Building and maintaining a wall of self-control

Published 3:54 pm Thursday, June 18, 2020

Solomon said in Proverbs 25:28, “He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.”

Cities played a huge role in Biblical days just as they do today. In Solomon’s time, a city depended on strong fortifications and gates, with great walls surrounding it, to repel invasions from foreign armies and enemies. If the walls, gates, or towers were broken down, a city was totally exposed to the raids of any enemy that wished to plunder, pillage, or conquer it. If a city did not invest sufficiently in these means of protection, it could easily be captured. It is obvious that a city without walls would soon be in ruins.

Let’s dig deeper into the importance of cities before we can apply this teaching to our lives.

The apostle Paul took the gospel from city to city. As early as AD 100, more than 40 Christian communities existed in cities around the Mediterranean world, including North Africa and parts of Italy. By AD 300, half the citizens were Christian, and 90 percent of the countryside was still pagan. Most of Paul’s letters were written to cities. Cities tend to be places where culture is formed. Many of the spheres of influence originate from the city, including government, politicians and lawmakers; arts and entertainment; business and the marketplace; universities and other places of education; media and communication centers.

Jesus spent ample time working in cities with his earthly father, Joseph, and most of his teaching was in and around cities. Jesus said that a city set on a hill cannot be hid, and he spoke from his own experiences of the city Sepphoris that sat upon a hill above the town of Nazareth. Cities were a resource then and they are today as well! Cities are not built overnight, but unfortunately, they can be decimated quickly. This is the reason that walls of protection were erected.

Before we begin a relationship with Jesus, our lives are in desolation, and lie in ruins.  Once we decide to believe upon the Lord, he begins to build us into a glorious city of God. Jesus read Isaiah 61:1-4 in the temple. He stated, “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified. And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations.”

Jesus is telling us all that he can take our broken-down lives and give us beauty for ashes. He rebuilds the waste lands and makes us a bright city full of resources. The first thing Christ does is to place a hedge of protection around us because he knows that Satan desires to devour each of us. Satan loves to steal, kill, and to destroy, and he is stopped by the wall God placed around us as security. So, how does the wall around us fall and leave us totally exposed? This brings us back to our initial verse in Proverbs 25:28. When we lack self-control, we are a city that is broken down laying in ruins. Temperance, which is self-control, is a fruit of the Spirit and comes directly from God. If we choose not to exert self-control, the wall around our city falls and Satan, our adversary, comes in to destroy all that God has built.

Self-control is of utmost importance, and without it, we are harming ourselves. When our protective walls come down, we become vulnerable to attack from demonic forces. Soon everything that was blessed in our life — our marriage, family, work, and relationships become filled with trouble. We all suffer the ordinary testing that comes to every Christian, but despite our trials God enables us to enjoy his peace through the years. Our marriages may be solid, our homes full of love, our work blessed because we keep our human spirits subject to the Spirit of Christ, and that keeps God’s protective walls around us strong and intact. When we operate outside the commands and will of our God, we are asking for destruction. Conversely, we can begin to lose control over an aspect of our lives. Soon our spirits are no longer subject to Him. Our patience lessens, tempers flare, we give in to all temptations, and Satan deconstructs our lives piece by piece. All that God has built is toppled in a small amount of time. Our home is now in serious trouble.

That Christian’s life is now a troubled city. The walls are now down with no protection against an invasion of demonic powers. Sadly, this is happening in multitudes of homes. Something has caused Christians to lose control of their spirits, and the enemy is gaining free access to their hearts and homes.

I want to warn all Christians, please make sure to deny yourselves and follow the commands of the Lord. Walk in the Spirit of God and do what always pleases Him to keep your walls of defense intact. If our words and actions are against God’s law and Spirit, we are opening our lives up to Satan and we will face major consequences.  Allowing Satan into our lives, homes, and marriages is extremely easy, but removing him is a different story. He wants our city to lay in ruins and our lives to be a laughingstock! Like a defenseless city without walls in former times of prowling armies, so is the man who does not rule his own spirit and diligently keep it in the way of virtue, truth, and wisdom. Make sure your words and actions are approved by our Lord Jesus Christ, and your city will continue to improve and be a resource for those around you!

(The Solution Column is provided by Pastor Brandon Young of Harmony Free Will Baptist Church, Hampton, and his associate, David Odom.)