Self-control.  It is the last of the nine characteristics of spiritual fruit listed in Galations 5:22 and 23, but it certainly is not the least.  Only like beloved is listed starting time and is paramount for a fruitful life, self-command is a necessary component in order to yield to the Holy Spirit's will as He molds and sanctifies our hearts to look like Jesus.

And while information technology is the Holy Spirit who develops this graphic symbol in us, it is in studying self-control that nosotros see a glimpse of how discipleship is also role of God's programme for spiritual growth.

self-control-710228_640

Self-Control: What it is.

By the Bible definition, cocky-control is a Greek describing word, the word sophron: the thought of restraint, putting on the brakes, soundness of mind

Other English words used to interpret the word sophron throughout scripture are temperate, unimposing, and sober.

Proverbs 25:28 says that a man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls.

An Sometime Testament city needed walls to keep the enemy from marching in and taking over.  Self-command is like that wall in our lives.  Without information technology, nosotros are vulnerable to our enemy, Satan'due south attacks, and we are not equipped to make adept decisions throughout life.

How We Acquire Self-Control:

It's pretty obvious equally nosotros await at small children that we're non born with it.  We develop will power as we grow upwards, and we tin recognize areas of forcefulness and weakness.  Will power is not the same as self command.  We're talking about the difference between doing life by our power versus doing life past God'southward power. Self-control is a Gift of God.

"But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self command; against such things there is no police."  Galations 5:22-23

For the grace of has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, preparation usa to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to alive self-controlled upright, and godly lives in the present age." Titus 2:11-12

We are beingness trained by the Holy Spirit through the procedure of sanctification (setting us apart), equally the grace of God allows us to make intentional choices to govern our emotions, desires and habits.

Reflect on your life:

Practice y'all have any recurring sinful habits or areas of bondage in your life?

Are y'all enslaved or fond to annihilation that'due south not holy, healthy or wholesome?

Do you exercise cocky-command:

  • with your tongue and words
  • in your attitude, moods and emotions
  • with your body: nutrient and drink, exercise and slumber?
  • with your time: entertainment, hobbies, habits, and time management
  • in your spending
  • sexually (one Thessalonians 4:3)
  • with computer, internet and social media

Self-control requires exercising faith.  It is believing God'south promises.

In Ephesians one:xvi-19, Paul prayed that we would understand the immeasurable greatness of God's power toward us who believe.

and

2 Peter 1:1-ii tells us that God's divine power has granted to u.s.a. all things that pertain to life and godliness.

These verses tell the states that:

*God's power cannot be measured, and it is live in us who believe and have received the Holy Spirit.

*We have been equipped with everything nosotros demand to avoid sin and live Godly lives.

  • We don't have to sin.
  • We don't accept to beg God for more than will ability.
  • We need to believe God–He has already fabricated us victors.

Satan doesn't want yous and me to believe this.  He wants united states of america to alive every bit defeated, rather than the over-comers Christ has made us.  Our enemy will do everything he can to cause the states to believe our worst fears about ourselves are true.

When my oldest girls were young, we took a lot of swimming lessons at the Y.  The "middles" practiced and practiced, but they never felt confident that they could swim on their own.  For years they spent summers at military camp in the shallow end of the lake, missing out on the fun and games that the older kids had swimming together.

Finally, I enrolled one of them in lessons again.  When the instructors learned how quondam she was, they put her in the highest level grade.  She was scared, only 2 weeks of lessons and she passed all their requirements with flight colors.  How?  Because they forced her to do the muscles she already had.   She had been equipped to swim.  She only lacked religion.

We tin live defeated in the shallow finish and miss out on the plans God has for us, or we can move out in faith, assertive that He has already made us over-comers.

Self Control requires the renewal of our minds through scripture and prayer.

"Exist sober-minded (sober, at-home and collected in spirit); be watchful.  Your adversary the devil prowls around similar a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." 1 Peter five:viii

Jesus said that the devil is the father of lies.  He is an adept at taking a piffling flake of truth, then twisting it into a counterfeit idea and then planting it for us to think on.

In "Battlefield of the Mind,"  Joyce Meyers said that "Christians need to commencement thinking almost what they are thinking about."

"For every bit a man thinks in his centre, and then is he…" Proverbs 23:7

Sin starts as a thought that becomes a belief, then a belief is made manifest in our words and deportment.  From head to heart to hands, so to speak.

