Discipline: A Remedy to Weakness

      Here lately I have been running every night in order to make a habit out of disciplining myself before I get back to school in hopes that the routine will come back with me to Tennessee. God revealed to me that by practicing discipline in the most challenging area of life, which in my case is physical discipline, I will automatically be sharpening all other areas of my life too. See, it is not our lack of discipline in just one area of life that needs sharpening, it is our discipline overall because we are only as strong as our weakest link. I once thought I had a few areas in my life down pat, and don't we all, but the truth is that our strengths are limited by the weaknesses of the other elements we can't seem to conquer. It is agreed that there are many areas in our lives that are in need of some major TLC, but know that as we are tempted to justify those weak spots by balancing them out with the efforts we have made in our strengths, the only thing we are really doing is allowing our worsts to water down our bests and we cheat ourselves out of experiencing our true potential. God has showed me that there are no "areas" that are in need of discipline, rather it is me and my willingness to be disciplined over all that is in need of fine tuning. Distributing my strengths where I need them most still allots for weaknesses, therefore, I have realized I must build my strength, grow it in mass, and refine it so that I do not have to pick and choose where to put my best. Ladies, practicing discipline for the sake of discipline is the remedy, for it overflows into the weak spots, builds up the fragile parts, grows what has become barren, and refines the excess, so that we are able to be strong and walk boldly as women of God. When we make time to heed the convictions of the Holy Spirit for the small things, we allow God to weed out that which holds us back from the big things He has for us. It is obedience in action that reels us into God's presence directly because as we give Him the authority to be our coach and test our limits, He destroys them and makes us limitless. But with determination to become refined for the sake of God's glory comes the schemes of the enemy to push hard in the opposite direction just to see how far and how deep your desire runs to become better. God allowed me to experience a unique revelation the other night as I was running that I would like to share. Now, I run at night because at college I realized that getting up at 5:30 am to go work out before class was too ambitious and I figure if I get into a routine now by doing it in the evening then I will be without excuse when I get back to school. But the difference between running at school and running at home is that my street is open to any anonymous driver, where as my campus is closed off with security. At home, I run up and down my drive way doing ladders in a series of 8 every single night and if I can not run, then I do abs and arms exercises, but my goal is consistency in exercise, and eventually I will set a time that I will begin practicing too. Currently, at the time of night I choose to run, not many cars drive by, but this particular night was different and it started off with a really sketchy guy who drove by slow in this black truck staring at me and then sped off. But I ignored it and continued running. Then this loud white cadillac drove by slow too, but turned right at the stop sign near my house instead of going straight. I concluded that if it came back I would hear it and could be prepared if I needed to go inside. So I kept running. The white cadillac came back and drove down the street near my house, and I told myself that third times a charm and at three times then I can have reason to be suspicious. I kept running. It drove past a third time. I was steadily becoming more and more paranoid and the closer I got to the street as I run up and down the drive way, the faster and more times I found myself looking back and forth to make sure I didn't miss the white cadillac incase it wanted to drive by a fourth time and scoop me up. But then it grew noticeably quiet, and as I was running- I had become pretty much convinced at this point that it was a good possibility some shady character was driving that vehicle, and some logic popped into my mind that sounded something like, "well if they were trying to kidnap me, they sure are ignorant for bringing such a noisy ride," and then I thought, "well if they were serious, they would probably park it around the corner, hide in a bush, and then run up and grab me." So at this point I stopped running and went inside to make sure my dad was near enough that he could hear me if I needed him, then went outside and continued running. I couldn't get over the fear though, and it felt like my intimidation was just growing stronger. My dad waved to me in the window, for what I thought was him signaling to me that he was going to get in the shower, and I dashed inside like a mad woman to make sure to tell him to wait for me to finish, but found him only on the couch not going anywhere. I realized my paranoia was starting to make me act a little ridiculous, but then when I caught a glimpse of some approaching headlights, I ran to my door to act like I was walking inside, and as it passed, I just resumed the running position once again. At this point, I had almost become convinced that it wouldn't hurt to shorten the run just tonight, and then suddenly a revelation occurred to me. Running up and down the drive way every night for the past few weeks has been my attempt to be more disciplined, but of course the enemy doesn't want me to get better. I realized that satan had been playing with my weaknesses in fear, and was provoking me to intense paranoia so that I would shorten my run. That whole time I couldn't figure out why I had become so scared all the sudden and why I was actually allowing my fear determine the way I was acting by letting it send me in the house a few times to check and make sure my dad was keeping watch, posing by the door, and pausing to look back and forth sporadically. It was satan observing what my weakness, I had yielded to in other situations, would make me do in this situation. It was almost as if he was seeing what would make me move so that he could get me to do what he wanted, which was to stop running. God showed me that satan tests us to see if we will allow how he makes us feel determine how we act, this way he can try and control/dictate our actions. If satan sees that fear is the ticket to get me to stop exercising, then he will play on it as hard as he can- he has no scruples- he will make the fear so real that I will be convinced there is legitimately someone there just waiting to get me, and that is exactly what he did.  But satan only knew to use fear from past observance; he knew it was my weakness because I have let fear determine my actions before- for he can only play on what he observes. Therefore, if we are fallers for procrastination, the enemy will play on it because he has seen us take the bait before, or if were suckers for insecurity, he will play on that too because He has seen us act on it before. He will play on anything we act on! I know the worst weakness I have battled for years now is being late- the enemy will get into my head every morning I see my reflection and use tricky lies that imply I am not good enough the way I am. But I fall for them every time, because they do not sound bad at first glance; he will tell me, "today you should dress really cute, in something that will rack up a ton of compliments," or "make the girls stare and wish they could dress and be like you," he tests the water to see if I will take the bait and try to use the last few minutes I have to be on time for more makeup or an exchange of an outfit. And if I do take it, he just feeds me more and more until it becomes an issue that is dramatically affecting my life. He does this to all of us, but it only works if we take the bait. Therefore, if we reject the very option to take it, then it cannot affect us. We determine what dictates our actions! It can be God, faith, and truth, or it can be satan, fear, and lies. The enemy can only affect you if you allow him to. Fear is a choice. As I was running I realized all of this, and I started smiling because God let me know every reason to be scared was just a set up. So I ran harder just to throw it in the enemy's face, and then I prayer walked for a while. That night I decided to utilize the choice I had to not be scared and to finish what I set out to do for the glory of God. We all have that choice, and the power to do the same. Ladies, your weaknesses are a choice. Are you going to let them keep you from running? Are you going to let the enemy dictate what you do? Or are you going to keep running, smiling, because you know he just had to cross fear, or insecurity, or pride, or whatever that root weakness is, off his list of things to use to keep you from moving forward? Make no mistake, it is no coincidence that the minute you try to get things right, everything decides to get in your way by going in the opposite direction- it's an evil current that pulls for it all to end in wrong. But persevere, and fight it- don't give up- for it only gets harder the longer you hold on, but the longer you hold on, the less difficult the things that seemed impossible to conquer become. Be encouraged, for the further we get from weakness, the closer we get to strength. Thus, stride long, far and hard- choosing that no obstacle or weakness will dictate what you do. You keep running because it is a choice, it is your choice! Do not let the enemy dictate your actions. Hold fast to the truth that is in Christ. Give Jesus the authority in your life, so when that option to choose what your flesh wants arises, you will shoot it down without even thinking because you have already made your choice, and you have chosen Christ. Let your Holy Spirit say to the inquisitive mind of your flesh, "No. End of story, and not another word about it!" Ladies, lets get it done right, and lets do it right now. Stay strong. Be bold. Keep running!  


