03/13/10 – Sabbath Study Notes: SELF CONTROL
Intro:
What is self control?
Webster II New College Dictionary version (Copyright 1999, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company): Self Control is the control of one’s feelings, desires, or actions by one’s own will.
The definition provided in the Webster II Dictionary is an inaccurate definition, because we can only control our actions through The Most High’s will, not our own will. It has to be a desire of one’s will to want to control their actions according to the righteous will of The Most High.
Galatians 5:22 – Self Control is listed as one of the fruits of the Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit is a gift given to those who have been chosen; Spirit of the Heavenly Father. If we are trying to server Him, we are one with Him. WE cannot achieve self control on our own. We must seek Him for it. If we don’t seek Him then we have allowed our Pride to overcome.
2 Peter 1:2-4 – Be partakers of the Mighty Like nature. (Perfect state away from sin can heal, save, and walk on water, etc. – just as our Messiah did). We would have to be completely set apart to achieve the ability to partake in a mighty like nature. Self Control is critical in obtaining such a perfect state of mind. We must go to the Most High through our Messiah to take away the temptations of the enemy. Seek the Father to gain strength in the Spirit to overcome those things. Where there is a will, there is a way to achieving the Father’s will; Go against our own desires that the flesh pulls us into. Deal with it in prayer, crying to the Father, in meditation, and through His Word of Truth)
2 Peter 1:6 – Knowledge to Self Control > Guides us and shows us how to have self control. When my flesh gets weak, I need to KNOW what to do and what the consequences are if we do fall into our flesh. Self Control to Endurance > Self Control will allow us to endure; the Messiah commands us to ‘endure to the end’ and we shall receive salvation. Endurance to Reverence > Reverence to brotherly (sisterly) affection/love. (Ex: Jonah is a great example of what would occur when we walk in disobedience. When we obtain self control and do the will of our Father, we show love to others and ultimately can save their lives from death). Knowing the outcome of sin – Wages of sin is DEATH! Do not put your salvation at risk. Always strive to walk in the Spirit and in Truth! Do not be Lukewarm! Can’t go half way, go all the way and that takes self control!
Other Examples: The Messiah had self control; knowingly took on sin, was disconnected from His Father for us to take on such a heavy task. We must appreciate the magnitude of this loving action; A gift to us. Love is an action and He achieved this task through Self Control.
We need to have the knowledge first, and then we can achieve self control through the love of our Master and our Father. Respect to our Master will show in our actions. We all have our burdens to bear; we must be willing to ride or die (death or life is at stake) and it takes self control. We are in this world but not of this world, when we choose to follow the Messiah’s way. It all starts in the mind first. If you allow yourself to have bad thoughts, then it will manifest into our actions. Self Control starts in your mind. The knowledge of The Most High’s commandments will be the beginning to controlling our actions when our thoughts go against The Most High’s will. We must also know the consequences in order to assist us in refraining from walking against Him.
2 Peter 2:10-11 – Let the world know where we stand on these matters of righteousness. “For this reason brothers, all the more do your utmost to make firm your calling and choosing for if you are doing these matters you shall never stumble at all. For in this way an entrance into the everlasting reign of our Master and Saviour Yeshaia Messiah be richly supplied to you.” We must choose first, and then he chooses us!! He gives us free will to do as we please, but it is up to us to choose righteousness or not. It takes self control to stay firm in our calling.
2 Peter 2:7-8 – Righteous Lot who lived in the wicket Sodom and Amorah; his ways were oppressed with indecent behavior of lawless works (Read also 2 Peter 2:9 – The Most High rescues the reverent ones) What kept Lot from following the ways of the others in this wicked city? Self Control.
2 Kepha 2:20-22 – When we are raised up in a gentile society the flesh will pull a person back to what they have always done. (Ex: Dog returns to his own vomit, a washed sow returns to her rolling in the mud). Verse 20 – “After escaping defilements of the world through the knowledge of the Master and Saviour, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the first”. We must be aware that as believers who KNOW the truth and still chooses to walk in sin has a worse punishment set before them. Exercise Self Control and stay firm in the belief. Also know that the punishment is greater for those who knowingly choose to sin. Do not allow yourself to dwell in unrighteousness starting from in our minds.
John 15:1-8 – Keep focus on where it is supposed to be; serving the Messiah. Stay in Him and He will stay in Me. If we stay in Him we will bear much fruit!! Messiah bared much fruit. Without him we are nothing. Those who do not stay in Him, he is thrown away as a branch, dried up, gathered them into the fire and are burned. Why? Because of no self-control (Read verse 12 also).
Colossians 1:10-13 – Increase in knowledge of Elohim being empowered with all power. We need the Messiah in us in order to obtain the self control we need so that we do not fall to our own self-will***. We choose our outcome, choose the Messiah.
Matthew 20:16 – For many are called but few are chosen. (To be chosen, we must choose Him first!)
