Self-Control

The concept of self-control has been one I have wrestled with for some time. This is a challenging one for me. When I hear messages taught on self-control and power of the flesh it almost always has to do with sex. I think this is a great point, but if that is all you hear, the church failed to communicate the fullness of what this concept means.

Yes, remaining self-controlled over your flesh and deny the passions and lust to have sex outside the commitment of marriage. But also, remain self-controlled over your flesh and deny the passions and lust to not over-indulge with food. Remain self-controlled over your flesh and deny the passions and lust of money and the greed that comes from loving it above God. Remain self-controlled over your flesh and deny the passions and lust of hating your friend for receiving the thing you've been praying for.

Those are just the tip of the iceberg. I think in our society we hear the words passion and lust and instantly think of sex. However, those have such deeper meanings. According the dictionary.com this is what those words mean.

Passion: any powerful or compelling emotion or feeling, such as love or hate.
Lust: a passionate or overmastering desire or craving

I think putting those words into those terms, our mind shifts to more than just sex. For some, it's power or success while others it's alcohol. For some, it's acceptance while others it's food. For some it's sex while others it's envy. So in thinking about this, the need for self-control is needed because we each are daily pressured into some category that our flesh wants to rule. Let's look at a small list of what Paul describes as "works of the flesh".

Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 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.
Galatians 5:19-21

That list is so much more than just sex and we are daily waging war about the works of the flesh in one of those areas. However, as my pastor Jason said today, the greatest word in the entire bible comes next... BUT.

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

So, how do we live self-controlled in this age? By the fruit of the Spirit of God working in our lives. In and of ourselves, we cannot muster up enough control to deny our flesh, BUT through Jesus Christ and the indwelling power of His Spirit residing in us as renewed creations, we can daily walk in the self-control needed each day. And the great thing is, we not only get self-control, but the other fruit of the Spirit working in us as well. I think if you're honest with yourself, there is at least one thing, if not more, on that list from verses 22-23 that you would love to be said about you. Because of Christ, we can be known as people who exemplify those traits through the power of the Spirit of God.

Praise God I don't have to find in me those qualities, because if I did, I wouldn't find them. The bible says that no one is good (Luke 18:19), BUT GOD. But God took control of my life at my point of surrender and now I am found in Christ. To the glory of the Father.