This is all about the Holy Spirit fruit of self-control. This is the last of the 9 fruits, but is just as vital to the Christian life as the rest of them.

1. THE HOLY SPIRIT FRUIT OF SELF-CONTROL 2
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
Galatians 5:23 23gentlenessand self-control. Against
such things there is no law.
PRECEPTAUSTIN RESOURCES
Self controlcross references
Acts 24:25 And as he was discussing righteousness, self-controlandthe
judgment to come, Felix became frightened and said, “Go awayfor the
present, and when I find time, I will summon you.”
1 Corinthians 9:25 And everyone who competes in the games exercisesself-
control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an
imperishable.
Titus 1:8 but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, just, devout, self-
controlled,
Titus 2:2 Older men are to be temperate, dignified, sensible, sound in faith, in
love, in perseverance.
See relatedstudy: Exercising self-controlso you can run to win!
Self Control (KJV = temperance)(1466)(egkrateiaorenkrateia from en = in +
kratos = powerto rule <> the stem krat- speaks ofpoweror lordship) means
literally a holding oneselfin or the ability to take a grip of oneself. This
meaning reminds one of our modern slang expression"Geta grip"! Egkrateia
refers to the restraining of passions and appetites that originate from the Old
Self.

2. Egkrateia -4x in 3v - Acts 24:25; Gal5:23; 2 Pet 1:6 (Not in the Septuagint)
To be self-controlledis to not live in bondage to the desires, passions and
appetites of the flesh. The physical human body is a goodservantbut a
miserable master!
In short egkrateia/enkrateiadescribesthe personalrule or mastery over
fleshly (see flesh) impulses that would be impossible without the Holy Spirit’s
control. Notice that it is easilyto fall into the trap of emphasizing the "self"
prefix of self-control. Yes, the "en" in enkrateia does mean "in" and speaks of
believers being controlled by an inward strength. This inward strength
ultimately howeveris the power of the Holy Spirit in us, not our ownintrinsic
power. We absolutelycannot control the flesh in our own power… not now
and not ever! Don't fall into this trap. The only One Who can control the
fallen, anti-God energy of the flesh is the Holy Spirit! Our part is to walk by
the Spirit (Gal 5:16) - acknowledging we don't have the power, crying out to
Him in the time of urgent need (when our fleshly impulses feel like they will
overwhelm us… which they will without the Spirit's help), trusting in God's
provision of powerto walk (for what God commands, He always enables),
submitting or yielding to the Spirit's leading, guiding and empowering and in
the end experiencing the victory of Spirit enabled "self" control.
Norman Harrison - One confesses sadly, "I don't know why I actthis way; I
just lostcontrol of myself." Fine confession!You are on the wrong side of the
cross. Getoveronto His Side and the Spirit will operate on your self-life that
causes this lack of control; He will take you in hand. Spirit-controlled, you will
be genuinely, inwardly self-controlled. (Galatians 5:16-23 Spirit versus Flesh)
Spurgeonon selfcontrol - This keeps every passionunder control, not only
with respectto meats and drinks, but with regardto everything else.
To the ancient Greeks, self-controlwas in essencethe proper ordering and
balancing of the individual. Forexample, Aristotle said
I count him braver who overcomes his desires than him who conquers his
enemies;for the hardest victory is the victory over self. (Not bad theology
from an erudite pagan!)

3. Plato believed that our animal urges must be governedor else they will
produce “a feverish state in the soul, a city of pigs” which knows no limits.
When we’re not self-controlled, our life is like a pigsty. That’s quite a word
picture. Plato in another place wrote that egkrateia
is the ordering or controlling of certain pleasures and desires … implied in the
saying of ‘a man being his own master.’
Plato thus used egkrateia to refer to self-masterymeaning that it was the
spirit which has mastered its desires and its love of pleasure.
Socratesregardedegkrateiaas a cardinal virtue and Philo described it as
superiority expressedin self-restraint.
Other secularGreek writers used egkrateia to describe the virtue of an
Emperor who never lets his private interests influence the government of his
people. It is the virtue which makes a man so masterof himself that he is fit to
be the servant of others.
The rendering of egkrateiaas self-controlcanbe misleading if one places the
emphasis on "self", deceptivelythinking he can control the body through will
powerand self determination. As most believers have discovered, selfcontrol
is far from the world's conceptof self-help. Paul in fact alludes to this
dilemma in Romans 7 writing…
I know that nothing gooddwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the wishing is
present in me, but the doing of the goodis not. (see note Romans 7:18)
Greeks usedthis term especiallyto describe one who had his sexual passions
under control, but the NT extends the meaning to all areas oflife where the
discernment betweengoodand evil is important (cf 1Th 5:21, 22-note).
In his first epistle to the Corinthians (who lived in a "sexcrazed" society)Paul
uses the related verb egkrateuomaiwriting that…
if (the unmarried) do not have self-control, let them marry; for it is better to
marry than to burn (to seethe inwardly with destructive lusts). (1Corinthians
7:9)

4. Paul implies that one needs to exercise selfcontrolin regard to sexual
behavior, which is quite applicable to believers in America, where even the
commercials have become "R rated" and filled with sexual innuendos! In the
present context however the self control is not just in the area of sexuality but
in any area where one needs to exercise restraint(e.g., drunkenness, carousing
and things like these… )
C Norman Bartlett writes that…
By temperance is meant self-controlin the broadestand fullest sense of the
term. We need to go into training for CHRIST and to keepourselves
spiritually fit at all times, for we never know when a critical testmay come or
a golden opportunity arise that will call upon our spiritual reserves. To this
end we should be prepared to give up whatevermars our witness and hinders
usefulness in the Master’s service. Attaining to the best may necessitate
abstaining from the rest. The lessermust sometimes be sacrificedto the higher
good. (C. Norman Bartlett: Galatians and You: Studies in the Epistle of Paul
to the Galatians, 1948)
Brian Bill writes that…
Nestledamong the Spirit’s produce is the seeminglyout-of-place fruit of self-
control. This characteristic ofa Christ-followerseems to focus more on me
instead of on my relationships with other people. I canexercise self-control
when I’m the only person in the house. In fact, sometimes the hidden, private
moments when no one else is looking is precisely when I need self-controlthe
most. However, if we properly exercise the fruit of self-control, it will benefit
those around us. In some ways, we might considerthis virtue the most
important because withoutself-controlthe works of the flesh cannot be
overcome and the other elements of the Fruit of the Spirit will not be evident.
When the Greeks wantedto illustrate self-control, they built a statue of a man
or a woman in perfect proportion. To them, self-controlwas the proper
ordering and balancing of the individual. (Galatians 5:23 Seizing Self-
Control)

5. In the ancient world, self-controlcharacterizedathletes who soughtto be self-
restrained and self-disciplined, qualities which were crucialin their quest for
victory in the intense competition of the elite Olympic Games.
In 1 Corinthians 9 Paul used the cognate verb egkrateuomaito describe the
attitude believers need in order to win the prize, comparing them to Olympic
athletes explaining that…
everyone who competes in the games exercisesself-control(egkrateuomai)in
all things (How many things? Why do they do this?). They then do it to
receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable ("Chew the cud of this
contrastfor a moment." - in other words Meditate). Therefore (after thinking
about the contrastand remembering that believers are destined for eternity,
let your mind come to the same conclusionand determination that Paul came
to… ) I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not
beating the air but I buffet my body and make it my slave, lest possibly, after I
have preachedto others, I myself should be disqualified. (1Corinthians 9:25-
27) (But be careful… remember Paul's running and boxing and buffeting
were not a reflectionof self effort but were grace based, Spirit empowered
effort, for as he said elsewhere "bythe grace ofGod I am what I am, and His
grace towardme did not prove vain; but I labored [see meaning of kopiao]
[this was Paul's and is every believer's responsibility] even more than all of
them, yet not I, but the grace ofGod [God's "responsibility" - His sovereignly
bestowedunmerited favor] with me [and also available to eachand every
believer]." 1Corinthians 15:10)
Paul argues that athletes exercise self-controlbecausethey are motivated by a
clearly defined goaland understand that in order to achieve that goal, they
must (at leastfor a time) resistthe distractions that originate from their
bodily passions and desires.
In a similar way, believers are chargedto controltheir flesh (not the physical
body but the evil disposition that still lives in our mortal bodies), with its
corrupt, deceptive passions and desires, rather than allowing themselves to be
controlled by them. However, what is referred to as self-controlis actually
(and only) the result of letting the Spirit take control(Spirit enabled "self"

6. control), so that one is walking in Him, walking by the Spirit, keeping in step
with the Spirit.
In a parallel thought Paul wrote to the Colossiansaints who were being
tempted to try all manner of methods and mysticism to "corralthe flesh" (see
summation in Col 2:23 -note)
As you therefore have receivedChrist Jesus the Lord (How? By faith. By
believing the Biblical truth about Him.), so walk (present imperative - make it
your habit to seek to conduct you life in the atmosphere of Christ, His
teachings, His example, His Spirit) in Him (see note Colossians 2:6)
Vincent adds this historicalnote on self control in ancient athletes
The candidate for the races was required to be ten months in training, and to
practice in the gymnasium immediately before the games, under the direction
of judges who had themselves been instructed for ten months in the details of
the games. The training was largely dietary. Epictetus says:“Thoumust be
orderly, living on spare food; abstainfrom confections;make a point of
exercising at the appointed time, in heat and in cold; nor drink cold waternor
wine at hazard.” Horace says:“The youth who would win in the race hath
borne and done much; he hath sweatand been cold; he hath abstainedfrom
love and wine” (“Ars Poetica,”412). Tertullian, commending the example of
the athletes to persecutedChristians, says:“Coguntur, cruciantur,
fatigantur.” “Theyare constrained, harassed, wearied” (“Ad Martyres,” 3).
Compare 2Ti 2:5 [note])
Paul's point is that eachbelievershould be like a highly trained athlete who
exercises controloverhis or her body (the seatof the strong desires)during
the period in which they are training for the Olympics. While the athlete says
"No" to these bodily desires in their own strength, in contrast, Spirit
controlled believers are enabled to exercise supernaturalself controlin the
strength of the Holy Spirit. When we say"Yes" to the Spirit, we cannot say
"Yes" to the flesh for these are in oppositionto one another (Gal 5:17-note).
In His incarnation Christ was the epitome of self-control. He was never
tempted or tricked into doing or saying anything that was not consistentwith

