Fruit of Spirit: Self Control
The fruit of the Spirit is… self-control. Against such there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. – Galatians 5:22-24
Have you ever felt that you were being controlled by a force stronger than yourself? It begins with the cookie jar when you are small. Mom says, “Don’t touch the cookies,” and something is born in you that says, “Grab a cookie.” At that moment we begin the life-long battle of self-control.
Many of us have lost that battle on many occasions, but we have not yet lost the war. I have known people who have lost that war and have fully surrendered to the desires that rage inside them. That is not a pretty sight. Paul writes about such people in the verses just before our passage today.
Paul writes, “The sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want… The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God” (verses 17-21).
He contrasts natural desires with the Spirit, and in verse 18 he gives us hope as he writes, “If you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.” What he seems to mean is that if you are still doing the things on the list above you are being led by your natural desires, and not the Spirit, but through the work of the Holy Spirit we are given the ability to have self-control.
The fruit of the Spirit is self-control. When we are living under the influence of the Spirit of God we are not controlled by the desires of our sinful nature. Self-control comes through submitting to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Prayer: Lord, my nature is contrary to your nature. Grant me the grace to be submitted to the work of your Spirit. In Jesus name, amen.
Message: When we are living under the influence of the Spirit of God we are not controlled by the desires of our sinful nature. Self-control comes through submitting to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Affirmation: I am gaining self-control as I submit myself to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Reflection: Many associate self-control with will power. They say things like, "If I just had the will power I could..." In our faith walk self-control comes through submitting to the Holy Spirit. Think about how you might submit the issues you face to the influence of the Holy Spirit.
GET THE COMPLETE BOOK OF DEVOTIONS ON "SELF-CONTTROL" - CLICK HERE
The fruit of the Spirit is… self-control. Against such there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. – Galatians 5:22-24
Have you ever felt that you were being controlled by a force stronger than yourself? It begins with the cookie jar when you are small. Mom says, “Don’t touch the cookies,” and something is born in you that says, “Grab a cookie.” At that moment we begin the life-long battle of self-control.
Many of us have lost that battle on many occasions, but we have not yet lost the war. I have known people who have lost that war and have fully surrendered to the desires that rage inside them. That is not a pretty sight. Paul writes about such people in the verses just before our passage today.
Paul writes, “The sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want… The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God” (verses 17-21).
He contrasts natural desires with the Spirit, and in verse 18 he gives us hope as he writes, “If you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.” What he seems to mean is that if you are still doing the things on the list above you are being led by your natural desires, and not the Spirit, but through the work of the Holy Spirit we are given the ability to have self-control.
The fruit of the Spirit is self-control. When we are living under the influence of the Spirit of God we are not controlled by the desires of our sinful nature. Self-control comes through submitting to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Prayer: Lord, my nature is contrary to your nature. Grant me the grace to be submitted to the work of your Spirit. In Jesus name, amen.
Message: When we are living under the influence of the Spirit of God we are not controlled by the desires of our sinful nature. Self-control comes through submitting to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Affirmation: I am gaining self-control as I submit myself to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Reflection: Many associate self-control with will power. They say things like, "If I just had the will power I could..." In our faith walk self-control comes through submitting to the Holy Spirit. Think about how you might submit the issues you face to the influence of the Holy Spirit.
GET THE COMPLETE BOOK OF DEVOTIONS ON "SELF-CONTTROL" - CLICK HERE
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