Spiritual Boundaries
The Second of the Three Boundaries
When I competed in track and field, a few things could not encroach on my training. I needed to never miss training sessions except for injuries. I needed to not ignore injuries, but treat them as soon as they arose. I also needed to push myself in training and keep my technique sharp, even if I was exhausted. I soon realized that competing was an overflow of training. The same is true for our spiritual lives – our public ministry is an overflow of our private time with God.
Spiritual boundaries are those few things we let nothing steal away. Jesus modeled a few essentials, and as disciples of Christ, he essentially wrote our training guide.
Don't let anything steal your time with God.
"But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray." (Luke 5:16)
Jesus regularly withdrew from crowds to pray and spend time with His Father. Often early in the morning. He protected his personal relationship with God, showing the importance of solitude, reflection, and dependence on divine guidance. Even though Jesus was fully God, his humanity was nourished by time alone with God. I often recommend starting with 5 minutes of solitude with God. It's in these times that we can cast off concerns and gain perspective for our day.
Never come to a street fight with Satan without Truth.
"But he answered, 'It is written, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God."'" (Matthew 4:4, quoting Deuteronomy 8:3).
"Jesus said to him, 'Again it is written, "You shall not put the Lord your God to the test."'" (Matthew 4:7, quoting Deuteronomy 6:16).
"Then Jesus said to him, 'Be gone, Satan! For it is written, "You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve."'" (Matthew 4:10, quoting Deuteronomy 6:13).
In Jesus' encounter with Satan, He responded to each temptation by quoting Scripture from the book of Deuteronomy. Jesus used Scripture to defend against temptation, demonstrating its authority and sufficiency for guiding righteous living. Notice how equipped Jesus was with the Word. I covered the need for the Word to be on our lips in Killing Sin, but for it to be on our lips, it needs to be stored up in our hearts. Spiritual life is a street fight, and the only way to fight is with the Word.
Refuse to Be controlled by fear or opposition.
"No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father." (John 10:18)
Jesus remained strong in the face of threats, opposition, or outright abuse. He did not fearfully run from the opposition. Jesus modeled for us, laying down his authority for the sake of the greater good. He lived courageously, trusting God's plan, and did not allow fear or opposition to deter Him. If we spend our lives avoiding pain, we may miss out on giving God glory and receiving the ultimate greater good. This and all spiritual boundaries can only be tapped with God's power, which is discovered in humble dependence on God himself. He has the wisdom and will to erect spiritual boundaries.
Karl
To learn more about how setting boundaries can help you conquer the one thing that is defeating you, purchase a copy of Karl’s new book, Killing Sin, right here.