Who EMPOWERS self-control? Me or God?

Mark Virkler's picture

Submitted by Mark Virkler on December 12, 2024 - 12:31

The phrase self-control makes me think it is self, establishing control over self. But is it? I don’t think so. I believe self-control is requesting and responding to the empowering of the Holy Spirit.

What works and what doesn’t work

When I ask myself to control myself, a battle ensues which is often a stalemate rather than a victory. God has a better plan. He does away with my puny abilities (I have died) and replaces me with His power which is now available since His Spirit is joined to my spirit. (Gal. 2:20; 1 Cor. 6:17).

God then declares that self-control is a fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-25).

Spirit empowerment is mentioned often

  1. It is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. (Phil. 2:13)
  2. For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me. (Col. 1:29)
  3. My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness. (2 Cor. 12:9)
  4. We worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh. (Phil. 3:3)
  5. If by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. (Rom 8:13)
  6. Christ is formed in you. (Gal. 4:19)
  7. Pray that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. (Eph. 3:19)

Note 1: When the Spirit is dealing with self-control, you will find in your journaling that He is discussing with you the roots of the problem (desires and motivations), rather than the surface actions. This results in TRUE spiritual gains (Col. 2:20-23).

Note 2: Come into His presence. See Him with you. Then as you ask for His empowerment, and tune to flow, you sense His Spirit’s energy within changing you.

We access the power of the Spirit when we…

  1. Ask – See Jesus and Holy Spirit present and ask for help (as they are alongside, within, and upon you).
  2. Receive – Receive flowing: pictures, thoughts, and feelings (Jn. 7:37-39; Rev. 22:1,2; Jer. 2:13).
  3. Thank – Thanking Him demonstrates faith, which contributes to the release of divine energy.

God’s grace for every area of my life comes this same way (ask, receive, thank).

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Gal. 5:22-23).

  1. Love = God’s love, bubbling up by the Spirit
  2. Joy = God’s joy, bubbling up by the Spirit
  3. Peace = God’s peace, bubbling up by the Spirit
  4. Patience = God’s patience, bubbling up by the Spirit
  5. Kindness = God’s kindness, bubbling up by the Spirit
  6. Goodness = God’s goodness, bubbling up by the Spirit
  7. Faithfulness = God’s faith, bubbling up by the Spirit
  8. Gentleness = God’s gentleness, bubbling up by the Spirit
  9. Self-control = God’s self-control, bubbling up by the Spirit

The caution is never turn back to self-initiated behavior

It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words (rhema's) that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life. (Jn. 6:63)

Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God. (Heb. 6:1)

You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you? This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? (Gal. 3:1-3)

Journaling Question

  • Lord, what would You like to speak to me concerning my approach to “self-control"?

Dig deeper - Journal about each of these

  • What can I learn about Soloman's self-control? (2 Chron. 1:8-12; 1 Kgs. 11:1-9)
  • Lord, are there protective walls You want me to build? (Prov. 25:28)
  • Lord, speak to me about how Daniel manifested self-control. (Dan. 1:8-18)

4 Keys to Hearing God's Voice
Free Video Event: Dec. 5-18, 2024
Register now: https://go.cluschoolofthespirit.com/hgv

CLU Course of the Month - 40% Tuition Discount
REN103/503 Communion with God
Learn more: https://www.cluonline.com/hear-gods-voice-2/
Order here: https://www.cluonline.com/christian-online-college-courses/#PRO527

25% off sitewide coupon CHRISTMAS25 (details here)

Fan the flames of revival by sharing this blog with your friends on social media! 

Related Resources: 

How to Be Empowered by the Holy Spirit!   How to Hear God's Voice!   
Add new comment

Add new comment

CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.

Results

Results 51 - 60 of 484

Pages

Overflow of the Spirit - Book Cover

Overflow of the Spirit

284 Pages | by Mark Virkler and Charity Kayembe

Mark and Charity have teamed up again to write a book on how to easily manifest the nine gifts of the Holy Spirit. It took us several years to break through all the confusion and present a clear, simple understanding of how to release the nine-fold manifestation of the Holy Spirit everywhere you go and with everyone you touch. It is not hard! It can’t be since these are gifts of the Holy Spirit, not things you have to work for.

