INTRODUCTION:
Of all the things we have to govern in this life, self is often our greatest challenge! Self-control is listed last as the capstone in the nine fruits of the HolySpirit, since it takes a lot of self-control to exercise the other eight virtues! It takes a lot of self-control just to “bridle” one’s tongue (James 1:26; James 3:2). Maybe Paul was thinking of love and self-control as the two great bookbinder for the set of the fruits.
To think of self-control apart from the enabling strength of God is to think impractically. Self-control without the strength of God is like taking a trip without a road map, a guide or a compass. God's Word helps define what it is.
Our Text for today is; 1 Corinthians 9:24 Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! NLT
v.25 Now every athlete who [goes into training and] competes in the games is disciplined and exercises self-control in all things. They do it to win a crown that withers, but we [do it to receive] an imperishable [crown that cannot wither]. AMP
26 So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing.
27 I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.NLT
In Acts 24: 25 self-control follows "righteousness" which represents God's claims. Self-control is our response to God's claims.
In II Peter 1: 6 self-control follows "knowledge." Thus, self-control involves putting into practice what is learned of God.
A loss of self-control involves using a good thing in a bad way. For example normal hunger, thirst, fatigue, and sex are good in God's sight. When your appetite takes control and you lose self-control, it becomes the sin of gluttony. When thirst causes an alcoholic beverage to be consumed, it is wrong. When fatigue consequently becomes laziness, it is wrong. When the normal sex drive goes into over drive causing a loss of self-control and adultery results, it is wrong.
Illustration:
The Lion, The Lion Tamer, The Whip and The Chair
The classic image of a lion tamer is one of the entertainer holding a whip and a chair. The whip gets all of the attention, but it’s mostly for show. In reality, it’s the chair that does the important work.
When a lion tamer holds a chair in front of the lion’s face, the lion tries to focus on all four legs of the chair at the same time. With its focus divided, the lion becomes confused and is unsure about what to do next. It's not that the lion is afraid of the chair -- it's that the lion is confused by the chair. Cats are single-minded, and the points of the chair's four legs bobbing around confuse the lion enough that it loses its train of thought. Casually put, the chair distracts the lion from wanting to claw the lion tamer's face off. When faced with so many options, the lion chooses to freeze and wait instead of attacking the man holding the chair.
Life isn't a dress rehearsal. Whether you know it or not, you're already in the ring. We all are. Use that Chair! Aim it at the Beast! Paralyze him with the feet of that stool. Be prepared to tame that beast.... we have the Chair. “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are.” (1 Peter 5:8-9NLT).
Just lift up the chair to that beast roaming about in our lives, roaring and defeating us most of the time....
It doesn't have to be the usual way of sin confess, sin confess! Falling and rising. Yes, we are just and righteous because of Him. And we are more than conqueror to God who loves us. We are the friend of the Master, and we are created to be like Jesus. Let’s master the beast and tame him.
TODAY, let me give you the secrets in the 4 legs of a Chair in Taming the Beast of Uncontrollable Self:
I- FATHER
This should be the first of all the four legs of a chair of the Tamer, If we want to tame the Beast of UnControllable self. We must establish first our relationship with Jesus to bring us into a relationship with God.
This Relationship or Righteousness, we have attained from believing in Jesus, because He alone knows our strength and our weaknesses. He wants to help us with both. John 1:12 clearly ushers us in that relationship. Through Jesus, God became our Father. Not all people are children of God, only those who had accepted Jesus and believed in His Name. A Righteousness not our own but a Righteousness through Him. (2 Corinthians 5:21) Therefore, if we have accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we became right with God, Self-Control comes from within our spirit and must be governed by the Holy Spirit. Spirit to Spirit.
Because self-control is a gift, produced in and through us by God’s Spirit, Christians can and should be the people on the planet most hopeful about growing in self-control. We are, after all, brothers of the most self-controlled Man in the history of the world.
II- FOCUS
We must keep ourselves focused on the goal. (Phil. 3:14) Let us lay hold on the hope of heaven, and not turn loose of it for anything or anybody.
Just as the lion is focused on the feet of the chair, the Tamer should also be focused on holding to the chair with its legs pointed toward the lion.
Every Christian should be focused on the promises of God. Hold on to that chair of promise. For they will surely come. They will not tarry.
Hebrews 19:37 (NIV) For, "In just a little while, He who is coming will come and will not delay."
2 Corinthians 1:20 (Christian Standard Bible)
For every one of God's promises is "Yes" in him. Therefore, through Him we also say "Amen" to the glory of God.
We can focus just like Mary sitting at the feet of Jesus. Let us not be distracted by the cares of this world like Martha. Only one thing is important. Focus on the promises. It is easy to forget what being a Christian is all about. It's about spending eternity with God and all the people of God.
See? The lion is paralyzed because he is out of focus. He could not concentrate on the Tamer. As long as we are focused on God and His promises, the roaring lion roaming about could not touch us!
III- FLEE!
SOME THINGS TO FLEE. I Timothy 6:11.... Flee these things."
“Flee" here means "to be a fugitive, to run with haste, to run away from"; it is the opposite of "attracted to, embrace, or pursue." What are these things Paul has in mind, and has just been talking about?
1. Teachers of a different doctrine 6:3-5).
2. Desiring to be rich; love of money (6:9,10).
3. There are other passages which teach us to "flee." Timothy was to flee youthful lusts. (2 Tim. 2:22) We are to flee fornication. (1 Cor. 6:18) We must "flee" from them even in our minds. (Matt. 5:27-28) We are to flee idolatry. 1 Cor. 10:13-14’s there hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry. Sometimes, the most courageous thing we will do will be to run from sin!
*Remember Joseph and Potiphar’s wife (Gen. 39:7-12)
Flee from those thoughts, for it all starts in the mind. Just like David, we can control the Lion of uncontrollable self. As we flee from such negativity, we can now go on to follow the last leg of the chair.
IV- FOLLOW:
We can attain that kind of victory with our own self as we continue to relate our relationship with our Father and Jesus through the Holy Spirit.
Follow here means to pursue diligently; to earnestly endeavor to acquire. It is not a lackadaisical following after. It is getting serious about living the Christian life. This sermon instructs us and all men and women of God to follow after our relationship with our Father God in Jesus. Let us follow after Him as our proof and evidence of our Righteousness. Christians should be concerned about what is the right thing to do; as children of the Most High God, in regard to Him and His fellowmen. 1John 3:7
This last leg of the tamer’s Chair is the conclusion for me for taming the beast of uncontrollable self. Let us continue to pursue what Jesus had started the good thing in us.
Now.... Start Aiming that Chair.
It's not that the lion is afraid of the chair -- it's that the lion is confused by the chair. Cats are single-minded, and the points of the chair's four legs bobbing around confuse the lion enough that it loses its train of thought. Let’s confuse him now. Let us be reminded to tame that Beast of our uncontrollable self. You have the secret. Wield it in Jesus Name.
@doJpowerHouse!03november2018
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delivered:44thSundayof2018
