4) SELF-CONTROL
1) THE DEFINITION IS TO KEEP OURSELVES IN CHECK BY MASTERING OUR DESIRES, PASSIONS AND APPETITES. WE DO THIS BY HARMONIZING OUR PERSONAL DESIRES WITH GOD'S REVEALED WILL.
LK 6:46; 9: 24-27; 1 THESS 4: 1-4; ACTS 24:25
2) JUST LIKE THE EPICUREANS OF OLD , ACTS 17:18, OUR SOCIETY PROMOTES "EAT, DRINK AND BE MERRY."
3) YET WE ARE CONSTANTLY WARNED NOT TO PURSUE THIS HEDONISTIC LIFESTYLE.
ROM 1: 28-32; 1 COR 6: 9-11; GAL 5: 19-21
4) WHAT ARE WE PROMISED WHEN WE CONTROL OUR PASSIONS? 1 COR 9: 24-27 AND WE ARE EQUIPPED TO MINISTER IN GREATER FIELDS OF SERVICE. TITUS 1:8. ALSO, WE VALIDATE OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.
GAL 5:24
5) BIBLICAL RECOMMENDATIONS TO MASTER SELF-CONTROL
A. DETHRONE SELF AND ENTHRONE JESUS - MT 16:24; GAL 2:20; 6:14
B. SUBMIT TO GOD'S WILL AND STANDARDS - JOHN 8:29; EPH 5:17; JAS 4:7
C. WE NEED TO VIEW SELF-CONTROL IN LIGHT OF THE JUDGMENT - ACTS 24:25; MT 16:26
D. THE WORD ENCOURAGES US TO THINK OF OTHERS AND THE IMPACT OF OUR ACTIONS
1 COR 10: 23-33; PHIL 2: 3-5; 1 THESS 5:15; MT 5: 13-16
E. WE HAVE TO CONTINUALLY WORK AT IT - 1 COR 9:24-27; GAL 6:9
5) PERSEVERANCE
1) ENDURE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT ARE DIFFICULT, OR TO BE STEADFAST IN THE EVER CHANGING CIRCUMSTANCES OF LIFE. JAS 1: 2-4; ROM 5:3-5
2) WEBSTER - TO BEAR THE PAINS AND TRIALS OF LIFE CALMLY, WITHOUT COMPLAINT; TO BE STEADFAST, DESPITE ANY OPPOSITION, DIFFICULTY OR ADVERSITY.
3) BIBLICAL EXAMPLES
A. ROM 5: 1-5; 8:24-25; EPH 6:17-20; HEB 10 :35-36; 12:1-2; REV 2: 2-3; 3:10
B. IT DOES NOT COME NATURALLY, WE HAVE TO WORK AT IT - JAS 1: 2-8
C. THE BIBLE POINTS TO THE PERSEVERANCE OF GOD - 2 PET 3:9
D. JESUS - HEB 12:1-2
E. PROPHETS - JAS 5:10
F. JOB - JAS 5:11
G. ABRAHAM - HEB 6: 13-15
H. APOSTLES - 2 TIM 3: 10-11
4) AREAS WHERE TO PERSEVERE
A. EVANGELIZE THE LOST - 1 PET 3:20; 2 TIM 4:2
B. OUR PRAYER LIVES - 1 THESS 5:17; ISA 40:31
C. WHEN EXPERIENCING MISTREATMENT FROM OTHERS - 2 TIM 3:11; 2 COR 4:6-11; JAS 5:10
D. DURING PHYSICAL TRAILS - ROM 12:12; JAS 1: 2-4