By Michael Youssef, Ph D.  April 30, 2020

Millions of people are on the brink of being broken in ways that are deep and devastating. They are on the verge of a rampage, a heart attack, or depression.

The Bible tells us, “Like a city whose walls are broken through is a person who lacks self-control” (Proverbs 25:28). A person who leads an undisciplined life is left without any defense against Satan’s attacks. A person’s lack of self-control will lead to further devastation in every area of his life.

The self-control of the Holy Spirit is not a daily discipline—it is a character trait. It is not a list of rules but a guiding principle that comes from the Spirit. It means we are focused on doing God’s will and God’s will alone.

Contrary to the world’s beliefs, the spiritual fruit of self-control does not come about through the discipline of self-mastery but rather through surrendering ourselves to God’s control. None of us fully have the power, capability, or wisdom to master our own lives. You cannot resist all the temptations that are hurled at you, control the behavior of those closest to you, or limit the ideas that pop into your mind. What you can do is surrender your life to the Holy Spirit. You can control how you respond, yield, and submit to Him.

Prayer: Father, help me to surrender to Your control. I realize that I can’t manufacture the self-control that I know I need in my life. It has to come from You. Help me to focus on doing Your will and to respond in obedience to Your voice. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen

“For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7).