Part 3 Knowledge & Self-control

2 Peter 1:5 (NLT2) 5 In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge,

2 Peter 1:5 (ESV) 5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge,

2 Peter 1:5 (MSG) 5 So don't lose a minute in building on what you've been given, complementing your basic faith with good character, spiritual understanding,

INTRO:

Faith

Add to your Faith Virtue

Add to Your Virtue, Knowledge

Years ago I heard the phrase “I may be stupid, but I ain’t dumb.

It almost sounds like the same thing.

In scripture the word knowledge is used in a couple different ways

The knowledge found here in 2 Peter 1:5, and a worldly knowledge are not the same.

Greek word for knowledge is gnōsis

THE WORD MEANS...

Knowledge; to know God better; practical intelligence; practical knowledge; practical insight.

Practical Application

It means knowing what to do in every situation and doing it; it is practical, day-to-day knowledge that sees situations and knows how to handle them. It is seeing the trials and temptations of life and knowing what to do with them and doing it.

Remember the charge: we must add a knowledge of God to our faith. We must give diligent attention to the situations of life and figure out how to conquer them.

SERMON:

Knowledge

Can become an hindrance

Source Of Temptation

(First we want delve into a little history.

Genesis 2:15-17 (ESV) 15 The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. 16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”

(Genesis 3:5-6 (ESV) 5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.

Tends To Presumption

Genesis 3:22-23 (ESV) 22 Then the LORD God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—” 23 therefore the LORD God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken.

Adds To The Burden Of Life

Ecclesiastes 1:18 (ESV) 18 For in much wisdom is much vexation, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.

Ecclesiastes 1:18 (MSG) 18 Much learning earns you much trouble. The more you know, the more you hurt.

Exhausting To Pursue

Ecclesiastes 12:12 (ESV) 12 My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

Ecclesiastes 12:12 (MSG) 12 But regarding anything beyond this, dear friend, go easy. There's no end to the publishing of books, and constant study wears you out so you're no good for anything else.

Daniel 12:4 (ESV) 4 But you, Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, until the time of the end. Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.”

In one of Adrian Rogers Sermons.

You know in the Bible says in the last days knowledge shall increase, and, friend, we're seeing it. We are amazed at what is happening, what comes out of the imagination of man. And we're being told today what man can imagine, man can achieve. I read recently that there are 3,000 pages of new stuff printed every second, ha, ha, 3,000 pages. One thousand books in America are published every day. You will never read them all. And, the Bible says in the last days knowledge shall increase and men shall rush to and fro. Well, folks, we are seeing that. As a matter of fact, let man's accumulated knowledge from creation to 1845 be measured in inches. All of that knowledge from creation to 1845 would be on our scale just one inch. But from 1845 to 1945 it would have grown to be three inches. But from 1945 to 1975 it would be as tall as the Washington Monument. And from 1975 to the present it would be out of sight. We are drowning in an ocean of facts. But the Bible speaks of those who are ever learning and not coming to the knowledge of truth. America today needs truth. And you can see this because where is, where are facts taking us? Where does mere intellectual knowledge take us? Today we see more suicide, more broken homes, more drug abuse, more illness, more heartache than ever before, and yet we have facts. You see, facts are like a recipe; truth is the meal. And we've not learned truth.

Artificial intelligence

In computer science, artificial intelligence (AI), sometimes called machine intelligence, is intelligence demonstrated by machines, in contrast to the natural intelligence displayed by humans.

“U.S. intelligence shows that China has even conducted human testing on members of the People’s Liberation Army in hope of developing soldiers with biologically enhanced capabilities,” Ratcliffe wrote in an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal. “There are no ethical boundaries to Beijing’s pursuit of power.”

Knowledge Doubling Every 12 Months, Soon to be Every 12 Hours

By: David Russell Schilling | April 19th, 2013

Buckminster Fuller created the “Knowledge Doubling Curve”; he noticed that until 1900 human knowledge doubled approximately every century. By end of World War II knowledge was doubling every 25 years. Today things are not as simple as different types of knowledge have different rates of growth. For example, nanotechnology knowledge is doubling every two years and clinical knowledge every 18 months. But on average human knowledge is doubling every 13 months. According to IBM, the build out of the “internet of things” will lead to the doubling of knowledge every 12 hours.

