Speaker 1: The scripture today is Galatians 5, 22 and 23.
Speaker 1: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness.
Speaker 1: Thank you for standing.
Speaker 1: Goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control against such things there is no law.
Speaker 1: Against such things, there is no law.
Speaker 1: One of the boys there and I had quite a lot to discuss about patience.
Speaker 1: I know I've missed your sermon on that, but the last scripture is 1 Corinthians 3, no 9, 23 through 27.
Speaker 1: I do it all for the sake of the gospel that I may share with them in its blessings.
Speaker 1: Do you not know that in a race, all the runners run, but only one receives the prize?
Speaker 1: So run that you may obtain it.
Speaker 1: Every athlete exercises self-control in all things.
Speaker 1: They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.
Speaker 1: So I do not run aimlessly, I do not box as one beating the air, but I discipline my body and keep it under control lest, after preaching to others, I myself should become disqualified.
Speaker 2: Amen.
Speaker 2: Thank you, jan.
Speaker 2: You may be seated.
Speaker 2: Sorry, it takes me a minute after singing to get into preaching mode.
Speaker 2: So you know, there is perhaps nothing in this world that will destroy your lives more quickly than a lack of self-control.
Speaker 2: If you lack control over what you eat or how much you eat, it will rob you of quality of life and it will likely shorten your lifespan.
Speaker 2: If you do not have control over your tongue, over your emotions, it will cost you relationships.
Speaker 2: It will cost you jobs you can never control yourself.
Speaker 2: It might cost you a marriage relationship with your children.
Speaker 2: If you do not have a lack of spiritual discipline in your life, it will frustrate your relationship with God.
Speaker 2: It will stunt your spiritual growth.
Speaker 2: If you do not have self-control over your spending, it will destroy your finances.
Speaker 2: It will rob you of being able to be generous to others.
Speaker 2: A lack of self-control is absolutely crushing.
Speaker 2: Let me ask you today what would your life look like if you were able to exercise more self-control?
Speaker 2: That's what I want to talk about today.
Speaker 2: We're looking at the fruit of the Spirit.
Speaker 2: We've been in a series where we've taken one week to look at each of the nine fruit, and today we come to the final fruit that Paul lists in Galatians 5, the fruit of self-control list in Galatians 5, the fruit of self-control.
Speaker 2: Now, just because the fruit of self-control is listed in the end, I don't want you to think that it's any less important than the others.
Speaker 2: As a matter of fact, I would argue this morning that if you do not have self-control, you will not be able to exercise walk in any of the other fruits of the Spirit.
Speaker 2: If you do not have self-control, you'll never walk in love because you will end up exploiting other people in the pursuit of your own happiness.
Speaker 2: You'll never have joy because a lack of self-control will rob you of joy.
Speaker 2: And you'll never walk in peace or kindness or, as Pastor Ben preached on last week, you'll never walk in gentleness because you'll be stirring things up everywhere you go if you do not have self-control.
Speaker 2: But this morning I've got great news Self-control for the believer is a gift of grace by the Holy Spirit, the nine fruits of the Spirit.
Speaker 2: These are gifts of grace that, when we are saved, we are indwelt by the Spirit and God bestows upon us His attributes, what we call His communicable attributes love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.
Speaker 2: They're ours in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Speaker 2: But I want you to know something today that God does not give us those gifts passively, he gives them to us actively.
Speaker 2: Let me show you what I mean.
Speaker 2: I'm going to read for you Philippians, chapter 2, verses 12 and 13.
Speaker 2: Therefore, my beloved Paul writes as you've always obeyed.
Speaker 2: So now, not only as in my presence, but much more in my absence, listen to what he says.
Speaker 2: Let me tell you what that means.
Speaker 2: We work out what God is working in.
Speaker 2: See, the Lord has given us the nine fruits of the Spirit.
Speaker 2: And what Paul says in Galatians 5, he says walk by the Spirit.
Speaker 2: We work out, we live out, we exercise the work that God is doing on the inside.
Speaker 2: So today we're going to look at 1 Corinthians 9, because 1 Corinthians 9, beginning in verse 23, tells us quite a lot about self-control.
