Self-Control Is...

The presence of God’s Holy Spirit in our lives offers us the fruit of self-control. Self-control is the fruit that enables us to deny self. This is not the ability to control ourselves, but it is the freedom from being controlled by the desires of the flesh. Through divine enablement we are empowered to say no to our personal desires. Here, we have been granted the divine ability to fulfill the will of God by saying yes to the desires of the Spirit.

BIBLE TRUTH

“So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there” (Gal. 5:16–17, 24 NLT).

HOW DOES THIS APPLY TO ME?
Self-indulgence, as counterfeiting self-control, emphasizes the putting off of personal restraint and giving in to the desires of fleshly longings. Only when the desire is certainly more painful than it is potentially pleasurable does one say no. As we submit to the Holy Spirit, we will see evidence of the Spirit’s fruit of self-control in our lives when we renounce self-indulgence that gives way to discouragement.

PRAYER
Lord, I do not want to be dominated by my sinful nature that thinks about sinful things. I desire to be controlled by Your Holy Spirit and think about things that please Your Spirit. I know that letting my sinful nature control my mind leads to death. Instead I want to let Your Spirit control my mind which leads to life and peace. (Rom. 8:5–6)


(excerpts from Desperate Dependency by J. Kirk & Melanie D. Lewis)


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