Result In Pride

(i) 1 Corinthians 8:1 (ESV) 1 Now concerning food offered to idols: we know that “all of us possess knowledge.” This “knowledge” puffs up, but love builds up.

(ii) Genesis 3:1-7 (ESV) 1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” 2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, 3 but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” 4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.

Eve lusted after the pride of life. She saw that the tree was desirable for gaining knowledge, experience, and wisdom. Eve wanted to determine what was good for her and what was bad (evil). She wanted the full knowledge, experience, and wisdom—the fulness of life—apart from God. Life—the wisdom and fulness of life—apart from God is impossible, absolutely impossible. But Eve was deceived. She had given herself over to the grip of temptation and sin. Eve wanted knowledge, experience, wisdom, authority, power, position, independence, self-sufficiency—all apart from God. She was lusting after the pride of life. Preacher's Outline and Sermon Bible - Commentary - Genesis I.

Early church dealt with a heretical teaching coming from this word knowledge.

Colossians 2:1-3 (ESV) 1 For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, 2 that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Colossians 2:8 (ESV) 8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.

Daniel 12:4 (ESV) 4 But you, Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, until the time of the end. Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.”

Gnosticism is derived from the Greek word gnṓsis (<G1108>) meaning “knowledge.” This heresy was renounced not only by the writers of the NT epistles, but also by the church fathers who lived in the period after the early church. It is from them that there is a knowledge of Gnosticism’s general tenets.

The Gnostics separated matter from thought. They concluded that matter was evil, and formulated the idea that the possession of knowledge was the only requirement for salvation. This is why they did not want to attribute humanity to Jesus Christ because to them, material things were evil. This belief called Docetism dō-ˈsē-ˌti-zəm resulted, which taught that the body of Christ was something that only appeared material, but in reality it was only spiritual. Such a belief led to an immoral life, for since the spirit was separate from the physical body, they ignored their responsibility for the actions done in the body. This is the reason why Paul stressed that “... in him [Jesus Christ, as He appeared on earth], dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily” (v. 9). Jesus was truly God in the flesh (John 1:14).

As a result of the philosophical concept of the evil of the body, the Gnostics ignored or diminished the significance of the historic facts of the ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ as not being real but simply apparent. To them, all the secrets of God were in the mind, or appearing in an immaterial identity. The result was a complete denial of sexual and other bodily appetites (i.e., one being virtual asceticism and the other a practice of unrestrained indulgence of the body [vv. 20-23]).

So knowledge can be full of verbal factual nonsense and those seeking the world will believe it.

1 Corinthians 3:19 (ESV) 19 For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their craftiness,”

2 Timothy 3:7 (ESV) 7 always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.

Knowledge based on truth

Knowledge God desires

1 Timothy 2:3-4 (ESV) 3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Truth: means moral truth, saving truth, working truth, living truth. It is not simply something to be known; it is something to be done.

John 8:31-32 (ESV) 31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Opposed to False Reality

It is the knowledge and the experience of true reality as opposed to false reality. It is truth in "the inward parts".

Psalm 51:6 (ESV) 6 Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.

Ephesians 5:9 (ESV) 9 (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true),

It is diametrically opposed to sham and hypocrisy. It permits no compromise with evil. It even abstains from the appearance of evil.

1 Thessalonians 5:22 (ESV) 22 Abstain from every form of evil.

It is a regard for truth in every respect:

believing it,

reverencing it,

speaking it,

acting it,

hoping in it,

and rejoicing in it.

This Knowledge Frees

Such truthful behavior frees one from all the bondages and impediments of life. Teacher's Outline and Study Bible - Commentary - Ephesians: The Teacher's Outline and Study Bible.

Colossians 2:8-10 (ESV) 8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.

Mature Christians know that all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hid in Christ.

Men seek for wisdom and understanding or knowledge.

The word "wisdom" (sophia) means the ability to use the truth once the truth is known; it is using the truth wisely just as it should be used. It is knowing how to confront day to day problems and handle them wisely. It is practical wisdom, knowing how to apply the great truths of life to everyday living. The word

Understanding or knowledge" (gnōsis) is the ability to grasp the facts and the truth. It means the ability to see and know the truth. It is seeing and knowing what to do. It grasps the great truths of life. It sees the answers to the problems of...

life and death

good and evil

time and eternity

God and man

health and disease

comfort and suffering

Note where the great treasures of wisdom and knowledge are: they are hid in Jesus Christ. What does this mean?

