Good morning disciplined ones!

SELF CONTROL is the ability to exercise restraint over our thoughts, feelings, and emotions in order to achieve a long term goal.

A person with SELF CONTROL continues to maintain progress even when he doesn’t feel like it ~ even when he’s not in the mood.

Really, it boils down to this:  If we’re going to be DISCIPLINED and have SELF CONTROL, then we can’t go by what we feel ~ we can’t be ruled by our emotions.

See, our flesh just wants to do what it feels ~ it doesn’t want to be controlled ~ it just wants to run wild.

The flesh always wants to do what it feels, but if we’re going to be the people God wants us to be and experience His best, we’ve got to learn to exercise SELF CONTROL and not go by our feelings.

The Bible says in Galatians 5:23,

  • The fruit of the spirit of SELF CONTROL.

But, I can tell you that the fruit of the flesh is NO control, and we’ve got to make a decision whether we’re going to be ruled by the flesh and just live average, mediocre lives, or whether we’re going to be DISCIPLINED so we can live a life of excellence.

DISCIPLINE and SELF CONTROL are NOT your enemies.  We’ve viewed them in a negative light for too long.  For example, we’ve said, “Well, I’ve got to be disciplined – here’s what I can’t do; here’s what I can’t eat; here’s what I can’t spend.”

No, DISCIPLINE and SELF CONTROL are tools God has given you to help you become His disciples, but if you just disregard them, and you don’t apply them properly to your life, then, you’ll never experience the fullness that God has in store for you.

So many people are out of control in certain areas of their lives – They’re out of control in their spending; they’re out of control in their attitudes – always negative, always complaining.  They’re out of control in how they use their time – they don’t have any boundaries – they allow other people to manipulate them.  Maybe they’re out of control in their emotions ~ always upset; always having a major crisis.

The root cause for all these things is simply a lack of DISCIPLINE.

So, I exhort you to take charge of your thoughts and your bodies and be in constant control.  Don’t be led around by your feelings.  2 Timothy 1:7 says,

  • God has given every one of His children a spirit of DISCIPLINE and a spirit of SELF CONTROL.

You do have the ability to rule over those feelings.  You do have the God-given ability to take charge of your life and do what’s right.  But, here’s the whole key to understanding it all:  DISICIPLINE AND SELF CONTROL have to be developed ~ it doesn’t just automatically happen.  Just because God has given us these tools, doesn’t mean it’s going to do us any good until we start to use them.

It’s just like a muscle ~ the more you exercise it, the more it’ll develop – the more it’ll grow, and the stronger you’ll become. 

Hebrews 12:11 says,

  • No discipline at the time seems enjoyable, it’s painful – but later on, it will produce a great harvest of righteousness.  

So, let’s start thinking about later on ~ later on always comes.  The decisions we’re making right now are going to determine where we’re going to be later on.  If we only do what’s comfortable to us right now, then later on, we’re going to have to suffer the consequences of those poor choices.

Galatians 5:25 from the Amplified Bible says something to this effect,

  • In the areas we don’t exercise self control in, we will not grow and go forward in those areas of our lives.

Beencouraged because DISICIPLINE and SELF CONTROL are learned habits.  And just like it takes time to form bad habits, it takes a little time to form good habits.  

Remember, greater is He that’s in you than he that’s in the world.

Start exercising DISCIPLINE AND SELF CONTROL and you’ll be amazed what happens.  

Will you pray with me?

“Father, thank You that You discipline the ones you love.  We want to be imitators of You, as dear children.  We decide today to trust You completely with our lives.  Transform us into the image of the Lord Jesus Christ.  We praise You for everything You’re working out in our lives, in Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

Walking in discipline and self control,

Lisa Gordon

Assistant Pastor

Jesus City Church