Controlling the Spirit #1

Driving home: God says that he has a nobility exceeding that of the military genius and heroism of a conquering general or monarch who is able to invade, overcome and subdue a whole city in ancient warfare.

Solomon's comparison of ruling one's spirit to taking a city illustrates the immense difficulty and greater nobility of internal self-conquest over external military conquest, emphasizing the spiritual battle within.

The mighty are those who with their political or physical or financial power and influence are able to control the spirit. They are able to control the spirit. They are able to control the spirit. They are able to control the spirit. They are able to control the spirit. They are able to control others. And he says that the man who controls the activity of this anger is better than the mighty ones of the earth who with political or military or economic or physical might and power control others. And he that ruleth his own spirit, he that rules his spirit, than he that takes a city. When you fin...

8:29 - 9:57 Read in full sermon

Driving home: It is harder and therefore more glorious to quash an insurrection at home than to resist an invasion from abroad.

Matthew Henry's commentary is quoted to further explain that conquering oneself is more honorable and less destructive than military conquest, sacrificing only 'base lusts' rather than lives and treasures.

Listen to Matthew Henry's commentary upon this text. And I read this for two reasons, for immediate edification and then also I hope to further convince you that in due course, as you work through the book of Proverbs for yourself and for your family, you will use Matthew Henry again and again. He quotes or after quoting the verse and expounding it briefly, he says, Behold a greater than allegory. or Caesar is here. The conquest of ourselves and our own unruly passions requires more true wisdom and a more steady, constant, and regular management than the obtaining of a victory over the forces ...

10:35 - 11:51 Read in full sermon

The point: Memorize and work through Proverbs 16:32 with children, constantly bringing it to bear upon their consciences that they might strive for the nobility of a governed spirit.

Martin uses the modern euphemism 'free spirit' to highlight how society commends what God condemns as an unrestrained, vicious spirit, contrasting it with Solomon's description.

Here is a description of a given person without any imagery. Here is the man, a woman, a boy or a girl, who is not right. Tablet of continuing speech. spirit is without restraint. It's very interesting how we come up with euphemisms to make virtuous that which God calls vicious. What's one of the euphemisms peculiar to our generation when describing a maverick who, whatever he feels like doing, he does in whatever company he may be found in whatever circumstances, he is now called a blank hyphen blank man. What's the term they choose? Someone got it. A what? A free spirit. And that's said as a...

15:10 - 15:58 Read in full sermon

Driving home: He whose spirit is without restraint is like a city that is broken down and without walls.

An unrestrained spirit is compared to an unbroken, unbridled horse, following its impulses without control, to illustrate the wild and dangerous nature of such a spirit.

The person whose spirit, whose inward disposition, which gives birth to everything from laughter to tears to anger to hatred and a host of other things. He whose spirit is without restraint. There is no bit in the mouth of his spirit. No reins holding the bit. Totally unbroken, unbridled. A man whose spirit is like an unbroken, unbridled horse. It follows its impulses when it wants to kick its heels. It does when it wants to buck. It does when it wants to graze. It does. He whose

16:43 - 17:29 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not allow a child's excitability to manifest as unrestrained behavior, such as screeching when a sibling is sleeping, but teach them to control their spirit.

A quotation from Bridges' commentary on Proverbs 25:28 explains that a person without self-discipline is like a city without walls, vulnerable to temptation and sin, leading to ruin.

spirit is without restraint. There's the description. Now, here's the imagery. Is like. Is like. Here's the simile. Is like a city that is broken down. And without walls. Now, what is the imagery of a city broken down and without walls? Well, again, to whet your appetite. If you've not yet gotten your copy of Bridges on Proverbs as well as to edify you and hopefully to motivate you to get a copy. This is what he says on this text. Most helpful. Having no discipline over himself. Temptation becomes the occasion of sin and hurries this man onto fearful lengths that he had not contemplated. The f...

17:29 - 18:32 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not allow a child's excitability to manifest as unrestrained behavior, such as screeching when a sibling is sleeping, but teach them to control their spirit.

The example of an excitable child screeching while a sibling sleeps illustrates how parents might mistakenly avoid teaching self-control, fearing they would 'squash its spirit,' when in reality they are failing to teach governance.

Yes. Well, I think. This particular child is unusually excitable, and I have another child who's more phlegmatic and slow and responds easily, and we want the more excitable one not to bash that excitability. But if you then carry that to the place where you allow that one, beginning to manifest that, no restraint over it, so that whether baby brother or sister is sleeping or not, when he does something that pleases him or she and lets out a screech and squeal of delight, you don't teach him or her that they have a responsibility to the sleeping sibling.

20:40 - 21:19 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Here is true moral and intellectual and mental nobility. When a man realizes how stupid and foolish it is to have an uncontrolled spirit that manifests itself particularly in rashness in the realm of anger and temper...

A 'hasty of spirit' person is described as having a spirit always wearing 'sprinting shoes with spikes,' not long-distance running shoes, to convey impulsiveness and quick, uncontrolled reactions.