Jesus Christ is the very embodiment of all wisdom.

He is the One Person

who lived out the truth,

who lived and never sinned.

who confronted every trial and problem in life and solved it—

who lived exactly as all men are to live.

The wisdom of life—of how to live life—is seen in Jesus Christ and in Him alone. In Him are all the treasures of wisdom, all the treasures of practical day to day living.

Jesus Christ is the very embodiment of understanding or knowledge.

He is the Creator and Sustainer of the universe; therefore, all the truth and facts of the universe are found in Him. (This is bound to be true, for when anything is made, the facts of its nature are found in the person who created it.) In Jesus Christ is the understanding of creation, the universe, good and evil, time and eternity, health and disease, comfort and suffering, and God and man.

Jesus Christ is the Source of reality and truth,

the very presence of God Himself. Note: reality and truth—the answers to the world and life—are not found in a philosophy nor in human ideas. They are found in a Person, the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Think for a moment:

if a Personality (God) really created the world, then the answer to life and creation (truth and reality) are bound to be wrapped up in Him, not in the world He made. He is the Source to understanding the world; the world is not the source to understanding Him. True, we can look at the world and learn some things about God, but not all that we need to know. For example, the world cannot tell us how to conquer evil and death, not perfectly. Therefore, if we seek the truth only in the world, we are left short and incomplete and unfulfilled and in error. Thus, we must seek truth and the answer to all things in the Person who made all things. He alone knows the whole story.

The glorious message of the gospel and of this passage is that God does exist. He truly exists and He has revealed Himself in Christ. Christ is the revelation of God, of truth and reality, of life itself in all its origin, purpose, meaning, and destiny. Note three wonderful truths.

a. Christ is the fulness of God. Christ is God Himself who came to earth.

"In Christ dwells all the fulness of the Godhead." All that God is dwells in Christ.

Christ is God in an absolute, full, and perfect sense.

Jesus Christ has the full nature and being of God just as God the Father has the full nature of God. God the Father and God the Son have the same being and nature, that of God. The word "fulness" (pleroma) means that not a single part of God's nature is lacking in the nature of Christ.

The word "dwells" (katoikei PWS: 1186) means to be at home, to be permanently settled and present.

1 Thessalonians 1:1 (ESV) 1 Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace.

This tells us that a strong church is founded "in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ."

Jesus Christ is said to be equal with God the Father. God is acknowledged as the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the distinctive belief upon which the church is built. We believe that "God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16).

We believe that God the Father sent His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, into the world to save us from perishing and to give us eternal life.

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Lord sent from heaven, that He is God, the eternal Son embodied in human flesh and sent to earth by God the Father.

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is Jesus the Carpenter from Nazareth.

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Christ, the Messiah and Savior who had been promised from the very beginning of history.

This confession is the one distinctive mark of the church.

A church that is not founded upon God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ is not a church, not a true church, no matter what it may call itself. It is nothing more than...

a man-created fellowship

a man-created gathering

a man-created assembly

a man-created body

a man-created meeting

a man-created worship

Self-Control

Golden State Warriors, Draymond Green is one of basketball’s star players, but his career has been marred by emotional outbursts, technical fouls, and trash talking. He’s known for yelling at referees, arguing with officials, kicking his opponents, and squabbling with teammates. He’s turned flopping — deliberately falling down and pretending to be fouled — into an art.

But recently Green met his match on the court. He was playing with his two - year - old son, Draymond Jr. The toddler was trying to throw a small basketball into a kid - size hoop. But that’s not all he was doing. He was stomping around, mimicking his dad’s emotional outbursts, and flopping with every shot. Green was stunned, suddenly seeing himself as he was, and he admitted he was disgusted. For now, at least, this epiphany made a huge difference in Green’s performance. His coaches, teammates, and fans feel like they have a new player. Reporters have noticed too. One from the San Francisco Chronicle asked who should get the credit for “Draymond Green’s newfound maturity and self - control.” The answer: a two - year - old.

Now if a 2 year old can teach an NBA payer self-control what do you think Peter can teach us

TEXT:

2 Peter 1:6 (HCSB) 6 knowledge with self-control,

2 Peter 1:6 (ESV) 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness,

2 Peter 1:6 (NLT2) 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness,

2 Peter 1:6 (KJV) 6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;

PURPOSE OF SELF-CONTROL

2 Peter 1:8-10 (NLT2) 8 The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But those who fail to develop in this way are shortsighted or blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their old sins. 10 So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things, and you will never fall away.

