In our continuing study of spiritual self-esteem we left off last time with the principle that spiritual self-esteem must have virtue and integrity to avoid arrogance. Since the environment of spiritual self- esteem is virtue-love, virtue-love produces the integrity for the function of spiritual self-esteem.

Spiritual self-esteem resolves the problem of arrogance through combining spiritual self-esteem with providential preventative suffering, 2Cor 12:7-10.

The arrogance that results from failure to pass providential preventative suffering is the great vulnerability area in the spiritual life. Phil 3:15; 1Cor 10:12; Rom 12:2-3; Prov 16:18; Prov 11:2; Phil 2:15;

The recovery mechanics of spiritual self-esteem start with identifying the problem. This means identifying any personal sin in your life and then applying the rebound technique in the privacy of your priesthood.

Then, as a result of having recovered the filling of the Spirit, you deal with your problems on the basis of the metabolized doctrine that is circulating in your stream of consciousness along with the application of any of the problem solving devices that you understand and can use.

You make good decisions from a position of strength by objectively collecting all of the facts related to your problem and then focus your thinking on the doctrines that address the problem.

And you persist in making good decisions from a position of strength until the problem is solved or the Lord has removed the circumstances that cause the problem.

You keep moving forward in your spiritual life and never allow your past failures to hinder your spiritual advance. On the basis of humility, you take the mechanics of the problem solving devices and use your spiritual strength from doctrine under the mentorship of God the Holy Spirit to execute the solution.

If you do not have the spiritual strength that is necessary, there is the additional challenge to keep on taking in Bible doctrine and avoid distractions that keep you from consistent post-salvation renovation of the thinking from God's Word.

Believers must also learn to distinguish between suffering caused by divine discipline and suffering caused for blessing and always take the responsibility for and acknowledge sins and failures.

Spiritual self-esteem demands that you recognize the use of your own volition related to sins, flaws, and failures and then identify your sins so you can keep moving under the filling of the Spirit.

Since advance in the spiritual life always involves undeserved suffering for blessing in three stages. Believers must learn to identify testing and suffering for blessing, and connect it to the appropriate problem solving devices so they do not become discouraged. 2Cor 4:16-18;

Spiritual self-esteem plus providential preventative suffering equals advance to spiritual autonomy. Spiritual autonomy plus momentum testing equals the advance to spiritual maturity and spiritual maturity plus evidence testing equals glorification of God to the maximum.

Remember that the four categories of providential preventative suffering and momentum testing are people testing, system testing, thought testing, and disaster testing.

Never resent suffering in any category because in God's plan there is always a reason for suffering that will ultimately result in our benefit if we remain humble and wait on God for deliverance. 1Pet 5:6;

If you resent suffering, you have failed in the spiritual life because suffering is designed for your alertness and advance in the spiritual life. If you resent suffering the benefit from it is lost because of arrogance. Rom 5:3-5;