Wise Women Know the Secret of Self-Control

Self-control- emotions, appetites

Submit to God's control

Self-control- to be controlled by God

Proverbs 25:28

Without self-control, we have no defense against our enemies (anything that separates us from God).

Proverbs 5:22-23

If we seek fulfillment outside of God's ways, we live as fools.

We don't dip into sin just a little bit. This is fantasy. Once we start downhill, there are no lines we won't cross.

How high can we rise?

Galatians 5 - includes self-control

Self-control is only possible through Jesus.

Walk by the spirit. The desires of the flesh are against the spirit.

We are to starve our ungodly cravings.

Hindrances to self control

  1. competing desires- our desire for control vs. what has control over us. yo-yoing means we have no control over what we desire (on/off relationships). torn b/w 2 desires
  2. wrong motives- we want it for the wrong reasons, tired of the consequences; it should be about God. Attempts at self improvement don't bring us closer to God. Self improvement is self glory. Pursuing holiness aims to reflect Christ and more likely to produce what we're looking for in the first place. We need to remove obstacles from God. 
  3. Underestimating the destructive power of over-indulgence- Law of Diminishing Returns- seems beneficial but always destroys us in the end. We over-indulge because we live in the moment, trying to escape boredom, loneliness, stress. Using these as anesthesia will quickly become out of control. It leads to death. Alcoholism, drug addicts, sex addicts. 
  4. Failure to see ourselves clearly. We need to be honest with God and ourselves about our weaknesses, and we need accountability and humility. We need to admit our substitutes to God.
  5. We think it should be easy because we're Christians. We stop trying altogether when "God isn't helping us." He provides freedom through our own participation. 
3 Things that Help Self-Control Flourish
  1. Live for something beyond ourselves: Christ. 
  2. Depend on Christ to become like Him. Abide in Him. 
  3. Work at putting sin to death until we die. 



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