Holy Habits #3: Self-Control Series

HOLY HABIT #3:

SELF-CONTROL

Introduction

Craig Groeschel said, “Discipline is choosing between what you want now and what you want most.” That’s a good description of our subject for today: Self-Control. In this series we have added to our faith goodness —a life of moral excellence—and knowledge—a deepening understanding of God’s will. But knowing what’s right is not enough. The next essential habit is self-control: the discipline to choose what we want most, rather than what we want right now. Peter urges us to make every effort to add self-control (Sometimes translated as temperance).

1 Peter 1:5-7 NIV  For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.

Few habits test us like self-control.

Proverbs 16:32 GNB “It is better to be patient than powerful. It is better to win control over yourself than over whole cities.”

Proverbs 25:28 GNB “If you cannot control your anger, you are as helpless as a city without walls, open to attack.”

Without lapses of self-control, many pivotal Bible narratives would not exist. Adam and Eve eating forbidden fruit. King David demanding Bathsheba’s participation in adultery. A rooftop gaze led to a kingdom-wide catastrophe. Peter denying he knows Christ by the fire.

By definition self-control means that you must go against your impulses or feelings in order to attain a higher goal. … it applies to controlling all desires including greed, sex, food, emotions, the use of our time, and innumerable situations.

1. Three Qualities of Self-Control

Self-Control Requires Effort. Adding Self-Control to our faith, goodness, knowledge means we are making every effort to use what we know to follow God’s will. Like an Athlete disciplines every craving to win (1 Cor 9:25 LSB “Now everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible.”). Effort is essential in order to add Self-Control.

Self-Control is Resistant to Corrupt Influence. One reason Peter is writing so specifically is that there are false teachers among them who are leading people astray. 2 Peter 2:14-15 “With eyes full of adultery, they never stop sinning; they seduce the unstable; they are experts in greed—an accursed brood! They have left the straight way…”

Sounds like the world in which we live - boldly leading anyone who will follow away from God. To practice self-control is to resist those influences - even close friends or relatives - who would lead us astray.

Self-Control Restrains Impulse. Harmon writes about Self-Control that it is the “restraint of one’s emotions, impulses, or desires. In both Jewish and Christian writings, this quality is commonly associated with refraining from certain behaviors, especially illicit sexual activity.” Greek philosophy (especially the Stoics) regarded self-control as a key virtue. Thomas Aquinas: “Temperance is simply a disposition of the mind which sets bounds to the passions.”

Self-control is Spirit-enabled mastery of my desires for the glory of Christ over the pull of the world.

2. How to Cultivate the Habit of Self-Control

-Remember Self-Control relates to everyone. Don’t ever feel alone in your struggles - you are not the only one. Even when we try to look our best, we still hurt. The truth is “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:23-24). The only righteousness that any of us has is because of the Redemption found in Jesus Christ.

-Avoid shame-based behavior modification. If our only focus is on how weak, worthless, unable we are, we will never overcome the self-control issues we face. Often, shame chases us back to behavior that we are trying to avoid. Shame and guilt are our temporary friends if they lead us to seek God and trust Him, but they become enemies when they keep us trapped in the unwillingness to turn away from the sin in our lives. Self-Control is not a matter of just having the grit to do the right thing all the time -it is submission to God and surrender of control to the Holy Spirit, a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:23-25).

-Pay attention to your environment (Curate your environment). James Clear: “…’disciplined’ people are better at structuring their lives in a way that does not require heroic willpower and self-control. In other words, they spend less time in tempting situations.” It sounds too simple, but many of our habitual sins are fed by the environment around us. Mark 14:38 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

-Acknowledge the cycle of habitual behavior. Satan tempts us to sin, then uses that sin to entrap us in habits and addictions that bring us unhappiness and pain. Ephesians 6:11 "Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” 2 Corinthians 2:11 “in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.”