Choosing Self-Control
God has called us to live differently — to live set apart.
In Galatians 5, we are given a picture of what a life led by the Holy Spirit looks like.
These are not personality traits. They are not things we manufacture on our own. They
are evidence of the Holy Spirit living and working inside of us.
But walking in the Spirit is not passive. It is something we choose daily as we surrender
our flesh, our emotions, and our circumstances to Christ.
Each week, we will focus on one Fruit of the Spirit and what it looks like to live it out in
our everyday lives — in our marriages, in our families, and in the world around us.
As we continue walking through the Fruit of the Spirit, this week we focus
on self-control.
Galatians 5:22-23
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness, self-control…”
Choosing Self-Control
Galatians 5:22–23
Today we are looking at the Fruit of the Spirit: Self-Control.
According to the Blue Letter Bible, the Greek word for self-control is
egkrateia. - the virtue of one who masters their desires and passions — especially in areas
of discipline, restraint, and moderation.
Temperance is the virtue of moderation — having control over our actions, thoughts,
and emotions. And yet, we live in a world that tells us the exact opposite.
“If you feel it, act on it.”
“Follow your heart.”
“Be true to yourself.”
But Paul makes it clear — this is not how we are called to live.
We are called to walk in self-control. We are called to have authority over our desires, not be ruled by them. Now, mastering something does not happen overnight. It takes intentional time. It takes training our minds and our bodies to submit to Christ.
Over the years, we have seen so many people make decisions they later regret, and their
response is often, “This is just who I am. This is how God made me.” But the truth is, my friend — we are not as different as we sometimes believe.We were all created in the image of God.
We all face the same spiritual enemy. We were all created to love and to be loved.
And we have all been given the same gift — the Word of God — to guide us, shape us,
and give us wisdom. We have all been given the choice to walk in self-control.
Over our bodies. Over our minds. Over our emotions.
No matter your age…No matter how long you have been walking with Christ…You can begin to train yourself to walk in the Fruit of the Spirit. The world needs to see that we are different — set apart. They need to see that living a life for Jesus is not only possible, but beautiful… and worth the sacrifice and the discipline it requires.
William Ernest Henley once wrote,
“I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul.”
But as believers, we know a deeper truth:
We are not meant to lead ourselves — we are meant to be led by the Spirit.
So today, will you ask Jesus to guide and direct you through His Word and His Spirit?
Will you choose to walk in self-control?
Because when we choose the Spirit,
we begin to live in the freedom He has already given us.
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