Hello! Today we are going to dive into the fruit of the spirit - Self-Control! It is hard to believe that this is the end of this series! Stay tuned for the next one!
Over-arching Fruit of the Spirit memory verse:
Galatians 5:22-23, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”
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GET TO KNOW THE FRUITS!
Use this to engage your young children in the content. It tends to be a younger crowd favorite, so you may want to begin each "Fruit of the Spirit" session with this song.
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Optional memory verse:
1st Corinthians 10:13, “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”
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SELF-CONTROL: Opening songs:
For the younger children:
For the family:
As you watch/sing-along, consider the words. Consider today's topic - self-control! How is that Fruit shown in this song? How can you see yourself bearing this fruit in your everyday life?
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Modern illustration/introduction
For the Youngers -
For the whole family -
In his book, Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life, Donald S. Whitney writes the following: Tom Landry, (legendary) coach of the Dallas Cowboys...said, ‘The job of a football coach is to make men do what they don’t want to do in order to achieve what they’ve always wanted to be.’ In much the same way, Christians are called to make themselves do something they would not naturally do--pursue the spiritual disciplines--in order to become what they’ve always wanted to be, that is, like Jesus Christ.” It is not easy to be consistent in reading our Bible, spending time in prayer, and memorizing Scripture. But as we do these things, they help us to grow in our faith and become more like Jesus.
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Biblical Example - Self-Control
Read Titus 2:11-12
The Apostle Paul is an amazing example of someone in the Bible who exemplified self-control. In Philippians 3:10-14 he writes, “I want to know Christ--yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Paul reveals several things about self-control in this passage as it was lived out in his own life.
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First, Christ Jesus had taken hold of his life. He was living in the power of the Holy Spirit. This is the fruit of the Holy Spirit’s working in his life, not just the result of his own hard work. We have learned about all 9 Fruits of the Spirit. When we are living in the power of the Spirit, we are exhibiting all 9 of those fruits. It doesn't mean we are perfect all of the time, we are human! But if you find yourself really struggling in one area, you may need to ask yourself if you are truly letting Jesus take hold of your life, just as Paul did.
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Second, his life was focused. He had his eyes on the prize. He wasn’t going to allow anything to distract him or sidetrack him from reaching his goal. He expresses this again in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.” We must not allow ourselves to be distracted by the things of this world. Our goal must be to honor God in all that we do and say.
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Third, Paul recognized that he was still a work in progress. He had not yet arrived at his goal. For us, this means that we must be willing to admit where we are falling short. It means confessing sin and asking God to give us His strength to say no to temptation and to follow through on the things that God is asking us to do.
Application
Saying no to those things that hinder us in our walk with Christ and saying yes to those things that promote spiritual growth is what self-control is all about. This is the result of us cooperating with the Holy Spirit’s working in our lives. It is the fruit the Spirit produces. It takes work. it takes determination. It takes the power of the Holy Spirit. The end result is freedom, joy and greater faith as we reflect more of Jesus through our lives.
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Application Questions
1. What are some areas in your life where you may need more self-control?
2. When we consider all of the Fruits fo the Spirit, is there one you struggle with the most?
3. The Bible says, (Matt. 17:16) "You will know them by their fruit." When people look at your life, do they see the fruit you are bearing?
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Family Prayer Time
Bearing fruit is not something you can "just try harder at". You will not be able to bear these fruits with your own power or strength. We bear fruit when we humble ourselves and allow the Spirit to take over our lives, just as Paul did. The Bible says, (John 16:24) "Until now, you have asked for nothing in my name, ask and you will receive and your joy will be complete."
Take this time to ask. What do you need from the Lord? Do you need to surrender to Him? Do you need to ask Him to help you have self-control? Spend some time in individual prayer, then come together as a family and pray for each other and your family unit. God wants to be the center of your lives and your family. Ask Him to help you as a family surrender to him each day so that you can bear His fruit in your lives and be a living testimony for Him.
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That is the end of our Fruit of the Spirit series. I can't tell you how much this has been a blessing to us as we have written it. I hope that your family has found some value in it and that God has used it as a powerful tool in your homes. Our goal is to help bring families together and closer to Him. Spiritual growth begins in the home and we feel humbled and blessed if we have had any part in the work God is doing in your family.
We would love to hear testimony of how God is moving! In these trying times, it is always food for the soul to hear the uplifting messages.
Thank you,
Daryl and Rachel
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