What is Self-Control?

Self-control is the virtue of one who masters his desires and passions, especially his sensual appetites. It involves moderation, constraint, and the ability to say “no” to our fleshly desires and lusts.

What is Self-Control?
Texts: 2 Timothy 1:7; 2 Peter 1:5-7; Proverbs 25:28
Aims
1.To help us understand the meaning of self-control
2.To teach us the importance of self-control
INTRODUCTION
What is self-control? Self-control is the virtue of one who masters his desires and passions, especially his sensual appetites (Thayer’s Definition). It is “Restraint exercised over one’s own impulses, emotions, or desires” (Merriam Webster).
Self-control is one of the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22, 23). Self-control is called “temperance”, and in some places “sober” in the KJV. It is the ability to control oneself. It involves moderation, constraint, and the ability to say “no” to our fleshly desires and lusts.
God created man and endowed him with the ability to make decisions and choose what to do and what not to do. That ability to make choices is called will. But the fact that we have a freewill does not mean that we should do anything we desire to do in our hearts. We are expected to have some level of internal regulations of our desires and emotions. The ability to control oneself, one’s actions, emotions and desires especially in the face of difficult situations is what we call self-control.

SOME SCRIPTURES ON SELF-CONTROL
Proverbs 25:28 KJV “He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.”

1 Timothy 2:9 “In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array”

1 Timothy 3:2 “A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach”.

Titus 2:6 KJV “Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded.”

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
1.What is self-control according to your understanding?
2.How can we develop self-control?

FOOD FOR THOUGHT
How much control do you have over yourself?

CONCLUSION
Lack of self-control has landed a lot of people into different kinds of troubles. A Christian that has no self-control cannot please God. Therefore, let us strive to submit ourselves to the leading of the Holy Spirit (who is in us) instead of allowing ourselves to be led by the passions of our flesh.

MEMORY VERSE
2 Timothy 1:7 KJV “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind”.