To be successful, let the Holy Spirit guide you and establish discipline

【Successful Heavenly Enterprises】Series 8

I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. (Galatians 5:16)

How to bring the Kingdom into your corporate mission? Previously we examined the need for a paradigm shift; talked about living out divine love that honors God and others; and looked at how to discover your Kingdom mission and carry it out honestly and fearlessly in God's way. The topic of this article is discipline—how to do what you need to do to live the abundant life God has given you.

In this series of articles "Success requires finding the right mission in heaven" (Issue 68 of the Housekeeping Section of this magazine), I mentioned two qualities that all successful people need to possess: passion and discipline. I've never heard of anyone being successful who didn't do both. Having mentioned passion in our article on the Kingdom Mission, let’s now turn to the more challenging character trait of discipline.

It’s up to me to decide to do good, but it’s not up to me to do it?

Self-discipline (self-discipline) is a person's ability to control his mind, will, and emotions, which can affect the desired behavior, conduct, and results. Self-discipline is rooted in the soul and is closely related to the ability to make decisions. Our success in life can be traced back to the decisions we make; where we are today is largely determined by the choices we made before. Since making bad decisions is natural, being able to make good decisions every day actually comes down to discipline.

Self-discipline is not easy; but you are not the only one who has trouble establishing it. Judging from the Bible, this kind of struggle actually stems from the ancient battle between the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of darkness. But through the power of Christ and the leading of the Holy Spirit, you can overcome discipline. This is Spirit-led discipline as distinct from self-discipline.

Why is discipline so difficult? This requires first understanding what the Bible calls "flesh." Flesh, the original Greek word sarx, has multiple meanings in the New Testament, and generally refers to the sinful nature of unregenerate people. This word is often used in conjunction with the human soul, especially the mind of the unsaved.

There is a fierce battle within man. Unless you are perfect, like Jesus in every way, there is still flesh in you. When we try to practice self-discipline in mind, body, and life, the flesh/flesh will fight against it. This is why being disciplined on your own has always been an uphill battle.

Discipline in these four areas, time, money, diet, and sex, are the areas where entrepreneurs struggle the most. They are obstacles to living an abundant life, making it impossible to achieve the success you want. If you can mortify the flesh in these four aspects and draw boundaries and restrictions, you will be able to develop well and move your company towards success.

Time: Disciplined entrepreneurs can always accomplish more in 24 hours a day; they value time and have better ROI (Return on Investment) on the time spent.

Money: Disciplined entrepreneurs create and manage budgets to get more and longer-lasting value from the money they spend.

Diet: Disciplined entrepreneurs use food as fuel for their bodies without overdosing it to avoid harming their bodies.

Sex: Disciplined entrepreneurs set boundaries in their relationships to avoid being tempted into sexual immorality, which can lead to relationship and financial catastrophe.

disaster.

result of lack of discipline

Les was a Christian entrepreneur and one of several owners of a small factory. He was good at dealing with people, but his lack of discipline, especially when it came to time and money, hindered his career. He has good morals, is upright, and is guided by the Holy Spirit in many aspects of his life. However, when it comes to the use and management of time and money, he seems to follow his own desires, which leads to disaster like a train derailing.

Rice's problem stemmed partly from unrealistic expectations: He always expected the best. He thought that if he acted by faith, everything would go smoothly and all his wishes would come true. The bills don't arrive all at once; customers always pay on time; inspectors don't raid or look for trouble. In other words, as long as everything goes according to plan, Rice's plan should work. but it is not the truth.

Les never finished a job on time because he always used the most optimistic, distraction-free estimate of how long it would take. For example, he does not consider factors such as traffic jams during peak hours, traffic accidents on the way, the need for refueling, etc., so he is often late for meetings. It is very difficult for him to focus on one thing. I often finish halfway and get distracted to do other things, and it takes a long time before I return to what I originally wanted to do.

Les couldn't save money; no matter how much he had, he felt the need to spend it. He believes that people who are budget-conscious lack financial confidence and view those people as having a "poverty mentality." He believes that "spending money as you earn" is a sign of confidence.

