The Baggage Of No Self-Control || Teenage Summer Baggage #4

 

TEENAGE SUMMER BAGGAGE #4:

The Baggage Of No Self Control

In 2 Peter 1:6, the exhortation to, "add to knowledge temperance..." is huge to overcoming lives challenging temptations. Do we even try to reign victorious over temptations, or do we simply fall to them every single time? 

Temperance means self-control. It comes from a word that means: strong in a thing (masterful) or self- controlled (as in appetite).

When you "give in" every time, you are constantly lending yourself to defeat when we are told we already have victory in Jesus.

Please take note of these testimonies of self control from the Bible, and then realize you can react just like them with the help of the Lord!

I. Self-control removes blindness. 2 Peter 1:5-9

2 Peter 1:5-9 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; [6] And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; [7] And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. [8] For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. [9] But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

Believers can live “un-believer” like when they stunt their growth by not adding the things of God into their lives. Therefore, they live for the temporal instead of the eternal. They have no eternal mind set.  

II. Self-control removes regrets. 1 Samuel 24:1-14

First Samuel 24:9-10 And David said to Saul, Wherefore hearest thou men's words, saying, Behold, David seeketh thy hurt?

Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that the LORD had delivered thee to day into mine hand in the cave: and some bade me kill thee: but mine eye spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth mine hand against my lord; for he is the LORD'S anointed.

David could have had the victory over King Saul who was ruthlessly chasing David through valleys and over mountains. David could have given King Saul the "what for," but he refrained. You don't fight fire with fire. You consider the best alternative, and it wasn't revenge. King Saul was appointed by God. God would care for the King, and it wasn't David's place to knock the King off his throne. David honored the position even though the King wasn't living honorably. David honored the Lord through self control in the moment of great temptation. He knew he was the next King of Israel, but waiting for God's timing was the better choice. 

III. Self-control removes defilement. Daniel 1:8

Daniel 1:8 But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.

To defile is to desecrate, pollute or stain.

Before Daniel was ever in the position to do something he shouldn't do, he made a commitment before the Lord in his heart. We need this type of self-control: a willingness to address what we will and will not do before we get to the point of a choice that is set before us. This way we will have the will power to request this decision to be put away yfrom us. 

Daniel had already determined before time that he would not defile himself in this way, and his predetermination helped keep him from falling into mischief in the King's presence. Now that's self-control!

Conclusion:

Let me refer you to three verses:

Romans 13:14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

Ephesians 4:27 Neither give place to the devil.

1 Thessalonians 5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.

We must learn to be self-controlled by being led of the Spirit…walking in the Spirit.

Through Christ: We are victors. We are overcomes. We are more than conquerors. Let's live in Him and through and for HIM!

God didn't give us partial victory through Christ. God gave us full victory. May we rest in HIS strength and find HIS victory to be amazing!

Thank you for reading,

Justyn Smith - aheartforrevival.com