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We encourage you to jot down what you hear God speaking to you about today as you listen to the teaching. Plan on diving deeper into the message by downloading the study guide on Sunday night so you can compare your notes with the guide as a path for deeper spiritual commitment. Once posted, the teaching video and study guide can be found under the Media tab.
By The Spirit
Self-Control
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. —Galatians 5:22-24
The Background Story - Paul’s purpose in writing Galatians 5 is to encourage his readers that those who “belong to Christ” (verse 24) are no longer slaves to their sin nature. That’s because when a person accepts Christ as Savior, they receive the power of the Holy Spirit to overcome their sin nature and develop the character of Christ. And the character of Christ is marked by the fruit of his Spirit.
By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return. —Genesis 3:19 NIV
This is the fall of man, or original sin, which explains why the world is not perfect and why humankind faces suffering and death.
Self-Control
Paul is speaking to a future version of them. He is speaking to who they can be.
Self-control helps us to resist temptation and avoid conforming to the things of this world. It guides our decisions, and it correlates with how we show the other fruits in our lives.
Our sinful nature leads us to give into our temper, but we are called to rise above this and show patience.
“Whoever is patient has great understanding, but one who is quick-tempered displays folly.” —Proverbs 14:29
As Christians, our responses to situations are to be guided by the fruits of the Spirit. Jesus Christ gives us the perfect example of self-control because He lived a sinless life and possessed every fruit of the Spirit.
“Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and He will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? But how then would the scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen this way?” —Matthew 26:53-54
“For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” —2 Timothy 1:7
Christians have the power of God’s Holy Spirit in their lives to help them identify and overcome areas of weakness.
For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age. —Titus 2:11-12 NIV
We Need Time
You can’t bake a cake faster by turning up the heat.
We Need People
Vulnerability gives everyone in the room permission to be human.
We Need Hope
Jesus is the difference between tears of hope and the pain of hopelessness.
Did you make a decision to follow Christ for the very first time, or are you recommitting your life to Christ? Congratulations - we are celebrating with you! Cypress wants to walk alongside you as you take this new step in your faith journey. What’s the next right step for you? Click HERE and let us know you made a decision today!