Self Control

Introduction

Do you have everything under control? I mean everything within you – do you all of you in control? Let me just get real serious, real quick here: what is the one item in your life you have trouble controlling? Do you have total self-control in the area of food? Drink? Sex? Your tongue? Today, I want to talk about the last characteristic of the fruit of the Spirit – self control. You’ll need more power than just willpower in your life to control you. You’ll need God’s power.

These nine virtues are the real signs the Spirit is in and with you. This is a series devoted to advocating living life with the fruit of the Spirit. Think of the fruit of the Spirit as signs to tell outsiders that you are followers of Christ.

Galatians 5:16–26 NKJV

I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

I want to show you one of the truly one of the most potent things to Christianity is that the ability to control your addictions. Person after person tells us that coming to know Christ was the moment when they were at peace with themselves. There are really two halves to today’s message. First, I want to speak on the importance and need for growth in a believer’s life, and second is the importance of self-control. Knowing that this is the last in message in this series, I want to impress upon you the importance and need for spiritual growth in your life.

You’re Saved to Produce Fruit

You cannot claim to be a Christ-follower if none of the fruit of the Spirit is evident over your lifetime. God’s Word says the heart must be changed if the heart is to be saved. Think of yourself as this bent rod. The Spirit of God is like a little flame torch that goes right at that bent section of your spirit so slowly that it softens. Gradually, it softens, and slowly, the bar of your nature can be put back straight. In fact, one of the ways to think about Christianity is a kind of cosmic orthodontics. Ortho means “straight.” God comes to make your life straight.

Self-control is the last of Paul’s characteristics regarding the fruit of the Spirit. Self-control comes in many forms, from saying no to the milkshake you so desperately want to say yes to sexual purity. Yet, self-control is anything but easy. Socrates considered the virtue of self-control as a cardinal virtue, and Aristotle included a significant section on self-control in his work Ethics.

We’re Out of Control Without Christ

Have you ever had a recurring nightmare, and no matter how many times you have it you seem helpless to change or control anything?

My daytime nightmare is that we are equally out of control.

You need to know that every Christian has two natures: the flesh (sinful nature) and the Spirit.

But you live in a warzone between your sinful nature (aka “the flesh”) and the Spirit:

Galatians 5:17 NKJV

For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.

We need to remember that before your conversion, you were fighting against God – this is what I’m calling your first fight.

You must lose the first fight and let God win. Some of you are still fighting this fight this morning.

After your conversion begins your second fight.

The real struggle begins when you become a believer. Rather than fighting God, God is now fighting against the evil in you.

Some of you say, “I feel more sinful now that I am a believer. Life wasn’t this hard before.” An entirely new conflict happens when you become a Christian. For many of you, life is more challenging right after you become a believer in Christ. You feel guilty all the time, and your conscience troubles you now.

Remember: the closer you get to the light, the more you see the dirt. But the fight is worth it, for look for a moment at the problem Americans have with addictions. We look manicured on the outside but are a wild mess on the inside.

Addictions

There are eating disorders. Every day Americans eat …

• 100 acres of pizza

• 53 million hot dogs

• 3 million gallons of ice cream

• 300 tons of candy.

It is estimated that the average American consumed the sugar content of one coke every five days in 1822. Fast-forward nearly 200 years later, and the average American consumes an average of 17 cokes every five days. Still, 101 million adults are on a diet, and we spend $2 million daily on exercise equipment. But we have drug, gambling, and smut addictions. A recent Gallup poll shows more than 33 million adult marijuana users in the US. If marijuana users resided in one state, they would be more significant than Texas and second only to California in population. Sadly, Americans spend more than $30 million daily on pornography. Teens and young adults recently surveyed said it was worse to not recycle (56 percent) than to look at pornography (32 percent).

Chris’ story has become more common in our country recently. Chris’ mom has eight children with three dads. The promiscuity she ignored in her youth caught up with her when she was ready to be responsible. Her children wanted to connect with their fathers as they grew older. Unfortunately, if she is honest, she cannot be completely clear on the identity of her son, Chris’ dad. Chris was at a loss because he wasn’t certain who his father was. Yes, something inside of us cries out for control.

