Picture a tug-of-war contest. Two sides struggle against each other, straining to gain control. Can both sides win? Of course not—that’s the nature of the game.

In this message, Dr. Stanley sheds light on the internal conflict each of us must face: the battle between obeying God or indulging our flesh. It’s a high-stakes struggle with only one winner. But as children of God we’re not left on our own—with the Holy Spirit on our side, we’re each equipped with self-control. Learn how this fruit of the Spirit tips the scales in your favor.

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[Music]

there’s not anything in your life you

can’t give up

when it comes to sin if you are willing

to surrender your life to Jesus Christ

and tell him I’ve made a blunder of my

life I’ve messed it up I’ve heard of the

people I’ve sinned against you have

sinned against my self sinned against

the people I love the most

God can you help me here’s my life will

they help you change your life

[Music]

four decades ago we started in touch

ministries to lead people worldwide into

a growing relationship with Jesus Christ

throughout the years we’ve seen God’s

greatness his love and his blessings in

such awesome ways that we just want

everyone to know him so let’s open God’s

Word and seek Him together next on

InTouch the battle for self-control is

there any area of your life that you

would consider as being out of control

what about your finances the out of

control what about your moral life would

you say that’s out of control what about

your relationship with other people it’s

out of control

what about your attitudes towards some

people like jealousy when you think

about your life is there any area of

your life that you say well I think

that’s out of control for example you

drink and maybe you take drugs

well maybe you gamble a little bit you

say

and what about gossiping what about just

having a critical spirit what about

being lazy none of those fit who we are

that’s why Paul said to the Galatians

the fruit of the Spirit is love joy

peace patience kindness goodness

faithfulness gentleness self-control so

when you think about your life would you

would you say that your life is not in

control would you say that there are

some areas of my life

certainly are not in control well it’s a

battle and that’s the title of this

message the battle for self-control we

all want to be in control of our lives

and now what I mean by that is this we

want to have the relationship with our

Lord by which we are submitted to him to

the point that we’re not always battling

because watch this when things are not

right between you and God it’s like a

tug of war God wants you to do the right

thing you’d like to but but but you

don’t and so there’s tension and stress

and uneasiness and oftentimes

unhappiness like a peace lack of joy and

lack of all the things that’s all just

mentioned you see you cannot be living a

life of disobedience to God and have

love joy peace goodness and all the rest

you can’t use their lump sort of happy

the way I am Sola but you cannot have

real happiness real joy real peace real

love when you in the Lord Jesus Christ

the nun in agreement with about your

life so I want us to think about this

whole issue of the battle for

self-control in our lives because all of

us either have had a battle or in the

battle right at the present time so

think about this would you say that your

life is under control that you have a

sort of a healthy attitude about all of

these things the desire for acceptance

by others how strong is that desire that

you have that you want to be accepted by

everybody else the desire to be loved by

others do you want people to love you

that is have a close relationship

what about desires for all types of

pleasure does that characterize you

there just whatever is fun whatever

makes you feel good for the moment

that’s what that’s what you’re looking

for what about sex

d/f sexual desires that outside the will

of God we’re living in a very secular

oriented society and Paul lived in a

society there was a cesspool of

immorality and so he knew about it

what about desires for wealth and

security where is that rate on your list

of important things wealth and security

what about desires to achieve in to

excel is that a healthy desire you have

or do you want to excel above other

people you want to be better than what

about the desire to be have no rights in

Fame

you see this is the reason people do

such atrocious things

it’s murdering other people there get

the name on television and the picture

and in the newspaper but look what it

costs them what about would you say that

you have a strong desire for happiness

if that’s true what are you doing to be

happy what do you being to be happy what

about your desire for personal

attractiveness is that wrong though it’s

not wrong but there’s that demand a lot

of your time both of you thinking do you

just want to look good or do you wanna

look good better than somebody else so

you feel the friction of that if I could

