God, Take the wheel
Galatians 5:22
2 Peter 1:5-8
Introduction-
We have been in the study of the Fruit of the Spirit for several weeks.
I hope that you have been able to be with us for the whole series as we looked at the characteristics of God, and His desire to have these characteristics active in our lives.
Our text says it all Galatians chapter 5:22
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”
Today, we will look at self-control. I’ve tried to control myself because it is so exciting to talk to you about self-control.
Each one of these characteristics of the Spirit focuses on how we respond to God and how we treat other people.
Joy and faithfulness are expressed vertically; our relationship with God.
Love, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, goodness, on how we react to others.
Self-control to me is an oxy-moron. Two words that should not be put together. Why? Because we cannot control ourselves. We struggle to control ourselves. We can put limits, we can at times do better than we did before, but we cannot control ourselves without the Spirit of God doing it.
If we are to define self-control, it would have to be more than occasionally winning an internal battle and being miserable inside because of the frequent failure we experience when we try to control something that is bigger than we are.
The meaning of self-control is “to grip, or take a hold of.”
The ability to keep yourself under control, to keep yourself in check. Most people do not do a good job with that.
The ability to tell your body and mind that it has to be in submission to the things that we know pleases God.
It is having victories over selfish desires.
Self-control may be a good translation of the Greek word, but we know that we cannot control ourselves simply through will power, or self-determination.
Self-control is more than self help.
What I have learned is that anything uncontrolled can be harmful to you.
Uncontrolled dog can harm you
Uncontrolled fun can destroy you
Uncontrolled relationship can become obsession.
Romans chapter 7:18
“I know that nothing good lives in me, that is , in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do good, but I cannot carry it out.”
John Maxwell
“In reading about the lives of great people, I found that the first victory they won was over themselves.”
“If you could kick the person responsible for most of your troubles, you would not be able to sit for a week.”
We are our own worst enemy and we cannot fix it!
We blame others for all our troubles.
Peter tells us, that we cannot do it ourselves. God has given us precious promises to hang unto, so we can beat the Sin Nature. We have to depend on the Devine Nature of God.
2 Peter 1:5-8
Did you get that? You build on the characteristics of God working in your life, and you give God permission to do it.
Faith on top of goodness, on top of knowledge, on top of perseverance, on top of God’s love produces self-control and a life pleasing to God.
(8) “For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Marks of a self-controlled life
I. A life lived with purpose and a goal- God is in charge of.
II. A life that is lived with discipline- God is in charge of.
III. A life that is submissive to God.
Areas of our lives that God has to have control of
I. Anger (The A Word)
“Be ye angry and sin not, let not the sun go down upon your wrath, neither give place to the devil.”
Quick tempered, uncontrolled frustration= miserable lives.
Some people live their lives with their finger on the trigger. Just give me a reason! Go ahead! Make my Day!
Will Rodgers
“People who fly into a rage, seldom make a good landing.”
How do you control anger?
1. Recognize it- “I have a problem Lord.” Accept responsibility and stop blaming other people for making you angry.
2. Repent- Ask God to help you! Confess it to Him and draw close to Him, and not away from Him. Turn away from it.
3. Rely on the Holy Spirit
Realize that the Holy Spirit of God has to direct you, guide you, change things that need to be changed. If He is not involved, you are limited to your own strength and wisdom, which is what brought you to this spot already.
II. the second area that God has to get control of is your tongue.
“ The tongue is a fire. A world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.”
The tongue of man destroys someone every day. Gossip has two guilty parties. The one that spreads it, and the one who listens and feeds off of it.
It is poison used in the wrong way, and it can bring life if used in the right way.
The devil who wants to bring you down, shut down all rightful relationships, which way do you think he will continually try to lead you?
III. 3rd Area of your life that God want to control is your money and your behavior.
Yes, God cares how you spend your money and what you do with your life.
First money, overspending is a spiritual problem. Going out and buying something that you cannot afford because something is wrong in your life is a road to destruction.
All the money in your wallet or purse is not yours unless you have given God the first 10 percent right off the top. I don’t say that- God says that! That is God’s Word.
With the average credit card debt at over 8,000, it will take you 24 years at minimum payments to pay off. The fact that America is Trillions with a T, in debt shows us that we cannot spend within our means.
Do you believe God? Or Do you believe in God?
Not giving tithes and offerings to God is an indicator that you have not allowed God to be first in your priorities. The commitment is self-control rather than God controlled.
It is the same for your behavior, so that you don’t think I turned this into a tithing message. Without God in control, our behavior will be out of control.
We will be in bondage to self- giving into the lie of the devil “I deserve to be happy and God wants me to be happy.”
God does not necessarily want you happy.
He wants you to be Holy!
Living a Holy life,
Holy devoted to Him,
Holy desiring to be pleasing to God.
Sanctified Holy.
Holiness brings happiness!
Without Godly discipline, you will not spiritually grow.
There are so many distractions buying for our time, money, our energy.
Without purposeful determination, Jesus will take a back seat every time.
Closing this down,
We have been created by God with different moods, passions, and desires.
But without God, they all become out of control.
The Bible 1 Peter 5:8
“Be self-controlled and alert; your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour, resist him, and stand firm in the faith.”
Charles Spurgeon once said that he never had 15 minutes that he did not sense the presence of Christ. I wish I could say that. I cannot.
Can you imagine what your life would look like if you could live in the sense of God walking with you all day.
Proverbs 25:28
“Like a city who’s walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control.”
A person without self control is like a city that is unprotected.
Walls down, shameful, and the enemy of your soul can walk right in.
Donald Grey Barnhouse
Love is the key. Joy is love singing. Peace is love resting. Long-suffering is love enduring. Kindness is love’s touch. Goodness is love’s character. Faithfulness is love’s habit. Gentleness is love’s self-forgetfulness. Self-control is love holding the reins.
Closing thought on self-control
When I’m at the pizza buffet and I’ve already had more than enough to eat, and I know there’s a good chance another slice will make me miserable for the next 3-4 hours and I eat it anyway .... I lack self control.
When I decide to stay up late and play video games or surf the internet, knowing full well that I have to be up early the next morning and I’ll be so tired I’ll feel sick all day .... I lack self control.
When I procrastinate doing my taxes, leaving myself in a last minute panic to get it done .... I lack self control.
When I spend, spend, spend and never save ... I lack self control.
When I watch 5 hours of TV a day, but spend only a few minutes in Bible study and prayer .... I lack self control.
When I choose the pleasures of sin, enjoying them for a short time ... forfeiting the long term and eternal blessings of living in obedience to Christ, I lack self control.
Self control is the ability to choose wise actions.
If we are going to put our hope in heaven, we will need to make wise choices about what we allow into our minds.
We can choose the kind of thoughts we think.
We can choose the factors that influence our minds.
Putting your hope in heaven is a matter of feeding on God’s word, considering God’s truth, allowing thoughts of the eternal to fill your mind.
And removing those influences that dull your sensitivity to spiritual things.
It is saying this morning that God! I need you to take the wheel, because I am not doing such a good job. No more relying on self-control, but being God-controlled.
How many say to the Lord this morning, this is for me!
Altar Call