7. His Father’s will and His own divine nature. He left us an example for us to
follow in His steps (1Pe 2:21-note)
Egkrateia points to a supernatural inner powerto controlone's old desires
and cravings inherited from Adam (Ro 5:12-note). Sometimes we as saints
forgetthat even though we have been crucified with Christ (Gal 2:20-note; Ro
6:6-note) and are dead to the domination and/or power of Sin (Ro 6:11, 12, 13,
14, 15, 16, 17, 18 --see notes Ro 6:11; 12-13, 14, 17, 18), the old desires are still
latent and are able to be activatedin our mortal bodies. Paul alluded to this
spiritual dynamic earlier writing…
But I say, walk (present imperative = not a suggestionbut a command to
make it your lifestyle or your habitual practice to conduct all of the aspects of
you life) by the Spirit and (here is the conditional promise - conditioned on
choosing to walk by the Spirit) you will (absolutely) not carry out (not that
you won't still experience them but that you won't act on them!) the (strong)
desire of the flesh (see note Galatians 5:16).
The highly respectednineteenth century ScottishtheologianJohn Eadie wrote
that selfcontrol is…
the holding in of passions and appetites, distinguished by DiogenesLaertius
from sophrosune (see study of related word sophronos)in that it bridles the
strongerdesires… The word is to be takenin its widestsignificance, and not
principally in reference to sexualsin—as Origen (so interpreted it)… This
virtue guards againstall sins of personalexcess, andis speciallyopposed to
drunkenness and revellings as works of the flesh. (Eadie, John: Epistle of St
Paul to the Galatians - 702 Page Pdf)
Adam Clark writes that egkrateia means…
Continence (Webster= exercising selfrestraint, especiallya refraining from
sexualintercourse), self-government, or moderation, principally with regard
to sensualor animal appetites. Moderationin eating, drinking, sleeping, etc.
The Greek wordegkrateia has the idea of to get a grip on one's self, on one's
passions!Many of the early Christian heresies taught that since the (physical)
body was evil (which it is not - it is morally neutral and is solelyan instrument

8. either of the Spirit or of Sin) it was not necessaryto curb evil lusts, but that
one only had to think correctly. In contrast, Paul teaches thatself-controlis
not a result of self-effort but a fruit wrought by the Spirit as we rest in Him,
trust in Him and walk by Him. Then God receives the praise and the glory for
the victory instead of self (flesh), which ever seeks to usurp God's rightful
place and receive the glory due only to Him!
The writer of Proverbs alludes to the subject of self control writing that
He who is slow to angeris better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit,
than he who captures a city. (Proverbs 16:32)
Comment: Have you evertried in your own strength (self effort) to control
your temper or restrain the desire follow through with a sudden outburst of
anger? I have and it might work for a moment, but Sin remains crouching at
the door of my mind and heart just waiting for the opportunity to "pounce",
and unfortunately it often does. How difficult is it for us to achieve victory in
this area? The writer says that it is easierto gain a victory over a city (and in
ancient times these were walled, well fortified cities, totally unlike our modern
cities!) then to conquer one's temper! In my own strength I cannotcontrol the
overwhelming, powerful, compelling urge to lash out, but the Spirit of the
Gentle Shepherd can controlit as I yield my "rights" to Him and rest in His
sufficiency to enable me to work out my salvationin the area of "Anger
Management101" (recallPaul's powerin 1Corinthians 15:10 quoted above).
MacDonald(Ref)adds that "Peterthe Great, although one of the mightiest of
the Czars of Russia, failed here. In a fit of temper he struck his gardener, and
a few days afterwards the gardenerdied. “Alas,” saidPeter, sadly, “I have
conquered other nations, but I have not been able to conquer myself! Woe!
There, beloved, is a picture of all of us apart from the grace of God (1Cor
15:10)and the controlling fruit of the Spirit of God!
Paul uses egkrateia inhis appearance before Felix, and in this context
apparently referring to self–controlin the area of sex. It is indeed fascinating
that Paul's presentation of the gospelemphasized selfcontrol. As Paul spoke
before the Roman governorFelix and his wife Drusilla, he spoke of…

9. righteousness, self–controland the judgment to come, (and) Felix became
frightened and said, ‘Go awayfor the present, and when I find time, I will
summon you’ ” (Acts 24:24-25).
Felix had stolenDrusilla from her former husband and was therefore living
with her in an adulterous relationship. The sexualself–controlofwhich Paul
spoke pertained to lustful passion, and Felix clearlyunderstood Paul's
warning. The messageto the governor was that he was living contrary to
God’s righteousness by refusing to discipline his sexualdesire, and for that he
was subjectto God’s judgment.
PastorBrian Bill adds that…
Felix was no different than many others in the Roman Empire. Scholars tell
us that when ancient Rome was disciplined and controlled, it was a great
nation, but when it became saturatedin its own sin it lost its glory.
Drunkenness, orgies, andan “anything goes” mindsetcausedRome to cave
inward and implode upon itself. The decline of the RomanEmpire went hand-
in-hand with self-indulgence. I wonder if America is going down that same
road? (Galatians 5:23 Seizing Self-Control)
Barclay- Egkrateia is that greatquality which comes to a man when Christ is
in his heart, that quality which makes him able to live and to walk in the
world, and yet to keephis garments unspotted from the world. (Galatians 5
Commentary )
Self-controlmeans mastering one’s emotions rather than being mastered by
them. Lack of self control played a significant role in abominable deeds of the
false teachers Peterexposedin chapter 2 of his secondepistle.
For speaking out arrogantwords of vanity they (the false teachers)entice by
fleshly desires (What manner of "desires"?Thosethat originate in the fallen
flesh), by sensuality, those who barely escape from the ones who live in error,
promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for
by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved(perfect tense - speaks ofthe
permanence of this bondage). (See notes 2 Peter2:18; 19)
Sow a thought, reap an action.

10. Sow an action, reap a habit.
Sow a habit, reap a character.
Sow a character, reapa destiny!
The false teachers in 2 Peterclaimed that "liberty" was a warrant for
licentiousness ratherthan life as it should be lived in the Spirit. These men
instead of self controlwere "sensualitycontrolled", enslavedto greed and
fleshly desires. Theybelieved and taught that knowledge freedpeople from
the need to control their passions. Petercounteredtheir false doctrine that
claimed that knowledge emancipatesmen from the obligations of morality.
In another pithy proverb, Solomongives a vivid picture of the danger of the
lack of self-controlwriting…
Like a city that is brokeninto and without walls is a man who has no control
over his spirit. (Proverbs 25:28)
As alluded to earlier, the city states ofthose days were walledfor protection
from marauders. No wall around a city meant no protection. No self control
by analogymeans one is wide open to attack from the Evil One and the old
sinful flesh nature (flesh)! Without selfcontrol, they are not able to resist
those things that can destroy their lives and the lives of others. Such a man or
woman is an easyvictim when attackedby tempting desires and impulses. The
Bible offers numerous illustrations of those who failed to "build a wallaround
the city" of their heart and mind, but instead kept the "openedwide the
gates" to the wisdom of the world, the flesh and the devil. Woe!Take for
example, the sad saga ofSamsonand his self destruction and defeatat the
hands of a seductive temptress. (see notes Judges 14;Judges 15;Judges 16).
Like Samson, we all have the deceptive flesh lurking and waiting for a
moment of weakness(we are tired, frustrated with others, disappointed with
our circumstances,we have just been successfulin some venture be it secular
or spiritual, etc) and would do well to heed Solomon's advice (which sadly and
paradoxically he himself did not heed, miserably failing to exercise self
control, especiallyin 1 Kings 11:1-13 - read the lasthalf of the chapter for the
wide ranging consequences!)…

11. Watch (command to) over your heart with all diligence, (Why is this discipline
so critically important?), for from it flow the springs of life. (Proverbs 4:23-
note) (The NLT poignantly paraphrases it "Above all else, guardyour heart,
for it affects everything you do.")(See also Puritan John Flavel's online book
"Keeping the Heart" acclaimedby some as one of the bestChristian books
ever written!)
Remember that when we take time off from disciplining ourselves for
godliness we don't remain "static" spiritually, but we begin to drift back
toward the subtle, seductive lures of the world, the flesh and/or the devil. Do
not be deceivedthinking you are "okay" ifyou are taking a "spiritual
hiatus"! In fact, you are in grave danger, for fleshly lusts continually wage
war againstyour soul(1Pe 2:11-note). Paul understood the critical importance
of the necessityofmaintaining a program of spiritual discipline (under grace
of course, not under law - an easytrap to fall into in the area of the spiritual
disciplines - read RayStedman's excellentadmonition to be alert to Legalism
or better yet listen to his Mp3) exhorting his young disciple Timothy (and all
disciples of all ages)…
Discipline (present imperative - not a suggestionbut a command to make it
your habit gymnazo [the Greek verb for discipline] yourself - working out in
"God's gym" of His Word, prayer, fellowship, breaking of bread, etc) yourself
for the purpose of godliness;for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but
godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life
(literally "the now life") and also for the life to come (literally "the coming
life" = it's already on its way for believers). It is a trustworthy statement
deserving full acceptance. Forit is for this (the promise which godliness holds
forth -- that it may be fulfilled) we labor (intensely toiling to the point of utter
exhaustion!) and strive (agonizomai= an intensely struggling for victory or
more accuratelyfor believers "from victory", the Victory having been
procured for us at Calvary by Christ), because we have fixed our hope (our
certainty) on the living God, Who is the Savior of all men, especiallyof
believers. (1Ti 4:7, 8, 9, 10-see notes 1Timothy4:7; 4:8; 4:9; 4:10)

12. Just as ceasing to exercise physically results in loss of muscle and bone mass,
decreasedstrength and endurance, etc, so too, the same dynamic occurs in the
spiritual realm when we cease to discipline ourselves for godliness.
PastorSteve Cole observes that…
There is a paradox here: to be Spirit-controlled results in being self-
controlled. As we walk by the Spirit (Gal 5:16-note), He produces in us the
ability to controlevery area of our lives in line with His holy purposes. This
implies active responsibility on your part. Sometimes, speakers onthe
spiritual life state that you are to be completely passive
“Justlet go and let God.”
“If you’re striving, you’re not trusting.”
This is clearly unbiblical. Paul wrote, "Forthis purpose also I labor, striving
(see agonizomai)according to His power, which mightily works within me.
"(Col1:29-note) Both are true…the self-controlledpersonis submitting
himself to God’s will as revealedin His Word, whereas the self willed person
is acting for his ownselfish desires, disregarding what God wills. Because God
has given us new life in Christ and has given His Holy Spirit to indwell us, we
have both the responsibility and the ability to yield our self-will to His
revealedwill. (Read full sermonLearning to Control Yourself )
PastorCole goes onto describe how we cultivate the grace of selfcontrol,
summing it up noting that…
Walk by means of the Holy Spirit every day. This undergirds the whole
process. Note Galatians5:16,
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.
He goes on to talk about the strong desires of the flesh that waragainstthe
Spirit. If you do not conquer these desires, you will not grow in godliness. You
don’t win wars accidentally!You must devote yourself to the battle,
committed to fight with everything you’ve got. Anything less will result in
defeat. To walk by the Spirit means to depend upon and yield to the
indwelling Holy Spirit moment by moment every day. Walking is not as

