A New You for a New Year

 

"Like a city whose walls are broken through is a person who lacks self-control." Proverbs 25:28

 

Our cities don't have walls anymore, but think about what that verse would mean in the context that it was written. A city without walls in biblical times would be completely vulnerable to the enemy's attacks, it's citizens would have no boundaries and no one would be protected from the dangers that await outside the city. When my wife and I founded Choose To Stay Ministries, the book of Nehemiah proved to have many principles that we found applicable to marriage. One of those principles is that we must build a wall of protection around our marriage to protect it from the enemy and outside influences that want to destroy this God ordained union. We also need to create boundaries that protect each other from satan's tactics in regards to the way he attacks through infidelity, pornography and all kinds of destructive behavior.

So how does this relate to self control? Well, I recently heard a Pastor speaking that said he didn't like the phrase 'self-control'. While I understand that he probably doesn't like the implication of 'self' being in 'control', I think we need to look at this from a whole different angle. You see, self control is not about being IN control of oneself, rather it's having control OVER self. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." When we give our lives to Jesus, we are choosing to make Him Lord. We are saying to God, "I don't want to be in control anymore. I've messed it all up. Please take control", and He does. The trick is to become more fully submitted to His will everyday and crucify our flesh so that we can be led by the Spirit. Paul says in Romans 8 that if we are led by the Spirit then we won't fulfill the lust of the flesh. That's called having control OVER self and that's part of the fruit of the Spirit.

While we turn the page on a new year, why don't we turn the page on a new you as well? Why don't we consider becoming more self-less everyday and more like Christ at the same time. When we allow Jesus to be in control we can experience His divine protection. We are also given the Spirit of God to lead and guide us to all truth, and as our thinking is transformed we gain the wisdom of God that keeps us from walking into the enemy's traps.

What an exciting proposition. We get to stop fretting and trying to figure out what we should do. We get to stop worrying about how it's gonna work out. Instead, we get to trust in the Lord, lean not on our own understanding, and watch as He directs our steps.

Having self-control really means having Him in control and when He's in control. you get a whole new you!