If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well. James 3:2.
Today your LORD (יהוה) God says:
Self-control, mastery of self is produced from within—that is, by your spirit from joining with the Holy Spirit in you. Again, it comes back to the vine and the branches. The fruit is produced on the branch, but it is a product of the vine. The life of the vine flowing into the branch determines the fruit. If you detach from the vine you cannot bear the fruit of the vine. You can do nothing of Mine without Me.
So we continue with our lessons on living a fruitful life with Life Lesson No. 11: Self-control. For the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Galatians 5:23-24. Without all the ingredients present and matured you do not have the fully ripened fruit.
Self-control is self-governance, self-monitoring, and self respect. My apostle Paul wrote, “I discipline my body and make it my slave (doulagógeó: to enslave, to subdue, bring into subjection) so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not fail to pass the test.” 1 Corinthians 9:27. Just as a good parent disciplines a child so that he grows to be virtuous, fruitful, and healthy, so too your spirit must discipline your soul and body. And to be successful, the parent must bring their children up in the discipline and instruction that comes from Me. Ephesians 6:4. You must have a strong spirit to be able to do this. You feed your spirit with My Word.
How did I teach Paul, and indeed all My people throughout Scripture, to control their bodies? By taking their thoughts and words captive to obedience to My Word. A person who does not stumble in their words is a fully mature and complete person, able to bridle his or her entire body. James 3:2. SELF-CONTROL STARTS WITH MOUTH CONTROL. Death and life, cursing and blessing, are in the power of your tongue. Your life is in your mouth. Do not be ensnared by the words of your mouth, by the fruit of your lips. Make sure the fruit you are producing with your tongue, which you will eat and become, is the fruit of the Spirit and not of the flesh. For I have not given you a spirit of fear, but of power and love and self-control. But you must be careful what you hear and what you say so you do not let in an unclean spirit adverse to Mine. Apply your heart to discipline and your ears to words of knowledge. Proverbs 23:12. In Christ are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. And He is My Word.
Walk according to the Spirit, not according to the flesh. For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward Me; for it does not subject itself to My law, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please Me. Romans 8:5-8. Why? Because it is clearly revealed by their words and works if someone is walking in the flesh and not the Spirit, for the works of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, and those who continually practice such things will not inherit My kingdom. Galatians 5:19-21.
However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed My Spirit dwells in you, which He does if you have received Jesus and confessed Him as Lord, knowing your sins are gone and you are righteous in Him, as proved when I raised Him from the dead. And just as the words and works of the flesh, that is, the fruit produced by the flesh, give evidence of the person’s mindset so do the words and works of those who are of the Spirit, for the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires, which is discipline and self-control. Let My Spirit help you in this, for if you live by the Spirit, also walk by the Spirit. And this again comes back to disciplining your thoughts and your words. Do not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another. Watch against jealousy and strife, which bring about evil in you, your home, and workplace.
I give you the formula for self-control and it is just three things for you to do. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and give constant thanks, for this is My Will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18. And if you get firm with yourself in keeping this, I can help you, for I will complete the good work I have begun in you and keep you from stumbling so you stand in the presence of My glory blameless with great joy. Jude 1:24. I am faithful and I also will bring it to pass. 1 Thessalonians 5:24.
So do not grieve and quench the Holy Spirit by giving your mouth free reign to ungodly, unwholesome, impure, angry, jealous, idle words or any form of malice or deceit. Do not despise prophetic utterances but examine everything carefully. Hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil. 1 Thessalonians 5:19-21. And that is self-control. Keep the good, and I alone am good, and abstain from the evil. Walk, speak, and live in the Light. Nothing you think, speak or do should be something you have to hide in darkness in fear of having it exposed by the light. If you have to hide it, don’t do it. The first man and woman hid from Me, who is Love and Light, when they sinned. Stop hiding and bring all into My marvelous Light and My Light will cleanse you, that is, the true Light who shines on every man. The Light of the world. And He is in you to light up your life if you heard His voice and opened the door to let the Light in when He knocked.
My Son, when He gave you His peace, cautioned you about self-control in order to receive and enjoy this awesome gift of My very own peace, which passes all understanding, and will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. And it is this: do not let your heart be troubled, do not let it be afraid. John 14:27. And how do you do that? By casting all your cares upon Me because I care for you. And this has to do with humility also as well as faith and trust. I am with you to do good to you and not evil, to give you a future and a hope. So be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to Me and know I am taking care of it with you, in you, and for you. I am working all things together for your good, even if others mean them for harm, when you love Me and are following according to My plans and purposes for you and the world, which are plans for your shalom and not evil. Trust in My goodness and My love for you as manifested in all I have done for you and do for you in Christ Jesus. And My shalom peace that Jesus gave you, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
And how do you control your thoughts? By setting guidelines of what you permit your mind to think upon. You can discipline yourself in this as a parent does a child. Only permit yourself to dwell upon whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise. Other thoughts will come into your head, but you must dismiss them without giving them lodging, tell them there is no room for them and crowd them out with good things from Me by finding Scriptures to counter them with. For example if you are troubled with impure thoughts or depressed thoughts, say, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and sustain me with a willing spirit.” Psalm 51:10-12. The words you have learned and received and heard and seen in Jesus, for He is My Word from the beginning and before, practice these things, and I, the God of peace, will be with you. Philippians 4:6-9.
I love you. Be so attached to the vine by abiding in Me and My Words abiding in you, that you bear much fruit, fruit that will remain and bring you a full reward. Remember, self-control is mouth control. Pray that you not be put to the test, for the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. Together with Me, filled with My Spirit, we can bring it to pass.