Broken Cities
Today’s Verse:
He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls. ~Proverbs 25:28
A city that is broken down and without walls is a city that has been overthrown. It has experienced defeat and is vulnerable to further attack. This is a picture of a life that is not under control. The greatest foe to conquer is the foe of self. Our devotion this morning is centered on the person who lacks control over his emotions and mood.
There is the description.
A man who cannot rule his spirit is someone who cannot control his anger and is often given to fits of anger bursts. He blows a fuse very quickly and accompanies this outburst with words that are critical, harsh, nasty, and possibly abusive. He can also get easily discouraged over little things and quickly withdraw from other people. A man who is unable to rule over his spirit is unpredictable and is someone who should be avoided.
There is the danger.
He is further described as being like a city that has been overthrown and without walls. He is defenseless. He is run over by his emotional outbursts. He is unwilling to contain himself and his fits of rage lead him to do irrational things. The most little things set him off. He is a danger to others and to himself. A city without walls is easily open to attack from outside forces. This man has hurt his family and friendships, and he is marked as a volatile personality. To the very extreme, he is someone prone to, even, hurting or killing another person.
There is the deliverance.
This man can be delivered from this terrible power, but it requires submission and humility. He must confess and repent of this sin. He must seek counsel and help in curtailing his unruliness. Much of his deliverance will center on realizing that he must die to self and crucify the pride within him. His pride is one of the elements fueling his outbursts. His pride factor is constantly telling him that others are wrong and he is right. He needs to give up any vices that he has succumbed to, such as drinking alcohol, and realize that these elements are contributing to him getting worse and not better. He must submit to the Lordship of Christ for complete victory.
There is the discipline.
His spirit must learn to be disciplined. Parents must realize that outbursts or angry reactions from their babies and children need to be disciplined early in life. Such outbursts in children should not be tolerated but should be immediately dealt with. This discipline includes removing oneself from people who have an angry spirit. “Make no friendship with an angry man.” Avoid confrontational situations that could lead to an angry outburst. Realize that angry outbursts are not a solution but a poor, fleshly reaction. Learn to walk in the Spirit so that the lust of the flesh is not fulfilled.
Is your spirit under control? Are anger, rage, lust, and discouragement something that you are easily prone to? Have you succumbed to the place where your spirit is like a city broken down and without walls? Come to the Lord today and confess it to Him. Obtain assistance as soon as possible to discipline your spirit and have God’s deliverance. Then, watch as the joy of the Lord is restored once again in your life.
Have a Spirit-filled God Morning!
Bible Reading Schedule: 1 Samuel 4-8