Speaker 2: So here's what's going on in the chapter the apostle Paul.
Speaker 2: He's been speaking about his commitment to preach the gospel to both Jew and Gentile and he says I've become all things to all people that I might save some.
Speaker 2: And then Paul moves from there and he talks to the Corinthians about something else and he uses this sports metaphor and he says, like an athlete, we must exercise self-control over our lives.
Speaker 2: We must run the Christian race with the endurance so at the end we can receive the prize.
Speaker 2: And in verse 25, he says something very profound.
Speaker 2: He says every athlete exercises self-control over all things.
Speaker 2: See, without Christ you might be able to have self-control in one area, but you won't have self-control in all areas.
Speaker 2: You won't have self-control in all areas.
Speaker 2: In the Christian life, the Lord has called us to have self-control in all areas.
Speaker 2: So how do we do that?
Speaker 2: That's what I want to talk about.
Speaker 2: Number one, very important self-control begins with desire.
Speaker 2: Everybody I want to make sure you're awake Say desire.
Speaker 2: The meaning of the word in the Greek, the word self-control, in Galatians 5, it means this it's temperance, virtue of one who masters his desires and passions.
Speaker 2: See, self-control is not just about behavior, it is about mastering your desires and behaviors.
Speaker 2: So the Greco-Roman world hosted four major what's called Panhellenic Games, the most famous one being held where Anybody know, olympia called the Olympics.
Speaker 2: Right, they had them every four years, just like our Olympics today.
Speaker 2: But the second most popular games were held at the temple of Poseidon, right within the territory of Corinth.
Speaker 2: Remember, paul is writing the Corinthians here.
Speaker 2: Kind of a relevant illustration, isn't it?
Speaker 2: And so Paul begins the sports metaphor by talking about a race where the winner receives a prize.
Speaker 2: Look at verse 24.
Speaker 2: Do you not know that in a race, all runners run but only one receives the prize?
Speaker 2: The track events were the main events within any of the games.
Speaker 2: So, matter of fact, the first race, the major race, was called the stadium.
Speaker 2: It was a foot race 600, about 630 feet long, and it was a great honor to win that or any other of the other crown events.
Speaker 2: It was prestigious and you would be given this kind of wreath made of foliage.
Speaker 2: But do you know, in Olympia, if you won that race, you would be honored with a statue in Olympia and they'd put one in your hometown.
Speaker 2: How about that?
Speaker 2: Athletes from all over the Greek world would travel far distances to go to these games and they would put their bodies through so much to train.
Speaker 2: Why?
Speaker 2: Because they wanted the honor of winning.
Speaker 2: They wanted the crown.
Speaker 2: What's the aim of every NFL football team?
Speaker 2: Super Bowl.
Speaker 2: What's the goal of every NCAA Division?
Speaker 2: I college basketball team?
Speaker 2: To bring that banner home the NCAA championship.
Speaker 2: Right, that's what they want.
Speaker 2: What's the goal of every professional hockey team Stanley Cup?
Speaker 2: Let's really test your knowledge.
Speaker 2: What's the goal of every soccer team?
Speaker 2: Okay, fair enough.
Speaker 2: See, I have no idea what I'm talking about.
Speaker 2: Gold Cup is that fair?
Speaker 2: All right, soccer fans, both of you.
Speaker 2: Gold cup is that fair?
Speaker 2: All right, soccer fans, both of you.
Speaker 2: I'm sorry, it's actually a very intense sport, I know.
Speaker 2: So no emails, please.
Speaker 2: What's the goal of every Olympic athlete?
Speaker 2: Yeah, you want to bring home as many gold medals as possible.
Speaker 2: Here's my point.
Speaker 2: What drives any athlete to perform their best?
Speaker 2: To put their bodies to practice self-control, put their bodies through so much discipline and pain and training?
Speaker 2: They have their eye on the prize.
Speaker 2: Their chief aim becomes winning that medal, that crown.
Speaker 2: So here's what Paul tells us in verse 24.
Speaker 2: He says that we, as Christians, must run the Christian race to obtain the prize.
Speaker 2: Well, what's the prize?
