All of us would agree that the Big Three Enemies of the Christian life are the World, the Flesh, and the Devil. All three attack us through the time-honored method of whispering in our ear, “You deserve a break from self-control today.” Indeed, all advertising is carefully designed to create in us a sense of moral permission to gratify ourselves in fleshly self-indulgence. And let’s be honest: Fleshly self-indulgence describes the culture of our day. A lifestyle where one denies him or her self nothing in the way of worldly pleasures is a lifestyle of self-destruction.

“Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control.” (Proverbs 25:28, NIV84).

The World, the Flesh and the Devil all encourage indulgence. At the same time, for the Christian, the Spirit of God whispers in our ear the virtue of self-control. The result is a spiritual tug-of-war that goes on in the believer’s life. It’s a battle that the Apostle Paul sympathizes with. The Apostle Paul speaks of this in the first part or our text: "For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please." (Galatians 5:17, NASB95)

In his own personal life, the Apostle admits to this struggle: Romans 7:14-25.

The Apostle Paul understands that the tug of the flesh is a powerful pull. But God does not leave us without help. He has given us His Spirit and that Spirit has endowed us with certain spiritual abilities that the Bible calls the Fruit of the Spirit. One of them is self-control.

Now then ... how do we actually go about implementing this particular fruit of the Spirit? Every believer needs a seven-step plan for self-control

I. ADMIT YOUR PROBLEM

admit you have a problem
this is the very first step in developing self-control
take responsibility for your lack of self-control
James 1:14 "but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed." NIV
notice, according to the Apostle James, where the source of temptation comes from
he does not say:
"The devil made me do it!"
"My lack of self-control comes from my dysfunctional parents or my dysfunctional family background."
"Because of my past experience or abuse, or a painful experience in my past, I can't control my behavior today."
God is telling us that the source of our lack of self-control is because we have an evil desire
therefore, we need to take responsibility for our lack of self-control
we do bad things because we like to do bad things
there is something within us, that we are born with, urging us to do bad things
the Bible calls it the sinful nature
we need to learn to take responsibility for our behavior, or our lack of self- control.
instead of admitting there is a problem, we seek to shift the blame to somebody or something else
instead of admitting our problems, we want to deny we have a difficulty
we say things like . . .
"What problem? There is no problem."
"It is not that big of a deal."
"I just can't get control over this thing."
"If I want to, I can stop."
“I don’t have a problem."
"Well, this is just the way I am."
"It was the way I was raised."
“I have always been this way."
"Everyone else is doing it so what is the big deal?"
“I am only human."
we rationalize our problem rather than taking responsibility for our problem
much of the popular secular psychology of today, tells you to go back into your past and find some reason for why you are behaving the way you are
God says, very clearly, the problem is right here—inside you and me
it is in our own sinful desire
if we are going to begin to gain self-control, we must admit that there is a problem within us
it is not somebody else's problem or somebody else's fault
it is my sin-problem and I need to take responsibility for it
where are you lacking self-control in your life?
do you have a problem with;
alcohol? ... time management? ... drugs? ... your words? ... temper? ... gossip? ... the way you spend your money? ... lust? ... unforgiveness? ... impatience? ... greed? ... laziness? ... and so the list goes on
the first thing you need to do if you have a lack of self-control in a particular area of life is to admit the area where you lack it
say to yourself this evenin, "/ lack self-control in:_______________________ [you fill in this blank area]

II. PUT YOUR PAST BEHIND YOU

this is a very important step
you need to put your past behind you if you are going develop self-control
Philippians 3:13-14 "Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." NIV
it is very important that you understand that there is a big lie, that many believer live with in terms of really wanting to change their lives
the lie goes something like this ... once a failure, always a failure
I tried to change that in my life before and I couldn't, there is no way I can do it now
I tried 15 times and I could not succeed, therefore I am a failure
no matter how hard you try, you just can't change
these are all lies
failure in the past does not mean that you will never be able to change in the future
but, if you focus on the past, if you dwell on your past failures, then you will fail in the future as well
ILLUS. It is sort of like trying to drive your car forwards while you're looking in the rearview mirror the whole time as you are driving. If you are constantly looking behind, eventually you will hit something. You need to take your eyes off the past, and focus on the future. You need to especially focus on what God says about your life and future.
ILLUS. Have you ever watched a baby who is just learning to walk? It is a very dangerous time. It is amazing that kids make it through that period. They fall, they hit their head, they tumble, they roll every which way. It is a scary time for a parent watching their child try to take their first steps in life. Children fall down a lot when the begin walking. It is part of the process. But you notice that they just keep getting up and trying it again. They keep on trying. They are persistent.
can you imagine a little child who is learning to walk, who after falling two or three times, says to themselves
"It's just hopeless."
"I've tried and I just can't do it."
"I'm just a failure!"
"Well, I guess some people are walkers and some people aren't."
"I give up!"
this is, of course, absurd
babies don't think this way—they just keep trying to do it until they can
in the same way we need to have the same attitude towards our attempts to exert self-control in some area of our life
there are times when we will fail but this should not stop us from being persistent until we see success
we need to put our past behind us
it doesn't matter how many times you have failed, try again
only this time, admit your need for God
admit that you are the problem and begin to focus on what God can do instead of focusing on your past
ILLUS. Thomas Edison, one of the great inventors of our century, failed many times in life. He once told a colleague, "Don’t call it a failure, call it an education. Now you know what doesn’t work." We need to have the same attitude as we change in our lives.

III. TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR FEELINGS

it is very important to learn to take control of your feelings
I believe that Christians put far too much emphases on their emotions
we think everything in life has to provide an emotional euphoria or it is not worth doing
our feelings can not be our guide in life
we can not depend on our feelings
there are times when you wake up and you don't feel like...
getting out of bed
going to work
studying for that exam
being kind or loving
forgiving
the problem is that our feelings are frequently unreliable
we give far too much emphasis today on our feelings to guide our lives
many times our feelings say . . .
I want a second helping
I want another drink
I need a drug
I want to have an affair
I want to watch television for ten hours
our feelings are not our guide for life because our feelings are unreliable
you need to challenge your feelings
you need to line your feelings up with what God says about you and your circumstance
what does God's Word say?—Not just what I feel about this?
God never called us to live by feelings
God calls us to live by faith
He calls us to live by the truth of his Word
God wants us to master our feelings, moods, impulses
when Christ is the master of your life, you will learn to master your feelings
ILLUS. I found that whenever I have tried to make a change in my life, or break a bad habit in my life, my feelings want to fight me tooth and nail every time. If I want to lose some weight, which I am in the process of doing that, the feelings come on strong saying, "I have to have that ice cream fudge sundae. I have to have it. I am going to die if I don't have it." That is what my feelings tell me. I have to fight my feelings. I have to talk back to my feelings. I will not die, I can live without that. It is okay.
we need to learn that our feelings are not always right
when we try to make changes in life, our feelings are going to battle us
we need to stand up and resist our feelings
we need to tell ourselves, "I can do it regardless of what my feelings tell me."
Titus 2:11 -12 "For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. 12 It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age," NIV

IV. BELIEVE YOU CAN CHANGE

if you don't believe it, you can't change
what you believe about yourself controls your behavior
if you believe you are stupid, no good, and that you are a failure, then that is how you are going to live your life
your behavior will follow your beliefs
but if you believe that God loves and cares for you, and that He is on your side, you can change anything
Philippians 4; 13 “I can do all things through Christ which strengthened me." KJV
if we are going to see change in our lives, we need to change the way we think, because the way we think affects the way we live
listen friends, the way you think determines the way you feel, and the way you feel determines the way you act
many times we set ourselves up for failure when we think in our minds . . .
"I can't do this"
"I tried it before and I failed. I'll probably fail again."
"I just don't think I can change."
if we are going to change, we need to replace the way we think with God's Word
what does God say about me?
what does God say about this situation, of this event, or these people in my life?
God gave us the power to change our habits when he gave us the power to choose our thoughts
you've have heard me use this verse many times:
Romans 12:1-2 "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." KJV
it is wonderful when people come to the house of the Lord, and they experience a warm feeling that God is here and God loves them
that is important and that is good
it is wonderful to have an emotional release with God—to come to the altar and cry and release your heart to God
but if you leave this place without changing the way you think, you will still live the life you have always lived
just having an emotional experience in worship does not create change in your life
it begins by changing the way you think
it begins when you begin to develop the mind of Christ
that will change your behavior

V. MAKE YOURSELF ACCOUNTABLE

this is the fifth step in cultivating the spiritual fruit of temperance
you need to make you behavior accountable to a trusted fellow believer
but let's face it, this step is one of those things we don't like to do
we don't want to be vulnerable with other people in the body of Christ
we don't want to share too many of our struggles, weaknesses, or failures
we have been raised in typical American rugged individualism that says, "I can do it in my own strength, by myself."
but, God never intended for his children to be Lone Ranger Christians
He created us in such a way that we need each other
we need the body of Christ
we need to make ourselves accountable one to another
Ecclesiastes 4:12 "Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken." NIV
we need to have people in the body of Christ who know our weaknesses, who can pray for us, encourage us, and who can ask us questions like, "How are you doing in that area?"
if you are going to develop self-control you need to find someone else in the body of Christ who you can share your heart with, and who you can be vulnerable and real with

