Vincere = Conquer Yourself
Vincere = Conquer in Latin
vincēre
PART ONE OF SIX
We are in a battle. Every day. And our biggest enemy is often the person staring at you when you look in the mirror.
1 Corinthians 9:24-27 says, “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.”
As an athlete must deny himself and practice self-control, so must the believer. After all, self-control is one of the fruit of the Spirit; love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and then self-control. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and gentleness are mostly outward displays, but self-control is inward. The battle against the flesh is very personal.
There is an interpretation of 1 Corinthians 9:27 that says, in effect, “I will buffet my body and make it my slave (compared to, “So I discipline my body and keep it under control”, ESV).” This is the picture I like the best. I will figuratively beat my body into submission and make it my slave. This is an athletic metaphor. You can think of all the toil, discipline, and pain an Olympic athlete endures to win a gold medal.
This week we will be looking at how to conquer ourselves in several areas: our heart, our mind, our tongue, and our actions. If we can conquer ourselves, we can conquer anything. Or better stated, allow ourselves to be conquered by Christ daily; I think this is the real key to self-control.
Just for today, pray about an area of self-control you are having difficulty with. Pray the Lord will help you conquer yourself in this area.
Tune in tomorrow for Part Two..
