Self-Control
God knows that it is very important for us to have self-control. That is why He stands ready to give it to us, if we are willing to submit fully to Him. It is part of the fruit of the Spirit available to every believer, who allows the Spirit to control his or her life. Even Solomon knew the importance of self-control. (Proverbs 25:28) It is a shame that he quit submitting to the Lord later in his life, so that without self-control he gave in to the sin of listening to his pagan wives. Similar things will happen to any of us who fail to have self-control.
Self-control is needed to be disciplined in what we do and what we don't do. Without discipline we can't be mature disciples of Jesus Christ. He was the most disciplined person who ever lived, because He fully listened to the Father and obeyed all He told Him to do. Jesus was never late, and He was never early. He never failed to do the right thing or avoid the wrong thing. This was not because He was God and man. It was because He was filled with the Spirit as we should be. Look at His life. Every part of the fruit of the Spirit is demonstrated in the life of Christ in full measure. (Galatians 5:22,23) The same thing is possible for us, if we deny ourselves, take up our cross daily, and follow Him. We will never be sinless, like Jesus, but we can have a huge amount of self-control.
Solomon told us that if we lack self-control, we are like a city that has been broken into and left without walls. What a word picture! If we do not have self-control, we are open to anything that might come along. We can be attacked freely by any enemy. We are pretty defenseless against their attacks, since we do not have any limits or boundaries in our life. Therefore, it is absolutely vital for us to walk in the Spirit daily and allow the Lord to produce His fruit in us, so we will have self-control.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Proverbs 26-29.
Self-control is needed to be disciplined in what we do and what we don't do. Without discipline we can't be mature disciples of Jesus Christ. He was the most disciplined person who ever lived, because He fully listened to the Father and obeyed all He told Him to do. Jesus was never late, and He was never early. He never failed to do the right thing or avoid the wrong thing. This was not because He was God and man. It was because He was filled with the Spirit as we should be. Look at His life. Every part of the fruit of the Spirit is demonstrated in the life of Christ in full measure. (Galatians 5:22,23) The same thing is possible for us, if we deny ourselves, take up our cross daily, and follow Him. We will never be sinless, like Jesus, but we can have a huge amount of self-control.
Solomon told us that if we lack self-control, we are like a city that has been broken into and left without walls. What a word picture! If we do not have self-control, we are open to anything that might come along. We can be attacked freely by any enemy. We are pretty defenseless against their attacks, since we do not have any limits or boundaries in our life. Therefore, it is absolutely vital for us to walk in the Spirit daily and allow the Lord to produce His fruit in us, so we will have self-control.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Proverbs 26-29.