▲If there is a lack of discipline in time management, the work may not be completed as scheduled.

Proper management of any plan in life and business requires good estimation of various resources such as time and money. Wrong estimation will delay the project or even prevent it from being successfully completed. Because of Les's unrealistic expectations, he was very poor at estimating time and money. Worse still, he mistook rashness for walking by faith.

Following the Word of God or following the guidance of the Holy Spirit is faith. To think that God will cover up the mistakes made by acting arbitrarily and make up for the losses caused by mistakes is to be reckless and to tempt God. Les had faith, but he exceeded his faith and became foolish.

This lack of discipline eventually cost him his job. Later, I opened my own construction company, but I still lacked self-discipline, which caused the project to be delayed and the business failed again. Over the next few years, Les worked under some very demanding people, allowing him to learn and practice discipline, and was eventually able to return to his original factory. Now he comes in early and leaves late in order to complete the work in time; he always seeks the advice of several other bosses on time management and spending plans. Rice began to experience the benefits of discipline.

The result of being good at self-discipline

In contrast, Hengli is one of the most disciplined corporate CEOs I have ever encountered. He was disciplined in every aspect, especially in time and money management. Self-discipline allows him to maintain a balance in life with his family even as his business is booming. It may sound like a contradiction, but Hengli's discipline with time and money allows him and his employees to have more fun.

Heng Li grew up in a Christian family, and his father trained him to be disciplined since childhood. After graduating from college, I joined a large company and learned the discipline necessary for career advancement. He has made outstanding achievements in this industry and founded his own company in his early 40s.

When the company was founded, he did his best to serve customers from Fortune 500 companies. He entered the office at 7:00 in the morning and spent an hour walking up and down the aisles, getting to know the various managers and supervisors of the company. He also found that most business leaders either arrive early or leave late in order to get work done. He deliberately arrived early and left late so that executives from these large corporate clients could always find him to discuss matters.

Through active contact with customers, Hengli discovers the problems they encounter and where they can help. He took the initiative and said, "What can I help you with?" He didn't necessarily charge a fee. I have even seen him printing and binding newsletters for customers. His extra services made him popular with customers. These services often bring in new business to his company, earning him considerable consulting fees.

Hengli is also restrained in spending money. It is rare for a CEO like him to control cash flow in every detail. Even though he pays his employees generous wages and benefits that exceed industry standards, he still keeps an eye on every penny coming in and out of his accounts. He spares no effort in employee training and team building, believing that cultivating them to become more valuable employees will be the right investment. He calculated this: the more valuable the employees, the higher consulting fees he can charge clients, and in the end the company's profits will increase.

You might think that highly disciplined business people must be boring. Hengli will blow your mind! He knows how to play, and he also wants his employees to do the same. Monthly team-building activities include bumper car competitions, wine tastings, hiking, golf, sports activities, etc. Some are held after get off work, and many are held during working hours. In other words, when employees participate in these team activities, they cannot charge consulting fees to customers. However, Hengli saw the value of building a team. Not only did he pay for these expensive activities, he sacrificed work hours that could have been billed, and the company also made less money.

As the CEO of the company, Hengli is very passionate about his ideals and is willing to exercise discipline in time and money in order to realize his dreams. He is one of those rare business leaders who possesses both passion and discipline. The discipline of constant force is what is called self-discipline.

Yet there is a kind of discipline that goes beyond self-discipline and allows us to accomplish things we don’t want to do. That is Spirit-led discipline.

Discipline in time and money allows business leaders to invest in employee training and team building.

Spirit-led discipline

In order for us to abide in Him and He to abide in us, God gives the Holy Spirit to live in us. The Holy Spirit is called the "Paraclete", who leads, guides, protects, and reminds us of everything the Lord Jesus taught. Christians never walk alone, but are closely connected with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, taking adventures and adventures, as the book of Romans says:「For as many as are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God."

