The Power of Self-Control— Two2Grow, June 30
The Power of Self-Control— Two2Grow, June 30
“Better a patient person than a warrior, one with self-control than one who takes a city.” Proverbs 16:32
Our greatest enemy isn’t Satan; it is ourselves. Our fallen nature is constantly working against the will of God in our lives.
We need to grow in self-control in our walk with the Lord so that we don’t give in to every impulse we have and simply let our fallen nature take over.
We can do great things—even take a city—but if we lack self-control, sooner or later we will stumble and fall.
Self-control takes practice. It is about saying “no” to the desires of our fallen flesh. We practice speaking only words that edify and refuse to speak words of bitterness, anger, or hate. We practice resisting evil and lustful thoughts and not letting them find a home in our minds. It also applies to our work lives: we need self-control so that we neither overwork nor become lazy and idle.
I encourage you to identify areas in your life where you need to exercise more self-control. Be honest with yourself. It also helps to talk to a Christian friend about those areas so they can pray with you. Growth starts there.
We can’t control our fallen flesh in our own strength. We need God’s help.
Developing habits of daily prayer, Bible reading, and financial generosity are great ways to practice self-control. These practices open our lives more fully to the power of the Holy Spirit, and it is only through Him that we can truly gain self-control.
Father, forgive me when I lack self-control and let my fallen nature take over. Holy Spirit, help me develop self-control so that You can shape me more into the likeness of Jesus. Amen.
Pastor Mikael Stenhammar, PhD
Our greatest enemy isn’t Satan; it is ourselves. Our fallen nature is constantly working against the will of God in our lives.
We need to grow in self-control in our walk with the Lord so that we don’t give in to every impulse we have and simply let our fallen nature take over.
We can do great things—even take a city—but if we lack self-control, sooner or later we will stumble and fall.
Self-control takes practice. It is about saying “no” to the desires of our fallen flesh. We practice speaking only words that edify and refuse to speak words of bitterness, anger, or hate. We practice resisting evil and lustful thoughts and not letting them find a home in our minds. It also applies to our work lives: we need self-control so that we neither overwork nor become lazy and idle.
I encourage you to identify areas in your life where you need to exercise more self-control. Be honest with yourself. It also helps to talk to a Christian friend about those areas so they can pray with you. Growth starts there.
We can’t control our fallen flesh in our own strength. We need God’s help.
Developing habits of daily prayer, Bible reading, and financial generosity are great ways to practice self-control. These practices open our lives more fully to the power of the Holy Spirit, and it is only through Him that we can truly gain self-control.
Father, forgive me when I lack self-control and let my fallen nature take over. Holy Spirit, help me develop self-control so that You can shape me more into the likeness of Jesus. Amen.
Pastor Mikael Stenhammar, PhD