SELF CONTROL (M)

 SELF CONTROL

Failure of David

2 Sam 11:27 “The Lord considered what David had done to be evil.” 
- David did not go to war. Ignored his duty and lazy 11: 1
- Attracted by the beauty of Bathsheba 11:2.
- Committed adultery with her 11:4
- Killed her husband in a cruel way 11:14-17
- Took her as wife 11:27
David was valiant warrior .... Used by God in exceptional way ... He failed to keep lust under control

Failure of Samson (Judges 16)

Ch 13-15 records how mightily he was used by God.
Ch 16 How he was trapped with a lady named Delilah.
16:20 He did not know that the Lord had departed from him.
16:21 Humiliated
Lust blinded his eyes from seeing the value of the anointing on him

Failure of Gehazi

2 Kings 5 ...Miracle healing of Naaman.
V14 Healing of Naaman......V15,16 Elisha denying gifts. V20-24 .....Naaman could not control the lust for money and material things it can provide. Took gift from Naaman w/o in the name of master. ...v27 Leprosy came upon him. Lost the anointing.

- Lust pulls people from fame to shame.
- Lust is a huge problem in our world, church, ministry, family, etc.
- Lust pulled by the attractions of the world.

1 John 2:14 Lust belongs to the world
James 1:14 Lust is in us. The lust may be a sinful desire, a desire to take revenge, a desire to control others or some legitimate ones like the desire to be loved, desire to be valued, etc.

Things in the world trigger our senses. Temptations can be material temptation - the lust for things, personal temptation - the lust for status or special recognition, sensual temptation – the lust for another person.

We are not able to control lust because
- We choose to do so ... attraction
- We allow out of curiosity ... takes captive
- It is enjoyable ... temporal

1 Cor 7:5 Satan tempts >>doubts >> seducing suggestions ….. away from God…driven into deception…..Attractions >> attention>>arouses lust.
Choices - control the lust or yield to the lust ....Decides who is the master. The decisions will affect our habits and behaviors negatively or positively. Difficult to break when it becomes habit and addiction.

Self control …exercising control over lust.....Controlling emotions and behavior when faced with temptations/impulses
Pr 25:28 Man w/o self control compared to
1 Cor 9:25-27 Believers must have self control
Col 3:5 Put lust to death

Temptation is not sin. Falling in it leads to sin. God allows temptations to make us spiritually stronger. Root grows stronger when wind blows against the tree. Every time we overcome a temptation we develop self control.

Exercising Self -Control
- Realization. Accept reality and fault.
- When lust is triggered, neutralize it by changing attention.
- Identify the typical pattern and avoid tempting things, places and persons.
- When you fail in your attempt, never give up. Get up and fight the lust
- Depend on God for His strength. Pray
- Be led by the indwelling Holy Spirit.