"To your knowledge add self-control," says Peter.
We're following a simple growth process through the heart - the convergence of the emotions, mind, and will.
Where You At, Lucinda?
Our imaginary disciple (who we named Lucinda) has been stirred by her desire to please God, and the Holy Spirit has lit up a verse of the Bible: Hebrews 10:25,
“not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some,
but exhorting one another...”
Lucinda has dug into Scripture to gain knowledge about the Church and her purpose and function. Her mind has been renewed and it’s time to be transformed so that her life lines up with the truth of Scripture.
What Now, Lucinda?
This is where the will comes in. The will, you’ll remember, is the third part or chamber of the heart, after desire/emotions and mind/belief. It’s decision making time. Choosing to be obedient to God’s Word is an internal operation of the heart, but for obedience to come out into our lives in action takes self-control. I must choose to obey and then the next step on Saint Peters steps to transformation is the self-control that it takes to actually do the thing.
So let’s say the next Sunday rolls around and it’s a rainy morning after a busy Saturday, and what Lucinda wants right then is to stay in that warm, cozy bed. This step of self-control means that the decision to get out of bed and join the family of God in worship has already been made in her heart, specifically in her will, and now she exercises self-control to follow through on her decision. This is what it looks like, in a small way, to die to self, to deny the flesh and to walk in the Spirit.
Don't Listen to That, Lucinda!
This is where, by the way, the enemy will start to sneak in some contradictory thoughts and rationalizations. Ignore them and as Nike says, "just do it."
Once Lucinda knows the truth, she becomes accountable for it. 2 Timothy 3:7 talks about people who are
“always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
Allow me to go all Greek on you for a minute. The word “knowledge” here means “knowledge gained through first-hand, experiential knowing.” It’s possible to have a head knowledge without experiential knowledge, and the Bible warns against that. We have to follow through, and that takes self- control.
Self-control is fortunately a fruit of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5:22. So thank God, He empowers us to follow through on what He’s taught us! And remember in Philippians 2:13 we’re told
“it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.”
He supplies everything we need!
So in the next blog post we'll move on to the next step!
You can purchase the 21 day devotional workbook which takes you through this study of the heart here.
And you can purchase the video courses walking you through all of these blog posts in audio/video format here.
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