You Want to But You Shouldn't

But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.  

Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: 

and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.  

James 1:14-15 

God, the Holy Spirit and self-control go hand in hand.  God desires us, just as He is, to be temperate in all things.  I am reminded of an account in the bible when God's anger was kindled against the children of Israel but yet He tempered it.  

And the LORD said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves:  They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.  And the LORD said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people:  Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation.    Exodus 32:7-10  

How many times have we had situations that caused us to 'see red' and act out of character or lash out in anger before we have clearly thought through the issue?  The children of Israeal should have been eternally grateful for their intercessor Moses who stood in the gap between God's anger and their sin.

And Moses besought the Lord his God, and said, Lord, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people, which thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power, and with a mighty hand?  Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, and say, For mischief did he bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people.  Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou swarest by thine own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever.  And the Lord repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.  Exodus 32:11-14

 Apostle Paul made a significant statement about the importance of self-control:

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.  2 Timothy 1:6-7

According to Strong's Concordance, the final phrase of verse 7 is defined as "discipline" or "self-control." Most modern translations render it as "self-control," but "sensible," "sobriety," "self-discipline," "self-restraint," "wise discretion" and "sound judgment" are also used.

Self-control, in its widest sense, is mastery over our passions.

It is the fruit of the spirit that holds our appetites in check and controlling our rational will or regulating our conduct without being unduly swayed by sensuous desires. Lust, greed, gluttony, alcoholism, conceit, sexual sins, gossiping, violent quarreling and false and reckless speech are just a few of the many sins that Satan can tempt us to commit if we allow him to minister to our flesh [self-nature] because we are not fully endued with the fruit of temperance.

Self-restraint and obedience to God's law is realized in outgoing concern for others that exceeds and rules over our own self-interest. Even lawful acts may sometimes cause the believer to stumble or be made weak. Self-control provides the ability to resist what may cause pain to others. Thus, we exercise self-control for others, as well as for ourselves. Apostle Paul worked hard on self-discipline. As a spiritual leader he had to discipline his body and bring it into subjection, or his credibility and effectiveness would have been severely affected. He could discuss self-control with Felix, the Roman procurator, partly because of his own self-mastery.

And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance , and judgment to come, Felix trembled, . .  Acts 24:25

A lack of self-control shows shortsightedness because its damage is long lasting and affects our future both physically and spiritually. 

If self-control seems impossible, we must change the circumstances to avoid the temptation. For example, Apostle Paul instructs single people and young widows to marry if they cannot control their sexual urges. Though caution is advised here that you seek God for a companion rather that just grabbing up anyone in order to satiate sexual desires. Jesus lived a life of self-control, mastering potentially lustful and destructive thoughts and actions. He had to overcome the human tendencies just as we do—resisting temptation and submitting to God's law.

Self-control is the manifestation of God's work in man 

through the Holy Spirit. 

Apostle Paul elaborated in His teaching on self-control that the believer's self-control results from the Holy Spirit's indwelling. It is the Spirit-controlled mind that is strengthened with power to control rebellious desires and to resist the allure of tempting pleasures.

That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;  Ephesians 3:16

And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;  

Ephesians 5:18

God gives His Spirit to us to begin the spiritual birthing that brings us into His very image. Apostle Paul ranks self-control with seemingly more "important" attributes of God, such as faith, longsuffering and love. Remember, however, that the "fruit" of God's Spirit is written in the singular; it is one fruit, a balanced package needed to make the believer of God whole.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.  Galatians 5:22-23 

This verse tells us what kind of people God is creating. People of courage, power, and love—and people who are self-governing, sensible, sober, restrained and disciplined in their manner of life. These qualities are attributes of God's Spirit in us.

Apostle Paul adds more to this concept of self-control in that we should live life now in this age with awareness and self-control, doing the right thing and keeping ourselves holy. :

For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.  Titus 2:11-14



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