But now here's the contrast. The slow to anger is called the hasty of spirit. The man whose spirit is always wearing its running shoes and it doesn't ever purchase running shoes for long distance running. It's sprinting shoes with spikes.

24:19 - 24:41 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Here is true moral and intellectual and mental nobility. When a man realizes how stupid and foolish it is to have an uncontrolled spirit that manifests itself particularly in rashness in the realm of anger and temper...

Bridges' commentary is quoted to explain how a hasty spirit 'exalts folly,' turning trifling sparks into terrible flames and deeming passion as high-mindedness, contrasting it with God's standard.

Whatever he feels in a given moment, he's going to give expression to it, especially in this context, in the sinful expression of unrighteous anger and ungodly manifestations of temper. Again, such a one is said to exalt folly. And if you have the 1901, you'll notice the word, exalt, it says carried away with folly. Bridges commenting on this passage writes, and I quote him now from page 189 of his commentary.

24:50 - 25:30 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin introduces Proverbs 14:29, contrasting the great understanding of one slow to anger with the folly exalted by a hasty spirit. He uses Bridges' commentary to illustrate how…

The prophet Jonah's anger is cited as an example of a 'hasty spirit' exalting folly, even in a prophet of the Lord, demonstrating that even the gentlest spirit needs discipline.

Let the children of God remember that a hasty spirit condemned the meekest of men, that is our Lord Jesus Christ. Never was folly more exalted than this. exalted than by the fretful selfishness of a prophet of the Lord. He's referring to Jonah.

26:11 - 26:29 Read in full sermon

Driving home: If I could at any given moment reach in and with my fingers touch my spirit, would I feel a prevailing coolness on my fingertips, or would my fingertips jump away instinctively like they jump away when we inadvertently p…

A 'cool spirit' is metaphorically described as being kept in the 'refrigerator of God's word' rather than the 'oven of worldly carnal perspectives,' illustrating the source of its prevailing temperature.

the parallelism, not contrast. He that spares his word hath knowledge, and the man who spares his word hath knowledge. And the man who spares his word hath knowledge, and the man who spares his word is now described as a man of a cool spirit. He has a spirit that is kept in the refrigerator and not in the oven. His spirit is kept in the refrigerator of God's word and the influences of the spirit of God and not in the oven of worldly carnal perspectives and of a life in which the Holy Spirit is green.

28:50 - 29:31 Read in full sermon

Driving home: If I could at any given moment reach in and with my fingers touch my spirit, would I feel a prevailing coolness on my fingertips, or would my fingertips jump away instinctively like they jump away when we inadvertently p…

The analogy of touching one's spirit to feel if it's 'cool' or 'hot like a stove' is used to make the concept of a prevailing spiritual temperature tangible and impactful for self-examination.

Or quenched. And the man who spares his word manifests that he has true nobility of godly knowledge, even the man who is of a cool spirit. A man whose spirit, if you could touch it, has as its prevailing temperature the quality of being cool as opposed to that which would make your flesh curl and be singed. And perhaps that imagery ought to be driven home to our own children and to our own hearts. If I could at any given moment reach in and with my fingers touch my spirit, would I feel a prevailing coolness on my fingertips, or would my fingertips jump away instinctively like they jump away wh...

29:31 - 30:30 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The sermon shifts to practical applications, asking what prevailing worldly mindsets are exposed by these texts. He invites discussion, leading to points about selfishness…

Martin critiques the popular psychological approach of venting anger on inanimate objects (like kicking stalls or banging one's head on a pillow) as flying in the face of biblical self-control.

worst sense instant trend Klein it's still is going against the present standard If you do not it will not be in the best interest It is not right anything that's still considered against present societal standards so what you do is you ask to be excused and you go in the men's room or the women's room and there you kick the stalls and the partitions between the toilets you pound them until they're dense in them and you just give vent to that spirit on some inanimate object that can't fight back and kick back and throw you out of school or as Henry has suggested if you're upset with what your ...

35:52 - 37:16 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The sermon shifts to practical applications, asking what prevailing worldly mindsets are exposed by these texts. He invites discussion, leading to points about selfishness…

The example of a child saying "I hate you, you're a stinking mama/daddy" to parents illustrates the modern advocacy for allowing such 'instinctive responses' rather than repressing them, which Martin condemns.

George in the back and then George in the front yeah so if the child doesn't like the fact that you told them not to do this thing I hate you you don't love me you're a stinking mama you're a stinking daddy let him do it and later on then you somehow redirect that into something virtuous and noble I'm not quite sure how that's all supposed to work out but you must not in any way repress that instinctive response of that little one and George has indicated that he saw this in one of the popular magazines and this is being advocated as a very noble way and proper way to deal with these expressio...

37:16 - 38:45 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The sermon shifts to practical applications, asking what prevailing worldly mindsets are exposed by these texts. He invites discussion, leading to points about selfishness…

The human spirit's capacity for desire and longing is compared to 'thirsty land' or a 'raging fire' that 'never says enough,' drawing from Proverbs to illustrate the insatiable nature of uncontrolled desires.

