Fruit of the Spirit – part 2 – Self Control
Fruit of the Spirit – Self Control (part 2)
By: Ben Fronczek
How many of you feel like you have a lot of will power? You go on a diet and your are pretty good at sticking to it. You decide to stop eating something, and no matter how much you may like it you simply stop eating it. You decide to go on an exercise regiment and you have no problems making the time and actually following through. Or maybe you realize that you need to stop spending as much money as you do because you realize you need to start saving some on a regular basis. Or maybe you decide you want to read the Bible everyday and then do it?
At least for me, it really depends on what I say I want to do. I seem to have all a lot of will power doing some things, but when it comes to others, I’m not so good. Nine years ago I decided that I wanted to stop eating red meat and pork products because I had some problem with my blood pressure and I was concerned about how much animal fat I was consuming. As much as I love a grilled rib eye steak and BBQ ribs and bacon, I have not touched any sense.
But as much as I have wanted to start and maintain as regular exercise program also to maintain good health, I don’t know how many times I’ve started, but then slacked off and then quit. We are good when it comes to some things but then struggle with others.
When we talk about self control we are also talking about our will power.
Two weeks ago I began to talk about what Paul calls the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5. In that first lesson I talked about what he mentioned first in verse 22 and that was love. In that lesson I mentioned that it’s not just any kind of love, but rather he was talking about ‘agape’ love, or God like love which always seeks to do what’s best for the one you are showing love to, no matter what it takes or how much it will cost you personally.
If you have noticed the title of today’s lesson you may have noticed that I will be discussing self control, another fruit of the Spirit. You may be wondering why I chose to talk about this fruit because it’s not the next one in Paul’s list, but rather the last one he mentions in verse 23.
It’s because if you ever hope to experience and enjoy the other fruits of the Spirit mentioned in these verses; the Joy, the peace, the patience, kindness, goodness, and faith to the degree that God would ultimately like to see us enjoy it is not only important and necessary to develop a God like love, we also need to strengthen our will power and self control with the Spirit’s help.
I have heard someone say that God-like love and self control are like book ends on a shelf holding up all the other fruits in place because both are absolutely necessary.
As I mentioned in that first lesson, I believe that when we are born, our mind and spirit are not a total blank slate. Rather as God knit us together in the womb, I believe that He per-programmed each of us with some basic information including these fruits or attributes. What I mean is, all humans can love, experience joy, peace, patience, kindness and self control to some degree even if they are not a Christian.
But when God’s own Spirit makes His home in a born again believer, I believe that the Spirit helps us grow and mature, prompting and helping us to reach a higher level of spirituality and self control…that is if we listen and allow Him to help us grow.
I believe it is important for us to understand that God never tells us to do anything without giving us the ability to do it. God has given us the ability to control our self. God says we can. We are the ones who say we cannot. And as long as we believe we can’t then we are not going to. (J. Meyers)
We should never say, ‘I just can’t help myself’; for example:
– I just can’t help losing my temper when they does that, or when someone pull out in front of me on the road. – Or I just can’t help but buy something for myself when I go shopping, a blouse, shoes, tools or anything else you have a weakness for. – Or I can’t help but be late all the time – Or if there is candy or cookies laying out, I can’t resist eating some if not all of it until is gone.
You shouldn’t say you can’t resist or control yourself because in all honesty, you can. You have not only been pre-programmed with self control, you also have the Spirit of God in you to help you control yourself.
Now the devil wants you to believe you have no control, no will power, or that you cannot resist.. Why? Because ultimately he wants to rob you of the joy, the peace, the patience you can and should enjoy with others. And rather than claiming a victory over that part of your life or the temptations that come our way, he wants you to fail, feel defeated, get upset, feel miserable and guilty and rob from you those fruits that God wants you to enjoy.
But ultimately the choices is yours. Will you claim victory or defeat?
I believe the Apostle Paul learned the secret of this and wrote about it when he said, “I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” Phil 4:12-13
I believe that when Paul wrote about Self Control being a fruit of the Holy Spirit he was not implying that we could gain control over all difficult thing on our own. Rather, this kind of self control means that we choose to listen to and keep in step with the Spirit of God and act according to His will and depend on Him to help us do so. We should choose to allow God and His will to lead us down the best path, even if that path may be a difficult one for us.