In order to brand sound choices and have audio behavior, we demand to have sound thinking.

"So whoever knows the right affair to do and fails to practice information technology, for him it is a sin."  James 4:17

Correct thinking needs to lead to correct living: being able to say yes to the things we should practice and no to the things nosotros should not practise are equally of import.

Some sin is blatant and easy to recognize.  Some sin is less obvious.  We abound up with ideas and habits that are culturally acceptable, even in the church, and if the church building thinks it'due south okay, then nosotros think it'due south okay, often never giving it a 2d idea.  I've been humbled when God has revealed certain things as being less than what He wants for the church building—things I had never given a 2d idea to because it was "normal".

Lets look at our thoughts and our beliefs nether the lite of scripture to discern what is truth and what is not.  Paul tells us how…

"We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the cognition of God, and take every idea captive to obey Christ…" 2 Corinthians 10:five

"Do not be conformed to this world, just be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you lot may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." Romans 12:2

What our Prayers take to practise with Self-Command…

"The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers."

Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth, Interior Design:

"It'southward obvious that audio, clear thinking can help united states of america combat false beliefs and make wise decisions.  But it does more that.  Peter's primary expectation is that audio thinking will result in more praying, and more than sound praying.  Thinking right helps me pray right.  Right thinking helps me see things from God's perspective.  Praying helps me call upon and submit to God in light of that perspective, and to obtain the guidance and power I need to exercise self control in the situation.  Right thinking and prayer are key to winning the battle over destructive habits."

Tempest sky with prayers that suit to God's will, and witness His victorious power at piece of work in your life.  More prayer begets more than fruit, and then on.

Replace Wrong Patterns with Righteous or Virtuous Patterns.

The way of Christ: Ephesians four:22-24

"Put off your old cocky, which belongs to your former style of life and is corrupt through mendacious desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness."

When y'all clean up an area of your life, don't go out it void.  That leaves room for some other bad habit to accept root.  Be deliberate in replacing that behavior with a virtuous ane.

Don't be conformed.  Be transformed.

"Finally, brothers, any is truthful, whatever is honorable, whatever is simply, whatever is pure, whatsoever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if at that place is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.  What y'all have learned and received and heard and seen in me–exercise these things, and the God of peace will be with you." Philippians 4:8-9

The first time I spoke on the topic of self-control, God really used the experience to show me that the areas in my life that gave me the least satisfaction, things that I dreaded doing and tended to procrastinate, were (obviously) the areas in which I lacked the about self-control.  I went through a procedure of repentance, as God revealed these areas to me, and began applying myself to "just do it".  Not only that, but I gave thanks in the procedure.

Tin can't stand doing the mounds of laundry that are inevitable with a large family? Give thanks for the laundry–information technology is a reflection of the souvenir of children that God has bestowed, and someday they will grow upward.

Put off other household chores? Give thanks for the souvenir of a domicile, and enquire God for more than grace to be a adept steward.

Struggle to become the family unit to church on on Sunday morning? Thank God for the privilege of living in a country where you take the freedom to worship openly, and have the back up of the church community in training your family unit in Godliness!

Go the idea?  Nosotros all struggle with dissimilar things, but God is pleased to give us the self-control to overcome our weaknesses, and giving thank you–dwelling house on the practiced, lovely, and excellent– is an amazing gift that renews our thinking.

Learning Through Instruction

Titus 2:ane,three-5 tells us:

"But as for you lot, teach what accords with sound doctrine… Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine.  They are to teach what is practiced, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be cocky controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their ain husbands, that the word of God may non be reviled."

Why does Titus teach us that the older women are to teach the younger women self-command?

  • Self-control requires participation and cooperation with God, and living it out can involve the applied side of learning from experience.  I believe we can learn from one another'due south victories and mistakes.
  • Educational activity tin can make united states more aware of our own need and areas of weakness.  There are areas of weakness we've never thought about, only one time it's on our radar…
  • The church should provide a place of safe accountability and encouragement.

We cannot produce self-control or whatsoever other fruit in our lives.  The fruit we've been studying but comes most as a issue of living in a relationship with Christ.  Charles Stanley talks about how the fruit in our lives will take us by surprise when we practice life with God.  He never intended usa to exercise it lonely.

A heart of cocky-control will bring joy and peace in your life.  Information technology will also aid you lot to make the gospel conceivable to a watching world. ♥

Read other posts about the Fruit of the Spirit.