Fruit of the Spirit - Self-Control

Galatians 5:22-24 (NIV)
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.

As you can see, we have made it to the last fruit of the Spirit. It isn't last because of it's lack of importance. In fact, I believe that without this one, we could never acheive the others. So, let's take a look at this fruit of self-control.

As we have seen throught these lessons, there is a biblical definition of these fruit and then a watered down easier cultural version. Self-control is no different. The biblical definition of self-control is the God given ability to bring our bodies, our minds and our appetites under control, but more specifically under the control of Christ. This is different than the cultural definition which simply has us trying to figure out how to get a grip on ourselves rather than submitting to Jesus.

Why does self-control matter?

First, by learning and developing self-control though God's Spirit, we are set free. This is in direct oppostion to the tyranny of being enslaved to something whether it be an alcohol additiction, eating problem, angry temper, being unable to control our spending, being consumed by worry and fear, etc, etc, etc....

Romans 6:6-7 (NIV)
For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with,[a] that we should no longer be slaves to sin— because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.

Second, self-control increases our productivity as a Christ follower. It keeps us from being unproductive and inffective as models of Christ. Our controlled actions bring honor to Christ.

2 Peter 1:5-8
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Lastly, self-control is absolutely required for leadership in God's army. If you can't get a grip on the things in your life, if you can't control your body, mind or appetite you cannot be a resource for God.

Titus 1:6-9
An elder must be blameless, the husband of but one wife, a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient. Since an overseer[a] is entrusted with God's work, he must be blameless—not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain. Rather he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined. He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.

Let us consider what self-control isn't, at least not the biblical definition. It isn't trying hard. We can try as hard as we can but without the Spirit, without Christ, we will never gain self-control. It isn't "white knuckling" or holding on for dear life trying not to lose control. That isn't self control, it is just exhausting.

What biblical self-control is...

It is God given. It is a fruit of the Spirit. It isn't something you go do it is something that was given to us by God through prayer, quiet meditation and by asking. It is Spirit granted.

It is peaceful. With Christ in the center it yields peace. It is an enforced calm, knowing with the help of the Spirit we won't lose control. Consider Jesus in the sea of Galalee with the disciples, in the midst of a big and frightening storm. He said to the disciples "peace, be still". That is the peace you get from God given self-control.

Finally, it is the fruit of submission. God given self-control requires us to daily submit everything to God, asking him to reign over our lives completely. Consider the ultimate submission, Jesus on the cross. Do you recall when the guards were taunting him, saying "if you are God, then come down off the cross and show us". Don't you know during that agonizing taunting Jesus had to show the ultimate self-control in not doing just that. Sure he could have shown them, but that wasn't the job that needed to be done. It wasn't the nails that held Jesus to the cross but his total submission to God the Father!!

So, how do we facilitate self-control in our own lives?

1. We acknowledge the struggle. We become completely honest with God, ourselves and those around us and quit pretending we have everything under control. We need to admit to God and to fellow Christ followers we trust that we aren't always in control and we need help. We need to allow them to circle around us and help us to grow.

Romans 7: 18-20
I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature.[c] For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

2. We need to change how we see ourselves. We need to begin to view ourselves and everything as belonging to God. We need to become slaves to Christ. We mistakenly think sin is natural, when in fact if we live acknowledge we belong to God then holiness, goodness and righteousness is what is truly natural. God has made us holy.

Romans 6:19-22
I put this in human terms because you are weak in your natural selves. Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness. When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.

3. Discipline your mind. Control your thoughts. Let go of the strongholds of negative thoughts that control your life because they steal your joy and rule you. Think as God would have you think. Read scripture. Train your brain.

2 Corinthians 10:2-4
I beg you that when I come I may not have to be as bold as I expect to be toward some people who think that we live by the standards of this world. For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.

Colosians 3:1-2
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

Philippians 4:8
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

4. Discipline your body. Your body is the last bastion of self-control. Don't let your body own you, but own your body. Submit it to God. Put into your body the things that will bring you closer to God. Let God be your personal trainer!

1 Corinthians 9:24-26
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air.

As we consider this last fruit, remember that self-control is not impossible but you can't accomplish it alone, you need God's help. Get over your pride and sense of perfection and invite help from God and fellow Christ followers.

Prayer:
Lord, thank You for inspiring this series on the fruit of your Spirit. I pray that what You say and command in Your word will be true about us as Christ followers. I pray that the fruit of Your Holy Spirit will be freely manifest in us. I pray for love, that we will learn to enter into that unconditional acceptance and blessing of others, that covenant relationship that You model for us even in our sin. I pray for joy, that we will have that abounding Spirit that is not dictated by what is going on around us. I pray for peace like in the Sea of Galalee, calm by Your presence. I pray for patience, that we will learn longsuffering through You. I pray for kindness that changes lives, goodness that manifest Your activity in the world, faithfulness not to quit when things get hard and gentleness so that our strength and potiential will be yeilded to You. I pray for for this gift self-control that we won't be disqualified from serving You because we cannot submit our appetites and attitudes to you. Make us a fruit bearing people, I pray that You would make us love, talk, give, feel, invest and serve like Jesus did and make our heart like His. Thank You for these gifts, help them grow in us. In Jesus name we pray, Amen!