I love the declaration in I Corinthians 6:12: “I will not be mastered by anything.” It’s a spiritual declaration of independence.
The word “mastered” comes from the Greek root exousia which is often translated “power” but it’s very different than dunamis. Dunamis is the ability to do things beyond your ability. It’s supernatural ability. Exousia is the ability to NOT do what you have the ability to do. It’s willpower. And it’s the way we keep our desires from dictating our decisions. It’s the way we maintain self-control, self-discipline. It’s the way we insure that we are controlled by the Spirit of God alone.
I think one key to exercising exousia is the spiritual discipline of fasting. If you can say “no” to food then it’s easier to say “no” to other desires. That single discipline will help cultivate other spiritual and physical disciplines. In my experience, physical and spiritual disciplines are NOT unrelated. One feeds the other. And ultimately, those disciplines will become holy desires.
The word “mastered” comes from the Greek root exousia which is often translated “power” but it’s very different than dunamis. Dunamis is the ability to do things beyond your ability. It’s supernatural ability. Exousia is the ability to NOT do what you have the ability to do. It’s willpower. And it’s the way we keep our desires from dictating our decisions. It’s the way we maintain self-control, self-discipline. It’s the way we insure that we are controlled by the Spirit of God alone.
I think one key to exercising exousia is the spiritual discipline of fasting. If you can say “no” to food then it’s easier to say “no” to other desires. That single discipline will help cultivate other spiritual and physical disciplines. In my experience, physical and spiritual disciplines are NOT unrelated. One feeds the other. And ultimately, those disciplines will become holy desires.
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