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Self-Control: The Key to a Spirit-Led Life · Wetumpka Church of Christ Online

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Good evening. Hope everyone is well tonight.
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I am thankful to be here. I'm thankful for the privilege
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of being able to be here and to be a part of this summer series.
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Anytime you get the opportunity to present from God's word and
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to preach the gospel is a blessing.
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When you get invited back to a place over a couple of times.
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It just really warms my heart and I don't know that I had a
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whole lot to do with. I think it may be more from the
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goodness of brother Jason's heart.
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To get invited. But honestly, I am thrilled to
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be here with this good congregation tonight.
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I think a lot of this congregation the what Uncle
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Church of Christ. You are blessed with good
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leaders. You're blessed with good
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Ministry people. And I think the world of brother
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Eric lions, got a friend. I think brother, Eric is down at
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Luverne tonight, and that's where I grew up and the Luverne.
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And no, he's kicking off their summer series and Luverne and
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Noah. I know they're going to be
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blessed by the lesson that he shares with them tonight.
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I'm very thankful to be with the brother Jason brother, Rob.
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I thought he's gonna get up here.
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Late pizza, man. You'll ever learn a blade Pizza
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Man. Y'all have to go to Camp to do
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that. But anyway, Rob's a great song
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later. I spoke to brother Terry.
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I said, brother Terry the last time I was here you led the
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singing. I don't know if I scared him off
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from leading the singing tonight.
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I don't know that he did a really good job, but brother
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Jason I couldn't help but think about and the older I get the
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more I tried to make sure I think about the blessings.
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That we have in life. I'm blessed.
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I'm blessed by the fact that I have a lord and savior.
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I have the hope of Heaven, not because of me, because of the
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grace and mercy that comes from our father in Heaven.
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I'm thankful for the mom and dad that the Lord blessed me with
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Paula younger brother. My little brother Dane.
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He is my little brother now, he fits perfectly right up under my
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arm, and I do not do like that but he will attest to the
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blessing that we have of our dad's been gone since 2001, but
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our mother is still with us just turned 85 April.
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The 17th just a few weeks months and a half ago.
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Go. We're blessed to have her still
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with us. And I know I'm not the only one
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who could make this statement because I know where brother
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Jason comes from. I know, where brother here it
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comes from. I, sadly.
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I regret that I just met Rob's dad at his mother's visitation
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wheat lady we Christian lady, but you know, I went to the
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line. I spoke to your dad's probably
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had about a minutes conversation with And I love you and me and I
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understand how Jonathan felt when he when his soul was knit.
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The David. And I say that because I'm sure
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I could go on throughout this congregation and there are a
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number of us a good number of us and I hope that's the case.
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We can talk about the families that we come from and the
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legacies that were passed down to us.
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And that's a great blessing. Now you say, how does that tie
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in to the subject that you are to speak to us on tonight?
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The subject of self-control? Well.
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I can't help but think about and I've shared this with young
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people next, not this coming up week, but the week following
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I'll have the opportunity to go back to count.
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Wiregrass. They go on for probably nearly
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40 years. It may be getting close the time
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for me to retire. But I love going to Camp.
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I love spending the week with those kids. and every time I
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read the book of Ruth, And you know you get on them over into
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the story of Ruth and Naomi and about the first time Ruth ever
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meets Boaz, and I'm paraphrasing a little bit here.
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But Boaz, he's being real good to her.
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Treating her. Very kindly graciously
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benevolently and she asked him. Why are you treating me this
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way? You've never met me?
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Why are you treating me this way?
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He tells her your reputation has preceded you.
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Once you've done for Naomi your faithfulness to her and sticking
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by her side that has come before you and we know you already, we
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know you by reputation. And I would encourage all of us
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but especially those young for. I love to see this group of
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young folks, right up here at the front.
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That's just that's a compliment to you.
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I appreciate you. Y'all are supporting me whether
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you know, it or not, but I thank you for being Where You Are.
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But you make the choices you make.
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Good decision. He try to do what right to the
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best of your ability, and every situation.
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And that will go before you and that will open doors.
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God will use that to open doors for you to do great things.
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The serve people most importantly, the serve God.
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Here, I want you to hear this. Whatever blessing has come your
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way because of your legacy. Whatever Legacy that may have
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been passed down to you. You know how long it would take
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to destroy that? About that long.
