The Fruit of the Spirit 8
Galatians 5:16-17
‘One more episode’, ‘one more page’, ‘one more video’, ‘one more drink’.
Do you remember times when you had your day all planned out, but you started that one activity you enjoy a lot and you couldn’t just stop yourself, you found yourself stuck in a repeated cycle of ‘one mores’?
Have you had times when you promised yourself not to go back to something and you found yourself days later doing that same thing?
Maybe for you, controlling your temper is sometimes an issue. You’ve been in tough situations where you struggled to ‘hold your peace’ in conduct or speech.
Dear believer, you may be wondering why you are still struggling with all these things when you have The Holy Spirit as well as the fruit of the Spirit.
Today, we will look at self-control, a fruit of the Spirit.
II Corinthians 5:17
New King James Version
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
As a believer, who you were before salvation differs from who you are now. Now, you are a new man in Christ, with new desires, new propensities, new passions, and new abilities.
Ephesians 1:13
New King James Version
13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,
You received the Holy Ghost at salvation when you believed the gospel and with The Holy Ghost came all the fruits of The Spirit, none left out. Therefore, self-control is a fruit of your regenerated spirit.
As a result of The Holy Spirit in you, you can now control your emotions, passions, or desires in every situation.
Galatians 5:22-23
New King James Version
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
The Greek word for ‘self-control’ describes it as a state of power over something, usually a state of self-mastery and self-restraint where one holds power over one’s passions and desires.
A lot of people when asked why they do certain things or behave in certain ways, they reply with the excuse ‘That’s just how I am’.
But things are different for you because you are a new man in Christ, now you have control! The Spirit of God works in you to do His good pleasure.
Why then do you find yourself in situations that make it look as if you are one without self-control?
First of all, just because you don’t see it doesn’t change the fact that it’s there.
Galatians 5:16-17
New King James Version
16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.
Apostle Paul explains that your flesh and your spirit are at a constant war. And he gives a solution to that, ‘walk in the Spirit ‘. Yes, you are a new man in Christ, but because you still live in this body, you have to intentionally walk in the Spirit. It’s your legal reality that the old man has been done away with, so make it your vital reality by feeding your spirit and further deadening your already dead flesh just as a mortician does.
Colossians 3:3-5
New King James Version
3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.
5 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
Between the flesh and the spirit, it is what you feed that will be more evident. A heart left unattended to is dangerous, the more you don’t give attention to the things of the Spirit, the more the flesh grows. Hence, feed the Spirit, and give more time to the study of the Word and prayer so that your convictions are strengthened. When you build up your devotional life, you are more likely to exhibit these fruits of the Spirit.
You have the Spirit of God, hence you have self-control! Your solution to seeing it evident in your life is to walk in the spirit.
Prayer Point:
Father, I thank you because I have self-control by Your Spirit. Now and every day I walk in the spirit that these fruits consistent with my new nature are evident in my life.