Self Control, as found in the fruit of the Spirit, is a word
that used to be translated as “temperance.”
In my family McKeown Bible from the 1870s, there are pages
filled with births, marriages and deaths. Strangely and I am sure purely
accidental, the only page that is blank was
the page entitled “Temperance Pledge,” which in the day meant a pledge against
partaking of alcohol.
As a result of the Holy Spirit’s indwelling, our “self” is
controlled by God’s presence and Holy Spirit, not as a result of will-power or
simply by “thinking.” In BELIEVE, the first 10 weeks is on how to “think” like
Jesus, but it is more than that. It is as the title states, we need to really
believe that Jesus is with us always and at all times and then behave and become
like Jesus.
In the story of David and Goliath, all of David’s brothers and Saul’s
army believed in God but only David put his faith into action. With Abraham, he believed
but it was only evidenced and actually realized when he offered Isaac as a
sacrifice. Hebrews says “By faith
Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the
promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, ‘In Isaac your
seed shall be called,’ concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from
the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.”
David’s faith led him to go to battle with a sling and a
stone. Abraham’s faith led him to pledge that both he and the lad would return
from Mount Moriah (Gen. 22:5, Heb. 11:19). What action is your faith
leading you to have “temperance.”
Today's devotional comes from Randy Frazee. as we finish out the week of preparation for BELIEVE.
KEY QUESTION:
KEY QUESTION:
How does God free me from addictions and sinful habits?
God desires all of us to have self-control over things that
can destroy us and others. The writer of Proverbs places options before us,
clearly showing the virtue and benefit of self-control.
• Better a
patient person than a warrior, one with self-control than one who takes a city.
(Proverbs 16:32)
• The one who
has knowledge uses words with restraint, and whoever has understanding is
even-tempered. (Proverbs 17:27)
In essence, self-control means having power over one’s own
impulses, reactions and desires.
The Bible offers practical instruction on how to grow in the
virtue of self-control. One of the primary applications is to “flee” — flee
from the person, environment or situation that tempts us to lose control.
We can tame our tongues, reduce fights and quarrels amongst
us, control our selfish desires and mitigate against the negative influences of
the world and the devil. But ultimately complete self-control is unattainable.
Our sin nature, or flesh, eventually wears us down and gets the best of us. The
ultimate solution to gain self-control is “God-control.” The believer has the
presence and power of God within them to live a life not undermined by our
inner desires and the corruption of the world. As believers, we are to draw on
this power to live productive and effective lives.
KEY
VERSE
For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to
all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and
to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we
wait for the blessed hope — the appearing of the glory of our great God and
Savior, Jesus Christ. (Titus 2:11–13)
KEY
IDEA
I have the power through Christ to control myself.
KEY
APPLICATION: What difference does this make in the way I live?
As we develop the virtue of self-control, our sin will
decrease and our character will increase.
Let me tell you a story. The late George Gallup Jr. was a
good friend of mine who significantly helped me in the early journey of forming
these thirty key ideas of the Christian life. In one of our several all-day
sessions in Princeton, New Jersey, tucked away in the gunroom of the historic
Nassau Club, we were discussing this virtue of self-control.
I was pontificating proudly on how Christians just need to
get their act together and be self-controlled. In George’s always kind and
gentle demeanor he stopped me and said, “Randy, you’re not an alcoholic, are
you?” Startled by the question, I said, “No, I’m not.” He went on to say,
“Well, I am. My father was also an alcoholic. When I took my first drink,
something happened to me that likely didn’t happen to you or many others. I was
hooked and couldn’t stop. Even as a Christian, I tried and tried and tried. I
felt so defeated, and it was ruining my life. Then in a moment of quiet desperation,
I heard Jesus whisper to me, ‘George, if you never lick this, that is okay. I
died for this struggle in your life, and I still love you deeply.’” He paused
for a moment, reflecting on that tender encounter with the Savior, and then
said, “From that very moment I haven’t had a drink. It has been over thirty
years.”
At that meeting, we added the phrase “through Christ” to the
key idea of self-control: “I have the power, through Christ, to control
myself.” Yielding to the love, grace, and presence of Christ in us is the only
way we can be victorious. While not every Christian struggling with an
addiction may experience the deliverance George did, the truth of Christ’s
commitment and deep love applies to all of us.
YOUR
TURN
Why is self-control important in living a Biblical lifestyle?
How does self-control relate to other fruit of the Spirit?
