The Harvest: Self-Control - Living for Something Greater

If you’ve been walking with us at Blue Starr Church of Christ this fall, you know we’ve been in a series called The Harvest, examining the Fruit of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5:22–23.

Through Christ, we receive not only the forgiveness of our sins but the indwelling gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38)—God Himself living within us as we navigate this life. The Spirit seals our salvation and transforms how we live day by day.

Over the last several weeks, we’ve explored eight distinct aspects of the Spirit’s fruit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and gentleness. Today, we arrive at the final description on Paul’s list: self-control.

What Is Self-Control?

At its core, self-control is the restraint of our own impulses, desires, and emotions.

Sometimes we talk about self-control in simple, surface-level terms—like exercising restraint around the free donuts in the church lobby! But biblical self-control goes far deeper. As followers of Christ, self-control touches every corner of our lives:

• What we say when we are angry or frustrated.
• How we respond when someone hurts us.
• What we consume—not just food, but what we watch and listen to.
• How we spend our money.
• How we treat the people around us.

Living as a Christian requires self-control because we no longer live for our own selfish desires. As Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 5:15, Christ "died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised."

In many ways, self-control holds the entire Fruit of the Spirit together. It takes self-control to love someone who is difficult, to remain patient when frustrated, to show kindness when mistreated, and to respond with gentleness when every instinct screams to react harshly.

The Internal Struggle Is Real

Knowing what we should do and actually doing it are often two very different things. If you’ve ever struggled to make the right choice when temptation hits, you aren't alone. Even the Apostle Paul wrestled with this tension:

"For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate... For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing." — Romans 7:15, 19

Self-control is a daily battle because our fleshly desires constantly pull us away from God’s design. And when we lack self-control, we leave ourselves completely exposed. Proverbs 25:28 paints a vivid picture:

"A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls." — Proverbs 25:28

In the ancient world, a city without walls was defenseless against attack. Without self-control, we leave the gates of our hearts wide open to enemy attacks, uncontrolled emotions, and destructive habits.

Jesus: Our Model of Perfect Self-Control

While Paul reveals the struggle, Jesus demonstrates the victory. We often emphasize that Jesus was sinless, but we must also remember He was fully human—facing real temptations and experiencing real human desires, yet exercising perfect self-control.

1. In the Wilderness

In Matthew 4:1–11, the Holy Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil after fasting for forty days. When Satan targeted His intense hunger, His ambition, and worldly power, Jesus repeatedly chose obedience over immediate self-satisfaction. He didn't take shortcuts; He anchored Himself in God's Word and surrendered His human desires to the Father’s will.

2. In the Garden

On the night before His crucifixion, Jesus knelt in the Garden of Gethsemane in agonizing prayer:

"My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will." — Matthew 26:39

Jesus felt the weight and horror of what lay ahead. Yet, in ultimate surrender, He controlled His desire to escape suffering and chose the Father's will for our salvation.

1 Peter 2:21 reminds us that Christ suffered for us, "leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps."

Running for an Imperishable Prize

Exercising self-control can feel exhausting, but Scripture reminds us that God never leaves us to fight in our own strength.

First, God is faithful to provide a way out. 1 Corinthians 10:13 promises that no temptation is beyond our ability to endure because God will always provide a way of escape.

Second, we are training for eternity. In 1 Corinthians 9:24–27, Paul compares the Christian life to an athlete training for a race:

"Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly... But I discipline my body and keep it under control..." — 1 Corinthians 9:25–27

Athletes sacrifice comfort and exercise strict discipline just to win a temporary trophy. How much more should we cultivate self-control when we are running for an eternal inheritance with God?

Walking in Step with the Spirit

So how do we practically grow in self-control? We do it by surrendering our minds and daily habits to the Holy Spirit.

• Titus 2:11–12 tells us that the grace of God trains us "to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age."
• Galatians 5:16 gives a clear command: "Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh."

Living a self-controlled life begins long before the moment of temptation arrives—it starts with where we set our focus every day.

"For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit." — Romans 8:5

When we fix our minds on the things of the Spirit in the small, daily choices, God builds the spiritual strength and walls we need to stand firm in the big moments.

Ready to take the next step in your walk with God?

Whether you're struggling to find freedom from past habits or looking for a church family to encourage you in your faith, you don't have to walk alone. Join us this Sunday at Blue Starr Church of Christ as we seek to follow Jesus together! Connect with us.