Several years ago, the Lord hit me with a verse. I was busy doing all the things the Lord had asked me to do. I was quite productive in every way. However, there were a few things off in my life that I did not recognize until he hit me with today's verse.
But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified. 1 Corinthians 9:27
I have always been a pray-er, fast-er, Bible reader. I had always been faithful to serving others and serving the Lord to the best of my knowledge. However, I had put on weight. Everyone has a weight that is good for them, as long as you are healthy, you are good. For me, I was getting unhealthy, my blood pressure, and cholesterol was rising, but what was worse as I traveled the world, I was beginning to feel like my weight was being a bad witness of Christ. For me, my weight had begun to disqualify my witness.
Paul is talking about bringing every fleshly desire under control. Anger, greed, gluttony, fear, insecurity, all of these things and more that the flesh so desires. When Paul is writing "disqualified," it means that or discredited, disapproved, dishonored, shamed, set aside.
Demas was a disciple and friend of Paul and Luke. We find him having traveled with them on part of their journey, in the book of Colossians. However, in 2 Timothy 4:10, we find he was disqualified, he left the faith because he didn't want to lose his reputation or fear. It is dangerous for us to assume because God used us at one time that because we may be used by Him now that we are still someone powerful in the Kingdom.
Most falls of men and women of God are because they could not control their flesh. My being overweight was not some major downfall. It just showed me that I was lazy in one area, and it could have easily followed through in others. I needed to bring my flesh under subjection to Christ.
It doesn't take blatant sin to start us down the road to being disqualified as ministers of the Gospel (if you are a Christian, you are a minister of the Gospel). A little pride, anger, greed, gluttony, insecurity,(you can find a nice list in Galatians 5:19-21) can easily start you down a road to disqualification.
There is hope. Be filled with the Spirit. He not only will protect you from the flesh overrunning your life but will cause growth, life, freedom. For me, I'm 38 pounds lighter, have more energy and strength, and a certain freedom I hadn't realized I had lost. Whatever is trying to disqualify you, ask the Lord to show you. Then ask Him to show you how to overcome...you will win!
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