Our temperamental outlook is altered by thinking, and when God alters the disposition, temperament begins to take its tone from the new disposition. These things are not done suddenly, they are only done gradually, by the stern discipline the life under the teaching of the Spirit of God (Oswald Chamber)

It might be helpful to give something of a definition of these two word, disposition and temperament. Although closely related there are some key differences. Temperament could be described as the emotional traits of a person. These traits can be many. You can be thrifty, angry, sad, funny, sensitive, sensual. standoffish, authoritarian, controlling and so on.. The list is endless. You can be some of these things. Now, disposition is typically the predominant trait. The one trait that rules over all the others. This would ultimately describe your character.

We often use our disposition to excuse our behavior. We will hear it said “that is just the way I am.” It might even be added to by “you can take me or leave me.” Or maybe we are describing our spouse or another “that is just who he is.” Now, while this may fly in the world, it is tragic for the saint. God is after our disposition. Our temperaments are led by our dispositions. When we say “that is just who I am,’ we are, in effect, saying to God “back of, this is my territory.” This far and no further. Do you say that?

Now, as Chambers rightly points out, our dispositions are not changed overnight, but they must be changed. If you have been following Jesus for years and your disposition remains the same, this is definitely a sign of an unruly spirit. A rebellious spirit resists the Spirit of God. This rebellion must be crushed. When the Holy Spirit invades the spirit of a man, He has come to conquer. By stern discipline (we love that, dont we) He will bring us to heel. Time and again our dispositions, our dominant characteristics will be challenged.

The thrifty man will be challenged to relinquish his hold on his money. The angry man will be challenged by countess situations that anger him until his anger is defeated. The sad woman will be encounter joy and life and be drawn into it. The overly sensitive will encounter situations that would make them withdraw until they withdraw no more. The authoritarian will lose his throne, he will cede control. The sensual woman will no longer seek to attract as she is convicted by how she carries herself.

What will they put upon your headstone brothers and sisters? Here lies an angry man? Here lies a sensual woman? The world knows you by your predominant characteristic. This is why the battle for your disposition is so fierce. For when the world sees you it should see Jesus. When it hears you it should hear the words of a transformed man or woman. A man or woman who is under the authority of the Spirit of God. Are you under His authority? Have you said to yourself or others “that is just who I am?” Rebel! You are not saying it to yourself or others, you are saying it to God. And you are saying that there is a huge part of you, in fact your predominant part of you that you will not relinquish.

Brothers and sisters. The saint who has surrendered his or her disposition to the Spirit of God has it replaced by the disposition of Christ Himself. How often we so easily say “He must increase and I must decrease.” This is it, right here is where the battle lies. Will you really decrease? If you do, then the world will see our Lord in you. Have we not been called to be the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved? I guarantee you that if your predominant characteristic is not that of a yielded soul to Christ then there shall be no sweet aroma, only the smell of your sweated flesh.

My prayers are with you saints as you yield to the stern discipline of the Spirit of God in your life. Not a popular subject for sure but it lies at the heart of who we are, who we want to be and what the Lord desires of us. Make it your lives work. You have been empowered to make this happen.