Speaker 2: Well, let's think about it.
Speaker 2: In verse 25, he says that athletes get perishable wreaths.
Speaker 2: In other words, every medal that they win will eventually tarnish.
Speaker 2: Every wreath of foliage will wither very quickly.
Speaker 2: So he says these runners, they're going for this temporary prize, but the prize that we have, it's imperishable.
Speaker 2: What's he talking about?
Speaker 2: He's talking about that which is eternal, eternal life.
Speaker 2: He's talking about new creation.
Speaker 2: He's talking about that which is eternal, eternal life.
Speaker 2: He's talking about new creation.
Speaker 2: He's talking about our ultimate salvation.
Speaker 2: That is the prize.
Speaker 2: Don't you long for that day?
Speaker 2: He says, run the race with discipline.
Speaker 2: As an athlete has their eye on the prize, you, christians, keep your eyes on the prize.
Speaker 2: In other words, let your greatest passion be eternal things.
Speaker 2: Let it be the Lord, jesus Christ and his kingdom.
Speaker 2: Think about the example of Jesus, the fruits of the spirit, remember, remember.
Speaker 2: They are perfectly embodied by Christ.
Speaker 2: And you go through Matthew, mark, luke and John and you'll see that Jesus never failed to walk in self-control.
Speaker 2: I want you for a moment just to think about the wilderness in Matthew, chapter four, when Jesus was tempted by Satan, hungry and tired.
Speaker 2: Jesus was tempted by Satan, hungry and tired.
Speaker 2: Jesus resisted the temptation to turn the stone into bread.
Speaker 2: Jesus resisted the devil when the devil was going to have him test God.
Speaker 2: And he said go upon the pinnacle of the temple and throw yourself off.
Speaker 2: Jesus said no.
Speaker 2: Throw yourself off.
Speaker 2: Jesus said no.
Speaker 2: And then, finally, when Satan looked over the city and offered Jesus a shortcut to the kingdom of this world, jesus refused.
Speaker 2: He had self-control.
Speaker 2: So the question is, how did Jesus exert such self-control in those situations and certainly he used every time the word of God.
Speaker 2: We know that the word of God is powerful and we use it when we're tempted.
Speaker 2: But beyond that, I want you to see Matthew, chapter 4, verse 10.
Speaker 2: Here's what Jesus said in that final temptation.
Speaker 2: He said be gone, satan, for it is written, you shall worship the Lord, your God, and him only shall you serve.
Speaker 2: How did Jesus overcome temptation?
Speaker 2: How did he exert self-control in all situations?
Speaker 2: Because God was his supreme treasure, is his supreme treasure.
Speaker 2: His goal was supremely to serve the Lord.
Speaker 2: John, chapter 4,.
Speaker 2: There's a of a.
Speaker 2: There's a very famous story there the woman at the well.
Speaker 2: And Jesus is ministering to this woman at the well and all of a sudden, as he's wrapping it up, his disciples come to him and they're hungry.
Speaker 2: And I'm going to give my paraphrase.
Speaker 2: They're like Jesus we're running through the drive-thru, we're headed to Chick-fil-A, you want anything, and Jesus says no.
Speaker 2: But Jesus, you haven't eaten.
Speaker 2: Jesus says no.
Speaker 2: He said I've got food you don't know about.
Speaker 2: And Jesus said does somebody else bring you food and not bring us anything?
Speaker 2: Like are you hiding some chicken nuggets?
Speaker 2: A number one with sweet tea?
Speaker 2: Like are you hiding some chicken nuggets A number one with sweet tea.
Speaker 2: And here's what Jesus says.
Speaker 2: He says my food, my food, is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.
Speaker 2: Let me ask you this Is it a sin to eat?
Speaker 2: Some of you are like goodness, I hope not.
Speaker 2: Listen, it's not a sin to eat.
Speaker 2: Some of you are like goodness, I hope not.
Speaker 2: Listen, it's not a sin to eat.
Speaker 2: But here's what Jesus is teaching us.
Speaker 2: You might have a passion from time to time, when you're hungry, to eat physical food, but the greatest passion of your life ought to be God himself.
