JESUS ADDS SELF-CONTROL TO MY FAITH

In the previous devotionals, I learned that faith is the foundation of my abundant life in Christ. Jesus adds His virtue to my faith, changing my outlook so that I begin seeing life from God’s eternal perspective. He adds His knowledge to virtue, helping me understand who I am: a child of God.

Now Jesus adds self-control to His knowledge.

“For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith…with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control.” 2 Peter 1:5–6

Jesus is not asking me to control my life through my own strength. He is teaching me to surrender control to Him.

How does surrendering control to Jesus change the way I respond to my desires, circumstances, and emotions?

Self-Control Begins with Knowing Who Is in Control

Self-control means having power over my earthly desires, passions, words, and emotions. But biblical self-control is not merely controlling myself. It begins by surrendering myself to Jesus and allowing His Spirit to lead me.

When Jesus gives me His knowledge, I learn that I am a child of God. When He adds self-control to that knowledge, I begin learning how to live like His child.

I am a child of the King. My Father gives me the strength to reflect the character of Jesus wherever I go.

Knowledge teaches me that I am a child of God.  Self-control teaches me to live like His child.

My Life Should Reflect Jesus, My King

Wherever I go, I want to reflect Jesus, my King. He has not called me to reflect the values of the world. He has called me to live for Him so that His light can shine through me into the darkness around me.

My words should reflect Jesus.

My attitudes should reflect Jesus.

My responses should reflect Jesus.

My emotions are real, but they were never meant to rule me. Jesus is my King. When I surrender my heart to Him, He teaches me how to respond with wisdom, grace, patience, and love.

A Life Without Self-Control Is Left Unprotected

Proverbs 25:28 says, “A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls.”

When this proverb was written, city walls provided protection from an enemy’s attack. A city without walls was exposed and vulnerable.

In the same way, a life without self-control is vulnerable. Anger can control my words. Fear can control my decisions. Pride can control my attitude. Earthly desires can lead me away from God’s will.

When I allow my emotions to rule me, I leave areas of my life unprotected. But when I surrender those emotions to Jesus, He becomes my strength and teaches me how to respond.

Self-Control Is the Fruit of God’s Spirit

True self-control does not come from trying harder. It comes from allowing the Holy Spirit to work within me.

Galatians 5:22–23 tells me that the fruit of the Spirit includes love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Self-control grows as I remain close to Jesus and allow His Spirit to fill me. He helps me pause before I speak, pray before I react, and surrender my emotions before they take control.

2 Timothy 1:7 says, “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”

Fear does not come from God. God gives me His power to face what frightens me, His love to guide how I treat others, and His self-control to help me respond in a way that honors Him.

My Emotions Should Lead Me to Jesus

Do my emotions ever get in the way of what God wants to do in my life?

Romans 14:23 teaches me that whatever does not proceed from faith is sin. When fear, anger, pride, or worry causes me to exclude God from my circumstances, I am no longer responding by faith.

But I do not have to deny or hide what I feel. I can bring every emotion honestly to Jesus.

When I am afraid, I can trust Him.

When I am angry, I can ask Him for patience and wisdom.

When I am worried, I can place my circumstances into His hands.

When my pride is wounded, I can ask Him to make me humble.

As I surrender my emotions to Jesus, the Holy Spirit fills my heart with His peace, patience, kindness, and love.

Self-Control Keeps Jesus on the Throne of My Life

2 Timothy 3 warns that people will become lovers of themselves and live without self-control.

Selfishness places my desires, feelings, and possessions above everything else. Pride tells me that I should be in control. It causes me to become angry when I do not get my way and anxious when I cannot control what happens next.

When I surrender to these selfish desires, I push Jesus from the throne of my life in that moment. Instead of asking how I can gain control or get my way, I need to ask a better question:

“How can I honor Jesus in this moment?”

Instead of losing my temper, I can honor Jesus by pausing and praising Him.

Instead of blaming someone else, I can honor Jesus by taking responsibility and choosing forgiveness.

Instead of surrendering to fear, I can honor Jesus by trusting His presence and promises.

Instead of giving in to my earthly desires, I can honor Jesus by giving myself completely to Him.

Jesus Changes the Way I Respond

Self-control is rooted in knowing who my Father is and who sits on the throne of my life.

When Jesus changes my outlook, I begin to see life from an eternal perspective.

When Jesus gives me His knowledge, I understand that I am a child of God.

When Jesus adds self-control, I begin responding to life as His child.

Self-control does not mean that I am in control of everything. It means that I acknowledge that God is in control and I am not.

Let's recap:

• Faith places my confidence in God.

• Virtue places my life in His hands.

• Knowledge teaches me who I am in Christ.

• Self-control surrenders my desires, words, and emotions to Jesus.

  
  

Reflect

• What emotion or desire most often tries to control me?

• When do I find it most difficult to pause and surrender my response to Jesus?

• Is there an area of my life where I am trying to remain in control?

• How can I honor Jesus through my response to what I am facing today?

Pray

Father, thank You for making me Your child. Teach me to remember that You are always in control, even when my circumstances feel overwhelming.

Jesus, You are the King of my life. Help me surrender my desires, words, attitudes, and emotions to You. When I am tempted to react with anger, fear, worry, or pride, remind me to pause and turn to You.

Holy Spirit, fill me with Your power, love, and self-control. Guard my heart and guide my responses. Help my life reflect Jesus so that others can see His light in me.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.