This week is BT week at the home office and we recorded three new programs, bringing the number of Beyond Today programs to 399. Next month we will record our 400th program! The titles of the programs recorded yesterday were: "Called, Chosen and Faithful" by Darris McNeely, "Easter: The Rest of the Story" by Steve Myers, and "The Biblical Way for Raising Happy Children" by Gary Petty.

Today, writer, filmmaker and biblical historian Tim Mahoney gave Beyond Today interviews in our studio in three separate segments. These will be featured soon on our website. He is known for his series Patterns of Evidence in which he features the dates for the Exodus that go back 250 years before the popularly-accepted dates.

"Last but not least" spiritual gift

It happens to all of us. We hear a great inspiring point in a sermon, read a Beyond Today article that hits home, or find a spiritual gem in our personal Bible study. Or, facing a trial or uncomfortable time, we may resolve to spend more time in prayer, seeking God. Or on the physical side, we may want to drop a few pounds, or eat more nutritional food and exercise to improve our health. Whatever the situation, we may think to ourselves, "I will change and integrate that into my life immediately!"

We may have some short-term success. But then life happens. We get overwhelmed at work, at school, with family issues. Or distracted. Or whatever. Whether we want it to or not, our resolve wanes. This often happens after the first of the year when people make sincere resolutions to make positive changes but then fail to follow through longterm.

Sometimes the situation is even more serious. Under unusual stress, we may find ourselves overindulging in food, especially sweets. A similar situation can arise in this day and age when men and women wear immodest clothing or act publicly in an inappropriate, even ungodly manner, arousing emotions and desires that only lead to trouble. Sometimes we can allow ourselves to think inappropriate thoughts, letting them linger without immediately asking God to remove and replace such thinking.

We may think, "I shouldn't be doing this." But then temptation appears with all its enticements. It becomes all too easy to say or think, "I'm tired/overwhelmed/busy. I'll deal with this tomorrow." We can then find ourselves to be our main challenge.

One fruit of the Holy Spirit mentioned in Galatians 5 is the solution. That fruit is self-control.

Interestingly, the spiritual gift of self-control—a fruit of the Spirit of God working within us—appears as the crowning last attribute that Paul mentions in Galatians 5:23. Without this powerful gift of self-control, we cannot fully appreciate or deploy all of the other fruit of the Spirit!

Sometimes we can confuse self-control with willpower. Willpower represents the human virtue that seeks to counter negative habits or decisions with the strength of human commitment. This is indeed useful, but it is not what Paul was speaking of.

The Greek word for self-control that Paul was inspired to write is transliterated egkrateia. The English word temperance comes from its Latin equivalent. In biblical usage, the Greek word egkrateia is spiritually expressed in the virtue and character of one who masters their desires and passions, especially sensual appetites.

We are but physical beings, subject to physical limitation and mental bandwidth. We can—and should—put forth self-effort to embrace spiritual growth, to improve our relationships and to develop our God-given abilities. But self-effort can sometimes masquerade as spiritual self-control.

The real self-control—egkrateia—comes from the Holy Spirit living and working in us! It is a gift from God that we are to use and exercise!

Here's a critical point: this quality of spiritual self-control plays a major role in overcoming and the building of holy character that will last for all eternity! As expressed in the first chapters of Revelation, the outcome of spiritual self-control being exercised and deployed enables us to become conquerors in this present evil age! As Jesus says: "To the one who conquers [KJV 'overcomes'] I will grant to eat of the tree of life" (Revelation 2:8, English Standard Version).

This mastery of wrong desire, of abstaining from practices that lead to harm, begins in the changing of our minds under the direct and powerful influence of the Holy Spirit (Romans 12:1-2). It reflects the process of us becoming more like God Himself.

When we ask for this spiritual gift of self-control, we will find that God will do for us what we cannot do for ourselves. Coupled with the belief that God will do what He says (James 1:5-6), this spiritual self-control in action will help us step back from situations that can lead to sin. It helps us break the bonds of addiction. It improves our lives. It literally helps wrong desire to vanish. We "take every thought captive to obey Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:5, ESV).

After listing nine varieties of fruit that come from the Holy Spirit working in us, Paul writes: "Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified [put to death] the flesh with its passions and desires" (Galatians 5:24, ESV). This reflects the capstone of active self-control in our day-to-day lives.

This concludes our present study of the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Now, as we all move forward, let us follow Paul's advice: "If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit" (verse 25). May the Almighty God grant you grace, peace and power to live these marvelous words and produce abundant spiritual fruit!