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If we fail to exercise self-control.
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That's how important this topic of self-control is, you know,
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where we're studying from Galatians chapter 5, verses 22
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through 25, but the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace,
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long-suffering and kindness and goodness and faithfulness and
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gentleness. I want to take my time on each
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one because you'll be studying all of those fruits of the
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spirit. Throughout these series of
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lessons this summer. Watch last in the list number
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nine self-control. Against such, there is no law
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and those who are Christ's have crucified.
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The flesh with its passions and desires.
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If we live in the spirit, let us also walk in the spirit.
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The life of every individual in which the spirit dwells that's
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talking about God's. Holy spirit, that indwells every
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Christian. It's a part of you.
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That life is a successful life that life is a happy life that
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person truly succeeds in life because they put forth the
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effort in their daily lives to Bear the Fruit of the Spirit.
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In this lesson, our Focus will be on that night, on that final
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aspect of the fruit of the spirit that aspect of
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self-control. I believe it would be good for
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us as we begin tonight to to Define what we mean when we talk
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about self control and to do that, lets first notice Maybe.
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A couple of things that self-control this is not an
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exhaustive list, but maybe it'll give you an idea of what we're
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talking about. Some things that self-control is
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not First of all, let me submit to you that exercising
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self-control does not require us as Christians to keep anger or
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to keep rage bottled up inside forever.
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There are some things that are happening in our society today.
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That should make us angry. It should get these things
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should make our blood boil. When you think about the
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innocence in this world, I am the innocent people.
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The little Innocents in this world and how they're treated.
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Even in the womb, how they're mistreated.
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When you think about God's first institution, God, put two great
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institutions in this world. The first one is the home.
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Obviously. The second one is the church
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established on the day of Pentecost, but the home was
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established with the very first of time, wasn't it?
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You think about what our society?
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And now, the law is trying to get on their side and they are
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denigrating. They are corrupting.
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God's institution of marriage. My opinion that should make us
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angry. Because that's very
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disrespectful to what God has done to the blessings that he's
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handed down to us. Self-control does not require us
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as Christians to keep that anger and that rage bottled up inside
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forever. But I want you to hear this, it
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does require that we find some legitimate outlet for the
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expression of those negative feelings.
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No, Christian goes outside the law to express their anger.
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About anything. We do it within the bounds of
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what's good. And right and acceptable, in the
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eyes of God. But neither does having
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self-control, for example, in the use of time prevent us from
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ever doing anything spontaneously without prior
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planning and preparation. Indeed, when you think about it,
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the very idea of doing something spontaneously, it suggests that,
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as a rule. We operate according to a
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schedule. Being self controlled in the use
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of time that does require us to spend our time.
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According to a plan. We've mapped it out ahead of
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time. And then by exercising
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self-control, we can occasionally enjoy doing
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something, unplanned, doing something spontaneous.
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So how then are we to understand the virtue of self-control that
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fruit of the spirit, that is referred to as self-control.
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Well, the Greek word that is translated.
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Let me tell you right up front. I'm not a Greek scholar.
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I'm probably going to spell the word for you, instead of trying
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to pronounce it kyun. Kar 80 CIA.
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That's the Greek word that is translated self-control.
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Well, you know, in the King James version, it is rendered
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temperance. However, we Vine said
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self-control is the preferable rendering.
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As Temperance is now limited to one form of self-control.
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That being abstinence from alcoholic, drink, abstaining
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from keeping away from drinking alcoholic beverages.
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I don't think any of us are old enough to have actually
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experienced the temperance movement, but maybe you read
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about and heard about it in history.
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And that's what that was all about from the 19th and early
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20th. Centuries the late eighteen and
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Early 1900s to encourage people a movement to encourage people
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to abstain from the use of alcoholic beverages.
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Bang goes on to say the various Powers bestowed by God upon man
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are capable of abuse. The Right Use demands, the
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controlling power of the will under the operation of the
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spirit of God. Other words in other words,
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ultimately, God is the one who has control.
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In his lexicon Walter Bauer says that the word refers to
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exercising, Restraint of one's emotions ones.
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Impulses and one's desire. Perhaps it is significant that
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Paul puts out of control last in his list, just as it may be just
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as significant that he placed love at the first of the Liz.