VI. AVOID TEMPTATION

avoiding temptation is common sense if you desire self-control in certain areas of life
ILLUS. You need to avoid the things that are tempting to you. If you're trying to loose weight and you have a weakness for ice cream, don't keep ice cream in the house. If you are tempted by alcohol, then stay away from places where they sell it. You need to avoid those areas where you are tempted in life You need to identify those areas so you can avoid them.
2 Timothy 2:22 "Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart." NIV
we need to stay away from those things we know we are tempted by in life
ILLUS. Some of my favorite stories are about two characters named Toad and Frog. This one deals with temptation. Toad baked some cookies. "These cookies smell very good," said Toad. He ate one and said "they taste even better.” Toad ran to Frog's house, "Frog! Frog!" cried Toad, "taste these cookies I have made!" Frog ate one of the cookies. "These are the best cookies I have eaten, " said Frog. Frog and Toad ate many cookies, one after another. "You know, Toad," said Frog with his mouth full, “I think we should stop eating. We will soon be sick." "You are right," said Toad, "Let's eat one last cookie and then we will stop." So Frog and Toad ate one last cookie. There were many cookies left in the bowl. "Frog!" said Toad, “Let’s eat one very last cookie and then we will stop." Frog and Toad ate one very last cookie. "We must stop eating!" cried Toad as he ate another. "Yes," said Frog reaching for a cookie, "We need will-power," "What is will-power?" asked Toad, "Will-power is trying hard not to do something that you really want to do." "You mean like trying not to eat all of these cookies?" asked Toad. "Right," said Frog. Frog put the cookies in a box. "There!" he said, "Now we won't eat anymore cookies." "But we can always open the box," said Toad. "That is true," said Frog. Frog tied some string around the box. "There," he said, "Now we will not be able to eat anymore cookies." "But, we can always cut the string and open the box," said Toad.'Well, that is true, "said Frog. Frog got a ladder. He put the box up on a high shelf. "There," said Frog, "Now we will not be able to eat anymore cookies." "But, we can climb the ladder, take the box down from the shelf, cut the string and open the box," said Toad. "Well, that is true," said Frog. Frog climbed the ladder, took down the box from the shelf, cut the string and opened the box. Frog took the box outside and shouted in a loud voice, "Hey, Bird, here are some cookies!" Birds came from everywhere. They picked up all the cookies in their beaks and flew away. "Now we have no more cookies to eat," said Toad sadly, "Not even one." "Yes," said Frog, "But we have lots and lots of will-power!" "You may keep it all, Frog," said Toad,"/ am going home to bake a cake."
the lesson?—we need to learn to avoid temptation
so far, we have talked about six important steps in the development of self-control:
admit your problem
put your past behind you
talk back to your feelings
start believing you can change
make yourself accountable
avoid temptation

VII. DEPEND ON CHRISTS POWER

this is probably the most important step achieving lasting self-control
if you want to develop self-control, you need to learn to depend on Christ's power
we do not have the kind of power to resist temptation in our own strength or our own ability
we need Christ's power in our life if we are going to resist temptation
we need Christ's power in our life if we are going to overcome and master our feelings, desires and passions in life
Galatians 5:16 "So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature." NIV
notice the sequence of this verse
notice Paul does not say that if you have the Spirit of God in your life you will not have any fleshy desires
ILLUS. Every born again Christian, even Billy Graham, will have temptations and struggles with the flesh. But the promise here is that if God's Spirit is in your life you can learn to say 'no' continually to the flesh so that you can say ‘yes’ to Christ . The desires will not go away. They will be there but we have the power to say 'no' to those desires and passions and impulses in our lives.
the secret to self-control is Christ control
it begins when you surrender your heart and life to Christ
when you surrender your life to Christ, God will transform and change you
that is what God is in the business of doing
that is why Jesus died on the cross
that is why it is Good News
it is because God wants to come into your life, to transform and change you
that is why God gives His children His Holy Spirit —to conform us into the image of His Son, Jesus Christ

Your Competitor An enemy I had, whose face I stoutly strove to know, For hard he dogged my steps unseen wherever I did go, My plans he balked, my aims he foiled, He blocked my onward way. When for some lofty goal I toiled, he grimly said to me, Nay. One night I seized him and held him fast, From him the veil did draw, I looked upon his face at last and lo ... myself I saw.

Attributes of the Spirit: Self-Control