More Than Talk

March 26, 2025

Are you a disciplined person? Discipline is the path to freedom. Many have found themselves without goals, but with great intentions covered in hope. Only then do they realize hope itself is not a strategy. It takes more than talk to live in freedom. It takes desire. Desires dictate what we obey. The issue we have, however, is becoming slaves to the desires of our flesh. It is easy to lose control with our flesh leading the way. When we are leading our own path in health, finances, relationships, parenting, spiritual growth, etc., we are guaranteed failure. We may have short time success, but it won’t last.

In Galatians 5:22-23, we are told that the Spirit of God produces nine qualities within us.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things, there is no law.”

The last quality that Paul mentions, self-control, is a characteristic that if we cultivate the discipline of this quality, we will be on our way to claim victory over the things that have us in bondage. Sounds great, doesn’t it? So how in the world do we get to that point? How do we develop discipline?

As I said before, desires dictate what we obey. Our desires will not get us to look more like Christ, but God’s desires will. As a Christian, we have the Holy Spirit within us. He gives us the power and the strength to produce in us those characteristics mentioned, including self-control.

It still takes work, but now it is possible to overcome the selfish desires that can have us side-lined, watching the race of purposeful runners go by instead of running the race God has marked out for us.

If we are “led by the Spirit,” we can “live in the power of the Spirit.” You are welcome!

Here are the first two steps of that victory dance:

Step One: Intentional meeting with God daily. “Come near to God and he will come near to you.” —James 4:8.

Step Two: Name your dictator, your master, whatever it is that enslaves you. You know what it is. By naming our unwanted desires, we can claim victory by giving that battle to God. Once we recognize our need for God and claim our need for God, it is in His strength and power that we can run the race with perseverance and discipline.

Ask yourself if you are in a better position now with your health, finances, relationships, and spiritual growth than you were a year ago this time. If so, great!! If not, see step one and two. Now might be a great time to get a journal and “name your artificial master, and claim your need for the everlasting, true Master.”

“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.” —Galatians 5:16