13. spectacularas leaping or flying, but if you keepat it, you’ll get where you’re
going.
Also, the picture of fruit implies a slow, deliberate process. There will be
setbacksand difficulties along the way. The question is, are you actively,
purposefully walking by the Spirit, coming back to dependence on Him when
you have fallen, so that over the long haul, the fruit of the Spirit, including self
control, is growing in your life? (Readfull sermon Learning to Control
Yourself ) (Bolding added)
Wayne Barberdiscusses Peter's mentionof selfcontrol in 2Pe 1:6 (note) ("and
in your knowledge, self-control… "), reminding us that…
… this self-controlarises from and is accompaniedby our knowledge which
comes out of obedience to the Word of God. It comes right out of that faith
that God gives us.
The definition of self control means to be able to hold one's self in. 1Co 9:25
Paul is talking about an athlete and how he has to have self-control(Ed Note:
not egkrateiabut the related verb egkrateuomai)("And everyone who
competes in the games exercisesself-controlin all things… " ) This would
include control overhis appetite, his temper, his schedule (an athlete needs
priorities or he will become undisciplined). If you wanted to play on the
basketballteam in college, youhad to have discipline or self-control.
Remember that the definite article ("the" in the Greek of 2Pe 1:6-note)is
before eachgodly characteristic so Peteris talking about the self-control, the
very self-controland self-restraintthat Jesus had, even as He Himself was
tempted as all men are. And yet God gives us accessto that same self-control!
So that's where the analogybreaks down… it's not human energizedself-
control Peteris talking about but that which is available by faith (obedience)
from Christ in us. The Christian ought to have controlover his appetite.
Dr Barber goes onto make the point that when he is in the Word of God, he is
a controlled person. He asks…
How many diets have you been on? You lose some but then you gain it right
back. Remember that Scripture repeatedlylinks idolatry and immorality (Nu

14. 25:1,2). Immorality and a personwith an uncontrolled appetite is closely
related all the waythrough Scripture. Believers becauseofChrist within
them, possessthe potential to controltheir temper, to exercise controlover
their desires, the powerto say"no", the powerto set godly priorities, the
powerwithin them so that they can turn off the televisionand go to bed early
so they can arise early to be fresh with God in the morning, the selfcontrol to
get out of bed in the morning to be alone with God, etc. And all of this self-
control comes out of our faith. (2Pe 1:5-note) We don't have to go to a course
or read a book on how to become self-controlled!That controlis within us and
if we are diligent to see results, then we will see God work it out in our life and
move us into His victory.
For additional insights on selfcontrol, see JohnPiper's article entitled Fierce
Fruit of Self-Control.
Are these nine aspects ofthe fruit of the Spirit something we do, or things the
Spirit does for us? Clearly the Spirit is the Planter and Producer of the
supernatural fruit for He alone caninitiate and empowerthese graces,
howevereachof these nine graces are also commandedof believers -
Love (John 13:34,
Joy (Phil 4:4),
Peace (2 Cor13:11),
Patience (Eph 4:2-note),
Kindness (Eph 4:32-note),
Faithfulness (Rev 2:10-note),
Gentleness (Eph 4:2-note),
Self-control(2 Pe 1:5,6 - note v5; note v6).
Every believer has the potential to bear a "bumper crop" for as Paul
explained we have "beenfilled with the fruit of righteousness whichcomes
through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God." (Php 1:11-note)Our

15. task on earth as obedient children is to work out what God has workedin. Or
as Paul instructed the saints at Philippi…
work out (present imperative = command to make this our lifestyle, only
possible as we learn to daily depend on the Holy Spirit) your salvationwith
fear and trembling, FOR (note this is a strategic term of explanation - it
explains how it is possible for us to work out our salvation!) it is GodWho is
(CONTINUALLY) at work in you (HERE REFERS TO GOD THE HOLY
SPIRIT), both to (CONTINUALLY) will and to (CONTINUALLY) work
("the DESIRE and the POWER" = Php 2:13NLT) for His goodpleasure.
(Php 2:12, 13-seenotes Php 2:12; 2:13)
Spurgeonis carefulto add that…
Fruit againcalls for care. If you have a garden you will soonknow this. We
had a profusion of flowers upon our pear trees this year, and for a few weeks
the weatherwas warm beyond the usual heat of April, but nights of frost
followedand cut off nearly all the fruit. Other kinds of fruit which sur-vived
the frost are now in danger from the dry weatherwhich has developed and
endless variety of insectblight, so that we wonderwhether any of it will
survive. If we get overthis trial an the fruit grows wellwe shall yet expect to
see many apples fall before autumn, because the worm has eateninto their
hearts and effectually destroyedthem. So is it with Christian life: I have seen
a work for the Lord prospering splendidly like a fruitful vine, when suddenly
there has come a frosty night and fond hopes have been nipped: or else new
notions, and wild ideas have descendedlike insectblights and the fruit has
been spoiled; or if the work has escapedthese causes ofdamage, some
immorality in a leading member, or a quarrelsome spirit, has appeared
unawares like a worm in the centre of the apple, and down it has fallen never
to flourish again. (The First Fruit of the Spirit)
END OF PRECEPT AUSTIN RESOURCES
The Fruit of the Spirit - Self-Control

16. Governing Your Life by the PowerofGod
Postedon Oct 3, 2009 by Don Hooser2 comments Estimated reading time: 9
minutes
In this series of articles on the fruit of the Spirit, we have come to the last of
the nine virtues—self-control. Of all the things we have to govern in this life,
self is often our greatestchallenge!
Mike Cottam/Unsplash
“Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control,”
says Proverbs 25:28. He is defenselessanddoomed to defeat.
The 21stWinter Olympics are scheduled for February 2010 in Vancouver,
British Columbia. For most athletes hoping to compete, that date is now
extremely near! They know that to be the best in any sport, they must train
for many years.
The apostle Paulcompared life to a race. He wrote:“Remember that in a race
everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize. You also must run in such
as way that you will win. All athletes practice strict self-control. They do it to
win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternalprize.
“So I run straight to the goalwith purpose in every step … 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” (1 Corinthians 9:24-
27, New Living Translation, emphasis added throughout).
In the greatestofall races, the race for eternal life, everyone can be a winner.
Thankfully, there is no need to compete with anotherperson. In fact, we
should be coachesand cheerleadersforone another! But Paul said “run in
such a way”—as anOlympic athlete competing for a gold medal.
Those of us who want the “eternalprize” should ask ourselves some
questions:
• Am I as dedicated and zealous as an Olympic athlete?

17. • Do I study the Holy Scriptures as much as any athlete studies how to
perform well in his sport?
• Am I quick in seeking advice (through prayer and Bible study) from my
Coach?
• Do I stayfocusedon my long-range goal?
• Am I willing to make sacrifices to reachmy goal?
• Am I determined to endure to the end —to cross the finish line of life—and
to never quit? (Matthew 24:13).
We probably can’t say yes to all those questions every day. But we surely must
be heading in that direction. This requires taking charge of our lives—the
final listed aspectamong “the fruit of the Spirit.”
Self-control:last but not least
Paul listed nine godly virtues that constitute the fruit of God’s Spirit—the
inward and outward effectof having the gift of the Holy Spirit dwelling within
us. They are “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23).
What a stark contrastthey are to the actions of man’s sinful nature that Paul
listed in the previous three verses!
(Where the New King James Version has “self-control,” the earlier King
James Versionused the word “temperance,” meaning self-restraint. Today,
however, this word usually has the narrowersense ofmoderation or, when
referring to alcoholic drinks, total abstinence. Therefore, as commonly
understood today, temperance is only a small part of self-control.)
Is the sequentialorder of the nine godly virtues significant? The first listed,
love, is clearlythe most important (1 Corinthians 13:1-2, 1 Corinthians 13:13).
Is self-control, then, last because it’s leastimportant? On the contrary, self-
control is extremely vital. Paul emphasized it alongside “righteousness … and
the judgment to come” (Acts 24:25).

18. Perhaps self-controlis listed last as the capstone—sinceit takes a lot of self-
control to exercise the other eight virtues! It takes a lot of self-controljust to
“bridle” one’s tongue (James 1:26; James 3:2). Maybe Paul was thinking of
love and self-controlas the two greatbookends for the set.
Clearly these nine virtues work togetherand support eachother. Consider
long-suffering, which is the opposite of short-tempered. Many people are
ruled by their feelings and can’t control their anger. In fact, one measure of
maturity is emotional control. Some adults still have temper tantrums!
The best form of self-controlmay be fleeing
We all face temptations to sin—all our lives. When confronted with
temptation, we must strive, as far as possible, to getaway from it— flee! Even
if you think you have a lot of self-control, don’t put it to the testunnecessarily.
Considersome of the things we are told to flee: “Flee”from a “stranger” (a
teacherof lies), “flee sexual immorality” (as Josephhad to literally flee,
Genesis 39:12), “flee from idolatry,” flee “allkinds of evil,” “flee also youthful
lusts” (John 10:5; 1 Corinthians 6:18; 1 Corinthians 10:14; 1 Timothy 6:10-
11; 2 Timothy 2:22).
We need self-controlto avoid not only outright evil but also too much of the
goodthings. Proverbs 25:16 cautions:“Have you found honey? Eat only as
much as you need, lest you be filled with it and vomit.”
People often lack the self-restraintto stop when they should. People overeat,
over-drink, overspend and overindulge in lots of things. We must rule over
our appetites rather than letting our appetites rule us. Overindulgence can
lead to intoxication and/or addiction. In either case, the personis then really
out of control!
Self-controloften means resisting sexualtemptations, a subject addressed
many times in the Bible. Tragically, standards of morality and modesty are
plunging around us. Sexual sins are especiallydamaging—physically,
mentally, emotionally and spiritually (1 Corinthians 6:13-20).

