A Deeper Study of the Fruit of the Spirit: Self Control
Share
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23).
“There is that donut shop again.” Passing by causes my mouth to water just thinking about the homemade fresh and fluffy maple glazed donuts or the specialty vanilla coconut one. No one quite does it like my hometown shop. If one of those donuts is sitting in my kitchen, it is not going to take much for me to eat one. My solution, you may ask? Don’t buy them, don’t bring them in the house, do not even look in the direction of the donut shop while driving by. I am completely aware that I lack self-control when it comes to one of those donuts.
I recently heard Pastor Greg Laurie share on his podcast that when we read about Adam and Eve in Genesis 3, we notice that they are already hanging out at the tree they were told not to eat from by God. Laurie comically shares how it is unwise to place ourselves in tempting situations.
Maybe it is not food that challenges you. Perhaps it is shopping, binging tv, social media, your work, or your temper? Whatever you cannot seem to get under control is a sin issue. We all need the help of the Holy Spirit within us.
Today, we will conclude our study on the Fruit of the Spirit with the fruit of self-control.
Self-Control in the Greek
The Greek word found in Galatians 5:23 is enkrateia. It comes from the other Greek word: egkrateia, which means “mastery, self-control.”
Enkrateia only appears in one other Scripture, 2 Peter 1:6.
“For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins” (2 Peter 1:4-9, emphasis added).
Self-control ultimately leads to love. This is a quality of a believer in Jesus. This is increasing in the life of a Christian. However, if we lack self-control, we are being ineffective and unfruitful. Notice it does not say that we are ineffective; our identity has not changed, but our obedience has wavered, so we miss the fruit. An apple tree that produces one apple is still an apple tree. The tree’s identity has not changed, however, its effectiveness has changed.
We can become blinded and we can forget that Jesus has cleansed us from our former sins. Christ wants us to have self-control, because self-control is a side-effect of freedom.
Master Sin or It will Master You
“If you do well, will your face not be cheerful? And if you do not do well, sin is lurking at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it” (Genesis 4:7).
When I think of the word desire, I consider a strong passion that overtakes you. Basically, think of your most tempting situation pursuing you constantly. If that sin continues to lurk at the door and you do not master it, you will be overtaken.
This is how Christian families are destroyed by extramarital affairs. This is how someone who is depressed ends up addicted to food. This is how ignored anger leads to yelling or high blood pressure. Sin overtakes us. The enemy is a genius when it comes to enticing us and tempting us. The serpent came to Eve in an appealing way. He had her question her Creator. He tempted her with control to be “like God.” Adam and Eve could not master their sins of passivity, pride, and lust. Instead, they sinned. They were mastered by evil.
We too, have been mastered by evil. However, Jesus has already dealt with our sins on the cross.
"The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion. He will not always accuse us, nor harbor His anger forever. He has not dealt with us according to our sins or repaid us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His loving devotion for those who fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him. For He knows our frame; He is mindful that we are dust” (Psalm 103:8-14).
The Lord is self-controlled. He loves us and is devoted to us. He has removed our sins from every angle. He is like a father who has compassion on His children. He remembers that we are dust.
Genesis 3:8-9 reminds us that God the Creator was walking in the garden. He pursued Adam and Eve with this love. He remembered that they were dust. When we let go of control and surrender to the Holy Spirit, then we can live lives of self-control.
We can show the grace of God to others when we display self-control because it is a countercultural and unnatural decision. It takes a lot of strength to say no and master our sin. Although many in the world would laugh at this lifestyle, as others look on, our self-control can be the thing that leads to curiosity and gospel conversations.
Have you ever thought if you lived with self-control, that it could be the witness that others need to experience to lead them to eternal life? Self-control was important enough to God to be one of the ways that His Spirit works in the hearts of believers. The Holy Spirit is the only way that this is possible, and it is all for His glory.
How Are You Growing in Self-Control?
As we have studied self-control, may we all have a deeper appreciation for the Holy Spirit power in our lives to live surrendered to Jesus and to free us from the entanglements of sin in this world.
How can you grow in self-control this week? Where is one area where the Spirit is convicting you and desiring to help you live free? Take a moment, pray, and surrender this to the Father who has compassion on you, remembering that you are dust.
Thank you for taking time to study the Fruit of the Spirit. This is a singular word, so as believers in Christ, we have access to love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. I am so grateful that our God is always working in our hearts and refining us to look more like Him each day. Be encouraged that we are all a work in progress this side of heaven, but His Spirit is worth pursuing every day.
Read the whole series
Love
Joy
Peace
Patience
Kindness
Goodness
Faithfulness
Gentleness
Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Jose Luis Pelaez Inc
