In Galatians 5:22-23 the letter from Paul to the Church residing in that city, lists nine fruit of the Holy Spirit. Those nine fruit really are the evidence of the Holy Spirit in someone’s life. What does it take for those fruit to be produced in someone’s life? It takes the intimate relationship with the Holy Spirit to guide, instruct, correct, and encourage an individual to move in ways that produce that fruit.
In the Holy Spirit boot camp experience the participants go through a 12 week / daily exercise where they engage with the Holy Spirit and scripture to work on hearing, and obeying His instructions to them. This requires the participants lots of journaling and prayer time on a daily basis.
What I’ve learned over several decades of going through the study and experience learning about what these fruit are and how they are produced … there is ALWAYS another level to be learned in EACH fruit. You’d think one would have it down after a few times of going through it. Not me. I always seem to have another level and challenge every single time I enter this exercise.
Yesterday was not a good day for me in the area of self control, and patience. Which also effected my ability with kindness and goodness, which then spilled over into my joy, peace and love. In the 12 week exercise we always begin with the fruit of Self Control, being (IMHO) the easiest fruit to produce as it only requires our will and choices. The key is not to allow emotions or external circumstances, or people to move you beyond the boundaries of the Fruit. This isn’t always easy. So the ‘easiest’ fruit is still difficult. If we can get this fruit of self control correct and well established in our lives the others become more attainable as we work with the Holy Spirit. But without self control — the other fruit can blow away quickly like a dry leaf on the wind.
Repentance then becomes a necessary practice to get back on the right track with Him. Losing self control will lead to the need for repentance, as He wants us to respond with Him rather than react out of our old nature. I still slip up and allow my frustration to move me farther away from ..self control. Frustration leading to anger, and anger leading to a mood that isn’t healthy, which affects everyone around me. There are many pitfalls for us when the fruit of self control isn’t in our lives. The Holy Spirit will usually suggest certain practices and disciplines for us to better get a handle on ourselves, so that we can make it through more and more difficult circumstances. Our own human appetites and passions often wrestle with the area of self control in our lives. And if our bad habits have become an addiction — the road will be even longer to the produce the fruit of self control. Self control is our first defense against temptation. If we learn to ‘bring every thought to Christ’ then our self control will kick in as we listen to Him.
I’m learning I have ‘triggers’ or weak spots that my enemy knows all to well. Those sneaky little demonic s#its don’t face me head on, but they come through the hidden ways and strike at my weaknesses. I have to learn to ‘check’ those thoughts and emotions. IF I can check those thoughts and feelings and can ‘cast them out’ then self control wins, and my days go much better. But then there are times when the attack seems to come from a ‘justified’ event and my anger is immediately engaged. My problem is allowing the anger to build as the enemy continues to tell me how wrong this certain thing is… and because I don’t stop those thoughts I get even more angry. It’s always easier to see ‘it’ the next day when your emotions aren’t in full throttle mode. So once again… I spend my morning in repentance while walking with the Holy Spirit.
This journey isn’t easy. This life definitely has challenges bigger than I can master. But with Him .. all things are possible. I just have to be humble enough to keep Him close.
How are you doing with the fruit of … self control?