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What does love to love sums up the attributes that follow in
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that list? Self-control though provides the
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key to the acquisition. Of all of those other
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attributes. For example, how can the
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Christian be good and kind and loving and faithful and gentle
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and patient and long-suffering only through the exercise of
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self-control. Can we accomplish those other
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attributes? The normal natural fleshly.
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Tendency is to be impatient. It's to be unkind.
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It is to hold grudges even seek revenge.
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Don't worry. I'll get you back.
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That's the human natural. Human tendency, isn't it?
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And it is also to yield to sensual temptation.
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Only by developing self-control. Can we say no to the practices
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of the world and at the same time?
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Yes to the attributes of spirituality.
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It is about what we avoid. It is about staying away from
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those things that can cause our bodies harm that can cause our
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minds harm. And at the same time can cause
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us to sin in such a way to separate us from our God.
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But it is also moving toward the positive side and developing,
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the spirituality, the spiritual characteristics.
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The God would have us to imitate.
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The importance of the Christians being self-controlled.
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Is evident from the lack of self-control that permeates our
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society today. Jesus Christ himself.
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Preached self control, self denial.
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If you will. If anyone desires to come after
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me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me,
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Matthew 16 verse 24 Yeah, do yeah, what do most Societies in
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our world today practice? They practice self-indulgence
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rather than self-control. For example, those who were born
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in the United States between 1946 and 1965.
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My brother Jason, I fall into that category more toward the
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1965 than the 1946. Let me just say that very
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quickly, but I do fall into that category, but we came to be
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known as the me generation. They seem to be interested to
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mainly if not solely, in me, in self you ever heard the term
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narcissism. Narcissism being in love with
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oneself or even with one's image.
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Was rampant. There was a new emphasis on
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self-assertiveness and self-fulfillment, which
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suggested that self was the center of each person's
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universe. so, while this generation is aging, Yes, we
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are. And a lot of them have pretty
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much aged out. It appears likely that the
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generations that have followed our law or less interested in
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indulging or themselves. The or that they that's
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unlikely. That there are any less than
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that be generation of indulging themselves.
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Not only is self-control particularly native because it
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is lacking. It is also needed because the
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Christian is commanded to be, they'll control.
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Peter play self-control alongside borrow Excellence,
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godliness brotherly kindness and other virtues, which the
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Christian is to add to his faith.
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Second Peter chapter 1 verses 5 through 7.
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Paul preached, the need for self-control when he presented
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the cop, the gospel to Felix. You remember how he reason with
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him about righteousness self-control and the Judgment
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become the Judgment that we're all going to face.
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One day acts 24:25 the Elders of the church as leaders of the
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flock as examples to the flock. They are commanded to be
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self-controlled Titus. Chapter 1 Verse 8.
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Paul further, indicated the need for self-control when he cited
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the strict self-control that was exercised by the athletes of his
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day as an example. For Christians to follow.
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Remember what Paul said? He said everyone who competes
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for the prize is temperate. In other words, self-controlled
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and All Things. First Corinthians, 9, verses,
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24, and 25. Matter of fact, he went on to
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use himself as an example of self-control.
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He said, in verse 27, First Corinthians chapter 9.
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He said I discipline my body daily King James version, says
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what? I Buffett my body, I'm
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translations. Even say I beat my body.
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That's not abuse. That's not what he's talking
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about in any way. It means discipline to the point
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that I have controlled. My body and my appetites and my
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desires, they don't control me. I'm in control Hall says, I
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discipline my body and I make it my slave.
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Why is that necessary? Well, listen to what else Paul
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says. So that after I have preached to
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others. I myself not be disqualified.
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You know, I have to be careful, not to get off on a tangent
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here, but does the bible teach once once saved always saved?
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Absolutely, not Paul. You think he was saved.
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You think he was a save man? Absolutely, he was, but he
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understood what? I need to keep myself under self
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control under God's control. Or I could lose my salvation if
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I fail to do that. So as Christians, we are to be
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different from those in the world.
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While we do not despise self. No, you know, what does the
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Bible say about loving your neighbor?
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It says to love your neighbor has wide as yourself, we're to
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love ourselves, Matthew 22, verse 39, but yet at the same
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time. We know that self is not the
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most important thing in the world.