Price: $15.99

Playtime with Jesus

Helping Kids Know God | Jessica De Krijger

The goal of this little booklet by Jessica De Krijger is to help young children, ages 3 and up, learn how to start hearing God's voice for themselves. It is never too early to teach your children that they can hear from God. They are primed to do this. God's Spirit is urging them to come to Him. So reinforce this call with this beautiful full-color booklet which you can read to your children. Discover more at the Playtime With Jesus Website.

Price: $4.00

Playtime with Jesus workbook

by Jessica de Krijger

This workbook has a coloring book feel that kids love. Children as young as 3 years old all the way up to 10, can start hearing and seeing Jesus for themselves every day. It's easy and it's fun! On each page of this book, Jesus invites your child to come and enjoy a different activity with Him. As they play with Him, they get to know Him, His heart, His character, and most of all His humongous love for them. The goal of this workbook is to help lead your child into a deeper, personal relationship with Him.

Price: $8.00
Psalms

Psalms

by Mark and Patti Virkler | 82 Pages

This book is similar in format to Through the Bible, except that Psalms are meditated upon paragraph by paragraph, rather than chapter by chapter (as are the rest of the Bible books in the full text). For those seeking an intensive examination of the book of Psalms, this text is for you.

Price: $9.95

Release from Religion Study Guide

by Tracy Hansen | 100 Pages

This workbook accompanies the book 49 Lies - Religious Lies Jesus Told Me to Stop Believing, providing an extended scriptural meditation of the 49 themes discussed in the two-way journaling found in that book. The two books may be purchased together here.

Price: $12.95
Restoring Health Care as a Ministry

Restoring Health Care as a Ministry

by Mark and Patti Virkler & Dr. Reuben DeHaan | 201 Pages

Contrary to the secularized health care system of the western world, the Bible establishes health care as a ministry which falls under the jurisdiction of the priests:

"And THE PRIEST shall look at the mark on the skin of the body, and if the hair in the infection has turned white and the infection appears to be deeper than the skin of his body...he shall pronounce..." (Lev. 13:3).

Price: $19.95

Rise Up

by Michael Whate | 227 pages

This amazing 40-day journey will explore 40 ways you can encounter God! It introduces you to such topics as experiencing salvation, and welcoming the Holy Spirit. Then on to encountering the Father's love, experiencing forgiveness, hearing God's voice, two-way journaling, spiritual warfare, the law of sowing and reaping, prophecy, speaking in tongues, expectant faith, receiving dreams, experiencing revival, physical healing, inner healing and renouncing the occult.

Price: $14.99
The Secret Place

Secret Place

by William J. Dupley | 112 pages

This book is an account and description of my secret place with the Lord.  It is a true story, it is not fiction. All the details described in this book have happened to me, and I continue to meet with my Heavenly Dad in this place almost every day.  I have described the physical attributes of the secret place, the events that have occurred there, and how God has taught me about His character and loving compassion.

Price: $15.00
Sound Doctrine Through Revelation Knowledge

Sound Doctrine Through Revelation Knowledge

by Dr. Gary Greig & Drs. Mark and Patti Virkler | 84 Pages

Sound doctrine. Correct theology. Sounds easy. Seems like if I would just apply my mind, I could establish sound doctrine and keep myself from heresy and error. And that is exactly what I did for many years, until God stopped me dead in my tracks, and got me to look up every verse in the Bible on doctrine and theology (15 in the NASB and 37 in the NKJV). Wow! Was I in for a surprise! You will be, too, as you go through these verses with me in this book!

Price: $12.95
Spirit Born Creativity

Spirit Born Creativity

by Mark and Patti Virkler | 151 Pages

God made man creative, and, in addition, He has given man the ability to draw upon the eternal creativity of God. Locked within you lies a divine reservoir of creative energy that can transform your life.

God spoke to Marc Huddleston in his two-way journaling, "The quietness of a man's mind in My Presence is the birth place of the release of My limitless creativity."

Price: $10.99

Pages