Self-Control Part 4

How to exercise Self Control:

1. Have an open life.Sin, like bacteria, multiplies in dark places.

It is good to be accountable to trustworthy people for those areas of your life where you tend to stray. Be accountable.

2. Flee from temptation. God’s word is plain about this.

1 Corinthians 6:18
"Flee from sexual immorality. Run for your life!”

Yes, sometimes self-control requires physically leaving the scene of temptation, or avoiding such spots to begin with.

Our moral freedom, like other mental powers, is strengthened by exercise. The practice of yielding to impulse results in enfeebling self-control.

3. Flee angerSometimes self control requires shutting a heated moment down, in order to return to the topic later with a plan. We need to treat other people as something of value. Such self-control helps find resolution without harming the other person, whom God loves.

4. Build up your own spirit.If your Bible is only for Sundays or for a quick rushed “have to do this” kind of look into the Book; then you are starving yourself spiritually. Malnourished people can never be strong and resilient and exercise self-control.

Psalm 119:11 “I have treasured your word in my Heart, so that I may not sin against you.”

If the Bible is not powerfully in your life, don’t expect the fruit of the Spirit to thrive in you.We also build our spirit and strengthen our self-control by speaking in tongues.

5. Serve

As we surrender our will and serve we start to practice self-control.

The Bible says that self control is a “fruit of the Spirit,” that is, a result of surrendering our character and behaviour to God’s Spirit to influence us. As we submit to Holy Spirit He empowers us to exercise self-control.