Speaker 2: It's so important I want you to write this down.
Speaker 2: If you don't remember anything else, I say remember this you will always be controlled by your greatest desire.
Speaker 2: Remember when Jesus was in the garden.
Speaker 2: Remember that At Gethsemane and he was praying.
Speaker 2: That A Gethsemane, and he was praying, grieved at the prospect of bearing the cross in just hours.
Speaker 2: And what did he say?
Speaker 2: Lord, if there'd be any other way, let this cup pass.
Speaker 2: Nevertheless, not my will, but yours be done His supreme passion.
Speaker 2: He was controlled by the supreme passion to glorify God.
Speaker 2: So I'm going to say it again you will always be controlled by your greatest desire.
Speaker 2: Let me just illustrate this for you.
Speaker 2: Let's talk about health.
Speaker 2: You, ready to get your toes stepped on a little bit?
Speaker 2: How many of you have ever, on January 1st, say this is the year I'm going to get healthy?
Speaker 2: But then January 2nd or January 1st evening comes around and you think it's New Year's day.
Speaker 2: Come on, all right, just the first day.
Speaker 2: And then tomorrow, and you just or you're a weekend or two weeks in, if you're, you know, really committed and you find yourself eating donuts and Chick-fil-A again.
Speaker 2: Right?
Speaker 2: Am I stepping on anybody's toes this morning?
Speaker 2: You know why that is.
Speaker 2: Let me tell you why that is.
Speaker 2: You may really have a desire to be healthy, but you have a greater desire for sugary foods and extra calories.
Speaker 2: Thank you, somebody for being honest.
Speaker 2: Listen, you're controlled by your greatest passion.
Speaker 2: The only way you're ever going to be successful in your health journey is to say the only way you're ever going to be successful in your health journey is to say, oh, wellness, feeling good tastes better than sweet tea, kentucky folk.
Speaker 2: All right, I'll leave that there.
Speaker 2: So you don't.
Speaker 2: I want you to come back next Sunday, all right?
Speaker 2: What about money?
Speaker 2: Why do so many Americans live paycheck to paycheck.
Speaker 2: And do not blame it on Biden.
Speaker 2: Now, he hasn't helped things, to be sure, but inflation is not the problem.
Speaker 2: The problem is most Americans don't live within their means.
Speaker 2: You know why Americans?
Speaker 2: Here's what they say.
Speaker 2: They say oh, listen, I want to be.
Speaker 2: Oh, just to be financially free, and they really want that.
Speaker 2: Oh, to not have to live from paycheck to paycheck.
Speaker 2: Oh, to be able to give to missionaries.
Speaker 2: Why can't I?
Speaker 2: Why am I always?
Speaker 2: Am I always broke?
Speaker 2: Generally speaking, the problem is with passion.
Speaker 2: You have a passion, yes, to be financially well off, but you have a greater passion to give into every impulsive desire and to keep up with the Joneses.
Speaker 2: And until, as Dave Ramsey says, you get sick and tired of being sick and tired, you're never going to change things.
Speaker 2: Dave Ramsey, he says his kind of mantra is live like no one else.
Speaker 2: So one day anybody know it you can live and give like no one else.
Speaker 2: Do you get what I'm trying to say?
Speaker 2: Whatever your greatest passion is, that's what will control you.
Speaker 2: Your greatest passion is that's what will control you.
Speaker 2: Think of that in the Christian life.
Speaker 2: Self-control in the Christian life is a matter of desire, the only way you're going to exert self-control, exercise self-control.
Speaker 2: It's this.
Speaker 2: It's when your supreme passion is the Lord Jesus Christ and then, like an athlete, you can be self-controlled in all things.
Speaker 2: Does that sound good to anybody?
Speaker 2: Health, finances, relationships, everything.
Speaker 2: You'll be more disciplined to read your Bible, to pray, only if Jesus is your supreme treasure.
Speaker 2: Now let me just pause here and say this Jesus is not someone you just add to your life.
Speaker 2: That's not Christianity.
Speaker 2: Jesus becomes your life if you're a Christian.
Speaker 2: He is either Lord of all or he's not Lord at all in your life.
