The Fruit of Fruitfulness: Self-Control
We often think of fruitfulness in regard to success or multiplication. In part, this is accurate, but in the Kingdom, it’s not just about results. Fruitfulness in the Kingdom is also measured by what is produced in your heart through the journey of life. Your victories and successes, your challenges and trials are all designed to mature, shape, and conform you to reflect the glory of the image and likeness of God. Thus, your greatest fruitfulness is not just found in numbers, but in the person that you become. When we look at what God sees as fruitful, the growing character of the fruit of the Spirit in our lives is a great sign of Kingdom success.
Any other Kingdom growth, including the powerful gifts of the Holy Spirit, is maximized by the presence of the fruit of the Spirit within. That is why the fruit of self-control is so important. We often think that this characteristic means that we have the strength to resist temptation. However, growth in the revelation of self-control is not about overcoming temptation but rather about dying to the flesh. The clue is the word “self.”
Self is very powerful. It is impulsive, often compulsive, and if not reined in, it will produce bad fruit in your life. The focus of self (a.k.a. the flesh) puts “me” first! It continually places your wants, needs, and desires above others. Self operates in the opposite of love, which always seeks to prefer, serve, promote, and give value and significance to others. Self will control, manipulate, and dominate to find security, comfort, and worth for your identity. If left unchecked, the self will feed the sinful nature and keep God’s nature from growing and manifesting in your life. If you do not learn to die to your flesh, your self will enthrone itself in your heart, and you will become the lord, or even the god, of your life and destiny, effectively removing God from His rightful place.
This is why we need to control the “self” in our lives. How is this done? First, you need to take a spiritual “selfie.” You need to take a hard look at yourself and ask the Holy Spirit to identify when and where your flesh wants to manifest itself. Often, the self is triggered when you feel insecure or have a sense that no one is looking out for you. It will also manifest when you feel that you have been devalued, exposed, or put to shame.
On the other end of the spectrum, when you do not know your true identity as a son or daughter of God, you may look to elevate and promote yourself in order to find significance and worth. The powerful desire to be recognized, affirmed, and seen usually springs from deep insecurity. You need to ask the Holy Spirit to help you see these “self-patterns” at play so you can take note of them. Graham Cooke says, “Every action is the fruit of the thought that produces it.” Therefore, it is vital that you take hold of every thought and make it captive to Christ before that “self-thought” takes hold of you.
By learning to control yourself, you will begin to live above your circumstance. Your flesh life is often driven by the immediate situations and environments in which you find yourself. People, places, and familiar scenarios can trigger inner fears causing negative reactions that you rely upon to self-protect. A vicious cycle can be created as these reactions actually strengthen your insecurities, thus giving fear more authority to operate in your life and manifesting more ungodly control. When you learn to operate in self-control, you no longer allow circumstances to cause you to react. By taking your thoughts captive to Christ first, you can take a step back to evaluate your heart and listen to the Father’s desire for you. Then you will be able to respond from heaven to bring peace to your earthly situation.
The art of self-control means that you can slow down on the inside, operating from a place of peace and rest. Often great athletes, when they are in the “zone,” describe how everything around them slows down, and they are able to see every option available in a split second. As a result, they are able to control their movement instead of being rushed by the circumstance. In the same way, we were created to be in the “zone” where we train our spirit to speak louder than our negative emotions and thoughts. By doing so, you begin to re-align your spirit, soul, and body with what heaven desires rather than what your flesh demands.
Therefore, embrace each temptation and challenging circumstance as an opportunity to develop the art and discipline of self-control. When the temptations of fear, anger, judgment, pride, or self-promotion begin to stir in your heart, take a moment to stop and say – “This is not who I am.” When you recognize how the self has sabotaged and undermined what God intends for you and you begin to grow in the fruit of self-control, you will discover a strong sense of peace and calm, even in the midst of the storms of life. That peace will bring a stillness to your heart that will ultimately teach you to hear God’s “still small voice.” It is in that moment you will rise above your circumstance with renewed faith, hope, and love.