19. Becauseoflust, even smart people do stupid things. Just think of all the
prominent people who’ve been caught cheating on their spouses!They may be
“ruling” over many people, but they fail to rule their own lives. They trade
integrity for instant gratification, and everyone loses.
Jesus and the apostles made it clearthat God holds us strictly accountable for
even sinful thoughts as well as sinful actions. We must wage spiritual warfare,
“bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (2
Corinthians 10:4-5).
Jesus said, “Whoeverlooks ata woman to lust for her has already committed
adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:28). We should follow the example
of Job, who said, “I made a covenantwith my eyes not to look lustfully at a
girl” (Job 31:1, New International Version).
And women need to understand how easilythey can be partly responsible for
men sinning in their minds. When a womanis exposing parts of her body that
only her husband should see, others can be tantalized and tempted. Women
who want to please God should “resolve this, not to put a stumbling block [a
temptation] or a cause to fall [into sin] in our brother’s way” (Romans 14:13).
Is willpower powerful?
The Greek wordtranslated “self-control,” egkrateia, is derived from two
other Greek words— en and kratos . En means “in” and kratos means
“strength” or “power.” Fromkratos we get such Englishwords as
“democracy” (powerorrule by the people) and “theocracy”(governmentby
God).
From these Greek roots we see that egkrateiaessentiallymeans power or
strength within. But whose power?
Even apart from God’s direct help, some people have relatively strong
character. Theirgoodhabits may be the result of good upbringing plus
wisdom gainedfrom experience—perhaps combinedwith innate
determination. But we shouldn’t confuse this with the erroneous New Age
claim that everyone has a reservoirof righteous powerdeep within himself
just waiting to be tapped.

20. Paul plainly said that “the mind-set of the flesh is hostile to God because it
does not submit itself to God’s law, for it is unable to do so” (Romans 8:7,
Holman Christian Standard Bible). Thus, the normal human mind by itself is
not capable of being in complete subjection to the law of God! Therefore, we
need “powerwithin” that comes from God!
Jesus said, “The spirit [one’s attitude] indeed is willing but the flesh [human
willpower] is weak” (Matthew 26:41). Forexample, 11 of Jesus’disciples
intended to stick by Him, but when things gotreally scary, they all deserted
Him (Matthew 26:56).
Therefore, “self-control” canbe somewhatmisleading. Effective self-controlis
not ultimately self controlling self. To have truly effectualcontrolover our
lives, we need God’s power to be in control.
“Powerfrom on high”
Just before Jesus’ascensionto heaven, He said to His disciples, “You shall
receive powerwhen the Holy Spirit has come upon you” (Acts 1:8). Luke
24:49 adds that the disciples were to wait in Jerusalem until they receivedthis
“powerfrom on high.”
Indeed, 10 days later when 120 of Christ’s disciples were togetherobserving
the annual festival of Pentecost, suddenly “they were all filled with the Holy
Spirit” and God’s powerwas spectacularlydemonstrated(Acts 2:1-4).
A vast crowdof people gatheredabout, and Peterexplained to them what a
person must do to receive God’s Spirit: “Repent, and let every one of you be
baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission [forgiveness]ofsins;
and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38).
What are the benefits of having the Holy Spirit? There are many, but of
crucial importance is that it enables spiritual understanding —the capacityto
truly understand the Bible (1 Corinthians 2:9-14).
Then, once we have spiritual “knowledge,”we must add “self-control” (2
Peter1:5-8). In other words, God’s Spirit imparts the strength of characterto

21. apply and live by that knowledge. And as it transforms us, we can increasingly
see the effects or “fruit” of having God’s Spirit within us.
The aim of discipline through discipleship
What is the purpose of parental discipline? It should be to teach a child to
exercise self-discipline. The self-discipline gradually becomes a goodhabit
that is valuable throughout life.
Jesus Christ wants you to be His disciple. He said, “If you obey my teaching,
you are really my disciples” (John 8:31, GoodNews Bible). Therefore
discipleship includes learning the self-discipline of obedience. And that has
greatrewards!Choose to follow Christ—chooseto be His disciple!
Jesus also said, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and
take up his cross daily, and follow Me” (Luke 9:23). Jesus was not suggesting
penance, asceticismor a monastic life. But very often, we need to say no to
selfishdesires in order to sayyes to God’s will.
God will not take awaya person’s free will to make choices in life. But as long
as you keepinviting Him into your life, He will empoweryou “to will and to
act according to His goodpurpose” (Philippians 2:13, NIV).
Two proverbs draw a stark contrastbetweennot having self-controland the
priceless value of having it. The first says, “Like a city whose walls are broken
down is a man who lacks self-control” (Proverbs 25:28, NIV). He is
defenselessand doomed to defeat.
The secondstates:“It is better to be patient than powerful. It is better to win
control over yourself than over whole cities” (Proverbs 16:32, GNB).
As with all of us, certainly your biggestspiritual enemy has been yourself. But
take heart. With God’s greathelp, you canincreasingly conquer the enemy!
Eachof us must rule over selfbefore we can, as promised to those who
overcome in Revelation3:21 and Revelation20:6, reign with Christ in His
Kingdom!https://www.ucg.org/the-good-news/the-fruit-of-the-spirit-self-
control-governing-your-life-by-the-power-of-god

22. In what way is self-controla fruit of the Holy Spirit?
Galatians 5:22-23 is one of the most popular passagesin the Bible. It lists the
"fruit of the Spirit." Two things should be mentioned. "Fruit" here does not
mean apples, bananas, or mangos. In fact, despite the long list of attributes,
"fruit" doesn'trefer to individual items. It refers to a generaloutcome or
result. The result of the Holy Spirit working in a person's life is love, joy, and
all the rest. The secondthing to note is that these are the results of the Holy
Spirit. They are not the product of hard work or self-improvement. We must
cooperate withthe Holy Spirit, but it is still the Holy Spirit doing the work in
us.
Self-controlas a fruit of the Spirit is a bit of a paradox. How can the ability to
control oneselfbe the result of being controlled by someone else?
The Bible teaches that, in a certain sense, the unbeliever has no free will.
There are influences beyond his control. Unbelievers are "slaves to sin"
(Romans 6:16-20). Our sinful nature "predetermines" us to choose selfish,
harmful behaviors, and our fallen world aids the process. WithoutChrist, we
are not free to completely release ourthoughts and actions from sinful
influences and simply choose whatis good.
That's where the Holy Spirit comes in. As He works in a believer's life, the
fruit, or result, is that the believer is able to pull away from the determinant of
the sinful nature and make a truly independent choice. Thatis the first stepof
self-control.

23. The freed self then has choices to make, and he finds that the range of choices
has broadened. Instead of choosing one sin overanother, the new man in
Christ canmake choices basedon love for God and rootedin the wisdom of
God.
A decisionmade in the freedom of self-controlwill do what it canto ensure
future freedom. Whenever we follow unhealthy appetites or society's lies, we
limit our options in the future. A sinful actis anotherstep down a dead-end
road; the more steps we take, the harder it gets to make an independent
choice in the future.
We are best served and even freest when we use our self-controlto submit to
Christ. His Word brings life. Christ allows us to be what we were designed to
be, to display the glory we were createdwith. His Spirit produces self-control
in us, the ability to say"no" to fleshly lusts and live in moderation and wise
constraint. Indulging in sin enslaves anddestroys us. Self-controlfrees us to
live for Christ.'
https://www.compellingtruth.org/self-control-fruit-Spirit.html
Question:"The Fruit of the Holy Spirit – What is self-control?"
Answer: The last characteristiclistedin Galatians 5:22-23 as a fruit of the
Spirit is self-control. The fruit of the Spirit is the change in our characterthat
comes about because ofthe Holy Spirit's work in us. We do not become a
Christian on our own, and we cannot grow on our own. Philippians 2:13 says
that "it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good
pleasure." Every goodthing we do is the fruit of the Spirit's work in our lives.

24. Self-control(“temperance” in the KJV) is, of course, the ability to control
oneself. It involves moderation, constraint, and the ability to say “no” to our
baserdesires and fleshly lusts.
One of the proofs of God’s working in our lives is the ability to control our
own thoughts, words, and actions. It’s not that we are naturally weak-willed.
But our fallen nature is under the influence of sin. The Bible calls it being a
"slave to sin" (Romans 6:6). One definition of sin is "filling a legitimate need
through illegitimate means." Without the power of the Holy Spirit, we are
incapable of knowing and choosing how best to meet our needs. Even if we
knew what would be best, such as not smoking, anotherneed, like comfort,
would take precedence and enslave us again.
When we are saved by Christ's sacrifice, we are free (Galatians 5:1). That
liberty includes, among other things, freedom from sin. “Our old self was
crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done awaywith, that we
should no longer be slaves to sin” (Romans 6:6). Now, as the Spirit gives us
self-control, we can refuse sin.
Believers needself-controlbecause the outside world and internal forces still
attack (Romans 7:21-25). Like a vulnerable city, we must have defenses. A
wall around an ancient city was designedto keepout the enemy. Judges at the
gates determined who should be allowedin and who should remain outside.
Soldiers and gates enforcedthose decisions. Inour lives, these defenses might
include avoiding close relationships with sinners, meeting with other believers,
and meditating on the life-giving Word of God. We don’t exhibit self-controlif
we continually dally with that which would enslave us.
Self-controlnaturally leads to perseverance(2 Peter 1:6) as we value the long-
term goodinstead of the instant gratification of the world. Self-controlis a gift

25. that frees us. It frees us to enjoy the benefits of a healthy body. It frees us to
rest in the securityof goodstewardship. It frees us from a guilty conscience.
Self-controlrestricts the indulgence of our foolish desires, and we find the
liberty to love and live as we were meant
to.https://www.gotquestions.org/fruit-Holy-Spirit-self-control.html
Fruit of the Spirit: Self-Control
by Eddie Foster
Why is the final fruit of the Spirit, self-control, so important in governing our
decisions, especiallyin relation to demonstrating the other fruit?
Imagine a small child throwing a tantrum—complete with throwing toys and
shrieking—whenshe doesn’t get what she wants.
Now fast-forwardthat same child into the workforce 20 orso years into the
future. This version of her future self, one without self-control, is yelling in the
face of her (soon-to-be former) employer for making her rewrite a report. A
different version, one with self-control, would take the criticism from her boss
and comply without retaliation.
Examples such as this highlight even from a secularpoint of view the need for
self-control, which is exactly what it sounds like: controlover the self.
For Christians, however, self-controlis not merely about temperament. It is
about resisting the temptation to break God’s law (which includes losing our
temper) and reactto others without demonstrating the fruit of the Spirit in
our thoughts and actions. The apostle Paul wrote about bringing “every
thought into captivity to the obedience ofChrist” (2 Corinthians 10:5). Since
thoughts lead to actions, this includes controlling ourselves completely, despite
the pulls of temptations.

