The Ninth Fruit of Spirit

For God will never give you the spirit of fear, but the Holy Spirit who gives you

mighty power, love, and self-control.

2 Timothy 1:7 (TPT)

When life seems out of control, are you in control of yourself? What keeps you stable when circumstances around you are adrift? Your hope as a believer is in Christ. He is a dependable anchor to your soul’s emotions. He keeps you in check by His enduring love and mercy. Your memory in times of anxiety is a friendly reminder of His faithfulness in the past.

The ninth fruit of the Spirit is self-control, otherwise known as temperance. The Lord gives all who belong to Him the Spirit of a sound mind. Look at Jesus, and you will get a good picture of self-control. The devil tempted Jesus to react to emotional situations. He chose instead to rely on the promises of the written word. The spirit of the world indoctrinates people to move by what they see and not on the word of God. Disciples of Jesus do not follow the behavior and customs of the world because God transforms them to a higher level of thinking. An authentic believer in Christ lives in this world as a faithful witness of Him rather than a cheap imitation.

Self-control in times of crisis will enable you to stand. It will stabilize you with strength. When you yield to the Lord and focus your thoughts on things above rather than those on earth, you mature. The Holy Spirit cultivates self-control in you like fruit grows on a tree. The riper the fruit, the sweeter it is to taste. Yield to the Holy Spirit and sweeten your world with the fruit of self-control. The world needs it now more than ever!