Read: Ephesians 4:22-24, Proverbs 25:28, 1 Corinthians 9:25-27, Romans 14:13-23, Ephesians 6:12, 1 Peter 5:8, 1 Corinthians 6:18, and Luke 9:23.
We desperately need more
self-control in our world as it seems to be such a tumultuous time where so many
are lacking this character quality and Fruit of the Spirit.
If we’re honest we see that
we live in what is a largely self-centered, entitled society that wants what
they want no matter what anyone else wants. It’s a ”me” or “I” viewpoint.
They
put themselves first.
However, those who know the
Lord, should be abiding in Him, and walking in the power, help and direction from the
Holy Spirit…we are to put off our old life, put on the new life and shift our
focus off ourselves and onto the Lord and others!
The Definition of Tenacity:
When I think
of the Fruit of the Spirit and especially the Fruit of Self-Control, the word Tenacity
comes to mind and here's how dictionaries define it:
the quality or
fact of being able to grip something firmly; grip.
the quality or
fact of being very determined; determination
the quality or
fact of continuing to exist; persistence.
Tenacity – synonyms
are persistence, determination, perseverance, doggedness, strength of purpose,
tirelessness, patience, purposefulness, steadfastness, staying power,
endurance.
Like before A Football Game, Wrestling Match, or music competition or one of the many musicals I was a part of…There was this ownership and feeling that accompanied those ongoing things. This tenacity translated onto the sports field or music stage and was a driving force to continue to grow and excel.
I believe that while it is The Holy Spirit that brings about gifts that are The Fruit of The Spirit, we are to be tenacious in growing in Christ and allowing His Spirit to work in and through us!
The Definition of Self-Control:
The ability to control oneself, in particular
one's emotions and desires or the expression of them in one's behavior,
especially in difficult situations such as:
- The ability
for you and I to say no the things which aren’t good for us or others.
- The ability
and desire to put off the old life and put on the new.
- The denial of
our selfish desires and the striving after God’s purpose, plan and will.
God always has something better in store for us if we do things His way! (See Ephesians 4:22-24)
Self-Control is important because we really cannot grow to be more Christ-like without self-control.
Furthermore, as we work
hard to control our thoughts, words and actions, we provided proof that God is
at work in and through our lives and we have to put on the armor of God regularly because there are many things that can hinder self-control.
It seems that
with every other Fruit of the Spirit that it takes some measure of self-control
to fulfill each of them. Love, joy,
peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and gentleness.
Examples of Self-Control and Your Calling to Self Control:
I recall reading about Edmund Hilary who was the first man who conquered Mount Everest, (29,029 feet tall & is
earth’s highest mountain).
He was asked by
an interviewer about his passions for climbing mountains. He gave this reply:
"It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves."
Self-Control
is largely the conquering of ourselves but the most amazing thing is that we
don’t conquer on our own…we have God’s help every step of the way.
Proverbs 25:28 says, "Like a city whose walls are
broken through is a person who lacks self-control."
This is especially
relevant to the times where they had fortified cities.
I wonder if you and I see people
like this verse describes? People whose life’s are like broken old
dilapidated houses? If we do, it’s because they haven’t maintained their physical and
spiritual house. The analogy is even more relevant when you’re a home
owner, however, if you're in Christ, He’s rebuilt the temple and taken residence up inside of us.
We are no longer that
broke down house in Christ and we have to fortify
ourselves through abiding in Christ and His Word so we can face the day-to-day battles so we won’t succumb to the pressures the influences that wage war
against us.
As we read 1 Corinthians 9:25-27, we see that this passage
is a picture of Self-Control and we’re reminded that our prize is eternal life
with Christ. We don’t run this race without purpose / aimlessly because He
gives us a greater purpose to live and run this race He’s placed ahead of us!
Note: He says
here that He disciplines his body and keep it under control. We need to do
the same including controlling our minds / thoughts.
We also have
to remember once again that our actions can positively or negatively impact
others. In this case…our actions, words, attitudes can cause others to stumble
in the area of Self-Control. As Romans 14:13-23 reminds us, we should not be a stumbling block for one another.
We are also constantly under
attack so self-control is needful in our lives and others.
We’re not to
fear battles we face but we need to recognize that there is a real spiritual warfare going
on and we need The Spirit of God to strengthen us and again, help fortify our
spiritual walls so we can stand strong. I mention this and the next passage
because it directly impacts our success and failure with grow Self-Control and
the other Fruit of The Spirit! (See Ephesians 6:12)
We also have to be
on alert as we recognize through the discernment of Christ who is our enemy and
have the wisdom from Him to know those things and people that do not have our
best in mind but maybe seek to harm us in one way or another. (See 1 Peter 5:8)
Another rampant thing in our world is immorality and as follower's of Christ, we're called to flee immorality which also (See 1 Corinthians 6:18) takes self-control...and sometimes in life…you
will not only have to figuratively flee…but you may have to physically flee
what it is that is detrimental to you.
Following
Christ takes sacrifice and denial of self – and if the Fruit of the
Self-Control is at work in you, you should have no issue denying yourself to
follow Christ and gain all that He is at work in and through you to accomplish! (Luke 9:23)
I want you to remember something: your conduct matters now and in the
future. Whatever you do today can set precedence for your future whether positively
or negatively.
We can cause our own obstacles for progress when we choose to do the
things which we know will adversely impact ourselves and others. We aren’t
called to live a perfect life but we are called to strive for holiness,
including striving to be more Christ-like.
Self-Control
takes a lot of work. It takes a tenaciousness to be committed to your pursuit of Christ and in pursuing Him, allowing His Holy Spirit to work in and through you to help you bear fruit!
Exhortation to grow in Self-Control:
If you want to grow in this or any of the Fruit of The Spirit, you need help! So, ask
the Holy Spirit for help!
In order to successfully grow you need to also abide in Christ each day! You need to own your growth and pursuit of Christ.
I also suggest that you assess the
things and people that are influencing your life. Consider if there are friends, settings or things you need to avoid going forward as they negatively
impact you and cause you to struggle with self-control? Are there things or
people that may be tempting you or causing you to stumble? If so, it's time to purge those people or things.
This may sound hard nosed but, sometimes this is exactly what you need to do successfully grow!
Let me also encourage you to be
tenacious and own your words, actions and thoughts.
The Fruit of The spirit results in a change in our mind, behavior, and character that comes about because of the Holy Spirit's Work in us!
As we close this series of posts out, I realized it's been far too long so I thought it was finally time to finish The Fruit of The Spirit Series after refocusing my time on other projects back to this one briefly. :-)
Your Brother and Servant In Christ,
Randolph Koch