The Fruit of the Spirit (Self-control)

“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we are imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly, I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified” (1 Corinthians 9:24-27 ESV).

The Christian's self-control

   We are familiar with athletes and the necessity of keeping their bodies, their appetite, and their exercise routine under control. The time of an out-of-shape, overweight athlete able to compete with those who train has passed. Native ability isn’t enough to get it done--to be number one. So we, as Christians, must keep our lives, not just our bodies under, control. We need to also keep our minds, our emotions, our thoughts, and our spirits under control.  And the way to do that most effectively is to submit our lives to Jesus Christ.  So, for the Christian, self-control means to give control to our Lord.  How can it be “self-control” if we give control to another?  The first step in controlling ourselves is to decide who is best able to obtain for us the best outcome and the best way of living for our lives. The obvious answer is Jesus Christ.  Once we have answered that question, the next step in “self-control” is to turn it over to Him. He is the only one who can give us eternal life in heaven, and we can agree that that is the best outcome for our lives.  That’s the greatest prize ever given, and it is ours when we surrender control of ourselves to Him.  An additional “prize” for giving Him control is that He will provide us with blessings while we are here on earth, our preparation place for eternity. 

  I don’t mean to say that we will always do as the Lord asks us.  The Apostle Paul relates His difficulty with this in Romans 7:15: “I do not understand what I do.  For what I want to do, I do not do, and what I hate I do” (NIV).  If Paul has difficulty with this, what chance do I have of always doing my Lord’s will?  I, like Paul, am a human being, and I have a rebellious nature that rears its ugly head periodically.  I know what’s right, and I don’t do it.  BUT, and it’s a big but, I can repent and ask God for forgiveness.  When I do that, Jesus erases, that’s right, erases, my sin—makes it as if it never happened--and I am not disqualified from receiving the eternal prize, heaven with Him.  When my first act of self-control is to turn control over to Him by accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior, I am GUARANTEED eternity with Him.  No athlete has ever won a prize better than that!

   Thank you, Lord, for your patience with me. 

We are familiar with athletes and the necessity of keeping their bodies, their appetite, and their exercise routine, under control. The time of an out of shape, overweight athlete able to compete with those who train has passed. Native ability isn’t enough to get it done--to be number one. So we, as Christians, must keep our lives, not just our bodies under, control. We need to also keep our minds, our emotions, our thoughts, and our spirits under control. And the way to do that most effectively is to submit our lives to Jesus Christ. So, for the Christian, self-control means to give control to our Lord. How can it be “self-control” if we give control to another? The first step in controlling ourselves is to decide who is best able to obtain for us the best outcome and the best way of living for our lives. The obvious answer is Jesus Christ. Once we have answered that question, the next step in “self-control” is to turn it over to Him. He is the only one who can give us eternal life in heaven, and we can agree, that that is the best outcome for our lives. That’s the greatest prize ever given, and it is ours when we surrender control of ourselves to Him. An additional “prize” for giving Him control is that He will provide us with blessings while we are here on earth, our preparation place for eternity. 

 I don’t mean to say that we will always do as the Lord asks us. The Apostle Paul relates His difficulty with this in Romans 7:15: “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do, I do not do, and what I hate I do” (NIV). If Paul has difficulty with this, what chance do I have of always doing my Lord’s will? I, like Paul, am a human being, and I have a rebellious nature that rears its ugly head periodically. I know what’s right, and I don’t do it. BUT, and it’s a big but, I can repent and ask God for forgiveness. When I do that, Jesus erases, that’s right, erases, my sin—makes it as if it never happened--and I am not disqualified from receiving the eternal prize, heaven with Him. When my first act of self-control is to turn control over to Him by accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior, I am GUARANTEED eternity with Him. No athlete has ever won a prize better than that!

 Thank you, Lord, for your patience with me.