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Self is not always to be fulfilled, not always to be
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asserted, not always even to be indulged.
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Sometimes self must be denied and always self must be
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controlled. The life in which the spirit
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dwells is different from others around it, because self-control
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is an obvious characteristic that makes the difference.
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Clear people see the difference in your life because you choose
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to be self control. To understand how self-control
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effects each life. Let's use as an example.
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The example, of two homes. In one self-control is not
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practiced and in the other, it is.
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Now, in a home where self-control is absent, where
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self-control is not practiced, the financial affairs of the
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family are likely to be a mess. The members of the family buy
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things on credit with no idea of how they will ever pay for them.
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They might borrow money and be unable to pay it back.
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Their payments on debts are over, do you?
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They do not think about the future and therefore they are
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unable to save money. Their lives are disorganized.
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Since they do not make the effort to follow a schedule and
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they may be frequently late to work.
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We get appointments. Late, the Bible study and
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worship eventually. Maybe not even attending at all.
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Perhaps they sleep late when they need to get up early.
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They are unable with their disorganized lifestyle, to find
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time, even to read the Bible. Can you imagine going days and
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weeks without even praying coach, you don't find the time?
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Or to have family devotionals. They do things on the spur of
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the moment and they later regret that they wasted their time on
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fruitless endeavor. The home of such a family.
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The house. The dwelling place in which they
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live, is sure to be disorganized because they have no plans kids,
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you the family members do not find time even to clean the
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house. And for this reason, the house
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is usually messy and items often cannot be found.
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Especially when they're needed. More significant is the fact
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that members of the family give into the appetites of the flesh.
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I do so without hesitation. If there's food to be eaten.
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Batman. Jack it up a little bit.
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There's food. We eat more.
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They do, eat it. Even if they know that they
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should not eat so much. They eat it anyway.
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If there is fun to be enjoyed, they are determined to enjoy it,
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no matter what price, they have to pay the next day.
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There are likely to succumb to Temptations.
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To drink, are skating beverages to gamble to use illegal, drugs,
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or even to engage, in illicit, sexual activities, with little
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or no, thought for the consequences.
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Let me assure you all of that comes with consequences.
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But the one who is who does not exercise help control doesn't
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think ahead of time about those consequences.
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Now, obviously these consequences of the lack of
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self-control are not all equally damaging.
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For example, having a messy home is not a sin. whereas, giving in
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to the temptation to commit fornication certainly is
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Nevertheless, it is obvious that a home without self-control is
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not likely to be a successful home by anyone's standard.
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And then more importantly than that.
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It is certainly not likely to be a home in which, and by which
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God is glorified. Certainly, this would also be
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true of the life. Not just the home, several
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people involved in that. But the individual life of any
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individual that this describe. Thank contrast.
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This picture a home where the spirit produces self-control
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where the spirit is allowed to produce self-control.
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The members of this family use their economic resources, no
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matter what level they are. You may make plenty of money,
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may not make a lot, but what you do have you use it wisely.
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They avoid going needlessly into debt.
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The avoid spending more money than they have and rather than
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spending wildly purchasing everything that appeals to them
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buying on credit and then not being able to repay their debts.
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The family that is self-controlled follows biblical
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guidelines in regard to making and spending money.
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They do not love money. No, we all know this.
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It's not money itself. That's the root of all kinds of
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evil. It's the love of it in it, but
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love of money because of what it can produce attitudes and
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motivations that can produce in US.
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I don't love money. They don't desire to be rich as
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Paul talks about in 2 Timothy and First, Timothy 6, verses 9
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and 10, but they do honest work. They work with their hands.
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As the scripture says that they might be able to share with
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those who are in need Ephesians. 4:28, notice the emphasis there,
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notice the focus there, they work with their hands, not.
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So that they'll have more to spend on themselves.
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But so that they'll have to share with others and specially
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those who are lacking, those who are in need.
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They give of what they make. they give liberally and
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generously, and they do it with a cheerful heart with a
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thankfulness in their hearts, that God has blessed them to the
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point where they're able to give and it all comes from God.
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Where it all comes. From the start off with First.
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First Corinthians 16 verses 1 and 2.
