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Overcoming Self through the Indwelling Spirit

“Now as he [Paul] reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix, having become frightened, answered, ‘Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you.’” (Acts 24:25)  The governor, Felix, knew right from wrong, as well as the concept of Judgment Day.  Self-control was the problem.  Most people today have the same issue, so Christianity frightens them.  Therefore, the promise from God of the power to overcome oneself through the Spirit (who is given to dwell in the faithful) should be introduced early.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, self-control.  Against such there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22 – 23)  God has promised to cause the Spirit to dwell in all those who trust Him.  Among other things, this Spirit has the task of developing these character traits in the faithful.  The catch is that we must be more than passive receivers.  We must ask for it (Luke 11:13) and endeavor to be filled with it (Ephesians 5:18), in addition to having a confident expectation of results.

“But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, supplement in your faith virtue, then in virtue knowledge, then in knowledge self-control, then in self-control perseverance, then in perseverance godliness, then in godliness brotherly kindness, and then in brotherly kindness love.” (2 Peter 1:5 – 7)  Peter described the step-wise transformation of character by the Spirit, starting with trusting the promises of God and ending with selfless concern for others.  The sequence is important.

“If, however, they [widows] cannot exercise self-control, let them marry.  For it is better to marry than to burn.” (1 Corinthians 7:9)  Due to the terrible times fast approaching, Paul advised Christians to refrain from marriage because of its responsibilities (see also 7:5).  Although self-control is one of the fruits of the Spirit, Paul acknowledged that the need for intimacy was stronger in some than in others, so for them, marriage was worth the risk.  God understands that people are different, and has provided for all the variations.

“Moreover, everyone who competes controls himself in all things, they indeed that they might receive a perishable crown, but moreover we for an imperishable.” (1 Corinthians 9:25)  Paul compared the commonly understood training regimen of an athlete to the attitude of a Christian.  Athletes train every day, and in more areas than just their particular events.  They control all aspects of their lives for the prize of a perishable crown of woven olive twigs.  Christians seek to win a bigger race.  Even with the help of the Spirit, there is much to do.

“First, indeed, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all because your faith is being proclaimed in all the world.” (Romans 1:8)  Thankfulness overcomes anxiety and fosters peace.  But, upon what might our thankfulness be built?  Thank God not only for the faith of others, but for the fact that their faith is so remarkable that people across great distances were hearing about it.  These faithful of great repute were not miracle workers or charismatic speakers, but ordinary Christians who trusted God’s promises and accomplished the impossible.

“Who will deliver me out of the body of this death?  Thanks to God, through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 7:24 – 5)  The next chapter details the liberation of the faithful from slavery to the comedy of errors called life, both through Jesus paying off the right-and-wrong system, and through the power of the Spirit who is given to dwell in them for overcoming themselves.  Christians look backwards not in remorse, but to learn.  Then, they push forward in thankfulness for release from the past and the power for now and for the future.

Many teach that the faithful will always be encumbered by sin, that God has declined to fix that problem.  Among the six passages that declare that we can overcome ourselves while still breathing is Romans 8:29 – 30, which describes our goal as being conformed to the image of Jesus through being glorified (being recipients of a parade of godly character traits).  This was in the past tense in the first century, so is a promise for the living faithful.  It is called the mercy of God, compassion plus fixing the problem.

“Be imitators of me as I am of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 11:1)  If Paul could imitate Jesus and the Christians of Corinth were expected to imitate Paul, then the faithful today can do it, too.  The faithful are no longer hapless failures beset by sin but have been granted the power to overcome themselves through the Spirit that now dwells in them.  We are no longer victims, but free.

“For you have been called to this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth.” (1 Peter 2:21 – 22)  Peter expected his readers, Jewish Christians in Turkey, to be able to be like Jesus, which included not choosing sin.  That ability, Peter described, was through the power of God.  All we need to do is unleash that power.

Romans 6 repeatedly reminds the faithful that they have been freed from sin, that we have a choice, that we are no longer trapped.  A page or so later, Paul described the power that made this possible: the Spirit that dwells in the faithful.  The catch is that we must believe the promise.

Hebrews 2:14 – 18 describes one of the reasons Jesus came to earth, to release the faithful from slavery to sin and death.  At the end of the paragraph, Jesus is said to aid faithful people who are tempted, which implies they must still be breathing.  The faithful are neither emancipated without skills, thereby falling prey again to those who would take advantage, nor maintained as hapless lackeys.  Rather, the faithful are promised all the character traits for abundant success.

“…be renewed in the spirit of your mind…put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.” (Ephesians 4:20 – 5:2)  The Christians in Ephesus were reminded to put aside their former conduct and adopt that of Jesus.  Paul’s tone implied that he believed that they could do it by the power of the Spirit that was placed on deposit in them.  The question is whether we believe it.

