Control Yourself!

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. The law is not against such things.

So far we have studied love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and gentleness. This morning we will look at self-control, as we try to understand how to take on more of the character of Christ as we live our daily lives.

We’ll go back to 1 Peter chapter 1 this morning as we look at what Peter has to say about self-control...

1 Peter 1:13–16 CSB

13 Therefore, with your minds ready for action, be sober-minded and set your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the desires of your former ignorance. 15 But as the one who called you is holy, you also are to be holy in all your conduct; 16 for it is written, Be holy, because I am holy.

[pray]

When scripture speaks to this idea of self-control, it generally is speaking about controlling physical desires. The book of Hebrews makes an excellent example with the athlete preparing for a race...

Hebrews 12:1–4 CSB

1 Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every hindrance and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, 2 keeping our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. For the joy that lay before him, he endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider him who endured such hostility from sinners against himself, so that you won’t grow weary and give up. 4 In struggling against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.

So controlling the desires of the flesh, but also keeping ourselves from sin. But there are deeper shades of meaning to be found here on the discipline of self-control...

Hebrews 12:5–11 CSB

5 And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons: My son, do not take the Lord’s discipline lightly or lose heart when you are reproved by him, 6 for the Lord disciplines the one he loves and punishes every son he receives. 7 Endure suffering as discipline: God is dealing with you as sons. For what son is there that a father does not discipline? 8 But if you are without discipline—which all receive—then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Furthermore, we had human fathers discipline us, and we respected them. Shouldn’t we submit even more to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time based on what seemed good to them, but he does it for our benefit, so that we can share his holiness. 11 No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

Scripture speaks of self-discipline as something that is within our reach...

Hebrews 12:12–14 CSB

12 Therefore, strengthen your tired hands and weakened knees, 13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated but healed instead. 14 Pursue peace with everyone, and holiness—without it no one will see the Lord.

I think we can also make the case that self-control and discipline is a mental game. When we look at the Greek word used for self-control...

Self-control - ἐγκράτεια (egkrateia) - Meaning: The the trait of resolutely controlling one’s own desires (which would lead to action); especially sensual desires.

Peter makes this clear here...

1 Peter 1:13–14 CSB

Peter focuses on the mind and on our thought life when he speaks about our desires. He doesn’t fail to connect our thoughts with our physical self or with our spiritual self.

He says that we get ready for action with our minds first, before we spring into action—either for the better or for the worse. the King James version says… “gird up the loins of your mind, be sober.”

This is a way of saying “Put your thoughts in order! Be disciplined in your thinking!”

This idea of being sober is not really talking about refraining from alcohol or wine as much as it is encouraging the opposite behaviour of supporting calm, steady, and stable thinking.

Peter points out the solution to our desires leading us toward poor action by pointing out that we have a hope in Jesus Christ. This is the spiritual self affecting the emotional self affecting the physical self.

Principle: Knowing that Christ is in control and having a hope in what is to come can give us a calm way of thinking.

1 Peter 4:7 CSB

7 The end of all things is near; therefore, be alert and sober-minded for prayer.

Pastor Warren Wiersbe said it this way, “Christians live in the future tense; their present actions and decisions are governed by this future hope [in Jesus].” We have to live as though we understand the script. We know that Jesus is coming, therefore we cannot allow ourselves to get mired down in the tiny details of life

The Christian:

who never considers the deeper things of life

who is always frazzled by busy-ness

who worries about their kids

but never takes any steps to focus on their spiritual walk with Christ

the one who has never considered how these Fruits are on display in his life

this Christian does not share his faith, because he doesn’t live in faith

this Christian does not care about others or serve them in any way

this Christian does not minister to those around him because he cares most about himself and his friends and family

THIS Christian may not be living the Christian life at all. Where are you in this regard?

We are also encouraged to this sober way of thinking when Peter reminds us that the enemy is on the prowl...

1 Peter 5:8 CSB

8 Be sober-minded, be alert. Your adversary the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour.

I always say that time is too short to be messing around. We have to get down to business and focus on the basics of the Christian life. Constantly chasing from book to book looking for that answer is not finding the answer, it is avoiding the answer that is given to us clearly in scripture.

Peter reminds us here in verse 15-16 that we are connected to one who is holy and that should hold us to a standard of holy conduct...

1 Peter 1:15–16 CSB

15 But as the one who called you is holy, you also are to be holy in all your conduct; 16 for it is written, Be holy, because I am holy.

We are reminded of this again and again throughout scripture...

Be holy, because I [the Lord your God] am holy.

This is not the first time we’ve looked at this. We’ve talked before about the fact that accepting Christ as savior connects you with Christ at a spiritual level. And this connection with Christ, therefore connects us with God. God is holy. He cannot coexist with sin. It is our cleansing and forgiveness through his son, Jesus Christ, that we are considered holy and may enter into his presence through our prayers. And we will join them both in eternity. But we only get that through salvation in Jesus Christ.

Let’s take some time to look at how we work this out in our daily lives...

I. Control Yourself Physically

I already said that the default meaning that scripture takes on self-control is physical self-control...

Romans 7:14–25 CSB

14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold as a slave under sin. 15 For I do not understand what I am doing, because I do not practice what I want to do, but I do what I hate. 16 Now if I do what I do not want to do, I agree with the law that it is good. 17 So now I am no longer the one doing it, but it is sin living in me. 18 For I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh. For the desire to do what is good is with me, but there is no ability to do it. 19 For I do not do the good that I want to do, but I practice the evil that I do not want to do. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, I am no longer the one that does it, but it is the sin that lives in me. 21 So I discover this law: When I want to do what is good, evil is present with me. 22 For in my inner self I delight in God’s law, 23 but I see a different law in the parts of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and taking me prisoner to the law of sin in the parts of my body. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with my mind I myself am serving the law of God, but with my flesh, the law of sin.

