Excerpted from my sermon on discipline.
Few things are more critical and more overlooked in the life of a believer than discipline. It truly is the key to finishing strong.
Proverbs 25:28 says, “Whoever has no rule over his own spirit is like a city broken down, without walls.” In short, those who lack discipline (we’ve all been guilty of this) do not rule over their passions but allow their passions to rule over them.
Discipline Gets the Job Done
A city without walls has no protections and is open to ongoing attacks. Everything from anger and arrogance to fleshly appetites and ungodly passions must be brought under control. Sin zaps spiritual strength.
When we exercise discipline, God exercises grace and gives us strength. For example, if we exercise humility He will give us more grace, but if we resist Him, He will resist us (Jas. 4:6-8). When we say “no” to sin we ultimately build spiritual strength and the filling of the Spirit.
The Book of Proverbs teaches that a wise and prudent man foresees evil and runs from it. It also reminds us that we must work hard in order to pay the bills (Pro. 27:12; 28:19). Discipline produces results — period.
Run to Win
First Corinthians 9:24-26 is the standard verse on the importance of discipline: “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.” The apostle Paul is using a marathon to illustrate the importance of discipline: Run to win.
Runners discipline themselves so they can win a prize that doesn’t last. Shouldn’t we also excel in things that carry an eternal reward? In short, If athletes are disciplined, how much more should we be?
How to Build Discipline
Paul concludes with these familiar words: “I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified” (1 Cor. 9:27). Paul keeps training because he wants to finish strong; not because he will lose his salvation, but because he may lose his witness.
So how do we build discipline? It’s been said that discipline often begins with blanket victory — overcoming your blanket and pillow in the morning: “Early will I seek You; my soul thirsts for You; my flesh longs for You” (Ps. 63:1).
Building discipline is like building a wall; it takes one brick at a time (in this case, one choice at a time). Begin incorporating discipline by waking early and spending time with God. If you’re a night owl, don’t waste the night; use it to build discipline in other ways.
Keep Building — One Choice at a Time
As the day progresses, keep building the wall of discipline by choosing healthy food, avoiding unnecessary snacks, and incorporating intermittent fasting throughout the day. Feed the body what it needs rather than it wants: “Have you found honey? Eat only as much as you need, lest you be filled with it and vomit” (Pro. 25:16).
This is a huge issue for two reasons:
1) Half of the US population is expected to be overweight by 2030. Obesity leads to a handful of metabolic diseases that are killing us and taking away our quality of life.
2) Unrestrained lusts for food often lead to other addictions, including sexual addiction which can be the #1 way we grieve the Spirit. I believe this is why the Bible encourages fasting — it helps develop discipline and restrains lust.
The Fruit of Discipline
From here, don’t stop … keep building! Instead of spending hours watching social media, discipline yourself to move more, read more, and help more people throughout the day. This is also the time to discipline your attitude: Emotions such as anger, bitterness, and jealousy need to be repented of and replaced with humility and gentleness.
Toward the end of the day, end with prayer and read a good book, preferably the Bible. These simple steps will lead to feelings of joy and delight because you disciplined your body rather than allowing your body to discipline you. And according to Job 22:21, the fruit of obeying God via discipline is peace and happiness. Talk about a reward!
Avoiding Legalism
In your pursuit of discipline, be careful of legalism. Legalism and discipline can look similar on the outside but are vastly different on the inside. Legalism says “I have to,” but discipline says, “I want to.”
Legalism follows rules to look spiritual; discipline follows God to stay humble. If love and obedience to God are the motivations, then it’s not legalism. It’s not about perfectionism but directionism.
Don’t Be Discouraged
All this talk of discipline can be discouraging, especially when we miss the mark, but be encouraged: The key is to get back up, shake off the dust, and keep moving forward. Discipline is often the by-product of motivation. When your discipline fades, revisit the circumstances or goals that originally motivated you.
Take two steps forward, forget the one step back, and eventually, you will reach your goal. Remember, a temporary step back does not have to be a permanent setback. If you are struggling with discipline, ask God to help you and He will, and make sure to watch both sermons at the beginning of this article.
The ability to properly apply discipline is what separates those who finish strong from those who almost finish strong.
