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Galatians 5:22-23 (KJV & GNB), 1 Corinthians 9:25 (NKJV)
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. *But the Spirit produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility, and self-control. *And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.
Temperance is the nature of God that causes us to be self-controlled. God’s temperance helps us subject our desires and feelings to the plan and will of God alone. It helps us to control and restrain our body, soul and spirit, no matter the temptation, irritation or provocation that we may face. Jesus manifested considerable temperance during His time on earth and He has imparted unto us the ability to be as temperate as He is. The Bible records that He was tempted in every way, yet He was without sin, Heb.4:15. If there had been no tendency for Jesus to fall, it wouldn’t have been referred to as a temptation. Despite His feelings, He was able to submit and subject Himself to the will of God; just like He did in the Garden of Gethsemane. His knowledge of the truth of God’s Word played a major role in His ability to overcome His temptations, Luke 4:1-13.
In order to walk in the Spirit and not fulfill the lusts of the flesh, we must completely subject our lives and actions to the instructions and dictates of God’s Word and His desire for us. Engaging ourselves in godly exercises and disciplines also plays a great role in increasing our ability to die to our flesh and to be more temperate, 1Tim.4:8. Because we have died in Christ, we have the ability to die to our flesh. We must consider ourselves crucified to the world and consider the world crucified to us, like Apostle Paul did, Gal.6:14. Godliness with contentment is great gain, 1Tim.6:6. The key to contentment is our ability to control our appetite and desires. We must always be ready to be temperate (self-controlled) in every area of our lives.
FAITH DECLARATION: I am crucified to the world and the world is crucified to me. I have the ability to be self controlled like Jesus..
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