26. Romans 7:23 describes it in this way: “But I see another law in my members,
warring againstthe law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law
of sin which is in my members.” Paul is describing this pull of human nature
that makes us think it is “natural” to sin.
We have to remember that the “natural” is part of this world, temporarily
run by Satanthe devil (2 Corinthians 4:3-4). Therefore, as godly Christians,
we recognize that self-controlincludes abstaining from the evils of the world.
Notice 1 John 2:15-17:“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If
anyone loves the world, the love of the Fatheris not in him. Forall that is in
the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is
not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the
lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.”
What is self-control? It is the active effort we put forth to resistthe temptation
to go back to the ways of the world around us once we’ve been shown God’s
spiritual way of life. It is demonstrating the fruit of the Spirit instead of
committing the works ofthe flesh (Galatians 5:19-23).
Why does God want us to demonstrate self-control?
The reasonGodwants us to grow in self-controlties in with all the other fruit
of the Spirit that are listed in Galatians 5:22-23.
We are in a battle. As we read in 1 John 2:16, “All that is in the world—the
lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.” That is Satan’s idea
for the world, as we see in John 8:44: “You are of your father the devil, and
the desires ofyour father you want to do. He was a murderer from the
beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him.
When he speaks a lie, he speaks fromhis own resources, forhe is a liar and
the father of it.”
God’s idea for the world, on the other hand, includes having everyone
demonstrate the fruit of the Holy Spirit.
So where does self-controlcome in? Everywhere.

27. It takes self-controlto show true godly love insteadof lust and infatuation—to
love others not as the world loves, but as Christ loved us. “And walk in love,
as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a
sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma” (Ephesians 5:2, emphasis added
throughout).
It takes self-controlto have godly joy when we are facing a difficult situation
in life. “Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy
inexpressible and full of glory” (1 Peter1:8).
It takes self-controlto get along with others and make peace insteadof
constantly getting into conflict. “Blessedare the peacemakers”(Matthew 5:9).
It takes self-controlto patiently bear with others rather than quickly
condemning them. It’s very hard to “be patient with all” (1 Thessalonians
5:14).
It takes self-controlto not automatically look out only for yourself but kindly
look out for other people (Philippians 2:4).
It takes self-controlto do good, to go through the narrow gate towardlife
rather than the evil, wide gate toward destruction (Matthew 7:13-14).
It takes self-controlto be faithful and not have our faith shatteredby the
mocking of scoffers (2 Peter 3:3-4).
It takes self-controlto be a gentle servant of the Lord (2 Timothy 2:24),
showing compassionand mercy with real love as God does with us.
An example to follow
In the articles on the other fruit of the Spirit, various biblical figures have
been highlighted as examples to follow. Knowing that Jesus Christ is the
perfect example to follow for all of the fruit of the Spirit, it is fitting to use
Him as the example for the final one of the list: self-control.
The story of Jesus Christ is found mainly throughout the Gospels (Matthew,
Mark, Luke and John) but is also illustrated throughout the entire Bible

28. because He was the Creatorwho then came to earth in the flesh (John 1:1-4,
14).
We look to His experiences and actions as a human being and then try to
model our lives after Him. Jesus Christ’s time as a human being defines self-
control. In order to pay the penalty for our sins, Jesus had to live a sinless life.
This required constantself-controlwith the help of God. Even in the face of
blatant temptation by the devil, who offered Him the lust of the eyes, the lust
of the flesh and the pride of life, Jesus Christ remained in control (Luke 4:1-
13).
Jesus Christ also neededamazing self-controlto allow God’s will to happen in
the perfectway it had been planned. Forexample, Christ had to refrain from
calling for legions of angels to save Him from torture and death (Matthew
26:53-54). Also, He had to refrain from disagreeing with God’s will (Matthew
26:39), looking to the spiritual rather than just the physical.
As with all the fruit of the Spirit, Jesus Christ is the only perfect example to
follow in demonstrating self-control. Without His self-control, we would all
still be under the death penalty for our sins.
An example to avoid
Where does the attitude that is the opposite of the fruit of the Spirit come
from? Just as Jesus Christis the perfect example of self-controland the other
fruit of the Spirit, Satanthe devil is the perfect example of loss of control and
the other works ofthe flesh (Galatians 5:19-21).
The transformation of Lucifer the angel to Satanthe devil (found in Isaiah
14:12-15 and Ezekiel28:11-19)is a cautionary tale of loss of self-control.
When sinful, violent and prideful thoughts entered Lucifer’s mind, his
reactionwas to allow them to turn into a rebellious spirit.
Earlier we saw that the Bible refers to Satanas a murderer from the
beginning (John 8:44), so it is interesting to see what God said to Cain, the
first human murderer, about control: “Why are you angry? And why has
your countenance fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you

29. do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should
rule over it” (Genesis 4:6-7).
Like Cain, who, after hearing those words, went out and killed his brother,
Satandid not rule over (or control) the thoughts that led to his rebellion.
Revelation12:9 says that Satan “deceivesthe whole world.” It’s safe to say he
wants humans to love the world and its carnality, especiallylosing self-
control—the thing that stops us from committing the works of the flesh and
keeps us demonstrating the fruit of the Spirit.
Self-controlself-examinationquestionnaire
Have I lost controlto dangerous emotions or a damaging sin? How do I
know?
Why do I have difficulties restraining myself from what I know isn’t goodfor
me?
Do others describe me as calm and collectedorerratic and uncontrolled?
Why?
Is my first reactionto something a fruit of the Spirit or a loss of control?
Why?
How do we demonstrate more self-control?
We’ve seenthat the need to demonstrate self-controlis critical. But how do we
make the necessarychanges anddemonstrate more of it?
Keep track, either in a journal or chart, of various reactions you experienced
during the week and categorize them as either demonstrating the fruit of the
Spirit with self-controlor a work of the flesh with loss of control. Examine the
causes andthe thinking that led up to the reaction.
When presented with a stressfulsituation, have a phrase or prayer ready in
your mind to help you focus on staying in controland looking to the fruit of
the Spirit instead of a natural, knee-jerk reaction. (Forexample, if someone
tends to irritate you at work, think to yourself, “Godwants me to rule over
this”—before you lose control and insult them.)

30. Pray daily for God to give you more of His Spirit, including the self-controlto
demonstrate that fruit and avoid temptation. The more we pray, study,
meditate and fast to draw closerto God (the source of the Holy Spirit), the
more we will have the control to demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit. Set goals
to expand the quantity and quality of these tools in your life.
As mentioned in the first article in this series, the fruit of the Holy Spirit is
how Christians show God’s characterand gospelmessagein their thoughts
and actions. We are to be walking billboards for the Kingdom of God and His
righteousness. Maywe all grow in demonstrating and living by the fruit of the
Spirit!
Readmore about living God’s way of life in the “Christian Conversion”
section. Formore about the rest of the fruit of the Spirit, see our article “The
Fruit of the Spirit” and the links to the other eight.
https://lifehopeandtruth.com/god/holy-spirit/the-fruit-of-the-spirit/fruit-of-
the-spirit-self-control/
The Fierce Fruit of Self-Control
Article by John Piper
Founder & Teacher, desiringGod.org
As the Hebrews were promised the land, but had to take it by force, one town
at a time, so we are promised the gift of self-control, yet we also must take it
by force. (Ed Welch, “The Battle Against‘One More’”)
The very conceptof “self-control” implies a battle betweena divided self. It
implies that our “self” produces desires we should not satisfy but instead

31. “control.” We should deny ourselves and take up our cross daily, Jesus says,
and follow him (Luke 9:23). Daily our “self” produces desires that should be
“denied” or “controlled.”
The path that leads to heaven is narrow and strewn with suicidal temptations
to abandon the way. Therefore Jesus says, “Strive to enter through the
narrow door” (Luke 13:24). The Greek word for “strive” is agonizesthe, in
which you correctlyhear the English word “agonize.”
The Narrow Door
We geta taste of what is involved from Matthew 5:29: “If your right eye
causes youto sin, tearit out and throw it away.” This is the fierceness ofself-
control. This is what is behind the words of Jesus in Matthew 11:12: “The
kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force.” Are
you laying hold on the kingdom fiercely?
Paul says that Christians exercise self-controllike the Greek athletes, only our
goalis eternal, not temporal. “Every athlete [agonizomenos]exercisesself-
control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an
imperishable” (1 Corinthians 9:25). So he says, “Idiscipline my body and
keepit under control” (1 Corinthians 9:27). Self-controlis saying no to sinful
desires, evenwhen it hurts.
A Superior Pleasure
But the Christian way of self-controlis not “Just sayno!” The problem is with
the word “just.” You don’t just sayno. You say no in a certainway: You say
no by faith in the superior powerand pleasure of Christ. It is just as ruthless.
And may be just as painful. But the difference betweenworldly self-control
and godly self-controlis crucial. Who will get the glory for victory? That’s the
issue. Will we get the glory? Or will Christ get the glory? If we exercise self-
control by faith in Christ’s superior power and pleasure, Christ will getthe
glory.