This passage gives me hope. If the great Apostle Paul struggled with this in his life, then there might be some hope for me.

We all know that sometimes we know the right thing to do and we go do something else instead.

Some of us here today make this a habit.

Some of us try to avoid sin and do good instead.

Some of us are better at doing the right thing than others.

I remind you of Jesus’ words to the adulterous woman after she narrowly avoided being stoned to death for her sins...

John 8:10–11 CSB

10 When Jesus stood up, he said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11 “No one, Lord,” she answered. “Neither do I condemn you,” said Jesus. “Go, and from now on do not sin anymore.”]

Jesus was not speaking to her in a judgmental way for her sins. He was speaking to her in grace.

Jesus did the same thing on another occasion. After he healed the blind man at the Pool of Bethesda, he did not try to tell him that his blindness was a result of sin in his life (or his father’s sin), which was the common belief of the day. He told him...

John 5:14 CSB

14 After this, Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, “See, you are well. Do not sin anymore, so that something worse doesn’t happen to you.”

Jesus met each of these people with compassion and encouraged them to do the best that was within them. Allow yourself some grace, but be disciplined and hold yourself to a higher standard alongside that grace.

II. Control What Comes Out of Your Mouth

The Apostle James wrote about another physical manifestation that lacks self-control. he said to control the tongue...

James 3:1–10 CSB

1 Not many should become teachers, my brothers, because you know that we will receive a stricter judgment. 2 For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is mature, able also to control the whole body. 3 Now if we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we direct their whole bodies. 4 And consider ships: Though very large and driven by fierce winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. 5 So too, though the tongue is a small part of the body, it boasts great things. Consider how a small fire sets ablaze a large forest. 6 And the tongue is a fire. The tongue, a world of unrighteousness, is placed among our members. It stains the whole body, sets the course of life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. 7 Every kind of animal, bird, reptile, and fish is tamed and has been tamed by humankind, 8 but no one can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With the tongue we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in God’s likeness. 10 Blessing and cursing come out of the same mouth. My brothers and sisters, these things should not be this way.

Many of us get caught with our tongues wagging and getting us into trouble.

boasting

curses

lies

gossip

verbal abuse

Such a small part of the body, but it causes so many problems.

Scripture says that the tongue cannot be tamed, though I believe that it can be controlled with discipline. We have the resurrected power of Jesus Christ within us and we can apply that to the tongue just as we can apply it to the sins that we commit in our physical being, which includes the tongue and to our thoughts, which controls what comes out of our mouth.

III. Control Your Thoughts

How many of us can allow our thoughts to run away from us as we give way to the sins of the mind: worry, anxiety, pride, arrogance, among others...

Philippians 4:6–9 CSB

6 Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any moral excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy—dwell on these things. 9 Do what you have learned and received and heard from me, and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.

Paul tells the Philippian church that they are responsible for what goes on in their minds and he gives them a method of controlling their thoughts through prayer.

That’s right! Prayer has a way of setting your mind straight. Prayer allows us to give our worries over to God and gives us peace.

IV. Control Your Spiritual Life

Finally, it has to be said that we are spiritual beings, but we are also physical and emotional beings.

Romans 12:1–2 CSB

1 Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

Our connection to God makes us holy in our Spirit. This idea of being “transformed (spiritually) by the renewing of the mind” is an important one in our Christian life. Paul says that we are a living sacrifice (which is a spiritual response to the animal sacrifice that the Hebrews practiced).

Part of what we must do in our Christian walk is we must force ourselves out of old habits and form new ones. There is a scientific principle here that when one is trying to change habits and break addictions that new neural pathways are being written in our brains. We are literally renewing our brain as we work on these things.

Principle: Our thinking must be changed from our old, ungodly ways of thinking into new, godly ways of thinking.

Conclusion

We must work hard at this in our daily lives. All of these Fruit of the Spirit are difficult and hard work.

I shared a video on my Facebook feed a couple days ago. It was talking about how “True love is hard work.” [https://www.facebook.com/reel/470967371804782?s=yWDuG2&fs=e&mibextid=Nif5oz]

I’m not going to show the video because I don’t have time. I’ll put it up on the screen here for you or you can find it on my Facebook feed.

It was saying that you don’t get to 50-60 years of marriage and have a good and loving relationship by accident. It is hard work and you must work hard in order to achieve the end result.

This same thing is true of the Fruit of the Spirit.

We have to work very hard at:

Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-Control

You’re not going to wake up at the end of your life and suddenly say “I’m patient! I feel so much peace!” when you’ve a life of rebellion and mockery. You’ve got the fight of your life in putting these characteristics deep within your being.

It is true that we get these in our lives at the moment we are saved. But these things don’t come naturally to us. We have to work at activating them in our lives.

And, I’ve said this before, but my friend Eli reminded me of this during the week...

Some of us here today don’t have these characteristics on display in their lives.

What about you? Do you work hard at practicing these things in your life? Do you?

What would your husband say or your wife? What would your children say? What about your coworkers? Can they see these Fruits on display in your life?

You might be here today or online and come to the conclusion that these characteristics don’t describe you. If that’s the case, you might not have the character of Christ in you. You might not actually be saved. You might be walking around thinking your saved, but acting like the rest of the world. If you can’t even find the character of Christ within yourself, then you need Christ to help you transform your mind, to renew your mind and your life so that you might be made into something better.

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