Christian Meditation: Self-Control in the Christian Life

Self-control is the mastery of your tongue, your thoughts, your passions, and your appetites through delayed gratification. I mean it’s supernatural. The Spirit of God, part of what the Spirit does is He gives us self-control.

Self-control in our eating, self-control in our speech, self-control in…I don’t know about you, now it took years for me, I don’t particularly like, in my earlier life, getting up in the morning and meeting with God, and spending time and reading my Bible, and praying specifically, and jotting a few things down in a journal.

I don’t particularly like, in some seasons of my life, realizing that, if I eat that not good things happen so I need to eat more of this good stuff. Or working out two or three times a week.

I mean, if we did a survey of all the Christians in America would we see people who are characterized by self-control? In our eating, in our speech, in our activities, in our disciplines? Would we see people whose parents are teaching their kids self-control?

It’s the fruit of the Spirit. When there’s not self-control in your life that means the flesh is winning, not the Spirit. That means you’re not keeping in step with the Spirit.

When you’re keeping in step with the Spirit all Jesus wants you to know is you will have the characteristics of Jesus. And the characteristics or fruit, spiritual fruit of Jesus, isn’t activities, it’s not just external ministry. The characteristics of Jesus is you become a more loving, joyful, peaceful, gentle, patient, kind, good person who is faithful and under self-control. Does that make sense?

.- Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram