ENGLISH UNDERSTANDING for `SELF-CONTROL':
Restraint exercised over one's own impulses, emotions, desires and behaviour.
HEBREW UNDERSTANDING for "CONTROL":
6113 Atsar - TO HOLD BACK & RULE OVER, to inclose, to maintain, to assemble, be able, close up, detain, fast, keep (self close, still), prevail, recover, refrain, reign-over, restrain, retain, shut (up), stay, stop, withhold (self).
4622 Matsowr - TO RESTRAIN, a hindrance, prison.
4623 Matsar - TO CONTROL, rule over, constraint.
6115 Otsar - CLOSURE, barren, oppression.
SCRIPTURE UNDERSTANDING :
PROVERBS 25:28 “A man without self-control is like an invaded city, broken into and left without walls to defend itself”.
SELF-CONTROL RELATES TO THE PASSIONS (SUCH AS ANGER OR LOVE), THE APPETITES (FOR FOOD, SEX, ETC.), AND THE WILL (AS ILLUSTRATED BY IMPULSIVE DECISIONS). THE LACK OF SELF-CONTROL IS A MARK OF A FOOL. HE IS LIKE A CITY . . . LEFT WITHOUT WALLS, WITH NO MEANS OF DEFENCE AGAINST THE ENEMY.
PSALM 141:3 “Set a guard, O Yahuah, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips! Do not let my heart incline to any evil, to busy myself with wicked deeds in company with men who work iniquity, and let me not eat of their delicacies! Let a righteous man strike me—it is a kindness; let him rebuke me—it is oil for my head; let my head not refuse it. Yet my prayer is continually against their evil deeds”.
WHILE THE FAITHFUL SERVANT WILL ACCEPT CORRECTION FROM A FAITHFUL FRIEND, HIS PRAYER IS CONTINUALLY AGAINST THE EVIL BEHAVIOUR OF THE MOCKERS AND SCHEMERS. THIS SONG SHOWS US HOW ONE IN THIS SITUATION ACTUALLY FEELS … CAN WE RELATE?
JAMES 1:19 “Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of Alahim”.
THE IDLE ENRAGED MISUSE OF THE TONGUE CAN LEAD TO ANGER AND SIN. THIS IS NOT TO SAY THAT ALL HUMAN ANGER IS A WRONG .. BUT THE `FLY OFF THE HANDLE’ QUICK-TEMPERED, SELFISH, ENTITLED RAGE THAT THE NATIONS BEHAVE IS NOT YAHUSHA’S FRUIT.
ROMANS 8:13 ”For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if (by the Spirit) you put to death the behaviours of the body, you will live”.
THOSE WHO GIVE THEIR LIVES OVER TO THE FLESH WILL FACE ETERNAL DEATH, BUT THOSE WHO SLAY THE DESIRES OF THE FLESH THROUGH THE POWER OF THE SPIRIT WILL ENJOY ETERNAL LIFE. IT MUST BE BY YAHUSHA’S SPIRIT AND HIS POWER, BUT “YOU PUT TO DEATH” SHOWS THAT ONE MUST TAKE AN ACTIVE ROLE IN BATTLING SINFUL HABITS.
1 CORINTHIANS 9:24 ”Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified”.
GALATIANS 5:22 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no torah-law. And those who belong to Messiah Yahusha have impaled the flesh with its passions and desires”.
THE SPIRIT FIGHTS AGAINST SIN NOT MERELY IN DEFENCE BUT ALSO IN ATTACK BY PRODUCING THE POSITIVE ATTRIBUTES OF RIGHTEOUS CHARACTER, ALL OF WHICH ARE EVIDENT IN YAHUSHA IN THE GOSPELS. SELF-CONTROL IS THE DISCIPLINE GIVEN BY HIS SPIRIT THAT ALLOWS US TO RESIST THE POWER OF THE FLESH AND THEREFORE THOSE WHO MANIFEST THESE FRUITS ARE ACTUALLY FULFILLING ALL THE TORAH-LAWS—FAR MORE THAN THOSE WHO INSIST ON HEBREW-ROOTED LAWS AND FLESHLY CEREMONIES, AND LIKEWISE MORE THAN THOSE WHO FOLLOW THE EVIL BEHAVIOURS OF CARNALITY.
1 PETER 4:7 “The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers”.
WHILE WE WAIT FOR YAHUSHA’S SOON RETURN, WE MUST BE SELF-CONTROLLED AND SOBER-MINDED, DEVOTED TO PRAYER AND MAXIMISE OUR USEFULNESS TO YAHUSHA.
MARK 9:43 “And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands and go to destruction in unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off…. And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out… etc”
HAND = used to steal, murder, hurt, pleasure self.
FOOT = used to travel to undertake the sinful act.
EYE = used for coveting, adultery, lusting after.
1 CORINTHIANS 10:13 “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. Alahim is faithful, and He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation He will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it”.
EVEN WHEN WE FACE MORAL CHOICES, THERE IS ALWAYS A WAY OUT OF A SINFUL DECISION (USUALLY SAYING `NO!’)
PHILIPPIANS 3:1 “For the rest, my brothers, rejoice in Alahim. To write the same things to you is truly no trouble to me, and for you it is safe. Look out for dogs, look out for the evil-workers, look out for the mutilators of the flesh! [those who want to circumcise your flesh] For we are the circumcision, who are serving Alahim in the Spirit, and boasting in Messiah Yahusha, and don’t even trust in the flesh, though I too might have trusted in the flesh. If anyone else thinks to trust in the flesh, I even more, for I was circumcised the 8th day (of the race of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin), infact I was the Hebrew of Hebrews (according to Torah): a Pharisee, and according to passion I persecuted the assembly - and according to righteousness (in the law) I was blameless. But what might have been a gain to me, I have now counted as loss, because of Messiah”.
