'I Think I'm Overthinking It': 2 Corinthians 11:1-4 (Self Control)

Read Galatians 5:22-23:

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."

Are you ready to make an investment in the Fruit of Self Control?

Read 2 Corinthians 11:1-4:

Paul and the False Apostles

"I hope you will put up with me in a little foolishness. Yes, please put up with me! I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him. But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the Spirit you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough."

Select 'Successful' when you are finished

Paul states: "...your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ."

To the people he is addressing, Paul is saying that, like Eve in the garden, they are being too easily led to question the essential Truth, goodness and trustworthiness of God. Like Eve, they are allowing themselves to be unwittingly influenced by a deceptive spirit. They are not hearing or following God's Holy Spirit.

Regarding your spiritual growth, is there an issue are you currently dealing with where you find yourself not entirely trusting God? An issue that has you overthinking what you should do about it?

Write your answer in the space below.

Go to 'Documents' above and read Oswald Chambers' observations on trying to think through a spiritual problem you are facing.

Select 'Successful' when you are finished.

Oswald begins:

"Simplicity is the secret of seeing things clearly. A saint does not think clearly for a long while, but a saint ought to see clearly without any difficulty. You cannot think a spiritual muddle clear, you have to obey it clear. In intellectual matters you can think things out, but in spiritual matters you will think yourself into cotton wool."

How often do you find yourself trying to think a spiritual issue clear, rather than being obedient to what you believe God is asking of you to do?

Oswald continues:

"If there is something upon which God has put His pressure, obey in that matter, bring your imagination into captivity to the obedience of Christ with regard to it and everything will become as clear as daylight."

Going back to the issue you identified in Step three, what is one specific action can you take to be obedient to God's Spirit in this matter? (Note: consider asking God to show you that action.)

Are you willing to take that action right now?

If so, take a moment to do it.

If circumstances prevent you from taking that action right now, then take a moment to imagine that you have done it. See yourself taking that action and doing so thoroughly and confidently.

Additionally, as soon as you do have an opportunity to take that action, do so. Once you have thoroughly imagined taking action, proceed to the next Step.

Are you willing to give this Step everything that you've got?

If you took a specific action or, because of circumstances, choose to imagine taking it, write down what you did in the space below. Be specific.

Read Mathew 11:25:

'At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.'

Select 'Successful' when you are finished.

Oswald observes:

"The reasoning capacity comes afterwards, but we never see along that line, we see like children; when we try to be wise we see nothing (Matthew11:25)."

How much do you agree with this observation?

Oswald continues:

"The tiniest thing we allow in our lives that is not under the control of Holy Spirit is quite sufficient to account for spiritual muddle, and all the thinking we like to spend on it will never make it clear. Spiritual muddle is only made plain by obedience."

What does this statement have to do with your spiritual growth?

Oswald concludes:

"Immediately we obey, we discern. This is humiliating, because when we are muddled we know the reason is in the temper of our mind. When the natural power of vision is devoted to the Holy Spirit, it becomes the power of perceiving God’s will and the whole life is kept in simplicity."

Returning Step three, how much more clarity and simplicity are you currently experiencing with regard to this issue?

How much has this Trail increased the fruit of self control in you right now?