Speaker 2: Which means this Some of you, you say, oh yeah, I love Jesus, I'm passionate about Jesus, but are you supremely passionate about him?
Speaker 2: That's what it means to run the Christian race.
Speaker 2: It's a matter of desire.
Speaker 2: Number two that was my longest point, by the way.
Speaker 2: Number two self-control requires not just desire but discipline.
Speaker 2: Look at verse 27.
Speaker 2: Paul says but I discipline my body, keep it under control.
Speaker 2: Lest these are sobering words after preaching to others, I myself should be disqualified.
Speaker 2: So in Paul's day there was long periods of intense training that were mandatory for competing athletes.
Speaker 2: As a matter of fact, dr Craig Keener said this that in the Olympic games listen the competitors had to swear by Zeus.
Speaker 2: Swear by Zeus that they would go through rigorous training and be disciplined for at least 10 months prior to the event.
Speaker 2: You don't mess with Zeus.
Speaker 2: Apparently, all true athletes that want to perform their best.
Speaker 2: They are extremely disciplined.
Speaker 2: It takes more than passion.
Speaker 2: Your life, your actions.
Speaker 2: If you're going to be successful, they have to line up with your passion.
Speaker 2: So, like athletes, Christians who are driven by this chief aim to glorify God and to enjoy Him Our lives, our actions, our thoughts, our behaviors must line up with that passion.
Speaker 2: And so in our anchor text, in Galatians 5, paul tells us that there is this internal battle going on inside of every believer.
Speaker 2: You know who your greatest enemy is the man or woman you look in the mirror every morning.
Speaker 2: Look at Galatians 5, 17.
Speaker 2: We've got it on the screen here For the desires of the flesh.
Speaker 2: Now, flesh is not this.
Speaker 2: That's not what Paul's talking about.
Speaker 2: He's talking about the sinful nature.
Speaker 2: The desires of the flesh are against the spirit and the desires of the spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other to keep you from doing the things you want to do.
Speaker 2: Listen, when we're saved, we are filled with god's spirit, we are raised to the newness of life, we are made new creation, creations in christ.
Speaker 2: But how many know that that old man, that old woman, that old self still exists?
Speaker 2: And every now and again anybody can I get a witness?
Speaker 2: It raises its ugly head.
Speaker 2: Galatians 5, 19 through 21,.
Speaker 2: Paul says here are the works of the flesh.
Speaker 2: He's saying here's the things we need to avoid.
Speaker 2: Sexual immorality, that would be homosexuality, that would be any sexual activity outside of marriage.
Speaker 2: Impurity, that's lusting sensuality, adultery, putting anything above God, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy Notice, jealousy is in the same list as sexual immorality.
Speaker 2: Fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies and things like these.
Speaker 2: Paul says what he's saying there is listen.
Speaker 2: I could go on and on and on.
Speaker 2: You know what the lusts of the flesh are.
Speaker 2: And as I warn you, he says, as I warn those before you, those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom.
Speaker 2: They won't get the prize.
Speaker 2: See, it's easy to wear the badge of a Christian, to say we're Christians, but a true Christian, a true Christian, their lives will line up with what they preach.
Speaker 2: I'm not saying you'll never stumble, but 1 John says chapter 3, that those who habitually sin have never seen God or known God, because for a real Christian, his DNA, his spirit, is given to us.
Speaker 2: Our actions have to line up, so it takes discipline.
Speaker 2: In Galatians 5, 22 and 25, paul lists again the fruit of the Spirit and then he says in 25, if we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
Speaker 2: So, listen, anybody can claim to be an athlete.
Speaker 2: I've had people invite me to play basketball and they say listen, I'm really good, I'm real, you know, I played in high school, I did this.
Speaker 2: And you get out there and they, you know, and they have like the headband, like the guys who claim to be athletes who really aren't, they wear the headbands and the you know, whatever you know, they've got all the right gear, but that doesn't make them athletes.
Speaker 2: An athlete doesn't just proclaim a passion for sports.
Speaker 2: They train, they discipline their bodies, they act.
Speaker 2: And so it is with us.