just if I could just fix my hair like

she fixes hers

well if I could just dress like a light

like she dresses or he dresses what

about a desire to control do you have a

desire to control over people somehow

you you just got to be number one and in

your business you are not number one but

you’d like to be you want to be and then

for example a desire for self-acceptance

I just want to be able to accept myself

the way I am

you and I will never be anyone else so

thinking about that no matter what you

are how you see yourself what you

intended

your life you will never be you will

never be like someone else

God made you just the way you are now

whether we distort that by our actions

and our attitudes that’s another

question but as you think about all of

these would you say that your life is

under control that you have a sort of a

healthy attitude about all of these

things now let’s talk about what self

control this self control is basically

thinking before you act which is what a

lot of people do not do thinking before

you act

and considering seriously the

possibility of the results that you have

would you say that’s true of your life

your life’s other control you think

before you act so the battle for self

control now beginning in the 19th verse

of the 5th chapter Paul saw sets us up

for the fruits of the spirit by saying

verse 19 now the deeds of the flesh

notice what he says there are fruits of

the spirit that is this is the these

things we just mentioned love peace and

joy these attitudes come from the work

of a holy spirit within us but notice

how he contrasts that in verse 19 in the

fifth chapter

now the deeds are actions of the flesh

the way we live are evident which are

and the first three of them have to do

with sexuality sin he says immorality

impurity sensuality then a dollar tree

sorcery enmities strife jealousy

outbursts Lavanya disputes dissensions

factions Indian drunkenness carousing

things like these of which I fall on you

just as I have forewarned you that those

who practice such things will not

inherit the kingdom of God now watch

this verse you may be seated here or out

there someone you’re saying then I guess

I’m not going to heaven because I’ve

done

than one of all those things the key

word in this passage is that I have

warned you those who practice such

things and so I won’t get into the Greek

of the overview but what that means is

it’s a way of life not not that that has

not happened in your life because more

than likely when I look at this list all

of us that some degree have it was

sometimes probably committed one or all

of those but it’s not a practice it’s

not a way of life for us when you trust

in Jesus Christ those things do not fit

who we are so he’s saying those who

practice such things it’s their

lifestyle a person who drinks all the

time it’s their lifestyle person who’s

always into something sexual it’s their

lifestyle you can just go out and then

bliss if this is your way of life this

is what you’re committed to he says

you’ll not inherit the kingdom of God so

we’re not saying that a person who does

one of these is not your to heaven but

if you’ve come to the place in your life

you practice those it’s the way you

think that’s who you are it’s because

you’re not saved you can’t live like

that continuously and gonna be saved you

say well now I thought no listen to what

he said those who practice those things

will not inherit the kingdom of God so

that’s our actions but what about the

fruit of the Spirit so let’s think about

that for just a moment and ask ask you a

few questions and well not think about

that and think about the society in

which you not live think about the fruit

of the Spirit versus what we live around

and ask yourself the question would you

be considered a follower of Jesus with

your conduct the things that you do you

can see and the think places you go how

you spend your money the words are all

those things in your life that you

consider important that they fit who you

are when you trusted Christ as your

Savior you turned your back on sin

doesn’t mean that you’ll never sin again

turned your back on sin

and so your commitment to the Lord is to

be obedient to him to walk in his ways

because you want the fruit of the Spirit

in your life of love and joy and peace

and goodness and gentleness and all

these fruits you want in your life

because you’re gonna be more satisfied

you’re gonna be more secure you’re going

to be able to relate to other people

totally different than what you used to

so as you look at your life would you

say at this point that you are walking

in the spirit and those who know you

would you say they know you as a person

who walks in the spirit something

different about you

or do they see in you this tension this

stress this anxiety this it’s like a

tug-of-war how do you break that tension

stress and all the rest by surrendering

to the Lord by turning your life over to

him by saying God the way I’ve been

living it doesn’t work that’s not the

way I want to live in my life

