Ruling your spirit?

Hi Wendio, there isn't a great deal to go on in those verses as to how someone rules over his spirit. But to me it is someone who can control his thoughts and emotions.

Many people are ruled or controlled by their emotions and feelings and are led astray by them. A person who rules over his spirit is someone who does what he knows is the right thing to do from his heart. And then follows that path regardless of how he feels or what he will miss out on.

Many years ago my feelings and emotions controlled me and led me into all kinds of stuff. The Lord convicted me in each of these bad areas I had got into by my own disobedience. But when I was convicted of doing wrong in these things I didn't have the answer as to how I could change or repent fully of them.

One day I reached a point of desperation and asked God for the answer. He answered me so clearly and told me that my thinking was making me depressed.

This caused me to see that it must be possible for me to change my thinking to help myself.
As time went on I gained victory over various sins. Especially having unforgiving thoughts towards others, parents, friends, work colleagues, etc.
Having wrong sexual thoughts and other sins.

I'm saying this because if someone doesn't begin to control their thoughts that they dwell upon they will never reach Christian maturity and will never begin to rule over their spirit.

Some people don't want to hear the fact that we have to put some effort into our thinking. At first it is tiring but when victory is gained you will be spiritually refreshed and never go back.

Consider the fact that a prisoner in a jail was sent their falsely and has many years of his sentence to fulfill.
This story is repeated over and over again that they have to control their thinking and dwell upon good thoughts to stop themselves from losing their mind.

They don't have the conviction of Gods Holy Spirit to guide them but we do and can do something to follow in obedience to Jesus.

David, I agree with you to the most part.

Paul says it here:

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

that's a good verse, White Stone.

Thank you for joining in the conversation.

This is the best scripture on ruling over ones spirit, which I have found by revelation of the Holy Spirit teacher.

First by renewing our minds to the mind of Christ, which the holy Spirit will give revelation. If we ask for bread He will not give us a stone.

Colossians 3:1-25 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all. Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God (((((rule))))) in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them. Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged. Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God: And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.

First the One that gives the essense of ruling over us, Christ in you the Hope of Glory, then the practical administration of His ruling over us and we acknowledging this rule and we making the consious decision to allow the ruling to govern our lives richly and fully in all we do.

This is the practical outward appearance of the allowing of the Spirit of God to rule in our hearts.

Ro 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
Ro 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Ro 12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
Ro 12:4 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:
Ro 12:5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
Ro 12:6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;
Ro 12:7 Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;
Ro 12:8 Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.
Ro 12:9 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.
Ro 12:10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;
Ro 12:11 Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;
Ro 12:12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;
Ro 12:13 Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.
Ro 12:14 Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.
Ro 12:15 Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.
Ro 12:16 Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.
Ro 12:17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.
Ro 12:18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.
Ro 12:19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
Ro 12:20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.
Ro 12:21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

What life do we now live? Galatians 2:16-20 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid. For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but (((((Christ liveth in me:))))) and the life which (((((I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.)))))

The life of Christ in us by His Faith that dwelleth in us, this is our life and ruling over our spirit, living by the Life of Christ that dwells in us, by the Holy Spirit our revealer of that life we are to be conformed to

Romans 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.. This is ruling over ones spirit.

In Christ: Phillip

The only way.

QUOTE from David Keel:
I'm saying this because if someone doesn't begin to control their thoughts that they dwell upon they will never reach Christian maturity and will never begin to rule over their spirit.

Hi David,

I was blessed by what you had to write. This is exactly what the Lord is teaching me and speaking to me about.

I am doing exactly what you wrote about right now, as I have had problems with controlling my thoughts, or allowing bad or wrong thinking about various things to creep in and then a wrong behaviour is the outward expression of this contorted thought.

I have a bad habit of being very hard on myself spiritually. I have lots of wrong thoughts about God and His displeasure in me and my actions. It was only until someone showed me recently that it was my thought in the first place that was incorrect and not lining up with the character of God. Or what God Word says.

It is simply for me, a bad habit that I have to break. I have gotten uncontrolled with allowing certain thoughts to fester and fester and get bigger and bigger. Causing some really yuck and sinful behaviour. All the time in my head and emotions justifying my behaviour because I started to believe that the thought was reality - when it wasn't, the thought was a lie.

So at the moment I am carefully looking at my thoughts. Lining them up with Scriptures and choosing to think better of myself and justified before the Lord rather than condemned b4 the Lord.

Also thoughts like thinking that people think the worst of me because of x, y, z...I am stopping those thoughts and choosing to think better of people and also realising that what I am before the Lord is enough, not what other's think/feel about me.

I see now that for people in the same position as myself: 1)starting off with the right understanding of how God views me, know that I am redeemed and justified b4 Him and how the Lord views me.
2)Also then understanding the true and real character of God, so that you can determine what lines up with His character not a made up idea of how I think God is.
3)THEN checking my thinking is aligned with God's Truth - His Word.
4)Controlling sinful thoughts(you can't think of 2 things at once, change the subject in your brain) and
5)Spending more time on my self and my relationship with the Lord rather than looking at the person next to and spending time judging them, comparing myself to them, somehow being in competition with them spiritually etc

David if you have any other thoughts I would appreciate and would be blessed by hearing them.

Through Him alone

Hi again Sherid and Wendio, well I have just lost a message I had typed here. It took me an hour to do it and edit it as I wanted to share many things about how changing my thought life has helped me.

I will just share one of the stories how that one time I was on a train on my way back home. I was harbouring hateful and angry thoughts toward a friend who I felt had let me down.

The thought came to me to try to forgive him. I had heard a number of testimonies how that forgiveness of others had given a lot of people breakthrough with God. And i was stuck in a barren place at this time.

So there and then I decided to forgive him and not go back on my word. As the train began going I was trying to counter any temptations which came into my mind. Boy I didn't know how bad my flesh was. Trying to do the opposite of what it wanted was quite hard. But every time a wrong thought about him tried to appear I quickly rejected it.
But after about 10 minutes I got the victory and I knew I had forgiven him. (I realised later on that this was quite miraculous as any forgiving of others I had done after this was quite hard work).

But anyway I was in the town centre the following day and I saw this friend of mine who I hadn't actually seen for over a year, looking into a shop window.
I was actually pleased to see him and walked over and began asking him how he was.
I had real feelings of compassion for him and no resentment ever appeared in my mind.

This led me on to forgiving others and I had a real change in my walk with God.

David