Speaker 2: We need to act like Christians who are supremely passionate for the Lord Jesus Christ.
Speaker 2: Finally, self-control requires dependence.
Speaker 2: So if you go over one chapter, and so from 1 Corinthians 9 to chapter 10, paul's still continuing these thoughts about running the Christian race In verse 12 and 13,.
Speaker 2: He says therefore this chapter 10, anyone who thinks he stands or you could say, still in the race, take heed lest he fall.
Speaker 2: No temptation has overtaken you.
Speaker 2: That is not common to man.
Speaker 2: God is faithful and he'll let you not be tempted beyond your ability With the temptation.
Speaker 2: He'll provide the way of escape that you may be able to endure it.
Speaker 2: You know what that tells me.
Speaker 2: Beloved, look at me.
Speaker 2: If you're going to exert self-control, exercise self-control, you've got to recognize your own weakness in and of yourself.
Speaker 2: Paul says.
Speaker 2: Another translation says if any of you think he's above falling, take heed lest you fall.
Speaker 2: So when you see somebody who claimed to be a Christian kind of start going crazy and living crazy life and throwing in the towel, don't ever look at them and say I would never do that Throwing in the towel.
Speaker 2: Don't ever look at them and say I would never do that.
Speaker 2: Don't you dare judge somebody else, because you're where you are Only by the grace of God and if you were not in Christ, abiding in Christ, you're not moral enough, ethical enough, strong enough To stay in the race.
Speaker 2: You've got to recognize your weakness, you know.
Speaker 2: Take your weakness very seriously, because there are sports teams who are top-seeded teams like Kentucky last couple years.
Speaker 2: You go to the tournament and you're playing a 15, 16 seed and here's what you say oh, we got this one and they take it for granted, we'll never fall to them.
Speaker 2: What happens?
Speaker 2: I don't want to talk about it.
Speaker 2: Listen, if you think you can do that, if you think just from within you you can just muster up self-control, you'll never depend on the Holy Spirit.
Speaker 2: But if you realize every day that you need the Holy Spirit, you'll get up and you'll pray a version of the Lord's Prayer Lord, lead me not into temptation, but deliver me from evil.
Speaker 2: See, paul says that in chapter 10, oh, if you think you're above falling, take heed lest you stand.
Speaker 2: But then he says God is faithful.
Speaker 2: In and of yourself you cannot stand, but God is faithful.
Speaker 2: And see, if you don't realize this, you'll be frustrated in your Christian life and you'll say I can never get to the finish line because I just can't exert self-control.
Speaker 2: But Paul says God is faithful, he'll always give you a way you can do it.
Speaker 2: You can run the race because beside you is the wind of the Holy Spirit.
Speaker 2: When I used to cycle with, I loved cycling with groups like road bicycle right, cycling with groups like road bicycle right.
Speaker 2: I used to ride road bikes and in cycling what you do is you see groups ride and they're like tire to tire behind one another.
Speaker 2: The reason you do that is called drafting.
Speaker 2: So the guy in the front is bearing the weight and it's like man, you're just following him, right, and it's so much easier to ride closely to somebody else.
Speaker 2: And then you take turns and somebody else moves out front.
Speaker 2: That's kind of how cycling works.
Speaker 2: So that's exactly what happens when the Lord gives us his spirit.
Speaker 2: You try to veer off and run the course by yourself.
Speaker 2: You're not going to make it very far.
Speaker 2: But if you just keep as Paul says, keep in step with the spirit, it's powerful.
Speaker 2: So, paul, I'll give you one more scripture in 2 Corinthians, chapter 4.
Speaker 2: I'm going to tie my shoe while I'm talking, all right, because I'm not going to fall.
Speaker 2: I just so Paul in.
Speaker 2: In second Timothy, chapter four.
Speaker 2: He's on, he's on death row, all right.
Speaker 2: He's in prison under the emperor Nero.
Speaker 2: I remember Paul has said God is faithful.
Speaker 2: In first Corinthians nine he's talking about obtaining the prize, and I love this.
Speaker 2: Paul is looking back over his life, writing to Timothy.
Speaker 2: So this is 2 Timothy 4, verse 6.
