Enkrateia – Self-control

It’s a core quality of successful living

• Titus 2:11-14 – Restraint allows us to live better lives.
• Luke 9:23 – Jesus had perfect self-control.
• I Corinthians 9:23-27 – It takes discipline and self-control to put ourselves on the right path.
• II Peter 2:1, 14, 18-19
• Secular research results
  • Self-control is a better determinator of success than intelligence or athletic ability.
  • People with more self-control are happier about their lives.

You can grow it like a muscle

• Galatians 5:24-25 – We are making a choice to put away sin.
• II Peter 1:5-11 – These qualities should be continually increasing.
• Improving self-control in one area helps in all areas!

Be thinking of some ways to exercise more self-control starting today!

• Finances – Ecclesiastes 5:10
• Emotions – Proverbs 16:32
• Speech – Proverbs 21:23
• Lust of the flesh – I Thessalonians 4:7
• Lust of the eyes – Job 31:1
• Pride – I Peter 5:5
• Teach children self-control. If all you leave them is good self-control, that is a great inheritance!

Introduction

• Proverbs 15:23

The power of words

• Proverbs 25:15 – Thoughtful speech can have great power!
• Romans 1:16 – The gospel is the power of God for salvation.
• Acts 11:14; 4:17 – The word of God is powerful. So much so that the Jewish leaders of the time tried to prevent the apostles from speaking.
• Psalm 145:4, 6-7, 11-12 – God’s people tell others about God.
• Colossians 4:5-6 – Let our speech always be with grace, making the most of our opportunities.
• Ephesians 4:29 – Say only what is good for edification.

What can I say?

Comment: “It’s just like the Bible says…”

• “you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow” (James 4:14)
• “whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant” (Matthew 20:26)
• “he who restrains his lips is wise” (Proverbs 10:19)
• “He who loves money will not be satisfied with money” (Ecclesiastes 5:10)
• “he who listens to reproof acquires understanding” (Proverbs 15:32)
• “everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger” (James 1:19)
• “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you.” (John 15:18)

Question: “Have you ever thought about… ?”

• “What do you think would happen if we got rid of every single preacher, church, religious tradition, and book about the Bible and all we had left was the Bible itself?”
  • Matthew 15:1-9; II Timothy 4:1-5
• “Can you imagine what it must have been like for Jesus to leave Heaven to come live on earth?”
  • Romans 5:6-8; Philippians 2:5-8
• “How different do you think the world would be if we were all truly grateful for our blessings?”
  • Luke 17:11-19; I Thessalonians 5:18
• “What’s the solution to hypocrisy in church members?”
  • Matthew 23; James 2:14-17
• “What do you think some of the devil’s favorite tricks are?”
  • Matthew 4:1-11; Galatians 1:6-9
• “If churches today would teach the same things Jesus taught back then, how do you think people today would react?”
  • Mark 15:10; John 15:18
  • God’s teaching has not changed. Have we changed?
• “Do you have a favorite Bible story?”
  • I Corinthians 10:6-12; II Timothy 3:14-17
  • These are actual events!

Preparing ourselves

• Matthew 12:33-37 – First, we must be spiritually minded!

Challenge!

• Pick ONE of these items and pray for an opportunity to say it somewhere to someone.
• “Please give me an opportunity I can handle.”

Prautes – Gentleness/meekness

• This word is hard to translate. In the original language, the word does not connote “weakness.” It is the idea of power under control.

Meek toward God, then others

• James 1:21

Power under control

• Zodhiates: “getting angry at the right time, in the right measure, and for the right reason”
• Proverbs 16:32
• Jesus
  • Matthew 11:28-30
  • I Peter 2:22-23
  • John 13:13-14
  • Matthew 23

Boldness through God (without selfishness or ego)

• James 3:13-14; Ephesians 4:2; Colossians 3:12; I Peter 3:3-4, 15
• BDAG: “not being overly impressed by a sense of one’s self-importance”
• Jesus
  • Matthew 21:1-5
  • I Peter 2:23
  • Philippians 2:6-8
  • John 8:29
• Galatians 6:1-2 – It takes boldness to confront someone about sin!
• Timothy
  • I Timothy 6:11-12
  • II Timothy 2:22-26
• Titus
  • Titus 1:12-13
  • Titus 2:15-3:3
• Numbers 12:3 – Moses is given as an example of meekness and humility.