If you want to change the direction of your life, then you must have control over where you are going. It is not enough to want to change; you must have the strength to do it. There are a thousand people who want to change but will you be one of the few that actually do?
The best way to change a situation is to ask God to change you. “Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me. Do not banish me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me” (Psalm 51:10-11 NLT).
The problem we have is we imagine that self-control is something that will come from within ourselves. Every self-help book in the world teaches you that you are able to change yourself, and people continue to fail and then think themselves unable. They are unable.
The self-help teaching of our day is the trickery of the Devil meant to destroy you by your own hand. “In his self-sufficiency he will be in distress; every hand of misery will come against him” (Job 20:22 NKJV).
The more we try to do things ourselves, the more it proves the pride we have within. We think we are able and will do anything to prove that. The secret is this: you are the problem. We can never overcome ourselves because with ourselves we don’t really think we need to.
God can make you holy if you’ll let Him. God promised, “I will put my Spirit inside you and change you so that you will obey my laws. You will carefully obey my commands” (Ezekiel 36:27 ERV).
Scripture teaches us that self-control is a fruit of the Holy Spirit. We don’t produce the fruit of the Holy Spirit, but rather we can live a life from which this fruit can flourish. The Holy Spirit can give you a strength that you could never muster on your own.
Restraint on earth is a superpower from heaven. “But the fruit of the Spirit [the result of His presence within us] is love [unselfish concern for others], joy, [inner] peace, patience [not the ability to wait, but how we act while waiting], kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23 AMP).
The longer you try to do things by yourself, the longer you will be on your own. But in the very moment you rely upon the Holy Spirit, you will have the power from heaven pouring into the weakness of self. To be better in yourself, you need to be filled with the Holy Spirit.
If you lack self-control it is because you go against yourself on your own. You against you is just a “checkmate” with no victory. “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me…” (Galatians 2:20 NKJV).
From ages ago, the Lord knew you would need the Holy Spirit to help you. The proof of the Holy Spirit in you will be the Holy Spirit through you. You don’t need to try harder but only yield more that the Spirit of God would help you.
Self-control is evidence that the Holy Spirit is in you. “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: …self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23 NLT).
We also need each other. We were never meant to walk our faith journey on our own. We need to lift others up, and we need to be lifted up by others. Don’t wait for someone to help you, but be the person that someone else needs. When you help others, you will find it will also help you.
Where streams meet, rivers begin. We need each other. “Two are better than one…For if they fall, one will lift up his companion…” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 NKJV).
The reason so many programs of man fail is that they rely on the man. Stop thinking you are different and somehow better than everyone else. We all fail, but only some of us are willing to yield to the Lord. The strongest Christians are the weakest ones in themselves that are strengthened from heaven above.
Programs of man can’t fix what only God can do. Jesus told the apostle Paul, “My grace is enough for you, for my power is brought to perfection in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9 CJB).
All you have to do is yield. You don’t have to stand tall, but bow low and ask your Father to help you. The Holy Spirit can produce the fruit, and all you must do is be the good ground from which it can bloom. Make it your purpose to fall before the Lord in everything you do.
The more yielded you are, the more that God can do with you. “…Through our yielded lives he spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of God everywhere we go” (2 Corinthians 2:14 TPT).
Blessings to you,
Paul Balius
I look forward to your posts brother Paul. They are encouraging, uplifting, edifying, and thought provoking. Thank you for writing them. Larry C
Hi Larry, thank you so much for your kind words, such a needed encouragement. Blessings to you! Paul