The Fruit of the Holy Spirit

Part Nine – Self-Control

By Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

© God’s Breath Publications

 

In part one of this series we learned that Paul encouraged Christians to let the Word of Christ dwell richly within them (Colossians 3:16-17). He also encouraged followers of Christ to be filled with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18-20). Paul also taught that as believers obeyed the Word, followed the example of Christ and were filled with the Spirit they would manifest the fruit of the Holy Spirit.   

 

Galatians 5:22-25

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.”

 

This bearing of fruit is God’s will for our lives and it brings Him great glory.  “This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” John 15:8

 

So as we allow God’s Spirit to live in and through us, the Spirit produces a set of Christ-like qualities or virtues within us, the fruit of the Spirit. This fruit of the Spirit is manifested in relationships, in our relationship with God as well as with other followers of Christ. While we might think that the fruit of the Spirit are personal attributes and private virtues, they are more importantly interpersonal qualities, virtues that are a result of people loving and ministering to one another as they let the Word of Christ dwell in them, as they are filled with the Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit is manifested as we grow spiritually and this fruit is a nine-fold visible attribute of a true Christian life. This fruit is not a list of individual “fruits” from which we pick and choose. Rather, the fruit of the Spirit is one nine-fold “fruit” that characterizes all who truly walk in the Holy Spirit. Collectively, this is the fruit that all Christians should be producing in their new lives in Jesus Christ. In other words, the fruit of the Spirit is a physical manifestation of a Christian’s transformed life. In our last segments we learned about love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness and faithfulness and gentleness. Now we come to the last fruit of the Spirit, self-control.

 

One obvious observation you can make about our world today is that there is a great lack of self-control. We see a lack of self-control often in the way politicians run our government as well as in the lifestyles of many wealthy people and professional athletes. We see it in how many powerful individuals behave and act. We also see how the world encourages us to avoid self-control by the advertisements you see on television and in much of the content of many movies. The only effective way to deal with the temptations in the world and the moral challenges it presents to us is to have godly self-control. This power of godly self-control comes only through an intimate relationship with our Lord and Master Jesus Christ after we have committed our lives to Him. The gift of the Holy Spirit in our lives enables us to live with self-control as we walk according to the Word of God. As the Word dwells in us, the Holy Spirit fills us and we walk in a godly manner and we express the fruit of the Spirit, part of which is self-control.

 

What is godly self-control? Self-control is to restrain one’s emotions, actions, and desires to be in harmony with God’s will. The Greek word for self-control is, “egkrateia” (pronounced: eg-krah-the-ee-ah). It can also be translated as “temperance.” The English dictionary tells us that self-control is the ability to exercise the will so as to restrain one’s desires, emotions, and behavior. The word “restrain” implies that if we don’t control our fleshly desires and emotions, they’ll get away from us and our behavior will be unruly and offensive to God. Much like wild horses, these desires or emotions might take us places we don’t want to go or shouldn’t go. The Greek word for self-control used here in Galatians is also a compound word that begins with the word for “strength” or “power” and attaches the prefix meaning “in or within.” In other words, it is God’s strength and power in us, in the form of the Holy Spirit, which gives us this fruit, self-control.

 

It can also be noted that self-control requires an exercise of the will. But we must realize that our own will has its limits. When we let God’s Word rule our will as well as allow the Holy Spirit to guide us, then we make decisions based on what pleases God. This gives us the power to exercise self-control in a consistent and godly fashion. We actually are relinquishing our will to God’s will. Or another way to put it is our will is conformed to God’s will and we express godly self-control by the power and strength of God in us.

 

In 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, Paul uses the word “self-control” to describe an athlete who masters his emotions and his body in order to run a race. Running a long race is not only about physical strength, but about mental and emotional stamina. As we discipline ourselves spiritually and grow in faith, we become more and more obedient to God’s Word and our love for our Lord and Master Jesus Christ grows deeper. We also are more willing to let the Holy Spirit guide our lives. Thus our love for God stimulates a deep commitment to being self-controlled because we are becoming more like Jesus Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit. Paul also uses the same word in I Corinthians 7 in regards to sexuality. He acknowledges that our sexual drive is a powerful force that can easily take us places we don’t want or need to go. But notice one more thing: self-control isn’t an end in itself; it’s always for some greater purpose. Self-control is the ability to say “No” to your self in order to say “Yes” to something else. That something else is God’s will for our lives. Letting God’s will take place in our lives brings Him great glory.

 

Self-control is extremely important to any relationship that we have. When we say “No” to our selfish will in regards to our sexual drive outside of marriage, we are saying “Yes” to one another and to God’s will for our lives. When we can’t control our emotions or desires or behavior, we end up hurting one another. That’s exactly what was happening to the Christians in Galatia. That is one of the reasons Paul wrote this letter to them, to attempt to instruct them in how to live as followers of Christ. In 2 Peter we see that there is a chain of precious godly characteristics listed that when linked together defines the Spirit-filled life of a follower of Christ. Self-control is part of these godly characteristics.

 

“But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love”

2 Peter 1:5-7.

 

It is obvious that self-control is saying “NO” to sinfulness.

 

“For the grace of God … teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age.”

Titus 2:11–12

 

Self-control is reacting with wisdom and restraint in a heated difficult situation.

 

“A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control.”

Proverbs 29:11

 

“Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control.”

Proverbs 25:28

 

When we are faced with a stressful situation we can often lose control and be unable to focus on what needs to be done. Self-control enables us to be able to pray during these tense times of trouble.

 

“The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray.”

1 Peter 4:7

 

In order to bear the fruit of the Spirit; love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control we need to remember Jesus’ words:

 

“No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit.”

John 15:4–5a

 

Here Jesus is implying that in order to have godly self-control and the rest of the fruit of the Holy Spirit, we must remain intimately connected to Him like a branch on a vine. When we nourish ourselves spiritually on the Word and stay obedient to Christ we remain in Christ and are filled with the Holy Spirit. Out of this relationship and godly lifestyle the fruit of the Spirit will be manifested. We will exercise self-control when we live by the Spirit.

 

“So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.”

Galatians 5:16-18

 

The reason it’s so difficult to exercise self-control is that we still battle our flesh. These self-centered desires and tendencies pull us away from God when we give in to them. Paul says we must live by the Spirit; this is the only way we can live without gratifying the desires of our sinful nature. Only the Spirit of God is strong enough to overcome our self-centered fleshly desires. When we say “Yes” to the Spirit, we can say “No” to our flesh. And when we say “No” our flesh, we can say “Yes” to God and one another. These are not works of the Spirit that we accomplish in our own strength. It’s only by remaining in Christ and relying upon the Spirit, that we can see these fruit being produced in our lives and in our church. We remain in Christ by saying “Yes” to the Spirit.

 

Jesus is our role model and Holy Scripture tells us that Jesus demonstrated self-control at all times.

 

“[Jesus] knelt down and prayed, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”

Luke 22:41–42

 

“When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.”

1 Peter 2:23

 

Jesus found this strength in the Holy Spirit, the Spirit who descended on Him like a dove at his baptism; the Spirit who led Him into the wilderness to be tempted; the Spirit who anointed Him to preach good news to the poor and recovery of sight to the blind. Jesus surrendered His will to God on the night before He went to the cross. So it is the same for you and me. We gain control by surrendering control. You may feel out of control with your passions and desires today. You’ll never be able to change this in your own strength. But if you’re prepared to turn to Christ and confess your sin and receive His forgiveness, you, too, can receive the Holy Spirit, and the strength to become the man or woman you were created to be.