“From the Heart” teaching by Drs. Rodney & Adonica Howard-Browne.
Hebrews 12:11 AMP says, “For the time being no discipline brings joy, but seems grievous and painful; but afterwards it yields a peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”
Discipline – consisting of instruction, training, and correction – is not pleasant at the time it is being administered, but it produces righteousness in the person being disciplined and ultimately it produces peace. If you value and desire the fruit of righteousness and peace in your life, you must submit to God’s discipline – through His Word and His Spirit.
My son, do not despise or shrink from the chastening of the Lord [His correction by punishment or by subjection to suffering or trial]; neither be weary of or impatient about or loathe or abhor His reproof, 12 For whom the Lord loves He corrects, even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights.
Proverbs 3:11-12 AMP
The dictionary meaning of chastening or chastisement is: to discipline; punish; humble; purify; simplify; to correct by punishment or reproof; to take to task; to restrain, to subdue; to rid of excess; refine. Chastening or chastisement is an infliction of punishment, usually in the form of a whipping or a beating. In the Bible, the term chastisement usually refers to punishment or discipline inflicted by God for the purpose of education, instruction, and training and corrective guidance and discipline. Chastisement, discipline and correction are not done for the benefit of the Father, but for the benefit of the child – to quench the will and desires of the flesh, and to bring them under control, and bring forth and release the fruit of the Spirit.
David was a wise man – a man after God’s own heart – and he passed that wisdom on to Solomon. David’s wisdom came from God’s Word as he spent time in God’s Word; as he submitted himself to it; as he applied it to his life. Don’t shrink from the Lord’s chastening; don’t avoid God’s correction and discipline; don’t get tired of, or impatient with, or despise, God’s reproof. Remember that God only corrects those He loves.
Those whom I [dearly and tenderly] love, I tell their faults and convict and convince and reprove and chasten [I discipline and instruct them]. So be enthusiastic and in earnest and burning with zeal and repent [changing your mind and attitude]. Revelation 3:19 AMP
God corrects us for our good. We should love, welcome, and embrace His discipline; being willing and eager to repent; burning with zeal to be like Him – to be pure as He is pure. We must be hungry for righteousness. We must be enthusiastic about getting right with God, having clean hands and a pure heart. When the Lord corrects us, we should not be petulant or defensive; we should not pout or try to justify our actions. We should rather welcome the positive input, cheerfully make the corrections in our attitude and our life, and be grateful that we have received the truth because we know that all of it is for our good and benefit!
Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man whom You discipline and instruct, O Lord, and teach out of Your law, 13 That You may give him power to keep himself calm in the days of adversity, until the [inevitable] pit of corruption is dug for the wicked. Psalms 94:12-13 AMP
For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control. 2 Timothy 1:7 AMP
The person on the receiving end of God’s discipline and instruction is a blessed person. God’s discipline and instruction gives you the power to keep calm when everything goes wrong around you. God blesses us with a Spirit of power, of love, of a calm and well-balanced mind, discipline, and self-control. As we receive God’s discipline, we grow and learn and our senses and mental faculties become trained by practice to discriminate and distinguish between what is good and evil (Hebrews 5:14). God disciplines us and trains us, bringing us to a place of self-discipline. Discipline should come from within and, until it does, it must come from without. Outer boundaries must be in effect until inner boundaries are properly established. Immature people need outer boundaries; mature people have developed appropriate and effective inner boundaries.
For if we searchingly examined ourselves [detecting our shortcomings and recognizing our own condition], we should not be judged and penalty decreed [by the divine judgment]. 32 But when we [fall short and] are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined and chastened, so that we may not [finally] be condemned [to eternal punishment along] with the world. 1 Corinthians 11:31-32 AMP
We must humble ourselves, search our own heart and judge ourselves and, then when we fall short, we must welcome God’s discipline and yield to it. The Lord wants to have the opportunity to burn with His holy fire through us, burning up sin and rebellion and every ungodly presence and force. He wants us to have His fire now so we don’t have to burn with hell’s fire later. God’s judgment and chastisements, here on earth, are a much better option than eternal judgment. You do not want to be judged and punished with the world! God has no desire to condemn you or judge you – He only desires to pour his mercy out on you (John 3:17-18). By respecting and submitting to His authority, you give Him that privilege and opportunity.