George in the back and then George in the front yeah so if the child doesn't like the fact that you told them not to do this thing I hate you you don't love me you're a stinking mama you're a stinking daddy let him do it and later on then you somehow redirect that into something virtuous and noble I'm not quite sure how that's all supposed to work out but you must not in any way repress that instinctive response of that little one and George has indicated that he saw this in one of the popular magazines and this is being advocated as a very noble way and proper way to deal with these expressio...

37:16 - 38:45 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The sermon shifts to practical applications, asking what prevailing worldly mindsets are exposed by these texts. He invites discussion, leading to points about selfishness…

Bunyan's character 'Passion' from Pilgrim's Progress, emptying his bag of gold 'now,' is used to illustrate the concept of instant gratification and impatience with waiting for future blessings.

and then the wise man looks and he observes and he says it's the fire the raging fire that never says enough the more you throw on it the more it wants the crusty dry earth the grave never seems satisfied then he puts into that context the barren womb which is why we need to be very sensitive to those who are afflicted with barrenness put right in the category with a raging fire and cracked earth and these other things that are so evident to us now then we come to this whole issue then of the human spirit and the human spirit has a tremendous capacity for all kinds of things all kinds of thing...

38:45 - 39:58 Read in full sermon

The point: Point out to your children why God says an unrestrained or hasty spirit is not good, but a governed and cool spirit is virtuous, because by nature, the spirit will run contrary to God's will.

The example of Dyphus (Child Protective Services) intruding into Christian homes and accusing parents of child abuse for biblical discipline illustrates the societal consequences of widespread humanistic dogmas about man's innate goodness.

And an intelligent humanist who in his humanism holds to these views of non-discipline and non-restraint of the child were he to see a godly loving Christian parent applying biblical discipline by rod and admonition to teach a child self-restraint, he'd throw his hands up in horror and say you're guilty of child abuse. That's why Dyphus can send in its unelected, non-legally authorized agents, their bureaucratic agents into the home of any Christian and demand to have your children pull their trousers down and see if there are any indications you might have spanked them on the buttocks and int...

44:46 - 45:52 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: He addresses the confusion between valid, honest emotional expression and unbridled self-expression, emphasizing that God does not condemn all emotion but rather its unrestrained…

God commanding Ezekiel not to weep for his wife, the 'desire of his eyes,' is used as an example of an unnatural act commanded by God for a specific sign, contrasting it with the natural and valid expression of grief.

Now God does have a right to tell the prophet, when I take away from you the desire of your eyes today. That is your wife. I don't want you to weep. You may sigh, but God was using that as a sign.

46:48 - 47:00 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not set forth the control of their spirit as an unattainable virtue, but as an attainable one through common grace (rod and admonition) and special grace (fruit of the Spirit).

The 'far out rock culture' with its 'unbridled expressions of the basest human attitudes' (e.g., breaking guitars, mock rape) is used as an extreme example of the societal embrace of unbridled self-expression.

Secondly, all of the text affirmed that unbridled self expression is an evil and not a virtuous thing. All of the text affirmed that unbridled self expression is an evil and not a virtuous thing. And we could analyze everything from the increasingly unbridled expressions of the basest human attitudes and perspectives and actions in the far out rock culture to things that are not as blatant and patent on the surface. But they have as their common sense.

49:01 - 49:40 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not set forth the control of their spirit as an unattainable virtue, but as an attainable one through common grace (rod and admonition) and special grace (fruit of the Spirit).

Ancient heathen philosophers who greatly strove for and attained self-control are cited as examples of this virtue being attainable through common grace, even without special grace.

All of the text assume that self control of one's spirit is an attainable virtue. All of the texts assume that self control of one's spirit is an attainable nature. All of you conclude this, please? attainable virtue or god is dangling out carrots when he says he that rules his spirit it assumes that one can rule his spirit and when it says he whose spirit is without restraint it is an indirect admonition learn to restrain your spirit and when it speaks of a cool spirit the assumption is that one can attain a prevailingly cool temperature in his spirit now where does that virtue come from well...

50:27 - 51:45 Read in full sermon

The point: Look to God for the virtue of self-control, depending entirely on His working, yet concentrate on its cultivation as though it were all your working, returning all praise to Him for success.

Nehemiah's response to the unrighteous practice of excessive interest rates (Nehemiah 5:6-7) is presented as a 'beautiful example' of a man controlling his righteous anger, consulting with himself, and channeling it into noble action.

themselves work well you see there's the great mystery of gospel sanctification god's working in our working our concurrent realities his working secures my working and my working is the manifestation of his working so that all of my dependence is upon him for that virtue all of my concentration is upon the cultivation of that virtue and all of my success returns in praise to him for working it in me now that's true of every grace in the christian life you look to god for it it's all his working yet i concentrate in the cultivation of it as though it were all my working and having attained the...

53:11 - 54:38 Read in full sermon