“Showing Self Control -Fruit of the Spirit”

 

MAIN IDEA:              

Self-control is defined as having control or restraint of oneself or one’s actions and feelings.  Being self-controlled is the very foundation for living a life for God.  But, far too often, we lose control of ourselves and act/behave in ways that are far from Christ like.  Our desires tempt us every day.  The devil knows exactly how to tempt each of us to lose control. In other words, the devil knows how to push our buttons.  Identifying these “buttons” and recognizing that the temptation is from the devil is the first step towards developing self-control.  The closer we stay to God, the easier it is for us to remain in control.   Below are some simple ways each of us can increase our level of self-control:  1) master our moods—do the right thing even when you don’t “feel” like it 2) watch your words-ignore the impulse to say something quickly that you will later regret 3) restrain your reactions – quick unrestrained reactions typically yield bad results.  As we are told in 2 Timothy 1:7, For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.  A simple act of self-control can have a big impact.

 

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