Emotions

We are emotionally out of control. Our schoolyards have become shooting fields, and our highways have become battlegrounds. We can hear the voice in our heads say, “Get control of yourself.”

Finances

We are financially out of control. Americans are among the most indebted people on earth. Our nation’s credit card debt dwarfs the gross national product of many small countries. Many Americans are like professional golfer Doug Sanders, who once said, “I’m working as hard as I can get my life and my cash to run out at the same time. If I can die right after lunch on Tuesday, everything will be fine.”

We’re Out of Control

The Power of Self Control

Galatians 5:22–23 NKJV

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

Notice that the end of the list of the fruits of the Spirit is “self-control.” Return to verses 19-21, where a catalogue of vice exists. And notice the last two listed there in verse 21: “… drunkenness, orgies, and things like these.” (Galatians 5:21b). These last two are examples of wild living – “drunkenness, orgies” and they are in direct contrast to “self-control” at the end of Fruit of the Spirit.

A Biblical Survey

A quick survey of the Bible teaches us the importance of self-control for each of us. The apostle disciplines his body to “keep it under control” (1 Corinthians 9:25–27).

1 Corinthians 9:25–27 NKJV

And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.

It means not being “slaves to much wine” (Titus 2:3–5)

Titus 2:3–5 NKJV

the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things— that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.

“Self-control” is one of the things we are told to look for when searching for church leadership (1 Timothy 3:2; Titus 1:8).

And the language of self-control often has sexual overtones. Paul instructs Christians to “abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust” (1 Thessalonians 4:3–5).

Speaking to women in 1 Timothy 2:9, self-control relates to modesty and how a woman presents herself.

And 1 Corinthians 7 presumes some lack of self-control in married adults that might give Satan some foothold were they to unnecessarily deprive their spouse sexually for an extended time (1 Corinthians 7:5).

God has given some the calling of singleness and with it, “having his desire under control” (1 Corinthians 7:37).

While others “burn with passion” and find it better to marry (1 Corinthians 7:9).

The words such as “If it feels good do it” and “Whatever turns you on” are enemies to the really good life. And then there’s a powerful picture from Proverbs: “A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls” (Proverbs 25:28).

In biblical times, a city without walls was unthinkable. Anyone could take the city at will, guaranteeing suffering for the entire community. Only strong walls could bring a peaceful night’s sleep. Just like a city without walls is someone without self-control. Our hearts need a wall to keep the marauders out.

You see, if resentment is watered, it can become murder. And if envy is watered, it can become paranoia. And rationalizing can soon become lying. Envy can grow overnight to become robbery. And lust can become adultery. What you need is a wall around us to keep out the marauders who can come in. Because, you see, those of us who tend to be resentful, there are aggravating people out there. And for those of us who tend to be greedy, there is a lot of money out there. We need a wall around us to protect our hearts. The importance of self-control

Self-Control Is Built on Spiritual Dependence

Galatians 5:24–25 NKJV

And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

How do I keep in step with the Spirit? At least two steps to self-control…

Think Biblically

The road to self-control is paved with clear, intentional thinking.

The book of Proverbs speaks of the forbidden woman:

Proverbs 5:6 NKJV

Lest you ponder her path of life— Her ways are unstable; You do not know them.

Self-control begins with sharp, biblical thinking. The forbidden woman doesn’t think before she acts. You must think before you act. And you must think biblically. Self-control begins with sharp, biblical thinking.

Partner with the Spirit

The people at Alcoholics Anonymous speak of certain people as “the dry drunk.” Here is someone who has reformed themselves in the sense that they are sober, but the demons that drove them to drink continue to be their masters.

The truth is when you drive out one master, you replace it with another.

Moral reformation means you clean up your life.

You tidy your life up.

You make yourself decent, but you don’t put Jesus at the center of your life.

If you drive out one master, others will rush in to take its place.

You must find a master that doesn’t enslave you without care or compassion.

We do not follow in our strength. Instead, we are led by His power.

As a wind drives the sailboat, so the Spirit leads your life. The Spirit is not a leader like a pace car in the “Daytona 500.” Instead, He is a leader like a locomotive on a train.

You’ll need more power than just willpower in your life. You’ll need God’s power.