The Fruit of the Spirit (9/9) – Self-Control/Self-Discipline
Galatians 5:22-23
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law."
Proverbs 25:28
"Whoever has no rule over his own spirit is like a city broken down, without walls."
1 Corinthians 9:25
"And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown."
The Lord Jesus once said that we are destined to bear fruit. Our goal in life should, therefore, be to bear lasting fruit that is so valuable to God.
Ultimately, fruit means reflecting the characteristics of the Lord Jesus. When He is seen in us, God is glorified.
In this series, we want to reflect on the individual fruit that the Holy SpiritThe Holy Spirit is God, a divine person in the Trinity of God; in the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit works, for example, in creation or on individuals. The Holy... More wants to work in our lives. And since our Lord is always the perfect role model (cf. Mt. 11:29; Jn. 13:15; 1 Pet. 2:21), we will look directly at incidents from His life where these characteristics become visible.
"But the Fruit of the Spirit is … Self-Control."
When we think of self-control, we may initially think of restraint in the use of alcohol. However, the term “self-control, self-discipline" means moderation and renunciation in every area of life.
This can refer to thoughts (2 Cor. 10:5), eating and drinking (1 Cor. 10:31), sex drive (1 Cor. 7:9), temperament, excessive sleep, and much more. The believer should avoid any form of addiction, whether it is alcohol, tobacco, tranquilizers, shopping, or vacations. The tongue must also be controlled (Jas. 3:1-12). A self-controlled believer knows how to be content (Phil. 4:11, 12).
Paul says that a someone who runs in a race must be self-controlled if he wants to win (1 Cor. 9:25). As soon as something dominates a believer, the red line is crossed (1 Cor. 6:12). A lack of self-control is the gateway to temptation (Prov. 25:28).
Examples of self-control in the life of the Lord that we can learn from:
- The Lord Jesus had only words of graceTo the one who earns something through performance, the reward is not according to grace but according to debt (Rom. 4:4). Grace is a favor that is not given by... More (Lk. 4:22) ready for those around Him, never uncontrolled outbursts.
- The Lord only wanted to eat when His Father told Him to (Jn. 4:31-34).
- The Lord Jesus cultivated fellowship with His Father while others enjoyed their home, sleep, and comfort (Mt. 14:23; Lk. 6:12).