QOUTES

FAILING TO CONTROL OUR LUSTS, DESIRES, AND EMOTIONS WILL LEAD TO DISASTER FOR US AND THE PEOPLE AROUND US.

FAILING TO BE ALERT WHILE TAKING A LACKADAISICAL APPROACH TO OUR SPIRITUAL LIVES WILL MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO EXERCISE SELF-CONTROL.

PEOPLE WHO LACK SELF-CONTROL WILL ALWAYS TRY TO AVOID THE CONSEQUENCES OF THEIR ACTIONS.

FAILING TO EXERCISE SELF-CONTROL DEMONSTRATES THAT WE WORSHIP OURSELVES AND NOT GOD.

SELF-CONTROL NEEDS OUR PRIORITY

Peter the writer here was a man who I believe was very impulsive, and understood the need for Self-control

Adam and Eve did not have self-control, they yielded to serpent.

Cain killed his brother, couldn’t control his jealousy or his anger

Moses couldn’t enter the promised land because of his anger issues

During the time of the judges the people did that which was right in their own eyes, including Samson the strongest man on earth who had an extreme problem with lusting after that he was not supposed to have.

David was caught up in lusting after Bathsheba

What about ourselves

Do you have any recurring or besetting sinful habits or areas of bondage in your life?

Are you enslaved or addicted to anything?

Do you exercise self-control

with your tongue and words

in your moods and emotions

with your body: food and drink

with your time: entertainment, hobbies, and habits

in your spending

sexually

with the computer and the Internet

Is there any area where you frequently and habitually give in to sinful or fleshly desires, drives, or passions?

Self-control one of the main elements of salvation

Matthew 16:24, 26 (ESV) 24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?

During the Roman empire, every desire and lust was magnified and entertained

Romans 13:13-14 (ESV) 13 Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

Self-control is evaluating our choices according to the will of God.

Quote - Randy Frazee Self-control is not only the discipline to stop doing things that destroy us but also the discipline to do the things that build us up.

Is Jesus trying to spoil our fun?

No of course not

John 10:10 (ESV) 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

1 Timothy 6:17 (ESV) 17 As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.

1 Thessalonians 5:21 (ESV) 21 but test everything; hold fast what is good.

SELF-CONTROL DISPLAYS MATURITY

Paul was to teach men and women to be mature in their faith

Titus 2:2-8 (ESV) 2 Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. 3 Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, 4 and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, 5 to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. 6 Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled. 7 Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, 8 and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us.

Titus 2:11-14 (ESV) 11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

The entire book of Titus was about bring the church on Crete to maturity.

Self-Restraint and Self-control was one of the main qualities to help bring about maturity

SELF-CONTROL REQUIRES AN METHODOLOGY

ASK FOR THE HOLY SPIRITS HELP

Galatians 5:16 (ESV) 16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

Desires of the flesh are

Galatians 5:19-21 (ESV) 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

The Fruits of the Spirit are

Galatians 5:22-25 (ESV) 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.

ENGLISH WORD

Temperance–KJV

Self-control–NASB

Self-control–NIV

Self-control–NKJV

Self-control–NLT

GREEK WORD AND VERSE

ἐγκράτεια = egkrateia

Pronunciation: [eng-krat'-i-ah]

THE WORD MEANS...

Self-control, temperance; to master and control the body or the sinful nature with all of its desires and lusts.

Practical Application

It means the master of desire, appetite and passion, especially sensual urges and cravings. It means to be strong and controlled and restrained. It means to stand against the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes, and the boasting of what he has and does

1 John 2:15-16 (ESV) 15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.

Self-control is not mustering up our own strength to overcome the works of the flesh.

2 Timothy 1:7 (NIV2011) 7 For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.

2 Timothy 1:7 (ESV) 7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

ADJUST YOUR THINKING

1 Peter 1:13 (ESV) 13 Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 1:13 (NLT2) 13 So think clearly and exercise self-control. Look forward to the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world.

James 1:12-15 (ESV) 12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

Dr Walter Mischel marshmallow test

Give a small child one marshmallow and promise that child more marshmallows if they can go a period of time and not eat the first one. Many of them thought of the first marshmallow as tasting awful in order to put off their desire for it, so they could get more marshmallows.

