27: SELF-CONTROL: The Fruit of Temperance – Part 1

Take My Hand Inspirations

Fruit of the Spirit Series

SELF-CONTROL: The Fruit of Temperance – Part 1

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.  For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled (2 Corinthians 10:3-6).

Temperance means to have control of your own behavior.  To have means to possess something, to own it.  In this soul conversation, what we possess is called control.  Do you possess control over the choices you make and the actions you take? 

We’re not talking about being a youth living under the authority of parents or being married living under submission to a husband or to the opinions of a wife.  Neither are we talking about working under authorities or abiding by laws of a nation.  Rules are meant to help a group of people living or working together to stay in conformity with and in allegiance to the vision, plan, or goal of a family or organization for its survival.  We pray these rules are in line with God’s vision, plan and goal for your life. 

No, in this conversation, we are talking about the PERSONAL CHOICES AND ACTIONS YOU MAKE AND DO THAT DEFINE YOUR BEHAVIOUR—how you act out what’s going on within you.

And the mystery of the Fruits of the Spirit is that they can only be measured by the way you behave.  Is your harvest overflowing with fruits or is it mediocre?

THE FRUIT OF SELF-CONTROL is your capability to hold onto what belongs in you and moving your body, soul and spirit obediently in the will of God.  And it’s all about the choices you make.

Capability is uniquely different than ability, for ability is the physical or mental power or skill needed to do something; but capability is having power to do things effectively and skillfully achieving results.

To be born into a culture of jealousy and be raised in a climate of hatred, yet still come out of it as a top JHS, SHS student and university graduate with an optimistic (positive) view of life, still striving (to this day) to find the good in every person and situation, and doing all things in excellence was a CHOICE I made at a very early age, 10 years old to be exact.  However others (many of them my classmates and friends), struggling through those same culturally supercilious circumstances, ended up in prison, or turned to drugs, prostitution, alcohol, or became physically and mentally sick.

What made the difference in my decision is that God put in me a strong will to make the “wrongs” in my life “right.”  I just would not, could not accept the injustice all around me; and I wanted to prove that there was a God who was really watching over me to show me something different and to make my life an example that good can come out of bad.  During adolescence, this strong will of mine often contended with God, but I always had a steadfast determination to excel above the odds put before me, and throughout that struggle, God and I were in agreement for achievement.

Now I look at the youth of today still struggling through the same battles of proving who they are and achieving what they know, deep down into the depth of their soul, who they are to become. 

What is the Battle?  With the full blast and bombardment of secular media depicting what it thinks is the “right way” to live (“success), it has left our youth confused and their decisions catastrophic—bold with no fear and trembling for their salvation.

The battle is called DISODEDIENCE and it courses (flows) through 1. The flesh (body) wanting to feel good; 2. The soul wanting to be praised for following corrupt company and ideals; and 3. The spirit of perdition which made Eve, then Adam, eat the “wrong” fruit.

How do we bear and harvest the FRUIT OF SELF-CONTROL in the midst of this blatant ballistic battle?  Read on in Part 2 (Bearing It) and in Part 3 (Harvesting It).

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