Fruit of the Spirit – Self Control
Intro

Hi! Today we are learning about Self-control. It is the last of the Fruits of the Spirit that are promised to us in Galatians.
• Galatians 5:22-23 shows us the Fruits of the Spirit.
• 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Like some of the other fruits of the Spirit, there are not many scriptures about self-control. Most of them are in Titus, and we will get to those in a minute. If you have missed out on our other teachings about the Fruits of the Spirit, please visit our website: themessengersradio.com. We would love any feedback you have. Since this is the end of our series, we look forward to what God has planned next. Stay tuned to see new revelations from God.

Self-control is something that you have to do. It is like when we discovered kindness and how it is not a way of living. You have to practice it and make it evident in your life. There are times listed in the Bible when and how you should express self-control. For example we see in Titus what Paul wants him to convey to the people.

• Titus 2:1-2 (NIV)
• Doing Good for the Sake of the Gospel
• 2 You, however, must teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine. 2 Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance.

• Titus 2:3-5 (NIV)
• 3 Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. 4 Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, 5 to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.

• Titus 2:6-8 (NIV)
• 6 Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled.7 In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness 8 and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.

Here Paul is explaining to Titus how the church should live in order to please God and continue to grow. Everyone should be involved from older men and women to younger men and women. Don’t get caught up in the “wives submitting to the husbands”, because that is how it is supposed to be. We as husbands and wives are to love God first then love each other. Husbands are to be the head of the household, just as Christ is the head of the church. We see this example in

• Ephesians 5:21-27 (NIV)
• Instructions for Christian Households

• 21 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
• 22 Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
• 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.
And
• Colossians 3:18-19 (NIV)
• Instructions for Christian Households
• 18 Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.
• 19 Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.

Many women today seem to forget this very important lesson. They do not like to be subjected to anyone, let alone a man. But this is how God created it from the beginning. I like it because it takes some of the pressure off of me and puts it onto Marcus.  But he in turn has to take this responsibility very seriously, for he will be judged on that day on how he handled his family.
We also find there are many charges of what to DO and what NOT to do to be self-controlled.

Here are some things we are NOT to do.
• Colossians 3:8 (NIV)
• 8 But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.

• 2 Timothy 3:1-5 (NIV)
• 3 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.
As we can see in this last verse, we are living in the last days. All of these things mentioned are happening in our world today. But, as Jesus said:
• John 16:33
• “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
This is wonderful and precious promise that Jesus gave to us, so that we may have comfort and rest in this fallen and crazy world.

• Titus 2:11-14 (NIV)
• 11 For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. 12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

This is an awesome promise that we have from the Lord. We see that Jesus gave up His life to purify us from the wickedness we all have. He did it once for all, but we must try to live holy lives in a sinful world. Here are some things we can DO to be self-controlled.

• Colossians 3:12-14 (NIV)
• 12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
• 2 Peter 1:5-7 (NIV)
• 5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.

These verses are ones that sums up what we are saying:
• Galatians 6:7-10 (NIV)
• 7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8 Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. 9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

We will leave you with this last verse:
• Galatians 5:16-18 (NIV)
• 16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

We have had so much fun and have learned so much ourselves about the Fruits of the Spirit in this series. Come join us on our next journey through the Word of God. We love you and enjoy any and all feedback.

Prayer of Salvation