This summer our church has been looking at the “Virtues that We Value.” Simply put – what are the character qualities that we need to BE as believers? Or what are the traits and virtues of Christlikeness? The list is endless but we have landed on 10 virtues and this week I preached on the ninth one – self control. I have to tell you, it is a misunderstood virtue. When you think of self control you immediately think that you are talking about discipline, legislated behavior or positive think from useless activities.
The fact is the phrase “self control” means to have mastery over our flesh. It is the idea of putting a governor on the fleshly appetites in each of our beings and that could overtake us and drag us deep into sin. Self control is really spirit control living for the believer, where as the believer yields to the super natural power of the Spirit when we need His assistance to fight back the power of the flesh.
From my study I came to understand that the self control or Spirit controlled life occurs when we get in the “right zone” or position for God to have the freedom to fill us and take control. There are four ways we cultivate self control-ness in our lives….
1. Surrendering to the Spirit. Each of us needs to understand and recognize what the “filling of the Spirit” is and how we sense the Spirit’s prompting in our lives. Everyday we experience temptations and choices that of itself is not sin, but they certainly can open the door to sin and our flesh from coming alive. Yet the Spirit of God indwelled in us will tell us the direction we should take. Do you know what that experience is like?
2. Saturate Your Mind with the Scriptures. The fuel of the Spirit is the Word of God. If we are obeying the Bible we will be experiencing the filling of the Spirit. Paul wrote that the Word of god is the “sword of the Spirit.” It is the instrument or weapon that the Holy Spirit uses to fight back our flesh.
3. Starve the Self-Life or better our FLESH. When we come to Christ we now have the opportunity to have power over the flesh but we are not free from its influence. The old man is still lurking in the shadows of our soul to trip us up. We are “co-conspirators” with our flesh when we expose our minds and hearts to flesh food….those things that ignite our flesh and set it on fire.
4. Surround ourselves with the Saints. Look all of us need accountability, encouragement and loving admonishment at times to experience self control. Hebrews tells us NOT to forsake the assembling of one another – it diminishes our spiritual lives. All of us need fellowship but not just to “feel good” – we need each other to stir up the Spirit-control life God desires for His children!
There you have it the keys to self control living. One of the missing links in today’s church is the regular teaching of this important truth. With the number of people who struggle with addiction, life dominating sins and living in a flesh charged world – we need God’s answer to fight off the power of sin and our SELF-LIFE!