So today we are looking at "How to Have Self Control". Yesterday we learned that self control is a fruit of the spirit. We basically must yield our hearts to the Holy Spirit and obey Him when He speaks to us. By doing so it will produce the fruits of the Spirit in our lives. You ask, "How do I know when He is speaking to me?" Bill Jones and Terry Powell include the following chart in their book, Walking in the Spirit. (Camp Hill: Christian Publications, 2001. p. 81):
Characteristics of the Holy Spirit's Promptings
This list should help us to discern when the Holy Spirit is prompting us.
"And how does the Spirit produce this fruit of self-control in us? By instructing us in the superior preciousness of grace, and enabling us to see and savor (that is, "trust") all that God is for us in Jesus. "The grace of God has appeared . . . instructing us to deny . . . worldly desires . . . in the present age" (Titus 2:11). When we really see and believe what God is for us by grace through Jesus Christ, the power of wrong desires is broken. Therefore the fight for self-control is a fight of faith. "Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called" (1 Timothy 6:12).*
Characteristics of the Holy Spirit's Promptings
They Will Always
|
They Will Never
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Confirm Scripture
|
Contradict Scripture
|
Be Specific
|
Be General
|
Convict
|
Condemn
|
Lead you
|
Push or drive you
|
Be Simple
|
Be Complicated
|
Motivate you to faith
|
Create fear in you
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Focus primarily on changing you
inwardly
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Focus primarily on changing you
outwardly
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Emphasize character
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Emphasize circumstances
|
Be True
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Be False
|
Be Clear
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Be Confusing
|
Restore Relationships
|
Destroy Relationships
|
Major on your faults, others’ needs
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Major on others’ faults, your needs
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Lead you to do something
|
Lead you to overdo something
|
This list should help us to discern when the Holy Spirit is prompting us.
"And how does the Spirit produce this fruit of self-control in us? By instructing us in the superior preciousness of grace, and enabling us to see and savor (that is, "trust") all that God is for us in Jesus. "The grace of God has appeared . . . instructing us to deny . . . worldly desires . . . in the present age" (Titus 2:11). When we really see and believe what God is for us by grace through Jesus Christ, the power of wrong desires is broken. Therefore the fight for self-control is a fight of faith. "Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called" (1 Timothy 6:12).*
* http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/the-fierce-fruit-of-self-control
See you tomorrow!
See you tomorrow!
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