Sunday Service: 04/07/2021
Supporting Scripture: 1 Corinthians 9:24-27
Title of Message: The Importance of Self-Discipline
Delivered by: Pastor Mercy
“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. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate (exercises self-control) in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore, I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus, I fight not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.” (1 Corinthians 9:24-27).
What is Self-Discipline? It’s the ability to control one’s feelings and overcome one’s weaknesses.
There are probably several different things about discipline that come to mind.
A parent disciplines his child to teach him obedience. The Army disciplines the soldier to teach strict obedience. A school disciplines by making students work hard. And the church disciplines in order to encourage members to remain faithful. These are examples of what I call imposed discipline in which one person or group forces or pushes another person to follow or obey.
But there’s another kind of discipline that’s more important to us and that is self-discipline. The Bible uses the words “self-control” and “temperance” to describe this quality. It is one of the fruits of the Spirit. (Galatians 5:22-23). (II Peter 1:5-6).
Self-control is extremely important for us to develop because we don’t have anybody to tell us how to live as Christians. How many hours a week we have to read the Bible…. or how many hours a week we ought to pray. How much offering to give to the Lord or what type of TV programmes we have watch. There’s only one thing that will keep us doing all these things, and that is our own self-discipline.
Why do we need to be disciplined?
You see, everything in life requires some discipline. And only the disciplined person will get really good at anything. Whether it’s planning their future, making good grades, climbing mountains, setting up a business, or playing a musical instrument, it all comes down to discipline.
Many people have ambitions that will never be realized, goals that will never be reached, visions that will never materialize simply because they don’t have discipline.
A young person wants to become a doctor or a lawyer, but he/she doesn’t want to study hard. Many people would like to achieve greatness in their chosen career but never achieve their aim because they lack the discipline, they need to do that.
The church is filled with people who would love to be mature Christians and do great things for God but they’re not willing to pay the price to achieve it.
Which aspects of our lives do we need to exercise discipline?
a.) We need to discipline our minds.
“For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornication, murders…” Mark 7:21
The heart is where our emotions are and linked to our soul (intellect) and it’s the foundation of our thoughts, passions, desires, appetites, affections, purposes, and endeavours. Our heart is where our values and standards that control what we think are stored.
- Our Thoughts Direct our Future. (Proverbs 23:7)
- Our Thoughts are a Battlefield that Decides Whether Good or Evil Prevails in our Lives
We are the doorkeepers of our hearts and every thought that stays in and sets us free or holds us in bondage is our choice. So, if we don’t discipline our minds, we can go astray.
b.) We need to discipline our bodies.
For the Christian, the body is the temple of God the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19). Therefore, we should care for our physical and emotional well-being so we will have maximum effectiveness in carrying out our earthly duties and having health and energy to serve God. We should strive to maintain good condition through purposeful physical activity, and by not practicing habits that can weaken our bodies. (Such as overeating, over-consuming alcohol, or smoking).
c.) We need a disciplined moral character.
(I Timothy 4:8). “For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable in all things.”
A disciplined body is of some value, but a disciplined character is of greater value. For example, I knew a man who was a medical doctor. It took several years of dedicated long hours of study, and he set up his own practice after his studies. But at some point, he started drinking excessively, fornicating and neglecting his practice. This behaviour cost him his practice, his reputation and almost cost him his life. The discipline represented by years of study in medical school couldn’t replace the much-needed discipline of character.
d.) We need discipline in arranging our priorities.
Pressures, demands, expectations and tasks come from all sides and attack our schedules. Do this! Be there! Finish that! Call them! It seems as though everyone wants something from us – family, friends, employer, school, church, clubs etc. Soon there is little left to give, as we run out of energy and time. We find ourselves rushing through life, attending to the necessary, the immediate and the urgent. The important is often left in the dust. We have to know that we can’t do everything at the same time, we can’t give to everything and everybody, we can’t attend every school meeting and every church activity, so we’ve got to choose the important ones.
May God give us the desire we need to change what needs to be changed in our lives and a willpower to see it through in Jesus’ name.