Live with Self-Control
For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age.
Titus 2:11-12
Self-control is gift of the Spirit, and self-control is critically important, because without it Satan can force us to lose control with our words and actions. Without self-control our flesh is in control, and those governed by the flesh will die (Romans 8:6) Did you ever see Jesus without self-control? He had righteous anger, but he never lost self-control, because he was always governed by the Father.
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. (Galatians 5:1) If we don’t have self-control, we will never be free in Christ, and it doesn’t matter what causes us to lose self-control because the result is the same, we are governed by the flesh instead of being governed by the Spirit.
The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God. (Romans 8:7-8) If we have a consistent habit of being governed by the flesh, then we are not pleasing God, and we have no power over our flesh.
We are in control when we are governed by the Spirit, and we ask ourselves; “Is what I am thinking, saying, or doing; pleasing to God?” When we are controlled by our flesh, we are a slave to the world, and we are created to overcome the world. Everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. (1 John 5:4)
If we don’t have self-control and we let our flesh rule our thoughts, words, and actions; we are a slave to the world. If we are controlled by the flesh, we ask for forgiveness, and we ask the Lord for his power to be in control by the Spirit. Satan desire is for us to be controlled by our fleshly desires, and he smiles when we give in to our fleshly desires. If we don’t have self-control, Satan has won a great victory in or life, because he tempts our emotions causing us to loss self-control.
Today pray for self-control wherever you need it, and know having self-control through the Spirit is pleasing to the Lord.
Prayer: Lord, help me to have self-control, and not be governed by the flesh, but governed by the Spirit. In Jesus name, Amen