What does being led by the Spirit have to do with discipline? It's the same paradigm shift. For those who do not have a heavenly model, God is outside of them; they need to rely on willpower to produce self-regulation in body, mind, and behavior. Once guided by the Holy Spirit and the will surrendered to God's will, He empowers the mind to do what He wants us to do, which is what Philippians says:“For it is God who works in you to will and to do of His good pleasure.”

The Holy Spirit gives us the grace of discipline. We need to seek His will and obey Him in everything He wants us to do. This is not easy, especially for new Christians who are used to doing things their own way. Die daily to your flesh, learn to yield to the tender touches of God, and you will find His yoke easy and His burden light. He gives us grace so that we are willing and able to do what He wants; He gives us grace so that we can do things that are difficult to do with our own discipline alone. This is my personal experience.

About 25 years ago, I suffered from excessive drinking. I drank 20 ounces (about 600 ml, a bottle of wine is usually 750 ml) of gin every day, and sometimes even drank an entire bottle. It was the so-called " A "functioning drunk" refers to someone who is addicted to alcohol but can still perform the tasks of life and work. I am usually the first one to arrive at the company in the morning. The efficiency and quality of my work are the same as those of non-drinkers. I also teach children’s Sunday school. Most people who know me have no idea I have this problem. I was like a secret agent, living a two-faced life.

I told myself countless times to stop drinking altogether or to strictly limit the amount of alcohol I drank. However, no matter how much we try to rely on self-discipline, we still fail. This is the so-called "spirit is willing, but the body is weak." If I had true self-discipline, I would not end up drinking too much; self-control cannot help me overcome my addiction.

Until one day, I completely handed this matter over to the Lord and begged Him to give me the grace to completely break away from the control of alcohol. I vowed never to touch a drop of wine again, and I asked Him to give me the grace to keep my promise. In answer to prayer, He gave me the grace to break free from the grip of alcohol, and the desire to drink left me.

For the next six months, I was still surrounded by alcohol and good drinkers, but I was no longer tempted. I didn’t go to any sober meetings or go to therapy, and I might even have broken the rules that all sober alcoholics have to follow. I was able to do it simply because God miraculously delivered me from my addiction to alcohol. Victory lies not in self-control but in the power of Christ.

Twenty-five years later, my salvation from alcohol addiction is truly a miracle. Many people who struggle with addiction ask how, and I answer: by God’s grace alone. I have no merit at all, and self-control has nothing to do with addiction recovery. I tried, and self-control didn't get me through. Until I reached the end of my rope and realized that I could only rely completely on God and His grace. His grace allowed me to stay away from alcohol.

Paul admitted:"For this matter, I asked the Lord three times to take away this thorn from me. He said to me: 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore, I like to boast even more. I take comfort in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest on me. For Christ’s sake I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and hardships; for when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:8-10)

Your weakness may not be alcoholism, but what is it that you're trying to get rid of that you can't overcome with self-control alone? Perhaps this is the time to "boast in weakness" and hand it over to the Lord Jesus. Ask Him for the grace to crucify the flesh, to subdue that part of the will that has not yet died to Christ, and let Him give you victory in this matter. We do not know the full power of Christ in our lives until we are cornered and discover that we must rely entirely on Him to overcome.

do not give up! God will be your backer and help you overcome the struggles and difficulties that hinder your success. Remember, God’s grace is greater than any challenge; He will give you the will to overcome and the grace to succeed.

There is no successful person in the world who does not have a lot of passion and discipline. But the difference between believers and unbelievers is that we can be disciplined and not rely on our own will. Our lives have the power of Christ, as 1 John says: “This is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith.”

In the next article, let us reflect on the fact that the most powerful tool that can bring the Kingdom of Heaven to earth should be the primary weapon in battle, but is often used as a last resort.

That, is the power of prayer.

AJF (Jeff Ahern), a former naval officer, has provided consulting services on management and business process improvement for Fortune 500 companies and government departments for more than 20 years; he is the author of "Kingdom Business Success" (Chinese temporary translation). Co-founder of Sozo Services, a spiritual consulting firm that assists corporate leaders in achieving personal and corporate goals using Bible-based, Holy Spirit-guided solutions.