Rather than saying I can’t resist when tempted to do something I would suggest that you remind yourself; even say to yourself, ‘I HAVE SELF CONTROL, I CAN DO ALL THINGS, RESIST ALL THINGS WITH MY GOD’S HELP. AND I AM NOT GOING TO GIVE THE DEVIL THE SATISFACTION OF SEEING ME GIVE IN OR FAIL IN THIS.’
Remember we can do all things with God’s help!
You have to say it like you believe it and believe it when you say it!
Learn from the Apostle Paul’s example. Listen to some of things he wrote to those early Christians concerning himself.
1 Corinthians 9:19-26 “ 19 For since I am free from all I can make myself a slave to all, in order to gain even more people. 20 To the Jews I became like a Jew to gain the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law) to gain those under the law. 21 To those free from the law I became like one free from the law (though I am not free from God’s law but under the law of Christ) to gain those free from the law. 22 To the weak I became weak in order to gain the weak. I have become all things to all people, so that by all means I may save some.”(There are a couple of things that motivate an individual to discipline or control them self. One is clearly being aware of the consequences of doing something or not. But the best motivation is Love – God like love which Paul demonstrated here in this verse – choosing to become all things to all men to win a them over to the One he himself loves, Christ Jesus. He goes on…) 23 I do all these things because of the gospel, so that I can be a participant in it. 24 Do you not know that all the runners in a stadium compete, but only one receives the prize? So run to win. 25 Each competitor must exercise self-control in everything. They do it to receive a perishable crown, but we an imperishable one.
26 So I do not run uncertainly or box like one who hits only air. 27 Instead I subdue (or buffet) my body and make it my slave, so that after preaching to others I myself will not be disqualified.”
This past week I did some research on the internet and I read that scientists have actually found ways to help us increase our will power. There are actually some simple things that you can do physically to help. Scientist have found that will power can actually get depleted thru out the day if we are not careful how we treat our self. They suggest:
#1. Learn how to manage stress better. They have found that when we are under a lot of stress it drains our body of energy, and our will power goes down. So we need to find ways to de-stress if we feel it building. I don’t know about you but when I get stress our or weak I cave in easier. Some go for the junk food, others get angry…
#2. Encourage yourself to stick to your plan. Self affirming comments to yourself really help. (Tell yourself I can do this…Say it like you mean it!)
#3. Get enough sleep. They have found that sleep (getting enough rest) helps your brain manage your body’s energy better (If you get less than 6 hours/day and it puts more stress on your body and brain, weakening both.)
#4. Take so time to mediate each day. Scientists have found after 8 weeks those who mediate have more will power and self control.
#5. Get more exercise and eat more nutritious food.
#6. Learn to postpone those things you are tempted to do to a later date.For example by putting off eating a piece of chocolate cake to later relieves stress and enables one to not eat it all together.
Here’s one of my own suggestion:
#7. Get away from what temps you ASAP. If you are tired or stressed and you are prone to eat sweets when your will power is weak, stay away from the bakery or candy shop.. as a matter of fact head in the opposite direction and find something else to distract you.
Paul buffed his body so that he could have more control and in some ways we can as well. But we also have God’s word and His Spirit to help us.
Titus 2:11-14 “11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people. 12 It trains us to reject godless ways and worldly desires and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 13 as we wait for the happy fulfillment of our hope in the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. 14 He gave himself for us to set us free from every kind of lawlessness and to purify for himself a people who are truly his, who are eager to do good. 15 So communicate these things with the sort of exhortation or rebuke that carries full authority. Don’t let anyone look down on you.”
So I say, Claim your victory and ask God to help you take control of your life.
Stop saying I can’t, I have no will power, no self control, I’m too weak… You may be too weak but you are not alone. God’s Spirit is inside you help you. So take that first and that 2nd step.. And when you mess up and fail, get back on track asap. Eventually you will experience a victory with God’s help!
For more lessons click on the following link: http://granvillenychurchofchrist.org/?page_id=566
All comments can be emailed to: bfronzek@gmail.com