Dominate Your Space
Control your aggression; dominate your space.Every Navy SEAL learns and hones these skills during CQD – CloseQuarters Defense training. SEALs learn that aggression has its place ina fight, but it has to be channeled and, when appropriate, restrained.By the end of SEAL candidate’s first day of CQD training, he and hisclass go into Box Drills. In a four-by-eight rectangle taped to themat, two students enter the small arena with only thin leather glovesand a padded helmet to protect their faces. The drill is to drive theiropponent from the rectangle using the head strikes they have beentaught to deliver from their power point stance.
SEALs are learning that it is their duty and responsibility of everywarrior to manage aggression and be responsible for the power heprojects. CQD is not hand-to-hand fighting, nor is it, of itself,self-defense training. It is all about dominating your space andfighting to win a tactical fight. During the war in Iraq, SEALs boardedan Iraqi freighter in international waters that was streaming at fullspeed for Iranian territorial waters. The ship was suspected ofcarrying contraband. The hatches to the bridge were welded shut so theSEALs had to come in through the pilothouse windows. The first man ontothe pilothouse was a young SEAL officer, and because of the windowentry, he was armed only with a pistol.
Suddenly he was confronted by four Iraqis who refused to surrender andraise their hands. It was four to one. The young SEAL dropped to aspring-stance and advanced. Knowing he must quickly dominate his space,he dropped one Iraqi with a muzzle strike from his pistol and anotherwith a well-placed hand strike. The other two speedily got their handsup. His CDQ training allowed him to control his space usingless-than-lethal methods. CQD saved his life… as well as the lives offour Iraqi sailors. (Information taken from The Finishing School, by Dick Couch).
What does it mean for a believer to “control aggression,” or “dominatehis space?” I think the connection is made through understandingpatience. Have you ever heard, “Patience is a virtue?” Sure, we allhave, but it’s not true. Patience is not a human quality or a goodcharacter trait; patience is the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22).I especially like the way Jesus uses “patience” in Luke 21:19. Aftertalking to His disciples about the wars, natural disasters, peril andhuman distress of the last days Jesus seems to comfort His followers bysaying, “But be patient.” Well, those aren’t His exact words, but ifyou think patience is a virtue they seem about that helpful. What Jesusactually says is, “But by your patience possess your souls” (New King James Version).I think the secret is in the word, “Possess.” Essentially, what Jesusis saying is, take possession of your souls. Take possession – Patienceis not passive. Patience is power.
From Jesus’ words in Luke, here’s my definition: Patience is the powerto control your own mind, your own will and your own emotions in themidst of any situation. I think this is what controlling youraggression and dominating your space is all about. Have you ever “lostit?” Emotionally…? Or in your thought life? If it ever happens, it hasa degenerative effect on everyone around you. I’ve caught myselfsnapping at my wife or my kids because of some battle I’m losing withmy own thoughts. My failure to possess my soul – dominate my space –ruins their day. I don’t want to make this sound like an effort of mypower or ability, though. Remember, patience is the fruit of theSpirit. Dominating your space is about yielding more and more ofyourself (your soul) to the Holy Spirit’s leadership.
How do we do that? What can we do to submit more of our own soulishpersonality to the fruit of the Spirit? Well, I’ll contribute a fewideas, but I’d like to hear your’s too.
Peace.
SJB
SEALs are learning that it is their duty and responsibility of everywarrior to manage aggression and be responsible for the power heprojects. CQD is not hand-to-hand fighting, nor is it, of itself,self-defense training. It is all about dominating your space andfighting to win a tactical fight. During the war in Iraq, SEALs boardedan Iraqi freighter in international waters that was streaming at fullspeed for Iranian territorial waters. The ship was suspected ofcarrying contraband. The hatches to the bridge were welded shut so theSEALs had to come in through the pilothouse windows. The first man ontothe pilothouse was a young SEAL officer, and because of the windowentry, he was armed only with a pistol.
Suddenly he was confronted by four Iraqis who refused to surrender andraise their hands. It was four to one. The young SEAL dropped to aspring-stance and advanced. Knowing he must quickly dominate his space,he dropped one Iraqi with a muzzle strike from his pistol and anotherwith a well-placed hand strike. The other two speedily got their handsup. His CDQ training allowed him to control his space usingless-than-lethal methods. CQD saved his life… as well as the lives offour Iraqi sailors. (Information taken from The Finishing School, by Dick Couch).