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Second Corinthians 9 verse 7. All talk about the right
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attitude. Forgiving And in order to be
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able to do these things, they control their spending.
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They avoid buying on impulse. They keep track of their
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finances. You got to check book.
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I don't know the people even have checkbooks anymore.
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We know how those things are changing our way.
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But however, you spend your money, whether it's a debit
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card, whether it's a checkbook, whatever it is, you write it
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down, don't you? Hey, how much do I have left
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after? I spent that pretty simple, but
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it's very important. I don't want to be caught
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unawares. I always want to know where I
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am. Where my finances are concerned.
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So they avoid buying on impulse, they control their spending.
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They keep track of their finances and they plan for the
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future. Now, since God is the real owner
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of all that they possess, and that's a concept that we could
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spend a lot of time talking about, but it's not part of my
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topic tonight. Everything we have comes from
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God. You are now our simply stewards
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and other words, a short term. And in a relative sense, in the
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grand scheme of things, I short-term, caretaker of the
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things that God has blessed us with.
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They don't belong to me. They belong to God.
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He just put me here to help see after them.
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You only use I thought upon the language take care of those
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things. God is the owner of all that we
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possess we're but stewards of what we have there for that
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family, that exercises self-control, avoids, wasting,
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material resources. This family may even recycle
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materials. Not just because it's good for
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the environment. But because everything they own.
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Belongs to God. They resist the temptation to
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replace the old with the new just because hey that's gone out
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of fashion. I need to keep up with the time.
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They're not controlled by the world's views of what is
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fashionable. But by how they can best you
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that which God has placed under their control.
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Self-controlled family makes good use of time.
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I'm on our resources, time is probably the most valuable.
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You know, if we lose our money, we may be able to make more
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money. When our car breaks down.
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Most likely, it could be replaced or repaired.
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If worse comes to worse. We can replace it by another
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one. However, if we lose time,
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especially if we lose time because we wasted it because
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we've squandered it needlessly a worthless activities.
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We can never regain the time that we have lost.
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Christians who are self controlled the Bible says we are
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to make the most of our time. Redeem the time Ephesians 5:16
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make the most of it use, it wisely.
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To make the most of available time by involved, different
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things for different people. For some, it may be spending
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less time playing games. For others, it may be spending
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less time watching television. For every Christian family, it
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should include scheduling time to attend every assembly of the
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church. We should teach our children,
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the attitude that it's not. Do I have to go?
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It's be thankful that I have the opportunity to attend Bible
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study to attend worship. The be with other Christians,
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the saying, praises to God and learn more from his word just to
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fellowship and be encouraged. I want another the first person
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in the door when I came in tonight for the Jason.
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He gave me a big hug and I gave him one right back.
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You know, how much good that did me?
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I can't begin to describe. That's what it's all about.
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Bella's shipping and learning and growing together.
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We should make time to read the Bible and pray regularly.
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Every day is the most preferable.
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We should make time to do good to others more and more emphasis
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and congregations as being put on service work, reaching out to
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others and doing good. Whether it's people that don't
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have enough to eat, whether it's elderly who can't keep up their
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places. So what do we do?
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We can mego paint. We may go clean the yard,
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whatever we may go cut it, cut it grass, whatever the need may
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be. We take advantage of
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opportunities to serve. Because that's what God put us
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here to do. And that's using our time
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wisely. And we should also make sure we
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fulfill family obligation. The home where self-control is
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manifested, the family members, generally, live by schedule and
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they use their time wisely. Each family member takes care of
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his or her body. Think about that.
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As Christians, our responsibility to look after our
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own bodies to be as healthy as possible.
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That stems from the same concept as our responsibility to use the
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financial and material resources that we have wisely.
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And what is that? What is that concept?
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It is that our bodies just like everything else belong to God.
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Or do you not know that your body is the Temple of the Holy
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Spirit? Who is in you whom you have from
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God and you are not your own. You were bought at a price.
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Therefore, glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which
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are Gods. First Corinthians 6, verses, 19,
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and 20. We have a responsibility to be
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good stewards of that. Which God our God on.
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Therefore, we have no right to abuse our bodies.
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In any way, whether it's over eating, whether it's using
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drugs, getting drunk. Tobacco smoking, whatever.