and I think about people who live their

whole life captured by some sin living

in slavery in their hearts and their

minds many people live and die and never

experience the love of God the goodness

of God the freedom of God the gentleness

of God the rewards of God live they live

the whole life and never experienced

that so if somebody should say to you

today

well at this point in your life whatever

your age where would you say you are

would you say that you’re a person who

experiences the love of God a person who

recognizes that he’s the source of

everything would you say that you’re a

person who loves other people you’re

happy when you see other people being

blessed you’re happy when you see other

people be saved you love listening to

the Word of God

could they be said of you or would you

have to say I can’t exactly explain it

but I’m really unhappy I’d like to be

different there are things in my life

I’d like to get rid of but there’s some

things in my life I’ve done I just can’t

give up

yes you can there’s not anything in your

life you can’t give up when it comes to

sin if you are willing to surrender your

life to Jesus Christ and tell him I’ve

made a blunder of my life I’ve messed it

up I’ve heard of the people I’ve sinned

against you have sinned against my self

sinned against the people I love the

most

God can you help me here’s my life will

they help you change your life change

everything about you

self come so would you say that your

life is under the control of God if not

let me ask you a question

are you happy no you’re not you

satisfied with how you’re doing in life

no you can’t be living outside of God’s

will and plan and purpose for your life

and be happy you cannot not real joy and

not real peace not any of those fruit of

it that’s not going to be in your life

the fruit of the Spirit not of the flesh

and the thing that concerns me most is

how people live their lives and look

back and think well what did this happen

to me well what what if well why was it

not blessed

was it not because you didn’t listen to

God if you live disobediently before God

you suffer the consequences in other

words all of us who claim to be

followers of Jesus there is no

acceptable excuse for our not attempting

to live a godly life whereby the Holy

Spirit is in control about thinking and

of our actions and when he’s in control

I think before I act and my actions will

follow his purpose in his plan in his

will for a life so what is the key to

our self-control and so this brief

passage of Scripture is Paul’s way of

giving us an opportunity to examine

ourselves to see where we are in our

relationship to the Lord so

self-control requires that we think

before we act you want to get that down

self-control requires that we think

before we act and this is the problem

people act before they think and then

they’re sorry and so you must have a

strong desire to obey God if you don’t

have a strong desire to obey God you’re

not gonna live a godly life

you’re not gonna overcome most anything

without that strong desire for him in

your life to enable you so you’ve got to

believe in your heart that the Holy

Spirit who lives within you is going to

enable you not thinking about this jesus

knew all about temptation and trials and

everything else therefore when he

promised us the Holy Spirit he knew how

awful society was in those days when you

trusted him as your Savior the Spirit of

God came into your life to enable you to

live in whatever society you live in to

overcome all types of sin so it’s not

just you against your environment it’s

you the Holy Spirit who’s promised to

give you whatever you need to be

victorious he’s there for the asking and

the yielding of your life so when you

think about that you think about you

have someone to help you through this so

you should consider seriously the

following questions think about it for a

moment before you do anything ask

yourself these questions

how will this affect me spiritually but

secondly how will it affect me

financially and how’s it gonna affect my

health many people today or where they

are physically because they have

violated the physical laws that God has

given us and then they wonder while

they’re where they are so oftentimes

it’s a violation of a principle God’s

given us so think about how they’re

gonna affect me spiritually financially

has

take my hell and how will others how’s

it gonna affect how others see me will

they look at you and say she’s really

committed to the Lord I can tell he’s

really committed to the Lord you will

never talk them and they go in a place

like that they will never allow that in

their life that is when you think about

your life how do others see you not

perfect none of us are perfect but do

they see you watch this do they see you

as a true believer do they see in you a

person who not only claims to be a

Christian but person who lives it out

not perfect but they see the difference

in you and so you ask this question all

these questions and ask this question