32. “Godly self-controlsays no by faith in the superior power and pleasure of
Christ.”
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Fundamental to the Christian view of self-controlis that it is a gift. It is the
fruit of the Holy Spirit: “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace . . . self-
control” (Galatians 5:22–23). How do we “strive” againstour fatal desires?
Paul answers:“Forthis I toil, struggling [agonizomenos]with all his energy
that he powerfully works within me” (Colossians 1:29). He “agonizes”by the
powerof Christ, not his own. Similarly he tells us, “If by the Spirit you put to
death the deeds of the body, you will live” (Romans 8:13). “Notby might, nor
by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts” (Zechariah4:6). We must
be fierce! Yes. But not by our might. “The horse is made ready for the day of
battle, but the victory belongs to the Lord” (Proverbs 21:31).
And how does the Spirit produce this fruit of self-controlin us? By instructing
us in the superior preciousness ofgrace, andenabling us to see and savor (that
is, “trust”) all that God is for us in Jesus. “The grace ofGodhas appeared . . .
training us to renounce . . . worldly passions . . . in the present age” (Titus
2:11–12). Whenwe really see and believe what God is for us by grace through
Jesus Christ, the powerof wrong desires is broken. Therefore, the fight for
self-controlis a fight of faith. “Fight the goodfight of the faith. Take hold of
the eternallife to which you were called” (1 Timothy 6:12).
Self Control – Fruit of the Spirit Bible Verse
By: MichaelBradley
Last updated on: December27, 2018

33. Last, but not certainly least, is the quality of self-control. This one is huge, and
I mean huge!
Once you start to enter into a true sanctificationprocess withthe Lord –
expectthe Holy Spirit to move on you very early with this specific quality.
The reasonfor this is that we all have a certain amount of characterflaws
operating in our personalities. There are some bad and negative qualities that
will have to go.
The Bible tells us that our spirits and our flesh will war againsteachother in
this life. Our flesh wants immediate self-gratificationat all costs and will stop
at nothing to try and getit.
Our spirits know that some of our fleshly desires are not right for us and as a
result, there will be a tug of war betweenthe two – and sometimes it will be a
major tug of war. And the only thing that will be able to control and curb
some of the desires of our flesh is the quality of self-control.
Since we all live in a very self-centeredand materialistic type world today,
many people have very poor impulse control. If they see something they
immediately want, they will do anything they can to try and get it. They will
not be denied until they get what they are going after. These people are
obviously very weak in the quality of self-control.
This is why the Bible tells us that if we can learn how to really walk in the
Holy Spirit, then we will not fulfill the lusts of our flesh.
Due to our fallen and sinful natures, all of us are weak to some degree in the
quality of self-control. This is why God the Father made sure to have this fruit
listed as one of the 9 fruits of His Holy Spirit.
We all need God’s self-controloperating in our lives and in our personalities if
we are going to have any hope in getting cleanedup and properly sanctified to
the degree that He would like to getus to in this life.

34. If you do not have God’s self-controloperating through you – you will have
very little victory oversuch things as bad tempers, judgmental and critical
spirits, an unforgiving spirit, and vices such as smoking and the abuse of
alcohol.
Once the Holy Spirit starts this sanctificationprocess within you – be
prepared for some major battles and tugs of wars with Him once He starts
coming after some of the negative qualities operating in your personality.
But if you are willing to yield to Him and allow Him to start to work all 9 of
these fruits into your personality – then you will find yourself starting to grow
in ways and in areas that you never thought were possible in this life.
His supernatural power in this area will blow you awayonce you see how far
He can really take you to become the personthat God would like you to
become in Him in this lifetime.
Here are some of the definitions of what the quality of self-controlis all about:
Temperance, rationalrestraint of natural impulses
Sober, temperate, calm and dispassionate approachto life, having mastered
personaldesires and passions
Calls for a self-disciplined life following Christ’s example of being in the
world but not of the world
Restraintor discipline exercisedoverone’s behavior
The above definitions perfectly describe what God is looking for once He
starts to work and transmit this quality up into our personalities. This specific
quality is one of the major keys in being able to get any kind of victory over
some of the lusts and desires of our flesh.
https://www.bible-knowledge.com/selfcontrol/

35. The Fruit of the Spirit! “Self-Control” (Part10)
‘The fruit of the Spirit is
love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness andself-control.
(Galatians 5:22-23 in the Holy Bible)
This may be one of the most important columns I have ever written.
Well, glory after 10 weeks we arrive at the last fruit of the Spirit’¦self-control!
For me this is one of my favorite fruits. Should not really say that for all of the
fruits of the Spirit are the fruit of God in our lives. But for me this is one that
really speaks to me.
As I have lived my life and gone through so many struggles and trials and
difficulties ‘self-control’is something that I must deal with daily. I love the
challenge!Where many flee from struggle I embrace it. One of my favorite
sermons that I preachis:
“When everything says ‘No’ here comes Jesus!’
In carrying the cross around the world in every nation and over 36,000
walking miles there has been time after time when my body said ‘no’. Yet
thank you Jesus He gave the gift of ‘self-control’ to press on beyond what
seemedpossible. Time and again when all the things around me said‘no’ I
found the Holy Spirit filling me and leading me on to do what seemed
impossible. Again in the same way people have said ‘No, you cannot do this.’
All glory to God He has given the strength and will for me to hear all the
words, rejectthem and then go forward believing the call and will of God.
One must impose ‘will’ and ‘self-control’over emotion. You can read back to
my first column on this subject and see when I first came to the importance of
the fullness of the Holy Spirit and how I struggled to walk in the Spirit.

36. With my mindset and with the way God works in me I never have an excuse.
Many people seek excusesandblame for failure. Over and over again most
seek to shift the fault to something or someone else.
For me in life in victory and in failure ‘it is me’. No doubt about it. I can never
say:
“The Devil made me do it’.
“I didn’t know what I was doing’.
“It just happened’.
“He, she is to blame’.
“I’m confusedand just don’t know what I did’.
“Thatjust came out, I don’t know where it came from’.
In strength or in failure it was me and I did it. No one and nothing else forced
me to reactas I did. I am responsible. When you have this viewpoint you must
deal with all of life in a very clearand personalway.
I am responsible for what I eat. My weight, my physical conditioning and all I
do are a true reflectionof ‘Me’. Like it or not we are what we do, say, think
and believe. As the Holy Spirit works in me I am to live in His self—controlat
work in me. Jesus is the Masterofself-control. Look at His life. One of the
requirements of following Jesus is to ‘deny self’. Self is not to be our Master
but self-controlis to be our humble way of living in this world. The apostle
Paul in the Bible says, “I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, not I
but Christ lives in me! Self is no longer the master of the followerof Jesus.
How do we deal with the problem?
My suggestions are:
Identify the area or areas ofyour life that need ‘self-control’. I suggestthat
you geta piece of paper and write this down. Should there be many items then
list them with space enoughto write in below or list them one to a page so
there is enough room to write. Be honest. Be truly honest with yourself. You

37. can just stop and do this now. Look over what you have written down. You
may be angry or weeping or deeply hurt or fearful as you see before your eyes
your greatneed. Don’t despair. Let’s take the next step.
In all these areas ofweaknessorsin now bring them eachbefore the Lord
Jesus and ask Him to forgive and cleanse and empoweryou. Take all the time
you need. Now the past is under the Bloodof Jesus and He has cleansedyou as
you have repented and ask for His mercy and grace.
“I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me’.
Philippians 4:13 in the Holy Bible
“My God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in Glory by
Christ Jesus’. Philippians 4:19 in the Holy Bible
Now I want you to look at this list again as you focus on ‘now’ and the
‘future’. Pleasewrite under eachof these heading in 1,2, 3, order how you
have been failing in this.
Example of lack of self-control:
Problem: What is it?
Pattern:
When does it happen?
How often does it happen?
What time of the day or night?
How do I begin to rationalize my actions?
Look at the pattern. There is always a repeatedorder of thought patterns and
actions. Look at yourself and write down the steps you take to get to where
you are out of self-controlon the subject. You will always see a clearpattern
whether it is food, drink, anger, lust, wasting time or anything else. Now you
are beginning to see the small steps that you repeat to cause you the problem.
Now to break the repeatedpattern of actions:

38. Put a small New Testamentin the place of temptation. When you go there,
read the Word of God. This breaks the pattern. You may also put a scripture
verse at the place of temptation. You canalso stop by your Christian
bookstore andperhaps find a beautiful scripture or thought that is beautiful
to put in that place. A goodverse like the ones listed above on the car dash or
refrigeratordoor or computer monitor could be of tremendous help. It helped
and helps me.
Should alonenessbe driving you to actions then change your patterns and find
new friends in places where you can meet and getto know people in a good
environment.
Should you be short-tempered then resolve to do something like looking at
your watchand determine that you will not reactto a provocationfor 5
minutes no matter what. This gives you time to gain your controlas you pray
and considereverything.
Some of us with our inappropriate words are like an elephant in a flower
garden. Crushing the people all around us, even the ones we love and care
about.
Should you have a problem going into a certainplace after work then take a
new route in your car and avoid that place. You may need to avoid certain
environments as the temptations are just too great for you at this time. Just
don’t go there. Find something else to do. Just stopping doing something leads
to boredom and soonyou will repeatyourself. So find a substitute activity that
will be more fulfilling than what the other thing ever was.
Should you have a problem with say, ‘following through’ and not ‘doing’ what
you resolve to do in study or projects then write down a daily list and at first
keepit short and easyto accomplish. Then you canincrease it. Look at it in
the morning and then check it off before bedtime.
Whateversystem you use, break from the pattern and start a new life.
Don’t give excuses foryour actions. Be responsible, admit failures and in the
powerof the Holy Spirit you will soonsee marked improvement and in time
you will be living in this glorious fruit of the Holy Spirit’¦self-control.

39. Some of you may be wondering why I am spending so much time talking
about practical things and not just “Jesus willtake that desire away’. Now
Jesus canand will give you this fruit of the Spirit but you must be willing to
let Him and let Him deal with your human body and your spirit.
Many of you reading this column have been to the church altar or prayer
meeting or shared your problems with a prayer partner or prayed about this
problem for years with no real change. Should you have no problems with
self-controlthe praise God you don’t need this column anyway. I need it and
most of you do too.
So often evenin church people come to the front to pray or be prayed for and
they leave unchanged. Sure there is a goodfeeling and a change for a few
hours or days but then the old pattern emerges. Now I am not talking about
salvationbut followers ofJesus still struggling with old repeatedproblems.
Sometimes people need tips for living and dealing with problems. Just having
someone else pray for you will not solve every problem. You must make
decisions.
We all have problems in this area. I do not and will not point fingers at others
in this discussion. I want to focus on me, Arthur Blessitt. It is easyfor me to
see that someone has a problem with lack of self-controlwith food whereas I
have this problem in some other areas that are not so obvious. So don’t judge
others. Judge yourself and deal with the solutions to your problems.
Now!Ask the Holy Spirit to fill you with all the fullness of the glory of God
and empoweryou to live in victory in every area of your life.
You may want to burn or throw awaythat paper you have been writing your
list on. I remember years ago writing a list and then after prayer and
considerationand decisioneveryone threw their list into a bonfire. People
were weeping and laughing and hugging and praising God. I will never forget
that. Now that past is gone and you are forward focused! You may also keepit
and write progress notes on it from time to time.