Speaker 2: Listen to this.
Speaker 2: He says I'm already being poured out like a drink offering.
Speaker 2: The time of my departure has come.
Speaker 2: He's dying.
Speaker 2: And here's what he says.
Speaker 2: Oh, I love this.
Speaker 2: I have fought the good fight, I have what.
Speaker 2: I have finished the race.
Speaker 2: I've kept the faith.
Speaker 2: Henceforth, there is laid up for me the crown, the prize of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me and this is great news On that day, and not only to me, but all who have loved his appearing, who loves his appearing, those who have Christ as their supreme passion, that's the people who are going to get the crown.
Speaker 2: Let me ask you, as I close, what areas of your life do you need to exert more self-control in?
Speaker 2: Do you succumb to gluttony?
Speaker 2: Do you need to take care of growing and taking care of the temple of the Holy Spirit?
Speaker 2: What about anger?
Speaker 2: Do you need to grow in self-control when it comes to your tongue or the way you respond to people?
Speaker 2: Do you struggle with lust?
Speaker 2: Do you need to gain self-control and be more disciplined in purity or your finances?
Speaker 2: Here's what you do.
Speaker 2: Number one check your desire this morning and ask, truly, is Christ my supreme passion and, if not, realign that passion today, reset your desire.
Speaker 2: Number two fight sin.
Speaker 2: Let me say that some of you may have a sin in your life.
Speaker 2: You think it's a little sin.
Speaker 2: No such thing.
Speaker 2: Sin, as it's been said, will always take you further than you want to go and make you pay more than you want to pay.
Speaker 2: A little leaven leavens the whole lump.
Speaker 2: Get rid of it.
Speaker 2: Come to this altar today, confess it before the Lord.
Speaker 2: Number three practice spiritual disciplines.
Speaker 2: Pray, read your Bible, attend church regularly, live in Christian community Accountability is really helpful for self-control and then finally depend as we talked about really helpful for self-control and then finally depend, as we talked about, on the Spirit.
Speaker 2: Now I've gone a little bit longer than I wanted to, but can I just give you an illustration to help you out here.
Speaker 2: Thank you, missy.
Speaker 2: All right, hunter, come up here.
Speaker 2: You're going to play the flesh, pastor Ben.
Speaker 2: Pastor Ben, you come play the spirit, all right.
Speaker 2: So you stand right here.
Speaker 2: All right, give me your attention, I'm almost done here.
Speaker 2: Flesh spirit.
Speaker 2: So Paul says in Galatians 5, he says there's this war waging in each one of us.
Speaker 2: Okay, the question yeah, fight, fight, fight.
Speaker 2: The question is whatever.
Speaker 2: Well, let me say this whatever you feed the most is going to be the loud voice in your life.
Speaker 2: So here's what happened.
Speaker 2: You go to work, all right, you can't help the things that you hear.
Speaker 2: You can't help the things that you hear.
Speaker 2: So already you work eight hours.
Speaker 2: Jan, come up here, sorry, you're on the flesh side too, and you get to join your son because you made him this way, and all of a sudden you know you go to work, you know you're in the break room, whatever.
Speaker 2: You're hearing all kinds of ungodly things and you can't help it.
Speaker 2: All right, then you go home and how are you going to spend your time?
Speaker 2: Now, I'm not a legalist.
Speaker 2: Now I'm not a legalist.
Speaker 2: Okay, I'm not trying to be legalistic here, but it's unbelievable how much time American, even Christians, spend on their phone and the television.
Speaker 2: And even if it's not a show, that's horrible, it's still just the worldliness.
Speaker 2: The way of thinking can really start to get a hold of you.
Speaker 2: Now.
Speaker 2: I watch television, I watch movies.
Speaker 2: I'm not being a legalist, but how much do we want to listen to Netflix in Hollywood?
Speaker 2: Pretty corrupt.
Speaker 2: So what happens?
Speaker 2: You go home, mike, come help me out.
Speaker 2: You go home and you turn on Netflix and all of a sudden do you get what I'm saying here?
Speaker 2: Hallmark Channel, hallmark Channel.
Speaker 2: All right, man, that just ruins my spirituality.
