Reflections On Self Control

General Reading - Galatians 5:19-24
Memory Verse - 2 Timothy 1:4
But the fruit of the Spirit is love ...and self control. Against such there is not law. Galatians 5:22-23

Every quality product manufactured by men has in-built mechanism for trouble shooting, for internal balances and control. A typical computer programme has an antivirus installed in it to protect it from rampaging and destructive viruses. In our human lives, God has not allowed us to be without some sense of protection against the viruses that destroy our character and virtues. The strength of your character is really the strength of your living. When your character is weak, your life foundational base will be weak. In your navigation through the affairs of life, the strength of your character is key.

One of those basic characters that you must poses is self-control. Self control is key in keeping your life safe from destruction. If you are lacking in self control you are also lacking in self defense. If you are lacking in self control, it is most likely that the greatest risk to your own destiny is yourself. Self control protects you from danger; both within and without. Self control is your ability to control yourself from those things that you may cherish but are capable of influencing you negatively or destroy you completely.

If you do not control yourself when you see food, the tendency is that the cheapest means to get at you will be through food –what you eat. Many people have ruined their destinies through their gluttony. They cannot withstand food pass by them without salivating, even when they are not hungry, they just want to taste everything that passes by them. Esau had a bitter experience-which he sort to change with tears, but couldn’t, when he gave out his destiny for a pot of porridge. So many believers cannot with stand a short period of fast to wait on the Lord in prayer. They price their food above any spiritual exercise that is necessary for the growth of their destiny. Watch your greed for what to eat and what to drink before it will completely ruin you.

Self control is key to being free from sexual captivity. So many people today are practically in bondage of their appetite for sex. Food is good but food should not control you. Sex is good but your sex must be under your control within your marriage bounds, if not you will be in a worst captivity than you can ever imagine. No matter the anointing that delivered you from the evil spirit of sexual immorality, if your grace for self control is dead or weak, that deliverance can never stand the test of time.

Self control is key to the management of your anger. If you do not cultivate and practice the habit of self-control, your anger will ruin you. You will use your hands to destroy the things that you built up. Self-control is also needed for the control of your tongue. It is not everything that you see or hear that you must talk about. You must learn to discern when to talk and when to be quiet.

The usefulness of self control is innumerable. You cannot really carry on in your godly walk without it. With self control sex, power, riches, giftedness, food, drink, your tongue, anger, etc will not ruin you. Having self control does not happen by mere wishes, you can consciously develop it by believing the grace of God that is already available within you and faithfully submitting yourself to the Word of God and its daily practices. May God help you in Jesus name. Halleluiah!

ACTION GUIDE: Every kingdom virtue is developed by constant practice, submit yourself to daily practice of self control in all you do.

Daily Bible Reading: 1 Kings 1-2; Matthew 6