Spirit-Empowered Self-Control

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives:
love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
There is no law against these things!
Galatians 5:22–23

As we cultivate the discipline of self-control, you and I can experience victory over the very things we despise in ourselves. The new nature trumps the old nature as we allow the Spirit of God to rule our minds and our hearts. As a result, life soon begins to improve because the restraining power of the Holy Spirit overcomes the tempting urges of the flesh. He brings strength we do not have in ourselves.

Enkrateia is the Greek word translated “self-control.” The stem is the term kratos, meaning “strength” or “might.” Often kratos is translated “dominion.” The prefix personalises the word, in a manner of speaking. So enkrateia is the ability to have dominion over one’s impulses or desires.

For the person without Christ, the desires dictate and he or she obeys. Those in Christ, living under the authority of His Spirit and ruled by Him, are able to defy this once-powerful dictator. As a result, we experience a transforming change that others notice.

As for the tongue, we exercise verbal restraint. Where our diet is concerned, we exercise restraint at the dinner table. (And I leave the ice cream in the freezer!) Pertaining to the temper, we exercise emotional restraint. As it relates to our thoughts, we exercise mental restraint. In terms of sexual lust, we exercise moral restraint. All of us have areas that tempt us more than others, so we must give ourselves over to the Spirit’s authority. He steps in and empowers us to hold back before we take steps to satisfy our impulse and our desire.

Let’s get practical. I have found that a three-second pause can make all the difference. Just as an impulse hits me, I decide to wait just three seconds before taking any action. During that pause, I do a quick assessment of what the consequences might be. Would this action be something that I would be embarrassed about later?

Sometimes I know that I shouldn’t act, so I pray, “Right now, Lord, in this very moment, I’m struggling. Spirit of God, control my tongue. Stop my mind from dwelling on that thought. Don’t let that impulse have its way.” Obviously, all of that happens in an instant, and I rarely say those words out loud. But I am frequently amazed by how effectively the Lord provides self-control when I need it. As I release my struggle to Him, He takes over. Every time.