THE WAR OF SELF-CONTROL
TITUS 1:8 / PROVERBS 16:32
There was once an elderly couple that was traveling through the upstate NY. As they were driving along they saw a sign that said, "Helicopter" rides ahead". Pa said to Ma that he always wanted to ride in one of them helicopters.
So they pull into the place and find the pilot. Pa asks him how much for the ride. The pilots says, "$20 each." Pa scratches his chin and states that that’s an awful lot of money. "I would like to ride but that’s to much money". Feeling a little sorry for the old folks the pilot tells them, "Here is what I will do. If you are your wife don’t make a sound, I’ll take you up for free. But if either one of you says a word then you have to pay me $40". Pa says sure I’ll take that deal.
So that take off. They go just about straight up. The pilot does a power dive, just above the trees. He turns the craft one way then the other. At times a most going upside down.
He finally lands and say, "Sir I am a man of my word, you never made a sound, that ride is for free."
Pa said, "Yup, , I almost said something when ma fell out the side."
There is a man with self-control.
Today I want to speak about the subject. Please turn with me to Titus 1:8; that would be page 1032 in your pew Bible. This will be the last week on verse 8. Keep in mind that we have been looking at the qualities that Paul states an elder in the church ought to have. Also keep in mind that we have seen from Scripture that these a qualities that we all as Christians ought to have.
Verse 8 "but hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled,"
This morning I want us to focus our attention on the last quality in verse 8 "self-controlled". An elder is to be "self-controlled". Now the basic meaning of this word is strength. And it has to do with being in control of the lusts of the flesh, being in control of our sinful desires. Being disciplined is another way of putting it.
Scripture also tells us that "self-control" is one of the fruits of the Spirit, Gal 5:22-23; "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.’
Self-control is one of those things by which others know that we are saved. Those fruits are evidence of salvation.
In Luke 21:34 the Lord Jesus gives to us the opposite of what self-control, "But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly."
The one who lacks self-control is lead astray by the temptations of this world. Those who lack self-control are easily caught in the snares of the flesh.
Now to help us understand the concept of self-control better I want us to look at another verse. Please turn to with me to Proverbs 16:32, that is p.560 if you are using a pew Bible.
"He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, And he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city."
Now that basically is what self-control is, "ruling your spirit." In this portion of Scriptures the Bible compares self-control with one who conquers a city, and states that one who can practice self-control is better then one who can overthrow a city.
Now through out history the world has made much out of military victories. From ancient times we have records of generals and the cities that they have sacked. Has we move through time we can see how we make hero out of generals. I think of two men who became presidents not because of their political abilities but because they were great soldiers, Presidents Eisenhower and Grant. I also think of Colin Powell who probably would have won had he chosen to run, simply because of that fact he was a great general.
We give our warriors the highest honor, the greatest power.
But here in Proverbs 16:32 we are reminded that the simple victory, the private victory of living in self-control is greater then all the great victories of any war. Let us consider why this is so.
First of all it is "Greater In Effort". In ancient times before the invention of artillery and heavy ordnance to lay siege to city took alto of energy, time and manpower. It took Nebuchadnezzar, would had by far the strongest army at the time a year and half to take the relatively small city of Jerusalem.
A few hundred years later it took the mighty army of Rome years to accomplish the same feet. But you know the battle of self-control is even greater.
It is greater because the enemy is within. The battle of self-control is not an external battle but an internal one. The war of the soul is a civil war. A war between our flesh nature and spiritual nature.
Paul speaks of this inner battle in Gal. 5:17; "For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish." For the Christian there is battle of the soul to do what is right, to do what is pleasing to the Lord. And if you do not have this civil war in you then I would have to say that you do not have the Holy Spirit in you.
It is also greater because the enemy is unpredictable, and cannot be tamed. In the ancient times some races of people were harder to rule then others. Some would take defeat very well, others would fight to the last man was dead.
Let us realize the enemy the we battle in the battle of self-control will not quit until it is dead. The battle between our flesh and the Spirit will continue all the days of our life. They will be no treaty, to peace. The flesh will continue to strive to pull us away from God, to lead us down the roads of temptation and sin. The flesh know of no truce.
Our sinful nature will be totally put to death when we are glorified in Heaven with Jesus Christ our Lord.
Self-control also requires also requires a greater effort then storming a city because The enemy has at time great power. And the enemy, that is our flesh is given that power by the one who is trying to defeat it.
Can you imagine a general shipping arms and ammo to the enemy. Yet that is what we do with our own flesh nature. We give to it what it needs to service. We feed it through our own sin, giving into it desires, and lusts.
We give into until we have build strongholds in our lives. Strongholds that can be tough to defeat. And it is our flesh nature the dwells in those strongholds, waiting for us to try and defeat it. And may we know that we can defeat it, we can destroy those strong holds, destroy there walls. And we can begin that by practicing self-control.
It also takes a greater effort because the enemy that we dealing with is subtle. What does Jer. 17:9 tells us; "The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?"
