Whoever has no rule over his own spirit, is like a city broken down, without walls.
Proverbs 25:28
When a person has no social boundaries, they often offend others without even realizing what they are doing. Etiquette and boundaries protect people's space and property. Not only do boundaries protect others, they also help us to protect ourselves. Boundaries work in every areas of our lives: physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. Each area of our life needs to have its own boundaries so that we can define what is allowed or not allowed in our lives.
Today's passage is a beautiful word picture that gives an in depth view of how important boundaries are. The picture is of a city that has no protection because the walls are broken. God is using that picture to tell us that self-control is a necessary trait in our life. Self-control is a fruit of the Spirit. (Galatians 5:22-23) When we have self-control we set limits on how we act or react to certain circumstances or situations--and this is like having walls in a city.
It is when we indulge our fleshly appetites that we end up in a perilous place. "Feeding" our flesh is allows the enemy a stronghold in our lives. When we give into the same sin over and over again that is like tearing down a wall of protection. That is exactly what the enemy wants. He has come to steal, kill, and destroy. (John 10:10) He is seeking to destroy our faith, our lives, and our testimonies.
How do we have rule over our own spirit? We practice what God says. There are many ways to put boundaries in our lives. We can read God's Word--its the sword of the spirit. We can be accountable to others about things in our lives. The Bible tells us that confessing our sin can bring healing--in this case we could say that walls are being built or rebuilt by being accountable. (James 5:16). Praise and prayer are mighty instruments of rebuilding walls and maintaining boundaries in our lives so that the enemy cannot easily dissuade us or cause us to fall into temptation.
This is not a 12 steps to success answer. It is a connection to the Jesus that matters. As we learn to connect to Him, we will find ourselves under the shadow of the Almighty and then we will find ourselves with healthy boundaries that will guard our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Blessings to you!
Comentarios