PATIENCE OVER POWER

Proverbs 16:32:

Better to be patient than a warrior, and better to have self-control than to capture a city.

~ CEB

He who is slow to anger is better than the powerful. And he who rules his spirit is better than he who takes a city.

~ NLV

Moderation is better than muscle, self-control better than political power.

~ MSG

When you picture a moment of victory, what do you imagine? In the sports world, it may be standing on a podium or raising a trophy of some sort. In the political world it may be winning an election or military triumph.

In other words, we usually think of victory as conquering someone or something else, whether that be a competitor, an enemy, or even winning an argument.

We train, work hard, get stronger, and vanquish our adversary.

However, according to Proverbs 16:32, competitive, military, or political victory is substandard. The greatest victory is conquering yourself.

Our own greatest enemy.

Usually, if the victorious person we imagine is ourselves, we see ourselves as being on the "right (or righteous) side". We love seeing ourselves as right or righteous.

But the Bible is pretty clear we are not. 

“The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?"

~ Jeremiah 17:9

"The hearts of people, moreover, are full of evil and there is madness in their hearts while they live."

~ Ecclesiastes 98:3

"There is no one righteous, not even one."

~ Romans 3:10

Before we continue, let's be clear that we are all made in the image of God, we are all loved deeply by God, and his seed of beauty is planted in every human being.

Let's also be clear that we are our own worst enemy. We are self-involved, self-absorbed, self-important, and self-seeking. Left to our own devices, being a person of love in the world is far from our minds.

So of course, when we think of victory we may naturally go to a picture where we come out on top. However, a more biblical view of victory is one where we come out on bottom. 

Patience and self-control demonstrate superiority far more than any competitive or political triumph. Putting ourselves last is far more triumphant than putting ourselves first.

So how do we do this? How do we "conquer ourselves"?

We can't.

The first step to ultimate victory.

The first step to ultimate victory (conquering self) is to admit you can't do it.

Think about that for a moment. If I were able to pull up my bootstraps, try real hard, read a few self-help books, and transform my heart to become a person of love, I would be able to thank myself (and only myself) for that. I could pat myself on the back, say "Ya did good, kid," and be proud about what I accomplished. 

But the whole point of conquering self is to destroy pride (and everything that comes along with it). Patience destroys our proud craving for power and control. Self-control destroys our desire to instantly reward ourselves with whatever we want no matter the cost to myself or others.

Don't misunderstand me, I'm not saying there's an issue with working hard to achieve something (like a PhD or sub-4-hour marathon) and feeling proud of your accomplishment... as long as you don't give yourself all the credit. Most of what you used to accomplish your goal was given to you. You didn't choose or control the genes you inherited from your parents or the century in which you were born or your childhood socio-economic class that possibly gave you advantages. But sure, your hard work contributed maybe 10% to your victory, and you can be proud of your effort.

We can work hard to be better people (and we should), but if were all up to me and I could transform my own heart, I would be able to look upon me with pride and say "Look at what I've accomplished."

Which is why God's path to victory is just the opposite. I first have to confess my complete and utter lack of ability to become the person I'm called to be with my own effort. 

When I confess my spiritual bankruptcy and complete loss at being able to transform my heart, then I can look to where the true victory over self come from: Jesus. He says in John 15:5, "Apart from me you can do nothing," and calls me to abide in him.  That's when the real power kicks in:  

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come."

~ 2 Corinthians 5:17

"I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."

~ Galatians 2:20

So let's recap:

1. The greatest victory is conquering our own selfish spirit

2. I cannot conquer my own selfish spirit

3. By abiding in Jesus I can put myself in the place where his power works in me to conquer my selfish spirit

PAUSE and REFLECT:

When you want to be a more loving presence in the world, what's your first go-to move: try harder, or spend more time abiding in Christ? The latter is the correct answer.

Again, I'm not saying we should not try or put in effort. To become a person of love is, in a sense, a victory. And like I mentioned at the top with all victories, it will require we "train, work hard, get stronger, and vanquish our adversary" (our selfish spirit).

The difference is, the power to do this comes from Jesus, not us, and it starts with becoming a new creation: 

" I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws."

~ Ezekiel 36:26-27

When we become a new creation, our effort stops going toward trying to create a new heart in ourselves and starts going toward living out of the new heart God has given us. And when we abide in (remain close to; draw spiritual life, strength, and guidance from; be shaped by) Jesus, his love and power flow to us to help us do this.

So by all means seek to "walk in victory." Just make sure you have the right concept of victory.

~ Nick

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