TOPIC: Change, Growth, Self-Control
REFERENCES: Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV), 2 Timothy 1:7 (NIV)
SERIES: It's A Brand New Year, Is It The Same Old You? | Part 4 of 6

SUMMARY
Have you ever wondered which it is... Is God in control or am I in control? If God is in control, why does He talk about self-control? If the Bible promotes a kind of spirituality that is to be spirit-led then why does it talk about self-discipline?

God grants to us responsibility for our life. He is still in control. He is still leading things, He is still opening and closing doors and windows of opportunity, but we are responsible. True spirituality, which includes self-control, accepts this truth - that God grants to me responsibility for my life and the things that happen in my life. I am responsible for my life. What I am not, is a victim. Any problem that I've got in my life, with my job, with my marriage, with my physical condition, my intellectual capacity, or my spiritual condition, is not the fault of the weather, the government, the church, my relatives, God or anyone else. I am responsible. Period.

Self-control, self-discipline, being proactive is about taking charge of the direction our lives are taking. Here's the paradox - we get control of our lives ultimately not by will-power but through surrender.

Two areas of surrender that give us self-control:
1. We gain control by surrendering the need to win the approval of other people.
2. We surrender by letting go of the unfair wounds that we did not deserve.


MY COMMENTS
The story Gordon tells at the end of this sermon is a perfect illustration of being proactive. Be sure to listen to the whole sermon so that you won't miss out!