#9fruit Of The Spirit Self Control Series

#9 STUDY OF THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT:

TEMPERANCE / SELF-CONTROL

By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr.

Kyfingers@aol.com

Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

23. Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

WE HAVE BEEN STUDYING THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT

We have broken the nine into three groups.

1. Inward: love, joy, peace

2. Outward: longsuffering-patience,

gentleness-kindness, goodness.

3. Godward: faith-faithfulness, meekness,

temperance-self control.

Today’s study of TEMPERANCE -- SELF CONTROL IS OUR 9TH STUDY, THE LAST FRUIT AND THE LAST ONE IN THE GODWARD GROUP.

TEXT:

1 Cor. 9:24. Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.

25. And everyone who competes for the prize is self-controled in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.

26. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air.

27. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.

James 1:26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridles not HIS OWN tongue, but deceives his own heart, this man’s religion is in vain.

James 3:2 For in many things we offend all. If any

man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man,

and able also to bridle the whole body.

James 3:8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an

unruly evil, and full of deadly poison.

1 Cor. 6:18 FLEE FORNICATION?

19. IS YOUR BODY THE TEMPLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT ... ?

2 Tim. 2:2 Flee youthful lusts: follow

righteousness, faith, love, peace,

with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

Matthew 12:34 -- for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.

Prov. 23:2 And put a knife to your throat, if thou be a man given to appetite.

What do you do when the WHAMMY HITS?

Have you seen the game show where the whammy hits

and causes the individual

to lose everything? Well, that is a game? What do

you do in your daily walk when

the WHAMMY hits?

How you react to the WHAMMY will depend on self

control.

We all have domains or areas of our lives in which it is very hard to control ourselves. We must learn to allow the Spirit of God to control our words and actions.

Self-control, is our final Fruit of the Spirit.

Let us define and enlarge what self control or temperance means?

SELF CONTROL:

--Restraint exercised over one’s own impulses,

emotions, or desires.

--capacity for keeping one’s words, emotions, and

actions under close

control.

TEMPERANCE:

--moderation in action, thought, feeling.

--habitual moderation in appetites and passions.

-- abstinence from intoxicating drink.

--intoxication means out of control, this can come

from anger as well as alcohol.

WILL POWER:

-- ENERGETIC DETERMINATION.

-- capacity for keeping one’s action under close

control.

DISCIPLINE:

-- Punishment that instructs.

--training that corrects, molds, or perfects the

mental and moral character.

-- control gained by enforcing obedience and order.

--pattern of behavior.

--chasten, chastisement

THE ARE TWO KINDS OF DISCIPLINE:

1. By others

2. By self

The goal of all discipline is to mature self

discipline to the point that each individual will

correct and solve his own mental and behavioral

problems so that the discipline by others will not

be needed.

LOVE IS THE DESIRE AND CARE OF DISCIPLINE!

Everything includes itself in power, .. power to

will, ..

will into appetite .. and appetite will grow into

a universal WOLF ..

without SELF DISCIPLINE.

LIFE CAN LIVE IN TOTAL SLIP SHOD EFFORT!

Slip shod means a lack of care, shabby,

carelessness, lazy, untidy.

It is so easy to drift with the current, and just

offer God and others leftovers or seconds.

Self control must develop into the growth of giving

the first fruits not the leftovers.

Many homes, schools, and churches suffer as we learn

that we can get away with giving less than our best.

LIVING ON CREDIT IS A TEMPERANCE KILLER!

Remember Popeye’s friend, Wimpy?

I will gladly repay you Tuesday for a hamburger

today?

We have to learn to live within our means.

We often have plans of growing the fruit of the

Spirit in our heart and

daily life, but we plan, I will do that tomorrow?

We need to work on discipline today!

GOD’S PLAN IS THAT REAL SELF CONTROL IS NOT SELF CONTROL,

BUT IT IS ALLOWING THE HOLY SPIRIT TO HAVE COMPLETE CONTROL.

Temperance is one of the hardest to attain of the fruit of the Spirit.

Just when you think you have achieve self control it eludes us again.