Controlling Your Self

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. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other. (Galatians 5:22-26)

Yesterday we talked about the importance of confronting your flesh and your sinful nature and crucifying yourself to your own desires so that you might submit to the control of the Father rather than trying to control things in your own power. But there’s one other step you must take if you want to learn how to truly control yourself.

If you want to practice self-control, once you’ve acknowledged and crucified the problem, you must begin to walk in the Spirit. That’s the difference between being a follower of Jesus and not being a follower of Jesus. If you’re not a Christ-follower, your “self”, or your sinful nature, calls the shots. If you are a Christ-follower, the Holy Spirit within you calls the shots. Paul says it this way in Galatians 5:25, “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.”

One very common thing the Spirit may ask you to do in the realm of self- control is to wait. He may prompt you to hit the pause button, whether that means you pause for a few seconds before you say something on your mind, or you pause for a few days as you’re considering a big decision. Regardless of how He leads you, you will never be led astray if you choose to walk in the way of the Holy Spirit. And even though it won’t always be easy, you will never regret exercising self-control.

 Dear Lord, thank you for the gift of your Holy Spirit. Thank you that I can always trust that wherever the Spirit is leading me is in my best interest. I pray that you would give me the patience to submit to the Holy Spirit when I’m told to wait, rather than trying to get ahead of you, for I know you know what you’re doing so much better than I do. Amen.