Let us realize that our flesh is always in the state of plotting treason against us. When all looks safe that is when it will strike. Our own hearts are deceitful, it will lie to us because it is tainted with sin. Our own heart is desperately wicked, looked to turn us from God into disobedience. Striving to have us follow not the Words of God but the desires of that wicked heart, follow the lusts of the flesh, in our thoughts, in our actions, and in our words.
So there is by far a greater effort involved in practicing self control then in overtaking a city.
Secondly, self-control is greater in results then taking a city. Now this may at first some absurd and ridiculous. The man who practices self-control does so in his own spirit. It is something that is done in secret, inward, it is a private matter. Yet a man who conquers a city make his mark in the history books.
We can say that self-control is a greater thing because it means more to the individual man. While the successful general may win glory for the moment it is a passing thing, and empty thing, a superficial thing. History is full of great generals who won many wars yet are now forgotten.
Generals such as Suleucus and Ptolemy who were given great honor and praise during their day yet now there are forgotten.
We all have read about great men who were given praise by the people, but who despised themselves. Men whom the world loved because of their conquests yet they gave into the lust of their flesh, which resulted in their downfall.
We have all heard of Mark Anthony and Celopatra and what a wonderful love story that was. What many people do not realize is that while Mark Anthony was a great general who at taken many cities he gave into the lusts of the flesh when it came to Celopatra. You see he was a married man, and the women whom he was married to was the sister of Augustus Caesar. It was due to his affair with Celopatra the Augustus invaded Egypt bringing about the death of both Mark Anthony and Celopatra.
Self-control will by far bring greater results then the conquest of any city. While self-control may not always bring about the praise of men, it will bring about the blessing of God. Material conquests are but fleeting moments, practicing self-control will effect us eternally.
The third thing to mention is that self control is greater in character then the capture of any city. In God’s world true greatness is not measured by achievements, which are largely dependent on external circumstances. One man may have an opportunity that another one does not.
I think of Robert E. Lee. Now there is no doubt that Robert E. Lee is looked at as a great man. Yet what made him great in the eyes of so many was not the man that he was, but what he did. To many he was great because of the circumstances that God had placed him. And that is so very true with many people that this world looks at as being great.
Yet true greatness is in the soul. True greatness is found in the man who has lived his live for Christ. A man who has not been over come by the desires of the flesh, a man who battle his own sinful nature and won.
What does Christ say in Matthew 16:26; "For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?"
The man who is truly great in character is not who has conquered the world, but one who has conquered his own soul. True character is not found in physical battles won, while losing your soul. True character is found in one who has battle himself and won, and who has gained a place in heaven through Jesus Christ.
There is the guy I golf with, most of you probably do not know him. His father recently passed away. And when you speak with this man you can see the love and respect he had for his dad. Now if I were to ask him who is greater your dad or Alexander the Great, I know he would say my dad.
But who has conquered more cities, Alexander the Great by far. Yet who was a good father, who was a good husband, a good example, who was a fine Christian man who taught his son about the Lord. You see those are the things that make us great. Those are things that show self-control. That is what being great in character is all about according to God’s word. Not taking over cities and countries, but living in self-control of our sinful nature.
In the eyes of heaven it is the one whom fights the enemies of his heart, of his own soul, it is him whom heaven looks to praise.
The last idem I would like to mention is that the practice of self-control is done by a greater power then the conquest of any city.
The power of the Babylonians, the Assriyians, the Greeks, the Romans, even the power of NATO is nothing to the Lord our God. Not one of these powers would be anything were it not for God allowing them to exist.
Listen to Psalm 2:1-4; "Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the LORD and against his Anointed One. "Let us break their chains," they say, and throw off their fetters." The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them."
What this reveals is that there is no one like with Lord. His power is greater then any nation. To plot against the will of the Lord is to plot in vain.
Now this power, the power that is greater then all the nations is the power that is at work in those who have placed their trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
Now I know the term "self-control" can be a little confusing. But the term as we have used it here does not refer to the power we have in and of ourselves but it refers to the power that we in Christ. The power that we have at our disposal. The power the is alive and at work in every born again Christian.
God tells us in His word in 1 John 4:4; "You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world."
Also in Phil. 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
You see our self-control is really "God-control". That is were the power to say no to temptations, to say no to our flesh, to say no those evil desires. The power is in God. And that power again is greater the any army that ever attacked any city. And that is power that is in us.
So we have seen the truth of Proverbs 16:32 "He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, And he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city."
Self control is greater in effort, greater in results, greater in character and greater in power. Let us strive to practice self-control, strive to say no to the flesh through the power God as given you.
Maybe you sit there thinking that you have not self-control. Maybe you have some in certain areas of your life but in others you just have none. Jesus wants to help you. He wants to strengthen you. First of all you must make Him your Lord and Savior. Trust in Him to forgive you of your sins. Believe that He died that you might have eternal life. Go to him asking forgiveness in His blood.
Then truly make Him Lord of your live, truly make Him your King and God. Obey Him, walk with Him, spent time with Him, read His Word. And when you begin to do those things you we see how He will strengthen you, how he will give you self-control.
LET US PRAY
