Self-Control

INTRODUCTION

Galatians 5:22–23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is….love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”

Tonight we are going to talk about self-control

ἐγκράτεια comes from ἐγκράτ which means power or lordship

Self control is having power or lordship over oneself.

QUESTION: What do you think it means to have power over oneself?

It is to have the ability to command and lead our fleshly desires rather than our desires commanding and leading us.

Ex: When the temptation to gossip presents itself. There is some hot news you have just heard about someone and ir is really good stuff. You find yourself with a close friend or relative and the flesh says, “tell them, they’ll love it!” But you know that it is wrong to gossip. When you have self-control you take the command of the flesh and not allow it to sin.

Too many believers live lives that are without any restraint. I don’t know if its because we forgotten that we are called to be holy and set apart, or we just have gotten into the habit of fulfilling the desires of flesh. But this is call to us to make self-control a priority on our lives.

Self-control should characterize every person who claims the name of Jesus over their life. And it should be evident by our day to day decisions.

1) THE DESIRES OF THE FLESH

Galatians 5:19–21 “Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

sexual immorality: any kind of sexual union outside of marriage

impurity: anything which is filthy or dirty in a moral sense. Telling dirty jokes, looking at things or reading things that are immoral and filthy. Entertaining filthy thoughts.

sensuality: This means living by the senses. A lack of restraint. Doing anything that makes us feel good. Laziness, overeating, overworking, comfort (not willing to stay in a difficult season God has put us in)

idolatry: anything we put as priority over God. Our self-image, our selves, our spouses, our children

sorcery: This has to do with casting spells on people and often involves using drugs. Comes from the greek word φαρμακεία

enmities: This is another word for hatred towards someone. That hatred can be carried inside our hearts in a form of holding a grudge or bitterness towards someone

strife: This is someone who loves to stir up trouble. Cause divisions, love to argue

jealousy: having negative feelings over another person’s achievements

outburst of anger: venting the anger that rises within us

disputes: pursuing selfish-ambitions

dissensions: one who likes to be in opposition to others.

factions: Being in a heretical group or party: EX: Pharisees, Sadducees, religious political groups today

envying: someone who is dissatisfied with what he has. It derives from covetousness

drunkenness: being impaired of judgement: can happen with alcohol or drugs

carousing: going to parties involving drinking or immoral behavior or lack of self-restraint

and things like these: and if none of that covered it, this covers the rest!

QUESTION: What are some these areas Christians (or you) struggle with?

2) THE MORE OF THE SPIRIT OF GOD IN OUR LIVES, THE MORE SELF-CONTROL

This is a list of of the “fruit of the Spirit”. This is what the Spirit produces in our lives. And self-control is not giving us the command, but us giving our lives to the Spirit of God to command.

Galatians 5:16 “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.”

Ephesians 5:18 “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit,”

What happens when someone drinks wine? They lose control. This is why the Bible says Proverbs 20:1 “Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, And whoever is intoxicated by it is not wise.”

Paul says do not get drunk with wine, but be filled with the Holy Spirit.

QUESTION: How do you fill yourself with the Holy Spirit?

ANSWER: Let the Spirit of God control your life!

To be filled with the Spirit of God means there’s not one area in your life where God is off-limits. He is over your mouth, what you watch on TV, what you listen to, your social life, where you spend money, your politics, how you spend your time, how many diet cokes and popcorns you allow your self during the week. There should not be one area in our life that is off limits to God.

Let God so fill every area of your life

QUESTION: What are some areas you struggle with allowing God to have control?

Time

3) WE DO NOT GAIN SELF-CONTROL BY TRYING HARDER, BUT BY SURRENDERING MORE

Galatians 5:16 “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.”

Most people try to not fulfill the lust of the flesh and walk by the Spirit (thats backwards!)

This says walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh

The story of Joseph and Potiphar’s wife (I will not sin against God) Gen 39