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Then had to be smoking, does it but anything that brings harm
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For our bodies. And furthermore, to the extent
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that our health depends on us. I know that there are times
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that, you know, we're all getting older.
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Our bodies just age. Anyway, don't And we're not as
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quick and ride. All those good things that we
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used to be if I ever was. But anyway.
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But what that just happens to, but as much as it is, if it is
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within me, I am to take care of my body.
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I'm to take care of my health. We're obligated to do all that,
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we can to keep ourselves healthy.
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Therefore, the Christian who has the characteristic of
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self-control takes care of his own body.
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Family members, resist temptation, one of the major
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reasons that Christians sin is that we simply do not think
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ahead of time about the consequences of the acts that
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we're about to come in the actions that were about to take.
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Perhaps a swear word, slips out of a young man's lips.
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Even before he knows, it realizes it.
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A woman may hurt someone by her words without pausing to
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consider the consequence in The Passion of the moment.
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Two people may give in to desire and become guilty of sexual
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immorality. I know from personal experience.
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Homes have been destroyed lives have been destroyed.
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People who were Faithful Servants of the Lord their
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influence destroyed. By one occasion.
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Where they failed to exercise that self-control.
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The very concept of self-control suggests that we are always in
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control of our action, which in turn suggest that we think
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before. We act, we think, before we
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speak, we think we consider it before we take part in any
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activity. Paul indicated that Christians
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are to control their sexual desire.
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First Thessalonians, chapter 4, verses three through five for
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this is, the will of God. You'll read that phrase several
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times from the pen of the Apostle.
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Paul. This is God's will.
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I would think that any time you read that phrase, our ears ought
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to perk up. What is God about to say, to me,
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very important? This is the will of God.
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What are you saying? Paul, your sanctification?
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What does it mean to be sanctified?
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Thank to fidus ain't the one who set apart from the world, not
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because you want to be weird or different or whatever the case
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may be but because we are different as Christian.
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We're spiritual will not worldly.
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Well, that's God's will our sanctification.
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That is he goes on to elaborate that you abstain abstain.
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Stay away from Sexual immorality.
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That each of, you know, how to possess his own vessel his own
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body that body, in which we dwell that vessel in which we
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travel through life. That each of you know how to
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possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor.
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In other words, the things that you do the choices that you make
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should honor yourself to start off with.
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But certainly those choices that you make should honor God.
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Not in lustful passion like the Gentiles who do not know God.
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People who act in such ways where they just exhibit a
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complete lack of self-control. What are they saying?
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I have no concept of God. I have no concept of how God
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would have me conduct myself. The God Who created me?
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Fightin sinner alike. God created us all.
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In the home, where the spirit dwells family members exercise
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self-control with the result that they abstain from.
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Immorality. Now obviously no one, no
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individual certainly. No home perfectly exercises
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self-control and all of the ways that we've been discussing.
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Nevertheless the Christian leads a far more self-controlled life
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than those in the world. The home that is populated by
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Christians and the individual Christian Life that bears, the
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fruit of the spirit exhibits greater self-control than
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others. There should be an obvious
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difference. Let's take a few moments and
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reconsider some rewards of self-control.
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The life in which the spirit, dwells where the spirit is
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allowed. As we said before to produce
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self-control that life again, will definitely be blessed.
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Self-control brings order out of Chaos.
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Your bills are paid, you and your family.
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Will you have enough to live comfortably without the burden
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of crippling debt? You learn to be satisfied with
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what you have. Matter of fact, that's biblical
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is scriptural in and of itself, isn't it?
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What does the Hebrews writer? Say?
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Hebrews 13, Verse 5, let your conduct be without covetousness
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be content. That's if lemay's be satisfied
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with what you have. The self-control person doesn't
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think that he has to live up to some artificial standard set by
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the world. It's time as use wisely.
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So there is a feeling of Peace, A Feeling a feeling of calm,
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even in the midst of a hurry up world.
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Above all God. And his work are at the center
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of the self-controlled life. Since you refuse to give in to
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The Temptations of the flesh. Then your influence allows you
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to do all that you can to advance the cause of Christ
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because you haven't behaved in ways that damage your influence,
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even destroy your influence. That individual in whose life
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the spirit Bears. The fruit of self-control is
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likely to be a successful individual in whatever.