When the faithful are unsuccessful at transformation, they tend to search for alternate routes.  Greater self-discipline plus regulation is a common recommendation, despite Paul’s observation, “These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.” (Colossians 2:23)  Try harder, fail bigger.  Instead, review the unlikely tools in God’s bag.

When the faithful are unsuccessful at transformation, they tend to search for alternate routes.  Accepting imperfection is a common recommendation, despite Jesus’ description of Christians, “…that they may be made perfect in one, that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.” (John 17:23)  If we accept imperfection as inevitable, we destroy Jesus’ evidence.  Instead, review the unlikely tools in God’s bag.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)  Unleashing the power of the Spirit given to the faithful requires that we first accept our miraculous earthbound potential.  If we attempt to rationalize or regulate our behavior, we deny the promises of God – we have no faith and therefore no Spirit.  The first half of 2 Corinthians assembles the unlikely building blocks of a new creation; the second half the humanly impossible objectives.

“…to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places…” (Ephesians 3:10)  God planned the church before creation, knowing that, being populated with people, it would be a colossal mess.  Yet, this collection of faithful people has an oft-overlooked objective; we teach angels.  Keeping this critically important, 24/7 job in the forefront unleashes the power of the Spirit to overcome ourselves.

“So now brethren, I commend you to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.” (Acts 20:32)  The ideas, the message, the Word of grace is a means by which the Spirit in the faithful is unleashed.  In our time, the printed Bible plays a major role, but other forms of teaching and learning are included.  Knowledge of the Scriptures helps separate hype from hope.

Fellowship is connectedness.  The faithful are connected to the Spirit (2 Corinthians 13:14,  Philippians 2:1), Jesus (1 Corinthians 1:9), and each other (1 John 1:7).  The fellowship of faith becomes effective by acknowledging every good thing which is in us in Christ Jesus (Philemon 6).  When the faithful talk about the good in fellow believers, those connections unleash the power of the Spirit in us.

“…endeavor to be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs…” (Ephesians 5:18 – 19).  Unleashing the Spirit who dwells in the faithful includes singing about God.  Certainly, singing at stated meeting times is a common practice, but Paul’s point was much bigger.  The simplicity of lyrics opens both us and our hearers to the power to overcome ourselves.

Epaphras reported to Paul about the “love in the Spirit” exhibited by the Christians in Colossae.  Paul and company responded by praying that they be empowered in a remarkable litany of ways. (Colossians 1:7 – 12).  The power of the Spirit in others can be unleashed through prayer.  Should we not pray that the same happen to ourselves?  The answer is in the attitude of love, doing what is best for others without regard to the effect on me.

“I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing, imploring us with much urgency for the favor and fellowship of the ministering to the saints.  And not only as we had hoped, but they first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God.”  (2 Corinthians 8:3 – 5)  “Beyond their ability” was not a figure of speech.  Sharing with fellow believers unleashes the power of the Spirit.

“Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” (Romans 5:5)  Exercising love (doing what is best for others regardless of the effect on me) unleashes the Spirit who lives in the faithful.  God’s brand of selfless love is a gift deposited in the faithful which produces miraculous service, sharing, comforting, strengthening, and kindness, all of which are in short supply on this earth.

“See that you walk circumspectly [considering all the angles], not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” (Ephesians 5:15 – 16)  Left to itself, time will go south in a hurry.  The faithful are to work wisely at buying back the disaster-prone present.  How?  Verse 18 suggests that the Spirit on deposit with every Christian can be unleashed for that purpose.  We can’t change the past.  But we can turn the present into a plus rather than a minus, and plan to do the same tomorrow.

“Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy, meditate on these things.” (Philippians 4:8)  Practice conscious thought control.  Be impossibly positive, especially when outsiders think you must have missed the memo.  The power of the Spirit is unleashed when we fill our minds with all the good stuff.

“By this time you ought to be teachers.” (Hebrews 5:12)  Although the paragraph portrays its Christian audience negatively, the faithful can take away the positive lesson that, to unleash the power of the Spirit, we need to teach.  The gospel is not complicated – Paul said so.  The Spirit has been tasked with providing the understanding and wisdom necessary to appeal to outsiders with a sensible, coherent message of hope.

“Since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, ‘I believed and therefore I spoke,’ we also believe and therefore speak.” (2 Corinthians 4:13)  A natural outgrowth of faith is evangelism.  But many are frightened by the prospect.  The faithful unleash the Spirit given to dwell in them by believing the promised understanding, wisdom, and insight while displaying the promised kindness, gentleness, and patience.

“Count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.  But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” (James 1:2 – 4)  Maintaining faith under trial unleashes the power of the Spirit, not only for patience, but also other qualities, so that the faithful may be described as “lacking nothing.”