Note: Serving The Most High and doing good makes you feel good! We should want to be one with Him. Satan accuses us night and day before The Most High. Like a quarter that is left on the ground, if we are not fixated on The Most High, Satan swoops by and scoops up the ones that are lost by putting the quarter into his pocket. In following Satan’s will, you will do the will of your flesh and will have no self control. Another point, Lot had self control and it saved him and his daughters. His wife lacked self control to obey the Most High. She was living with a righteous man, but not being focused she died and did so KNOWINGLY. It takes self control to not look back to our sinful ways.
Matthew 24:42-51 – If we are without self control, how do we know to be sober and watch for the Master’s return. Don’t give in to the things of this world. Self Control leads to Endurance!!
Note: Worldly people are concerned with loving and pleasing our own selves instead of serving and pleasing our Heavenly Father through our Messiah. Love one another and be pleasing in the Masters eyes. Narrow is the gate to everlasting life, but one must have SELF CONTROL!
Revelation 17:14 – Self Control will get us to this point. With the Messiah we know the end is in victory. If we know the outcome, why wouldn’t we make sure we are on the winning team. There is a difference for those who say they want to win vs. those doing what it takes to win! Walk in the Spirit and exercise SELF CONTROL.
2 Peter 3:3-4 – Mockers will mock in disbelief against the promises of His coming. “All continues as from the beginning of creation.” It takes self control to overcome. We have to be firm in our belief. (See Ephesians 6:13 – Government is against us, the Church system, dark rulers of this earth, etc.) We must be mindful of the enemies tactics so that we are not deceived and so that we ENDURE to the end.
2 Peter 3:8 – We are on The Most High’s timeline -> 1 day (To The Most High) is as a 1,000 years (to mankind) and 1,000 years (to us) is as a day (to the Most High). This is the secret of the believers. The 1,000 year reign is on the Sabbath day of The Most High. The Messiah is the Master of the Sabbath. Endure to the end so that we can reign with our Master in that great and awesome day! SELF CONTROL leads to ENDURANCE.
2 Peter 3:9 – This verse shows that things seem to move at a slow pace, because The Most High does not want anyone to perish. This process must take place in order to obtain the obedient chosen ones; many people ask the question, “If He is a real God, why is there so much evil in this world; why not do away with all this evil right now?” This verse explains why.
Side Note: When we feel distrust in any situation during our spiritual walk just trust in The Most High! This is the key to obtaining SELF CONTROL. Trust and walk in the Fathers Ways, by following our Messiah’s ways and this will give great honor to Him. Women must have self control over our emotions, because this is our greatest weakness used by the enemy. It also takes self control to sit down and actually take the time to read the Bible and even to teach our children to do the same.
Ephesians 6:11 – Put on the full armor of Elohim for you to have power to stand against the schemes of the devil.
Ephesians 6:12 – Everything that this society does is evil and goes against the Most High. These scary movies try to present the devil in a physical scary form with horns and a red pitch fork, which is a huge deception. Many of our children are being taught to look for the enemy in that form, when in fact we really need to teach our children to be mindful that the enemy really comes as an Angel of Light and attacks us through schemes, principalities, against authorities, against the world rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual matters of wickedness in the heavenlies. These scary movies have us looking out for physical Satan instead of the spiritual enemy at hand. If we deal with things on a physical level, we don’t have the power to deal with him on a spiritual level. We have to have self control or we will allow fear to overcome us. (Example: Peter denied the Messiah 3 times due to fear. He lacked self control over fear of death to his physical being.) I encourage you to have the mindset to be willing to die for the cause of the Messiah (Martyrdom) as Martyrs have a very special place in His Kingdom. Do not allow fear to overcome you. This will require SELF CONTROL.
EXAMPLES OF SELF CONTROL (Good and Bad Examples):
Matthew 4 – Messiah was tempted by the devil but in His self control He overcame the enemy.
Numbers 20 – Moses was commanded to touch the rock, but instead he got frustrated and struck the rock. He was not allowed to go to the promise land as his punishment. If we are leaders, we MUST have self control. He let his pride and anger get to him.
Genesis 39 – Joseph was tempted by Potiphars wife and Joseph said “No, it was evil against his brother and against The Most High” which took self control. He knew the consequences of that action.
Ruth – Ruth could have went home to her Moabite family after her husband died, but instead she chose to stick with the righteousness of the Hebrew people. She knew she had to work hard and take care of her Mother-in-law, but in the end she was blessed abundantly and was the Grandmother of Jesse, Kind David’s Father. This took self control and was virtuous in her ways.
ISRAEL – We as a nation throughout history did not maintain self control. Israel went whoring after all that the other nations had to offer, instead of having self control to walk in the ways of The Most High. We belong to Him. We are an adulterous nation and cheated against The Most High. We are married to Him and we see the curses placed on our people due to the lack of self control to walk as the example in righteousness.
2 Samuel 11 - David took Bathsheba, got her pregnant and killed her husband in battle on the front lines to hide his sin. This was an example of the lack of self control. The Most High told him that He would have blessed Him with whatever he wanted, but instead he committed a grievous act against his brother and against The Most High.
Solomon had 1,000 wives and to allow them to pull him away from The Most High when he was the wisest man to ever walk this planet was an act of no self control.
Self Control is the 9th fruit of the spirit. We must walk in it.