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Endeavor, whether it's their career at work, whether it's
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their family, whether it's in, raising the children, whatever
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it may be, they're likely to be successful.
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That home will last the family members in.
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It will find happiness and fulfillment.
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And from that home. The Light of Christ will shine
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out into the world. Now, I want us to draw this to a
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conclusion. By noticing the source, the true
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source. Of self-control.
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I said we're close to coming to the conclusion, but don't leave
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me. Stay with me.
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Who, or what? Controls you.
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They can be a sobering question. Do your passion and lust and
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desires and your temper, your feelings?
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Is that what controls you? Does sin.
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Have you in its grass? Are you controlled by the devil
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Through The Temptations that he puts in your way?
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Or do you control yourself? Self control and self denial
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signal that a person is a Christian that he seeks for his
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home to be a Christian home and that he wants to influence the
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society around him for crying. He wants to be the salt and the
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light that Jesus calls us to be in The Sermon on the Mount.
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Matthew chapter 5. However, in a sense,
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self-control is not the primary aim of the individual Christians
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life. Listen to me, rather Christ
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control. That's our primary aim is it?
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Our aim is Christians is to be so controlled, by Christ himself
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that we can say, with the Apostle, Paul.
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It is no longer. I who live but Christ lives in
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me. Rather.
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Let me tell you that is easier said than done.
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That's not something that happens in a moment of time.
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That is something that we grow and develop, and mature into.
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But we have to be willing to make the effort.
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The devote the time and who do our part to control ourselves?
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So that the Holy Spirit can work in your life and help you to
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grow them a tour, so that it does become not you.
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But Christ Living in, you Galatians, 2:20.
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And furthermore, I submit to you that we can never control
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ourselves, sufficiently to please God.
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We don't have the strength within ourselves to do it.
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Only when the spirit himself Bears his fruit in our lives.
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Will we be able to exercise the kind of self-control that God
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required? In other words, I come to the
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realization that Dennis Sanders in his own personal strengths.
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He can't be successful. But Dennis Sanders giving him
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himself over to God put his faith and trust in God, spending
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time with him daily and prayer. Well as shipping, and being
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together with Brothers and Sisters in Christ, studying
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regularly from his word. All of those things that you
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already know are beneficial to you.
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She'll have to do it. You still have to make the
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choice day in and day out. But the realization is not me.
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It's not my strength. God and his strength, that's the
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only way that will ever be able to make it.
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The Holy Spirit cannot bear his fruit until we have given
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ourselves over to Christ. So the question is, do you truly
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want to become self control? If so, you must first be priced
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control. He is the real source of our
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self-control. Christ is the beginning of
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self-control. Christ is the power to exercise
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self-control and Christ is the goal to be christ-like is the
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goal of self-control. So, if you want to win the
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victory over, self over sin over Satan, then you must submit to
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Christ. That brings us to the obvious
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question. Are you a Christian?
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Have you given your heart your life to Jesus Christ?
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The Bible makes it very plain how that happens.
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We must begin by believing in Jesus having faith in him.
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I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God is the confession
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in it. But then based on that faith, we
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want to repent of sin and turn from it.
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We want to die to sin because we want to live for God.
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And then we will make the confession with our mouths of
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what we believe in our hearts. That Jesus Christ is the son of
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God. And then finally, we submit to
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Christ and baptism. Were buried with Christ in
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baptism the blood of Jesus at that point washes away.
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Our sins would come up out of that water at grave a new
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person. A person who no longer is living
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for self, but is living for Christ.
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And we're on the way becoming self control.
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Because Christ is in control. You need to obey the gospel.
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We're ready to help. You already know that we're
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prepared. Maybe as a Christian who's
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wandered away from the fold? You have to look within your own
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heart. You have to answer the question.
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Where do I stand with God right now?
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If I, for being honest with yourself, you know that there
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are things a Miss in your life to the point.
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Where Sin has separated from you.
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You from God. Again.
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Don't leave here tonight. With that yet being the case.
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Repent of that sin turn from it. Ask God to forgive, you knowing
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all the while that he will, that's what he wants to do.
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You're willing to turn and return to him.
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He'll welcome you like that father welcoming that prodigal.
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Son, open heart. If you're subject to the
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invitation, please come right now.
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As Together, We Stand aside.