But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives:
love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
There is no law against these things! Galatians 5:22-23 New Living Translation
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Biblical self-control [restraint. discipline] is the power to keep your sin in check or the power to restrain your sin in thought, in word, in deed. Biblical self-control is made possible exclusively by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Self-control is especially needed:
Over Emotions/Anger:
Don’t sin by letting anger control you. Think about it overnight and remain silent. Psalm 4:4 NLT
Sensible people control their temper; they earn respect by overlooking wrongs. Proverbs 19:11 NLT
Control your temper, for anger labels you a fool. Ecclesiastes 7:9 NLT
Over our Tongue/Words:
If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless.
James 1:26 NLT
Those who control their tongue will have a long life; opening your mouth can ruin everything.
Proverbs 13:3 NLT
Over our Sin Nature:
Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. Romans 6:12 NLT
Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will. That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God.
But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. Romans 8:5-9a NLT
God has equipped you to handle difficult things.
In fact, He has already planted the seeds of discipline and self-control inside you.
You just have to water those seeds with His Word to make them grow!
Joyce Meyer
So prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. 1 Peter 1:13 NLT
Life is all about choices.
Today, show compassion for others,
think powerful thoughts,
and exercise self control.
Bradford Winters