Self-Control Essential For Victorious Living
12/10/06
The lack of self control is a
major epidemic!
2 Tim. 3:1 But mark this: There will be terrible times
in the last days.
2 People will be
lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to
their parents, ungrateful, unholy,
3 without love,
unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers
of the good,
4 treacherous,
rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God--
5 having a form
of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.
Pr. 16:32 Better a patient man than a warrior, a man
who controls his temper than one who takes a city.
Pr.
16:32 (NLT) It is better to be patient than powerful; it is better to have
self-control than to conquer a city.
The
person who is patient and self controlled receives less attention but
accomplishes greater things.
Pr. 25:28 Like a city whose walls are broken down is a
man who lacks self-control.
Two words describe this
situation perfectly: defenseless
and disgraced.
Oswald Chambers wrote: “Beware of saying, "I haven't time to
read the Bible, or to pray"; say rather, "I haven't disciplined
myself to do these things.”
Quoting Joni Eareckson
Tada: “It's possible that we-in pursuit
of the disciplined life-focus our eyes on larger-than-life goals. We take on
three jobs at church. We memorize not only verses, but chapters. We sell the TV
or get up at 4:00 A.M. every morning for devotions. . . . But it may be that
we've overlooked more immediate and obvious things. We've passed over things
like a clean room, or being on time, or curbing our tongue.”
A person who lacks self
control:
Will be very vulnerable. Meaning:
susceptible to attack; liable to yield to temptation or persuasion (peer
pressure).
Is easily lead by impulses. Meaning: to
act in a sudden spontaneous urge instead of thought.
Pr.
14:8 The wisdom of the prudent is to
give thought to their ways, but the folly of fools is deception.
Opens the doors to demonic
control. Satan does not make us do anything, but given the right situation
and suggestion along with the lack of Godly self control, Satan can be
successful in controlling someone’s actions.
Self control must be taught
naturally yet must mature spiritually.
A man came to me and
said: “Todd, I was seldom if ever
disciplined as a child and I now realize my struggle with self-discipline,
self-control stems back to my childhood.
Strictly in the natural, some
people have more self control than others just because of the way they were
raised.
Proper discipline leads to
self discipline--which of course is self control.
Pr. 10:17 He who heeds discipline shows the way to
life, but whoever ignores correction leads others astray.
The fear of the LORD is the
beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline. (Prov 1:7 NIV)
Whoever loves discipline
loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid. (Prov 12:1 NIV)
Know then in your heart that
as a man disciplines his son, so the LORD your God disciplines you. (Deu 8:5 NIV)
Self control is essential in
spiritual warfare.
1
Pet. 5:8 Be self-controlled and alert.
Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to
devour.
9 Resist him,
standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the
world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
Self control is necessary to
have an effective prayer life.
1 Pet. 4:7 The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray.
Our number one enemy against
self control is our sinful nature.
Rom.
8:12 Therefore, brothers, we have an
obligation--but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it.
13 For if you
live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit
you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live,
14 because those
who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
Rom.
13:14 Rather, clothe yourselves with
the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the
sinful nature.
Gal.
5:16 So I say, live by the Spirit, and
you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.
17 For 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.
18 But if you
are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.
19 The acts of
the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;
20 idolatry and
witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition,
dissensions, factions
21 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.
22 But the fruit
of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness
and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
·
God given self control
will produce contentment.
·
God given self control
will stand against suggestions and temptations.
·
God given self control
will stand in the face of strong adversity.
·
God given self control
will not be conformed by the fears and pressures of the world.
A very familiar verse reads:
2
Tim. 1:7 (KJV) For God hath not given
us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
7 (NIV) For God did not give us a spirit of
timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.
Paul understood the necessity
of self discipline.
1
Cor. 9:24 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.
25 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.
26 Therefore I
do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the
air.
27 No, I beat my
body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself
will not be disqualified for the prize.
27 (Living
Bible) Like an athlete I punish my body, treating it roughly, training it to do
what it should, not what it wants to. Otherwise I fear that after enlisting
others for the race, I myself might be declared unfit and ordered to stand
aside.
27 (New Living
Translation) I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it
should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be
disqualified.
(The
Message) You've all been to the stadium and seen the athletes race. Everyone runs; one wins. Run to win.
All good athletes train hard.
They do it for a gold medal that tarnishes and fades. You're after one that’s gold eternally. I don't know about you, but I'm running hard
for the finish line. I'm giving it
everything I've got. No sloppy living
for me! I'm staying alert and in top condition. I'm not going to get caught napping, telling everyone else all
about it and then missing out myself
The Word of God is very
specific about self control in three areas.
·
Our bodies need to come
under self control.
·
Our mouth needs to come
under self control.
·
Our mind needs to come
under self control.
Our bodies
Rom.
6:12 Therefore do not let sin reign in
your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.
13 Do not offer the parts of your body to sin,
as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who
have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him
as instruments of righteousness.
14 For sin shall not be your master, because
you are not under law, but under grace.
Our mouth
Ja.
1:26 If anyone considers himself
religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself
and his religion is worthless.
Pr.
4:24 Put away perversity from your
mouth; keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
Pr.
16:23 A wise man's heart guides his
mouth, and his lips promote instruction.
Pr.
18:20 From the fruit of his mouth a
man's stomach is filled; with the harvest from his lips he is satisfied.
Our mind
1 Pet. 1:13 Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be
self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus
Christ is revealed.