Today’s Scripture Passage:
Galatians 5:22-25
Key Verse:
A person without self-control
is like a city with broken-down walls. Proverbs 25:28 (NLT)
The ability to control another is only a mirage.
mirage noun
something that appears real or possible but is not in fact so.
Oxford Dictionaries · Bing Translator
I have learned but must be reminded…
I cannot control anything but myself!
You cannot control anything but yourself!
control
the power to influence or direct people’s behavior or the course of events.
Oxford Dictionaries · Bing Translator
I have learned but must be reminded…
I cannot control myself without help!
You cannot control yourself without help!
Will power is not enough!
Imagine you’re driving in a downpour of rain. You grip the steering wheel with white knuckled hands against heavy winds forcing you toward the center line. Sooner or later exhaustion takes over and you’re jerked into oncoming traffic. This is the struggle of will power.
That’s why Jesus gives ALL of His followers a Helper!
Our Helper’s name is Holy Spirit.
Holy Spirit teaches, counsels, and reminds us of what we’ve already learned from Jesus about belonging to Him and being His follower.
Holy Spirit is our Helper whenever we do not understand, are unsure of, or forget the way of Jesus.
Holy Spirit helps us control our thoughts, our words, and our actions.
Many will seek to manipulate, deceive, and bully us into doing their will, but…
No matter how limited our choices, the choice is still ours to make.
Even when every choice leads in a way we don’t want to go, the choice is still ours to make.
We’re always free to choose what’s right.
To believe anything else is to be deceived.
Today’s verse reminds us a city without walls is vulnerable to attack from the enemy, and a life lived without self-control makes us vulnerable to attack from our enemy. Our enemy prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour. Our enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy. He’s the enemy of every Jesus-follower. Our accuser who wants us to live in the shame and condemnation of our old identity. Our enemy who wants us to forget our identity is in Jesus!
His name is Satan; and long ago, he refused to surrender his will to the Lordship of Jesus. Now, he wants us to do the same. He wants us separated from Jesus and vulnerable. He wants us to be distracted, discouraged, and defeated. He cannot rob us of our eternity, but he will do everything possible to turn our eyes from Jesus.
I have learned but must be reminded…
Self-control comes from Holy Spirit.
Self-control is only one of Holy Spirit’s nine characteristics; they’re called the fruit of the Spirit.
fruit
what is produced
can be taken from; seized, plucked, to take for oneself
Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of The Bible – Greek Dictionary
Like fruit on a tree, Holy Spirit produces love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Holy Spirit’s fruit is ours to seize, pluck, take for ourselves.
I have learned but must be reminded…
The only thing I can control is myself, and self-control comes from my Helper, Holy Spirit.
Seizing Spirit self-control gives me (and you) strength to surrender to the way of love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, gentleness, while living faithful to Jesus and His way.
I have learned but must be reminded…
I am Spirit strong when I am surrendered to the way of Jesus.
LORD, we’re so thankful to be citizens of Your Kingdom. We’re thank You for the privilege of being your representative in the foreign land we live in now. Help us to grow in our relationship with You, so we will represent You well. Give us compassion and courage and teach us to love those around us as You love them. We want to love as citizens of Heavens and not citizens of this world!
Digging Deeper:
John 10:10, John 14:16-17 & 26, Romans 8:1-2, 1 Corinthians 2;15-16, Ephesians 6:10-18, 1 Peter 2:10 & 1 Peter 5:8,
If you have not yet met Jesus, you can meet Him today. He created you. He loves you. He wants you to be a part of His family. I encourage you to step into the life He created you to live. You will still have the troubles of this world, but you will no longer be facing them alone. I’m praying for you! https://peacewithgod.net/mobile/?utm_source=Microsoft&utm_medium=CPC&utm_term=HowToGoToHeaven&utm_campaign=USPWGMobileSearchMic
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, a Division of Tyndale House Ministries, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.