A Secret Strength

When you’ve been wronged and you’re angry, you feel anything but in control.

Another person, or people, did something that you had no power to stop, and it hurt you. In times like these, the devil doesn’t miss a beat. He moves in quickly to make you feel like a victim and convinces you that the only way to take back your power is to either lash back or hold a grudge—neither of which will get you anywhere. 

The same is true when you’re tempted to gossip, lie, cheat or anything else that is against the Word of God. Giving in can feel like you’re being carried away to a place you never wanted to go. It feels as if you’ve lost control.

Self-control, on the other hand, is just that—perfect control of your own life. You may not be able to control what happens around you, but you can control the end result in your life by how you respond.

So, self-control is not self-suppression, as some may believe. It’s quite the opposite. Self-control is a secret strength. Webster’s dictionary defines self-control as “possessing power, strong, having mastery or possession of, continent, or having restraint of one’s self or one’s actions or feelings.” 

That supernatural strength and power resides in the spirit of every born-again Christian, so it’s available to each of us! Some people naturally have a stronger will than others, but the fruit of self-control is a power that comes from the Holy Spirit Himself. That means even those who tend to be weak-willed or lack discipline can exercise the same power over life as anyone else. What a game changer! 

No matter where you’ve struggled to have self-control (and we all have), you can access the secret power available to every believer and come out victorious on the other side of any situation. Believe that today. It’s the beginning of your next victory.