort. Yes, there are times for those, but we live in a world obsessed with these. And Christians must understand any hope of living the Christian life comes with a high price tag of exhausting effort, fatiguing service, and a self-discipline. We cannot let the flesh win in its desires to deceive us into a life of easy, comfortable Christianity which is not biblical Christianity.
The next area in ourselves to overcome is leaning on our understanding which always produces a justification of our disobedience. King Solomon told us, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5). Another wise and even more exposing truth on this area lies within the book of Proverbs; “Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered” (Proverbs 28:26). That is why commitment to a local church and being under godly spiritual authority and in fellowship with like-minded believers is not only essential for spiritual safety but commanded by our Lord. It prevents us from being fools and what is a fool? A person who seeks to live the Christian life in isolation which means leaning on one’s own understanding and inevitably justifying disobedience to clear commands of God.
The final area in ourselves to overcome is our bent toward living for this world while living forgetful of fast-approaching eternity. Friends, this life is not our home. This life is to be lived preparing for the next life and particularly, our day of judgment. The Apostle Paul lived this way and encouraged the Corinthian believers to the same, “So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil” (2 Corinthians 5:9-10).
So, as we daily put on the armor of God to fight the devil and the world, let’s not forget to “duke it out” and win the battles against our greatest foe – ourselves. We will deepen our joy in the Lord as we win battles against him or her.
PRAYER: “Father, help me to do daily battle against my personal bent toward ease, comfort, and self-centeredness.”
QUOTE: “The greatest spiritual foe we must face every day is ourselves. It is relentless in seeking its own will.”