40. Oh, dear friends I pray this has helped you. I truly do want to help you ‘live’
the life you want to in Jesus. I pray for you! I would be very interested in
hearing from any of you by e-mail about how this may have helped you.
Even doing these columns is a work of self-control. It requires me to do a
column every week. Maynot seemmuch but it takes time and effort and
hours of work. When I felt Jesus leadme to write the weeklycolumn I also
made the decisionto ‘Do’ it. Just like everything else there is a decisionto do
or not to do then there must be the daily or weeklycommitment to carry out
the action. I love the discipline this forces on me.
You will be making giant steps forward in Jesus Name!
Pilgrim followers ofJesus,
Arthur and Denise Blessitt
The Fruit of the Spirit:
Self-Control
by John W. Ritenbaugh
Forerunner, "Personal," December1998
Topics
Addictions
Appetite, Control of
Athlete Analogy
Carnal Nature
Carnal Nature, Struggle Against
Desire

41. Discipline
More...
Related
Overcoming (Part 5): Self-Denial
Overcoming (Part 6): Self-Surrender
Self-Control
A Godly Questfor Pleasure
Gluttony: A Lack of Self-Control(Part Two)
Peer-Pressure:A Challenge for All
Playing With Fire
More...
Series
The Fruit of the Spirit series:
The Fruit of the Spirit
The Fruit of the Spirit: Love
The Fruit of the Spirit: Joy
The Fruit of the Spirit: Peace
The Fruit of the Spirit: Patience
The Fruit of the Spirit: Kindness
The Fruit of the Spirit: Goodness
More...

42. Have you ever lamented the factthat this world seems out of control? Partly
because ofrapid transportation and communication, events seemto occurso
rapidly that they tumble one upon another. In our minds we are carried
furiously along in their current, unable to conclude one event before another
hammers away at us for attention. A number of years ago, when it seemed
that this world's major powers were careening pell-mell toward a nuclear
showdown, we frequently heard the cry, "Stopthe world, I want to getoff!"
Today, major economic crises have overrun severalmajor nations, and like
gigantic tidal waves they seemto be sweeping towardthe shores of Western
nations, which seempowerless to controltheir inexorable advance.
Events are not really out of control because Godis still on His throne. The
apostle Paul teaches in Acts 17:26, "And He has made from one blood every
nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their
preappointed times and the boundaries of their habitation." Job agrees:
He makes nations great, and destroys them; He enlarges nations, and guides
them. He takes awaythe understanding of the chiefs of the people of the earth,
and makes them wander in a pathless wilderness. Theygrope in the dark
without light, and He makes them staggerlike a drunken man. (Job 12:23-25)
Does a drunken man exhibit much control? No, but in this example, God is
manipulating events and men are powerless, thoughthey try to turn aside His
plans (see Psalm2).
We are privileged to live when events—farbeyond even nations to controland
of vast importance to the outworking of God's purpose—are being
maneuvered into position. Mostassuredly, God is deeply involved. His
dominion is overall creation, but for the present time He has appointed Satan
and his demons, the principalities and powers of this age, to rule over earth
(Ephesians 6:12).
As we approachChrist's return, Satan has designed ways of life that are fast-
paced, spiced by a complicatedarray of sense-appealing entertainments,
fashions and gadgets, andfilled with a confusing mix of educational,
economic, religious and political systems. These lifestyles are in a constant

43. whirl and lived on the edge of disaster. No one has time any more to meditate
on how to gain control over his life.
Are we also allowing ourselves to be sweptalong on the crestof this surging
tide of worldliness? Perhaps this is why Satanhas createdsuch a system.
Cannot Stop the Tides
We will never controlsome things. We cannot stop the tides from going in or
out. As much as some would like, we cannotcontrol the weatherso that it will
not rain on our parade. We must admit that there is far more over which we
exercise no control than that which we do. God does not require that we try to
control what is beyond us or that we fret because they are beyond us. Some
things in life we must learn to acceptpeacefully, yield to and work our way
through. Otherwise, we could find ourselves "beating our heads againsta
wall" and driving ourselves into the psychologicalimbalance of always seeing
ourselves as victims.
It is sometimes surprising how little control we have over other people—even
in our families, our own flesh-and-blood children we have rearedfrom birth.
Parents are often shockedby their children's behavior, especiallyof their
teenagers,whomthey thought they had trained well. Many parents have
discoveredthat merely telling their children what they canor cannotdo—
accompaniedby warnings of dire punishment—is not enough to control their
behavior when the children find themselves under the pressure of a situation.
Perhaps the supreme irony is when we realize how little control we exercise
over ourselves. We find ourselves enslaved, even addicted, to habits created
and engravedon our characteroveryears of practice. This discoverycan be a
devastating, humbling blow to the ego. It often occurs afteran intense study of
Almighty God's standard of thinking, speaking and behaving in contrastto
the fashionof the world we have willingly and, in many cases,thoughtlessly
followed. Once, there was no fear of God before our eyes, but when He begins
to come into focus in our mind's eye, and we care what He thinks about us,
then we begin to be concernedabout controlling ourselves.

44. Self-controlis the ninth and lastof the fruits of the Spirit listed by Paul in
Galatians 5:22-23. Thoughit is listed last, there canbe no doubt about its
importance to Christian living. Cana Christian be uncontrolled in his manner
of life and still be a Christian? Hardly! Sons of God, as exemplified by Jesus
Christ and the apostles, are models of lives controlled under the guiding hand
of God without relinquishing their free moral agency.
What Self-Control Means
In Galatians 5:23, "self-control" (temperance, KJV) is the translation of the
Greek word enkrateia, whichmeans "possessing power, strong, having
mastery or possessionof, continent, self-controlled" (Kenneth S. Wuest, Word
Studies in the Greek New Testament, "Galatians," p. 160). Vincent's Word
Studies of the New Testamentadds that it means "holding in hand the
passions and desires" (vol. IV, p. 168). The word thus refers to the mastery of
one's desires and impulses, and does not in itself refer to the control of any
specific desire or impulse. If a particular desire or impulse is meant, the
context will indicate it.
Self-controlis comprehensive in practical applicationto life, but the Bible
does not use the word extensively. It is implied, however, in many exhortations
to obedience, submissionand sinless living. The noun form is used only three
times, the verb form twice (I Corinthians 7:9; 9:25) and the adjective form
once (Titus 1:8). The negative form of the adjective is used three times. In II
Timothy 3:3, it is translated"without self-control[incontinent, KJV]"; in
Matthew 23:25, "self-indulgent [excess, KJV]";and in I Corinthians 7:5,
"lack ofself-control[incontinency, KJV]."
Another Greek word, nephalios, has the same generalmeaning, but it
generallycovers a more specific area of self-control. It is often translatedas
"temperate" or "sober." Eventhough its root condemns self-indulgence in all
forms, the Bible's writers use it to refer to avoiding drunkenness.
Despite self-control's obvious importance, we should not limit our
understanding of these words to merely the stringent discipline of the
individual's passions and appetites. These words also include the notions of

45. having goodsense, soberwisdom, moderationand soundness of mind as
contrastedto insanity.
We see a goodexample of self-controlimplied in Proverbs 25:28:"Whoever
has no rule over his own spirit is like a city broken down, without walls." No
specific Hebrew word in this sentence means "self-control,"but "rule"
certainly implies it. In its comments on this verse, the Interpreter's Dictionary
of the Bible states:
The picture is that of a city whose walls have been so nearly destroyedas to be
without defense againstan enemy; so is the man who has no restraint over his
spirit, the source of man's passionate energies.He has no defense against
anger, lust, and the other unbridled emotions that destroythe personality.
(vol. 4, p. 267)
Proverbs 16:32 shows a more positive side of self-control:"He who is slow to
angeris better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes
a city." Here Solomonuses an entirely different word for "rule," but the sense
of self-controlremains. A comparisonof the two proverbs reveals the great
importance of self-controlas both an offensive and defensive attribute.
Undoubtedly, self-denial, self-sacrifice andself-controlare inextricably linked
in Christian life; eachis part of our duty to God. Yet human nature exerts a
persistentand sometimes very strong force away from God, as Romans 8:7
clearly shows:"Becausethe carnal mind is enmity againstGod;for it is not
subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be." It is this force that each
Christian must overcome. Controlling ourselves, denying human nature its
impulse to satisfy its desire, and even sacrificing ourselves are necessaryif we
are to stop sinning as a way of life. When we add the concepts of self-denial
and self-sacrificeto our understanding of self-control, we can see more easily
how large a role self-controlplays in the Bible.
Is Self-ControlNegative?
When viewed carnally, self-control—especiallywhenlinked with self-denial
and self-sacrifice—seems to be essentiallynegative. However, when

46. confronted with a true understanding of what human nature produces, we can
see that the fruits of self-controlare entirely positive.
In I Corinthians 9:24-27, the apostle Paul strongly exhorts us to self-control:
Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the
prize? Run in such a waythat you may obtain it. And everyone who competes
for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable
crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I run thus: not with
uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my
body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preachedto others, I
myself should become disqualified.
Paul uses runners in the Greciangames as examples of how we are to live as
Christians. The first thing to notice is the utmost tension, energyand
strenuous effort pictured by athletes straining for the finish line in hope of the
glory of winning. "This is the way to run," says Paul, "if we want to attain our
potential."
This requires steady, intense concentration, offocus, by the runners. They
cannot afford to become distracted by things off to the side of their course. If
they do, their effectiveness inrunning will surely diminish. Keeping focused
requires control—notallowing distractions to interfere with the responsibility
at hand. "Seek firstthe kingdom of God and His righteousness," says Jesus
(Matthew 6:33). Here, the issue is single-mindedness. James writes, "[H]e who
doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossedby the wind. . . . [H]e is a
double-minded man, unstable in all his ways" (James 1:6, 8). Controlling our
focus can go a long way toward making the run successful.
Paul then says the victorious runner sets Christians an example of rigid self-
control: "Everyone who competes forthe prize is temperate in all things." It
is not only a matter of concentrating while he is racing, but in all areas of life
because his whole life impacts on the race. The runner religiously follows a
rigorous program within a rigid schedule eachday: He rises at a certainhour,
eats a breakfastofcertain foods, fills his morning with exercises andworks on
his technique. After a planned lunch, he continues training, eats a third
planned meal and goes to bed at a specifiedhour. Throughout, he not only

47. avoids sensuous indulgences, he must also abstain from many perfectly
legitimate things that simply do not fit into his program. An athlete who is
serious about excelling in his chosensport must live this way, or he will not
succeedexceptagainstinferior competitors. He will suffer defeat by those who
do follow them.
We canlearn a great dealhere about self-indulgence and self-control. It is not
enough for us to say, "I draw the line there, at this or that vice, and I will have
nothing to do with these." We will have a very difficult time growing under
such an approach, as Paul shows in Hebrews 12:1:
Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so greata cloud of witnesses,
let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us
run with endurance the race that is setbefore us.
Many unsinful things are "weights" simply because theyare so time- and
mind-consuming. Because we do not want to fail in accomplishing the highest
purposes for which we were called, we must run light to endure the length of
our course successfully.
On the surface, being a Christian appears easyto do, in as much as a
Christian is basicallya man that trusts in Jesus Christ. No one is more worthy
of our trust, and He is fully able to bring us into the Kingdom of God. But this
is a mere surface observation. The truth is that being a Christian can be very
difficult because the real Christian is one who, because he trusts Christ, must
sethis heel upon human nature within him and subordinate the appetites of
his flesh and the desires of his mind to the aim of pleasing Him. No wishy-
washy, irresolute, vacillating, lukewarm, disorderly and unrestrained
Christian will please his Masterand glorify our Father.
Jesus says, "[N]arrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life,
and there are few who find it" (Matthew 7:14). Paul writes, "You therefore
must endure hardship as a goodsoldier of Jesus Christ. No one engagedin
warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him
who enlisted him as a soldier" (II Timothy 2:3-4). The Christian is exhorted to
control himself and run to win.