The longer a child delayed gratification, Mischel found—that is, the longer she was able to wait—the better she would fare later in life at numerous measures of what we now call executive function. She would perform better academically, earn more money, and be healthier and happier. She would also be more likely to avoid a number of negative outcomes, including jail time, obesity, and drug use.

Mischel had a terrible time quitting smoking. He had started young, and, even as his acumen and self-knowledge grew, he just couldn’t stop. His habit continued through his years as a graduate student, at Ohio State, and into the beginning of his teaching career, as a psychologist at Harvard and then at Stanford, in the nineteen-fifties and sixties. “I was a three-packs-a-day smoker, supplemented by a pipe,” Mischel qouted. “And, when the pipe ran out, it was supplemented by a cigar.” After the first Surgeon General’s report on the dangers of tobacco came out, in 1964, Mischel realized that his smoking could very well kill him. And yet his attempts to quit failed spectacularly. He’d stop, and then, like so many people who try to break the habit, he’d start again. He justified his continued puffing as part of his professorial image.

One day he saw a man with meh·ta·stuh·saizd lung cancer in the halls of Stanford’s medical school—chest exposed, head shaved, little green “x” marks all over his body, marking the points where radiation would go—that Mischel realized he was fooling himself. Finally, something clicked. One day he made a pact with his daughter when she was three: if she stopped sucking her thumb, he would stop smoking his pipe. He was able to hold up his end of the pact, each time he wanted a cigarette (approximately every three minutes, by his count) he would create a picture in his mind of the man in the hallway. As he described, “I changed the objective value of the cigarette. It went from something I craved to something disgusting.” He hasn’t had a smoke since.

Romans 8:5 (NLT2) 5 Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit.

Proverbs 4:23 (NLT2) 23 Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.

Proverbs 4:23 Good News Translation (GNT) 23 Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts.

SET OUR THOUGHTS ON CHRIST

DESIRE GODLINESS

Colossians 3:1-2 (NLT2) 1 Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. 2 Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.

The goal in adding self-control to knowledge is this

2 Peter 1:8-10 (ESV) 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. 10 Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.

That’s the goal of self-control

Timothy 4:7-8 (ESV) 7 Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; 8 for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.

Daily times of

Praying

Fellowship with Jesus

Reading Scripture

Serving others

AVOID TIGHT SPOTS

Think of spirit led Self-control as a wall that Satan cannot breach

Like a city breached, without walls, is one who lacks self-control. Proverbs 25:28 NRSV

In his book Atomic Habits, James Clear “zeroes in on the science behind building good habits ... One of his most enlightening insights involves self-control: “'Disciplined' people are better at structuring their lives in a way that does not require heroic willpower and self-control. In other words, they spend less time in tempting situations."

Proverbs 16:17 (ESV) 17 The highway of the upright turns aside from evil; whoever guards his way preserves his life.

Apostle Paul tells us in to have self-control in these situations

1 Thessalonians 4:3 (ESV) 3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality;

2 Timothy 2:16 (ESV) 16 But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness,

Titus 3:9 (ESV) 9 But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless.

From the Book “Everything You Need: Dr David Jerimiah

STUDY: People With A Lot Of Self-Control Are Happier Than The Rest Of Us

A study of 414 participants by the University of Chicago showed surprising results about self-control. The study defined self-control as “‘the ability to override or change one’s inner responses’ and to refrain from acting on impulses.” The researchers expected to find that people with strong self-control would be more likely to realize their long-term goals but less happy as a result of their self-denial. The results were surprising. It turns out “people with more self-control were also more likely to be happy in the short-term.” To understand this finding, the researchers conducted a second survey. Here’s what they learned: “Instead of constantly denying themselves, people high in self-control are simply less likely to find themselves in situations where that’s even an issue. They don’t waste time fighting inner battles over whether or not to eat a second piece of cake.” They’re not tempted because their self-control begins long before the moment of direct temptation. They decide in advance what they want and dedicate themselves so thoroughly to reaching their goal that other enticements are barely noticed. They’re not drawn to environments where temptation lurks. This clarity gives them peace. Eliminating this conflict from their lives makes them happier.

CONCL:

Don’t give up

It’s a PROCESS

Proverbs 24:16 (ESV) 16 for the righteous falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity.

Proverbs 16:32 (NLT2) 32 Better to be patient than powerful; better to have self-control than to conquer a city.

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