Spiritual composure

Panic always has something of the devil in it. The devil uses it to throw us out of balance. You have probably noticed that our reaction of panicking causes us double trouble. Negative circumstances of financial handicap, business failure, marital strife, painful loss and delayed breakthroughs can be handled properly and profitably if we remain sober and composed. If we remain steadfast in faith trusting in God who works in all things for our good, He will turn our tests into powerful testimonies and our mess into encouraging messages.       
One of the major characteristics of a spiritually mature Christian is spiritual composure. If you are a Christian but you are soon shaken in mind or troubled in heart by every slight change in your circumstances, then you are still a spiritual baby. And you are very vulnerable to satanic influence.
As children of God we need to know that the greater part of Satan’s work involves influencing our natural circumstances so as to throw us into panic and confusion. 1 Peter 5:8 says, “your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.”  In the natural, a lion roars to instil fear and confusion in its prey. Once the prey is filled with fear, it becomes an easy prey. As in the natural, so is in the spiritual.
Satan, like a lion, orchestrates and influences our natural situations in such a way that problems are magnified and solutions are hidden. His chief aim is to make us panic, lose control and cause us to make unwise and foolish decisions that place us out of the circles of divine blessings and protection. But we can resist him by remaining sober and vigilant.
Spiritual composure refers to calmness in one’s spirit. Just as a steady and unworried state of mind is a desirable factor in solving natural problems, so is a calm spirit in resolving spiritual conflicts. If you learn to remain untroubled and unperturbed in negative circumstances, they will lose their sting. It was Kenneth Copeland who got the revelation that Satan works in our natural circumstances to harass us. He therefore gave the solution that we should learn to keep our eyes off of circumstances and on Jesus Christ. He argued that when we successfully do that we overcome one of Satan’s most potent weapons – evil influence. Satan’s attacks are fierce, swift and sudden. They are designed that way to unsettle us.
 Has it ever occurred to you, you are at work and all of a sudden you receive a call informing you that your child has fallen unconscious at school? Or you are relaxing at home and a text message rings on your cell phone. You check the message and it reads, “Your employment contract has been terminated.” On hearing these things you are moved with fear. You wonder what under the sun has happened to your child. Or what wrong you have done against your employer. After frenzied investigations you find out eventually that the messages were sent to you by mistake. You will be relieved but the words you said and the actions you took in your reactions might have already opened a door to the devil.
 The devil would have used those messages to instil fear in you and to cause you to say and do things that may be difficult to reverse. Ephesians 4:27 reads, “Neither give place to the devil.”  Just as uncontrollable anger gives place to the devil, fear does the same. Job 3:25 says, “For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.” Do you want to know who brings your fear to pass? It is none other than the devil. Satan brings our fear to pass but God brings our faith to pass. Fear is demonstrated through panic. But faith is shown by spiritual composure in the midst of negative situations.
Spiritual composure is not easy to attain. It does not come to you at the born-again experience. It is attained through a rigorous discipline to stay focused on Jesus Christ no matter what happens. Focusing on Christ involves many things: seeing all things through the grid of God’s goodness (Romans 8:28), hearing and doing God’s word (Matthew 7:24,25), pursuing your call or divine assignment without diverting to other things (Acts 20:24), and being prepared to see our earthly afflictions as a crucible for our character transformation (2 Corithians 4:17).
With spiritual composure, you can boldly declare together with Paul that none of the negative situations of life can move you. Such a calibre of Christians is rare these days, with many pursing prophecies and miracles leaving no time to get grounded in the truth of God’s word. And that explains why we are spiritual babies and victims of circumstances.
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