Challenge: Lets practice discipline for disciplines sake together! All for the glory of God. That's right, get out your running shoes ladies. If were going to do this Jesus thing right, then lets get serious about it. I started off doing 6 ladders, which are 6 down and backs from my garage door to the curb of my neighbors yard across the street. So you will do a set of 6 down and backs, then walk one, then do a set of 5 down and backs, then walk one, then do a set of 4 down and backs, then walk one, then do a set of 3 down and backs, then walk one, then do a set of 2 down and backs, then walk one, then on your last down and back try to sprint it in only 10 seconds. Do this every night this week, but always have a parent near to where they can hear you if your in trouble. I don't care what kind of neighborhood you live in, shady or not, we live in a world that is wack and I want you to be safe! But I want you to give it everything you got this week ladies. I guarantee, you will notice obstacles all the sudden pop out of no where that could act as potential excuses not to run, but know that in the context of spirit and flesh, any excuse is a good excuse. Let nothing stop you. So be like the nike brand and just do it lol. Journal every obstacle that attempts to get in the way of your running and try to find a consistent theme, and you will find the devil's prize tool to keep you from doing the good stuff. Lets see just how serious you are about Christ. Are you determined? ... Then lets see it. Run hard. Be disciplined. 

"Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are." -1 Peter 5: 8-9

"When you forgive this man, I forgive him, too. And when I forgive whatever needs to be forgiven, I do so with Christ’s authority for your benefit, so that Satan will not outsmart us. For we are familiar with his evil schemes." -2 Corinthians 2: 10-11

"Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do.  For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God." -Romans 8:12-14

"Then the Lord asked Satan, “Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless—a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil.” Satan replied to the Lord, “Yes, but Job has good reason to fear God. You have always put a wall of protection around him and his home and his property. You have made him prosper in everything he does. Look how rich he is! But reach out and take away everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face!”
“All right, you may test him,” the Lord said to Satan." -Job 1: 8-12