WHEN YOU TRULY MEET & ENCOUNTER YAHUSHA, NOTHING OF THE FLESHLY SELF MATTERS ANYMORE, EXCEPT TO BE IMPALED WITH ALL IT’S LUSTS AND DESIRES. OUTWARD SIGNS, MARKINGS, TATTOOS (EVEN FASHIONS & GROOMING) HOLD ZERO SIGNIFICANCE IN THE NEW REALM, FOR NO ONE CAN ENTER IT EXCEPT BY NEW HEART & SPIRIT … AND TRANSITION (THROUGH COCOON-LIKE METAMORPHOSIS) UNTIL THE GREAT AND FINAL DAY WHEN WE WILL BE COMPLETELY CHANGED IN THE TWINKLING OF AN EYE … AGAIN NOTHING OF OUR FLESH MATTERS TO YAHUSHA …. EXCEPT TO NOT LET IT GET IN THE WAY !
2 TIM 2:6 “For this reason I remind you to stir up the gift of Yahuah which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For Yahuah has not given us a spirit of cowardice, but of power and of love and of self-control”.
SUMMARY:
AS WE SAW, THOSE IN THE WORLD ACTUALLY THINK THEY HAVE THE POWER TO CONTROL THEMSELVES … HOWEVER IF YAHUSHA DWELLS IN ANOTHER REALM OUTSIDE OF THIS WORLD, AND THE ONLY ACCESS TO HIM IS BY BECOMING SPIRITUAL, THEN HOW CAN ANY OF THESE FRUITS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS BE ACHIEVABLE WITHOUT HIS POWER?? SELF-CONTROL (TO THE STANDARD OF HIS WORD) IS ONLY POSSIBLE THROUGH THE VEIN (NO MATTER HOW MANY SELF-HELP, EXERCISE, DIETARY, MOTIVATION MANUALS ONE READS) …
ONE FRUIT CANNOT BE ACHIEVED WITHOUT THE OTHER - ALL NINE FRUITS MUST BE `PUT ON’ AND MATURED WITHIN THE LIFESTYLE AND BEHAVIOUR OF YAHUSHA’S BRIDAL ELECT. IT BEGINS WITH THE ROYAL LAWS OF LOVE FOR YAHUSHA AND OTHERS ... AND IS BOOK-ENDED WITH SELF-CONTROL, THE OVER-RIDING POWER AND DISCERNING THAT RULES OVER (REIGNING, CONTROLLING) OUR BODIES TO COMPLY WITH HIS INSTRUCTIONS.
SO WHILE THE TERM IS INDEED `SELF’ CONTROL, WE ARE NOT TO BE CONTROLLING OURSELVES ACCORDING TO WHAT WE WANT AND HOW WE CHOOSE TO LIVE … BUT WE CONTROL OUR FLESHLY IMPULSES AND BAD HABITS THAT CAN INTERFERE WITH YAHUSHA’S PLANS AND TASKS IN OUR DAY, DIVINE ORDERS WE CANNOT PARTICIPATE IN IF WE ARE OVER-INDULGING & ENTERTAINING OURSELVES ON `LIFE’ OR BY THE SWIRLING SINKHOLE OF GUILTY SHAME AND EMOTIONS THAT ENGULF AND PESTER THOSE WHO LIVE SUCH A DEAD USELESS EXISTENCE.
THE FLESH IS INSATIABLE, NEVER-ENDING, CONSTANTLY SCREAMING AT US FOR MORE, MORE, MORE … AND WHILE `TO EACH THEIR OWN VICE’, NO ONE IS DEVOID OF THE FILTHY RANTINGS AND MURMURINGS OF FLESHLY APPETITE, LUSTS OF THE FLESH, THE LUSTS OF THE EYES AND THE PRIDE OF LIFE.
WE ARE NOT TO LIVE IN THE MOUNTAINS LIKE MONKS, SCOURGING OUR FLESH OF ANY EARTHLY PLEASURE OR EXPERIENCE … BUT WE ARE TO RUN FROM CARNAL SINS OF THE FLESH … PRACTICES AND BEHAVIOURS SPECIFICALLY COMMANDED US TO ABSTAIN FROM (WHICH THE WORLD LIFTS UP AND CELEBRATES) … THINGS THAT CUT US OFF FROM YAHUSHA’S INSPIRATIONS AND HIS CONSTANT STREAM OF THOUGHTS AND LOVE FOR US.
DID YOU REALISE THAT YAHUSHA IS IN EVERY SINGLE THOUGHT WE HAVE DURING THE DAY? SO IT’S NOT ABOUT WRITING A RULE BOOK OF DO’S AND DON’TS (SO THAT WE CAN THEN DO ANYTHING WE LIKE OUTSIDE OF IT) … NO! …HE WANTS OUR ATTENTION CONSTANTLY … HE SAYS HIS LOVE IS BETTER THAN WINE … SO WHAT IS THE REWARD FOR THOSE WHO IMPALE THEIR FLESH WITH IT’S LUSTS AND DESIRES … REALLY??
YOU DO HAVE THE POWER TO OVERCOME !
JUST SAY `NO!!’
2 CORINTHIANS 10:4 “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in Alahim to the pulling down of strongholds, casting down imaginations and every high things that exalts itself against the knowledge of Alahim, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedient of Yahusha”.
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