What does it mean for a believer to “control aggression,” or “dominatehis space?” I think the connection is made through understandingpatience. Have you ever heard, “Patience is a virtue?” Sure, we allhave, but it’s not true. Patience is not a human quality or a goodcharacter trait; patience is the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22).I especially like the way Jesus uses “patience” in Luke 21:19. Aftertalking to His disciples about the wars, natural disasters, peril andhuman distress of the last days Jesus seems to comfort His followers bysaying, “But be patient.” Well, those aren’t His exact words, but ifyou think patience is a virtue they seem about that helpful. What Jesusactually says is, “But by your patience possess your souls” (New King James Version).I think the secret is in the word, “Possess.” Essentially, what Jesusis saying is, take possession of your souls. Take possession – Patienceis not passive. Patience is power.
From Jesus’ words in Luke, here’s my definition: Patience is the powerto control your own mind, your own will and your own emotions in themidst of any situation. I think this is what controlling youraggression and dominating your space is all about. Have you ever “lostit?” Emotionally…? Or in your thought life? If it ever happens, it hasa degenerative effect on everyone around you. I’ve caught myselfsnapping at my wife or my kids because of some battle I’m losing withmy own thoughts. My failure to possess my soul – dominate my space –ruins their day. I don’t want to make this sound like an effort of mypower or ability, though. Remember, patience is the fruit of theSpirit. Dominating your space is about yielding more and more ofyourself (your soul) to the Holy Spirit’s leadership.
How do we do that? What can we do to submit more of our own soulishpersonality to the fruit of the Spirit? Well, I’ll contribute a fewideas, but I’d like to hear your’s too.
1. Private, daily worship – This is the top of the list. There’s nothing better you can do.Let’s add to the list.
2. Meditate in the Word – Reading it is not nearly as important as assimilating it. Meditation is the way you make it your own.
3. Serve people –Anyone and everyone. I’m half tempted to put this one at the top onlybecause its importance can’t be understated. Nothing can force you toget out of the way of the Jesus that is within you more than humbleservice. It is the absolute heart of who we are.
Peace.
SJB
Scott Bane
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You are extremely sick and you literally feel like you are going to die. In your mind you have even told yourself "You're not going to make it." But one day, your strength returns. The next week you have some vigor and vitality in your step. Soon thereafter you are well and healed. But five years later the sickness returns and it tells you once again "You're going to die." This time though you are able to say "I beat this once before and I'll beat it again." Soon the thoughts submit and dissappear. Patience has worked itself into your life. You no longer buy stock in the unbelief, instead you believe "By Your stripes I am healed - and I know this because I have witnessed it first hand!"
On a real primal level you will one day wake up and realize that even after everything life and the devil has thrown your way, you are still alive and that nothing can seperate you from the love of God.
Patience is a fruit that your soul will be satisfied from when you let it have its perfect work in you.
For me, the greatest help has been meditation. The problem has been (for me) I guess, an identity crisis. The Lord gave me 3 questions to continually answer every day: Who am I ? Where did I come from? and Where am I going? These have really helped me to assimilate my Father's character in me and continually renew my mind in areas. It has truly been the little foxes that have spoiled the vine in my case.
In the book "Life without Fear" by Mike Fehlauer (who is now a pastor in Texas), Mike shares something very important concerning "losing it". He says that there are basically 2 things that make us angry. 1) We perceive an attack against our significance and 2) (the big one for me) We feel that we are losing control. He says that anger has to attatch itself to something, and it attatches itself to fear.
As petty as this sounds for me, it's been a realization that I do NOT live in a perfect world. Things DO go wrong- EVERY DAY. That's OK. God can work THRU them. He has done it from the very get go. When Adam and Eve sinned, He didn't say " OK people!!! Time out!! Everyone get BACK in your places - this is NOT the way this was supposed to go. Annnnnd, take 2!" No, He worked right THROUGH it - I believe just to show that He IS God. He prepares a table before us in the PRESENCE of our enemies. We need to place the true value on Who we are, Who's we are... and as Eph 5:1 says- Be imitators of God. As we refuse to get angry right away,(allowing our emotions to run wild and over-ride our spirit), we'll begin to gain victory over it.