Speaker 2: I mean all right.
Speaker 2: So all of a sudden, and then you go, man, why can't I walk in self-control?
Speaker 2: Because poor Pastor Ben over here is going.
Speaker 2: Hey well, you got four other people shouting over him because you have fed your flesh.
Speaker 2: Now watch this.
Speaker 2: Mike, have a seat, jan, have a seat, stay up here for a second, all right.
Speaker 2: So you go to work and you hear all the same stuff.
Speaker 2: So, heather and Hunter up here, they're the flesh, all right.
Speaker 2: So you can't help that.
Speaker 2: But watch this now when you come home, or even in the morning, but let's say morning before you go to work.
Speaker 2: Kaylin, come up to help.
Speaker 2: Yes, you see what happens to the spirit.
Speaker 2: So when you go to work, already you're not tempted to gossip and do shady business because already you can hear the spirit.
Speaker 2: But then in the morning as well, josh, come help me.
Speaker 2: You open the Bible and you're hearing God's Word.
Speaker 2: You want to know how to hear God's Word?
Speaker 2: Jan said you know, talked about listening to God's voice every time.
Speaker 2: Let me give you without fail, this is what I teach kids.
Speaker 2: You want to hear God.
Speaker 2: Here it is.
Speaker 2: Open His Word.
Speaker 2: He will always does.
Speaker 2: He speak to our hearts?
Speaker 2: Yes, but this is without fail.
Speaker 2: And so you open the Bible in the morning and all of a sudden, look what's happened.
Speaker 2: The spirit in your life is stronger than the flesh.
Speaker 2: And then you get home and all of a sudden, you've heard these things you didn't want to hear, seen things.
Speaker 2: You saw things that you didn't want to see.
Speaker 2: And so you get home and the first thing you do on your way home, you're just praying, you're listening to worship music.
Speaker 2: Jody, come help me.
Speaker 2: I know you love to be up front, come on.
Speaker 2: And all of a sudden, here's what ends up happening.
Speaker 2: Heather, if you would have a seat, you're knocking off everything that happened to you that day.
Speaker 2: And now the flesh, though he's very tall, is nothing compared to the Holy Spirit.
Speaker 2: All right, so, guys, thank you, guys, so much.
Speaker 2: Can we give him a hand?
Speaker 2: So I want to.
Speaker 2: I want to ask you as we close.
Speaker 2: I didn't, that wasn't at the end of my notes there, I just wanted to help you.
Speaker 2: So I hope that illustration will you come to the keys for me?
Speaker 2: I hope it helps you understand what I'm saying.
Speaker 2: Your, whatever you're most passionate about will control your life.
Speaker 2: So it's what I want you to think about.
Speaker 2: Is Jesus the supreme passion of your life?
Speaker 2: And when I ask you, if he is, what are you feeding every day?
Speaker 2: Are you feeding the flesh?
Speaker 2: By what you listen to, what you watch, who you hang with?
Speaker 2: Evil, company corrupts good habits, or are you feeding the spirit, being in the word, living life in Christian community, going to small groups, faithfully coming to church, serving?
Speaker 2: Are you in the Bible?
Speaker 2: Do you just read it to check a box, or are you meditating on savoring, loving the Word of God?
Speaker 2: There's a big difference.
Speaker 2: Let it get in here.
Speaker 2: So if you're not doing those things, if you're not practicing these disciplines and you say, man, you know what?
Speaker 2: I want?
Speaker 2: To be holy, I want to walk in righteousness, but I just can't.
Speaker 2: That's not what Paul said, because God is faithful and he always gives you a way out, but his gift is not passive, it's active.
Speaker 2: So today I'm going to open these altars.
Speaker 2: I just would encourage you to repent of any idols in your life.
Speaker 2: You don't put your family above Christ.
Speaker 2: You don't put monetary success or education or career above Christ?
Speaker 2: Is he your supreme treasure?
Speaker 2: If not, I invite you to come today and say Lord, realign my heart.
Speaker 2: Only you can satisfy me.
Speaker 2: You're all beautiful, all wonderful, and make sure Christ is at the center of your life.