¡§Self-control is the ability to keep cool while someone else is making it hot for you.¡¨ (Unknown quote)
A mother was in a grocery store with her little boy in the shopping cart. She just picked him up from daycare after work and needed to get groceries for dinner. As she went up and down the aisles she accidentally went down the cookie aisle. Immediately her son begins screaming, ¡§I want cookies.¡¨ She calmly tells him not right now we have some at home. The boy continues to scream I want cookies as they go down the next 4 aisles, getting louder with each aisle. At the register he is kicking, screaming, and yelling. When the lady at the register asks, ¡§why won¡¦t you just give him, cookies?¡¨ The mother, looked at the lady, and simply said, ¡§Who? Because this is not my child, because my child doesn¡¦t get what he wants when he acts this way!!¡¨
1. Be alert.
a. 1 Peter 5:8 „³ Be self-controlled and alert the devil prowls around like a roaring lion waiting for someone to devour.
b. Lions when they attack look for the weakest animal or one in a difficult situation before attacking. They just wait and watch for an opportunity.
c. The devil tempts us when we are at a weak point or in difficult situation. Moments of frustration with work, family, money, etc.
d. It is in these moments we often lose control of anger, language (tongue), mind, and/or other actions.
e. How can we stay alert? Focus on your relationship with Jesus!!
TRANSITION: We too often fall into sin because we lack self-control. We must practice self-control in our lives not out of duty for Christ, but out of love for Him. But too many of us love ourselves more than we love Jesus. We are nothing more than a spoiled brat in a grocery store screaming and hollering because our mom won¡¦t give us cookies.
2. Tell yourself ¡§NO¡¨.
a. We need to remember, by denying ourselves some simple pleasures here on earth is in our best interest.
b. Jesus was tempted in the desert and He said ¡§no¡¨ to everything we are tempted with. (Matthew 4)
i. Needs of the body (food).
ii. Twisting Scriptural truths to suit an immediate need (Testing God).
iii. Power, honor, position of authority.
c. By not learning to tell ourselves ¡§No¡¨ we endanger ourselves to being attacked by a lion, the devil.
Conclusion:
Colossians 3:2 „³ 2Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.
