Self-Control

Boudreaux was called into his bank to discuss his accounts. "Your finances are in terrible shape," the banker stated. "Your checking account is way overdrawn, and your loan's are overdue." "Yeh, I know." said Boudreaux. "It's my wife, Marie. She's out of control." The banker asked Boudreaux, "Why do you allow your wife to spend more money than you have?" "Mais, to tell de truth, Mr. Banker," replied Boudreaux with a deep sigh, "because I'd rather argue wid you than wid her !"

The issue was self-control!

Amelia’s Picture of Salsa and Chips

“You never realize how little self-control you have until you have chips and salsa in front of you in a Mexican restaurant.”

The Christian life begins with faith, it continues with a decision to live a life of moral excellence, it grows in knowledge so that the believer knows God’s will for their life, and moves next to the issue of Self-Control.

This is the first area where believers really start to fail. When I counsel with believers, most don’t struggle with faith in God’s love, or in a desire to do what is right, or even in knowing what is right. The real struggle for most people is in doing what is right. And the first step in that is Self-Control.

Self-Control = Deny Yourself

Matthew 16:24 NASB95

Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.

It is not natural to deny oneself

Galatians 5:22–25 NASB95

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.

Galatians 5:22-25

Self-Control is a moment by moment decision to affirm that which is most important to me.

When your faith is grounded in Christ, you have repented of living for yourself, you embrace the plans He has for you, setting your will aside becomes a matter of PRIORITY.

Self-Control = Importance of Testimony

Philippians 1:12–14 NASB95

Now I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel, so that my imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well known throughout the whole praetorian guard and to everyone else, and that most of the brethren, trusting in the Lord because of my imprisonment, have far more courage to speak the word of God without fear.

Philippians 1:12-14

How should I act if I want to share the Gospel in this situation?

What is the importance of this moment in comparison to eternity?

Self-Control = Glory of God

Philippians 3:7–11 NASB95

But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

Philippians 3:

“Never go anywhere or do anything that you wouldn’t invite Jesus to watch because He is there!” - Becky Zito

Our lives, as believers, reflect upon our Master!

ACTION STEPS

#1 Be Accountable - Have a partner!

#2 Think Ahead - Have a plan!

#3 Be Diligent - Don’t let your guard down!