Striving To Be In Control

1 Corinthians 9:25

And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

Paul uses the sporting event of track to illustrate how a believer becomes stronger so that he can grow and do more for God. The runner understands the importance of his race, and that importance causes him to be temperate in all things. God says that every man striveth for the mastery. The word mastery means to be in control. God is saying the runner strives or works at being in control, and the way they are in control is to be temperate in all things. The word temperate means to have self-control. In order to be in control, you must have self-control in all things.

Notice God says that we are to be in control of all things. What is God talking about when He says all things? All things is talking about being in control of your whole being. There are four areas of your being that you must be temperate in if you are to be in control so that you can obtain an incorruptible crown.

First, you must keep your body under control. You must not live in the flesh, but in the Spirit. You cannot listen to the flesh and be in control of your body. Romans 8:5 teaches, For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. You must learn to say “no” to your flesh if you want to be in control of your life. Just because you feel something is right does not make it right. You must not live a life of doing things because you feel it is right, but only do the things you know to be right from God’s Word.

Second, you must keep your spirit under control. Your spirit is your attitude. You cannot live a victorious Christian life and not be in control of your spirit. The spirit is critical to your outlook, and your outlook affects your effort for Christ. You cannot let the peripheral control your spirit, but let your spirit be affected by what God has given you inwardly.

Third, you must keep your mind under control. 2 Corinthians 10:5 commands, Casting down imaginations,…. The mind is a powerful tool that, if under control, keeps doubts and fears from controlling your life by focusing on faith. You keep your mind under control by not thinking on sin, but dwelling on Christ and faith. An uncontrolled mind leads to anxiety. However, a controlled mind leads to peace, victory, and the miraculous because your focus of mind is on pleasing God, which is done by living a life of faith.

Fourth, you must keep your strength under control. Meekness is power under control. You cannot be for God what He needs you to be if you don't keep your strengths under control. Learn when to apply more strength for God to help others and when to withhold a strength because it will hurt people. You may need to be sharper in a rebuke or gentle in correction, but this is done by having your strength under control.

There are two keys to making these things happen. First, you must will yourself to do these things. You have a will that chooses what to do, and you must temper your will to do the right thing all the time. Secondly, you must yield to the Holy Spirit. If you yield yourself to the Spirit, then the Spirit will control these areas. A yielded life to the Spirit of God is a self-controlled life. It is the Spirit-controlled life that will help you to live a victorious life for Christ.