48. In I Corinthians 9, Paul illustrates self-controlin its positive aspects by
showing what it produces along the way and—most importantly—in the end.
Jesus makes it clearin Revelation2 and 3 that the overcomers (conquerors,
victors) will go into the Kingdom of God. Self-controlplays a major role in
bringing victory through our trusting relationship with Jesus Christ. Andrew
MacLaren, a Protestantcommentator, states, "There are few things more
lacking in the average Christianlife of today than resolute, conscious
concentrationupon an aim which is clearly and always before us." Self-
control is not the only factorwe need to do this, but it is a very necessaryone.
Its fruit, goodbeyond measure, is worth every effort and sacrifice we must
make.
PresentYour Bodies
In Romans 12:1-2, Paul comes at this issue from a somewhatdifferent angle,
one that comes into play in the individual choices we make during the course
of a day:
I beseechyou therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present
your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your
reasonable service.And do not be conformed to this world, but be
transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that
goodand acceptable andperfect will of God.
His exhortation is especiallyinteresting in light of what precedes it. Chapter
11 concludes a lengthy dissertationon the doctrinal foundation of
Christianity, showing the central importance of faith and grace. Instruction in
the practicalaspectofChristianity begins with chapter 12. The two sections
are linked by the word "therefore." Bythis, Paul demonstrates that Christian
living is inseparably bound to Christian belief. Faith without works is dead,
and works without the correctbelief systemis vanity. Wrong thinking cannot
lead to right doing.
If a person drinks in the spirit of Paul's doctrinal teaching in the first eleven
chapters, he will present his body a living sacrifice andrenew the spirit of his
mind. Thus, outwardly and inwardly he will be on his way towardGod's ideal
for human conduct. All the virtues produced from this change will begin to

49. grow and manifest themselves in his life. Self-surrender and its companion,
self-control, are inseparable parts of this command.
Paul uses the metaphor of sacrifice throughout verse 1 to reinforce both
similarities with and contrasts betweenIsrael's OldCovenant sacrificial
system and the Christian's sacrifice ofHis life in service to God. "Present" is a
technicalexpressionfrom the sacrificialterminology. Under the Old
Covenant, the offerer's gift was presented to God and became His property.
Similarly, the gift of our life is setapart for God's use as He determines. When
we are bought with a price, we belong to ourselves no longer.
The Old Covenantsacrifices produceda sweetsmellthat God declares in
Leviticus 1:17; 2:2 and 3:5 to be a fragrant aroma in His nostrils. In the same
way, the gift of our life is "acceptable to God." Then Paul says that giving our
lives in this way is "reasonable,"that is, of sound judgment, moderate,
sensible, or as many modern translations say, rational or spiritual. The
outward acts of a son of God spring logically from what has changedin the
inner man. His mind is being renewed, and he is thus controlling himself to
live according to God's will rather than in conformity to the insanity of this
world.
The lastword in verse 1, "service,"is as important as any, for within this
context it describes the service, not of a domestic slave, but of a priest in
complete self-surrender performing his duties before God's altar (I Peter2:5).
It means that we must, first of all, be priests by our inward consecrationand
then we must lay our outward life on the altar in God's service. This is what
our works accomplish.
Almost from the beginning of the Bible, sacrifice is one of the greatkeywords
of God's way. God clearly alludes to Christ's sacrifice in Genesis 3, and the
first sacrificesoccurin Genesis 4. The principle of sacrifice is then woveninto
the fabric of virtually every book until beginning with Christ, the Founder of
Christianity, it becomes perhaps the master-wordfor the outward life of His
followers.
Sacrifices are inherently costlyto the giver, or there is no real sacrifice in the
offering. David explains in II Samuel24:24, "Then the king said to Araunah,

50. ‘No, but I will surely buy it from you for a price; nor will I offer burnt
offerings to the Lord my God with that which costs me nothing.'" Jesus
amplifies this principle with a statement of far reaching day-to-day
consequences:"Greaterlove has no one than this, than to lay down one's life
for his friends" (John 15:13). What could be more costlythan a person giving
his life in service by living a wayof the very highest of standards that his mind
and body do not by nature and habit want to live? It requires a decisionthat
will from time to time bring intense pressure upon him to control himself
againststrong drives to go in an entirely different direction. But he must
control himself if he is to work in the service of God.
Controlling PowerfulPulls
The apostle John notes three powerful pulls that must be controlled:"the lust
of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life" (I John 2:16). These, he
says, are not of the Fatherbut of the world, therefore they are not part of the
standard that we must strive to live according to. If we follow them, we will
continue to be conformedto the world.
Our eyes make us the recipients of a multitude of impressions. Many of them
can excite us to desire something evil, and if we are complacent, we can be
trapped in a sin almostwithout thinking. That is preciselythe problem! We
must be thinking to control what we have power and responsibility over and
turn from such things as if a hot poker were about to be jabbed into our eyes!
When Josephwas about to be lured into sin, he ran, controlling his own part
in that unfolding drama (Genesis 39:11-12).
The body and mind possessappetites and needs that caneasily lead to sinful
excessesif not controlled. They can lead any of us awayin a hundred different
directions from the supreme devotion to Him that He desires for our good.
Note the senselessluxury of this present generation, the exaggeratedcare of
the physical body, and the intemperance in eating and drinking, which are a
curse and shame on America! Our culture has molded us to seek ample
provision for the flesh and material comforts far beyond our needs, drowning
the spirit and producing needless anxieties. We have to learn to subordinate

51. the drive to satisfythese insatiable appetites so they do not master us and lead
us into sin.
Paul's beseeching exhortationis that all activities done by means of brain, eye,
tongue, hand and foot be consciouslydevotedto God and laid as a sacrifice
upon His altar. These are costlyofferings, and costly offerings often require
control in their giving because we inherently desire to hang onto what is dear.
This same apostle exhorts us to "pray without ceasing" (I Thessalonians 5:17).
Prayer is an act of worship, and a priest's daily work is serving God in behalf
of men. This canbe done only if the work of our life is worship, being done by
God's help for God's purpose. We cando this only if we sacrifice ourselvesfor
it.
Sacrifice requires the surrender of our life and thus control of it. What
impressions we allow to be made upon our senses, the indulgences we grant
our appetites, the satisfactions we seekforour needs, and the activities we
engage in through this fearfully and wonderfully made instrument must now
be controlled according to God's standards. Paul writes, "He who sows to his
flesh will . . . reap corruption" (Galatians 6:8), as well as, "I discipline my
body and bring it into subjection" (I Corinthians 9:27). Here is a powerful yet
simple lessonfrom God: The body is a goodservant but a bad master. For our
own goodand God's glory, we must be its master.
God, the Holy Spirit and Self-Control
II Timothy 1:6-7 makes a significant statementabout the importance of self-
control:
Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the
laying on of my hands. ForGod has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power
and of love and of a sound mind.
According to Strong's Concordance,the final word of verse 7 is a noun
meaning "discipline" or "self-control."Mostmodern translations render it as
"self-control," but "sensible," "sobriety," "self-discipline," "self-restraint,"
"wise discretion" and "sound judgment" are also used.

52. God gives His Spirit to us to begin the spiritual creationthat will bring us into
His very image. Here, Paul ranks self-controlright beside seemingly more
"important" attributes of our Creator, suchas courage, powerand love.
Remember, however, that the "fruit" of God's Spirit is written in the
singular; it is one fruit, a balancedpackageneededto make a son of God
whole.
These verses tellus what kind of men God is creating. Men of courage, power,
and love—andmen who are self-governing, sensible, sober, restrainedand
disciplined in their manner of life. These qualities are products of God's Spirit
in us. Paul adds more to this conceptof self-controlin Titus 2:11-14 (Moffatt):
For the grace of God has appeared to save all men, and it schools us to
renounce irreligion and worldly passions and to live a life of self-mastery, of
integrity, and of godliness in this present world, awaiting the blessedhope of
the appearance ofthe Glory of the great God and of our Savior Christ Jesus,
who gave Himself up for us to redeem us from all iniquity and secure Himself
a cleanpeople, with a zest for gooddeeds.
One reasonGodhas given us grace is for us to express self-control. It is hard
to imagine a Christian, preparing for the Kingdom of God, who does not
strive for continual and resolute self-government, that is, one who allows his
passions, tastesand desires unbridled freedom to express themselves. That is
what the world does!When we witness such a demonstration, it gives strong
evidence that the personis unconverted. Blind passionis not meant to be our
guide. If men live guided by their animal passions, they will land in the ditch
because "Godis not mocked;for whatevera man sows, thathe will also reap"
(Galatians 6:7).
Paul writes in Galatians 5:17, "Forthe flesh lusts againstthe Spirit, and the
Spirit againstthe flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do
not do the things that you wish." Sometimes we seemto consistof a whole
clamorous mob of desires, like week-oldkittens, blind of eye with mouths wide
open, mewing to be satisfied. It is as if two voices are in us, arguing, "You
shall, you shall not. You ought, you ought not." Does not God want us to seta
will above these appetites that cannot be bribed, a reasonthat cannot be