what are the consequences of my actions

to the people I work with do they see me

as having live the Christian life do my

friends see me as someone who is honest

today in this situation do others see me

as somebody who’s very reckless with my

money reckless with my morals reckless

with my attitude knowit’s is the fruit

of the Spirit evident in our lives every

day all day now think about this for a

moment God has provided his very very

best for you and listen I didn’t say the

best was easy it’s not easy it’s

difficult sometimes to have God’s best

but let me ask you a question what’s

better than God’s best nothing and so

when Paul wrote this hold a book of

Galatians he listened to what he says

for example he says in the last chapter

do not be deceived God is not mocked

whatever a man shows this he will also

reap all through this these four six

chapters he’s encouraging us to live a

godly life and what does he say don’t be

deceived I was don’t believe the devil’s

lie

you know as you you can’t you can’t mark

gods I don’t believe in God and all the

rest whatever a man shows he will also

reap although he believes it or not he

God is not marked for whatever man shows

this he will also read period you saw I

don’t believe you always reap what you

sow that’s what you’re saying God lied

I’ll tell you another reason you can

believe it look around you look around

your friends who drink who are on drugs

who are living in immorality day after

day after day who cheat when they can

live when they can and brag about

getting away with it you know you don’t

want to live that kind of life because

listen you cannot change the law of God

you can’t change his long as laws listen

whatever we sow will reap and think

about this

you’ve been sowing something all these

years they God says you’re gonna reap a

harvest does God miss anything no

there’s God it’s he a judgmental God

know what the problem is we hear what he

says but we don’t believe what he says

for example if somebody said to me I’ll

tell you what Esther if you just step

out all the way down here and here’s

what’s gonna happen if you do that

you’ll break your leg will not be

foolish to look down four steps and say

well I’m gonna do it anyway you know

what that’s exactly what people do when

they hear the word of God they listen to

the Word of God they say oh yeah I do

believe that walk right out and there’s

something totally opposite now listen

carefully

it is it is a dangerous thing to listen

to the Word of God and then deliberately

willfully knowingly disobey God

dangerous because whatever man shows

he’s gonna reap reap forty souls more

than it’s over later than so we don’t

like that part just because you’re not

having a bad time at this point you

life and you’ve been getting you think

you’ve been getting away with sinned you

haven’t gotten away with it I’ll tell

you why God loves you too much to let

you get by with it he loves you too much

for it

besides then he would not be being

himself God has chosen the very best for

those who willing to listen surrender

and walk in his ways he’s got the best

don’t look around and compare yourself

with somebody else God has a plan for

your life he’s got the best plan for

your life ask yourself this question

what am i doing in my life

that’s watch this carefully what am i

doing in my life that’s cheating me out

of God’s best what is it what are you

doing that’s cheating you out of God’s

best create your stress and tension and

strife tug-a-war in your life what is it

in your life that you just can’t let go

what is it in your life that you want

that you don’t have what is in your life

that you’re doing that slam the door on

the blessings of God when I think about

how awesome loving God is and then

people who hear the truth and walk away

thinking there are no consequences

listen to me carefully if you will

listen carefully you’ll hear the devil

tell you this the devil to say you don’t

have to believe all that you don’t have

to believe all that but on this side

yawn is saying you’re gonna reap what

you sow

we have a choice and I will say to you

it’s a dangerous thing to hear the

gospel it’s very dangerous viddy to

listen to the gospel and turn it off

walk away because then you’re

responsible but knowing the truth

denying the truth

and say no to God it’s a dangerous thing

to hear the gospel and it’s an awesome

wonderful thing to hear the gospel it

depends upon how you respond how you

react let’s pray father in Jesus name

what a critical moment this is the

people seated hearing people who are

listening and watching their eternity

may hinge upon their decision in this

moment Oh God

may your love sweep over them may your

love surround them and undergird them

may they be wise enough to recognize

that your God the only true God and you

have the best the best plan possible for

them from this point on if they’re

willing to say yes Lord yes yes yes Lord

in Jesus name Amen if you’ve been

blessed by today’s program please visit

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