Today I’m going to be talking about self control. And this is stuff I’ve written down through just studying and listening to, you know, Tim Keller and reading the word. So self control is when Jesus comes into our lives, he gives us true self control. So self control apart from Jesus is. Is willpower, which is the counterfeit version of self control. Cause eventually that willpower will be overcome. So the only true self control is when Jesus comes to our lives and gives it to us. And in non believers, the flesh has dominion over us. So the flesh is when we decide we want to live for our own happiness and be our own master apart from god. We want to put ourselves first in our life to be god rather than to be under god. So what the flesh does is it teaches us to stay in control of our lives by worshipping other things. So everyone’s flesh has chosen different things that, um, tells us we must have. So like, for example, like if your flesh says, um, if I have this, then I will be okay, or if I get to this amount of money in my life, I will then be okay, that is us deciding what is our unhappiness. And yeah, that’s what the flesh does. Whatever controls us is our Lord. Does that make sense? You either controlled by many things on this earth, or you’re controlled by Jesus Christ. Whatever. Controls us is our Lord. In Romans chapter 10, verse 3, it says, since they did not know the righteousness that comes from god and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. Christ is the end of the law, so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes. So everyone tries to establish their own righteousness. And why? Because the flesh makes us want to be our own god. When we are under the dominion of the flesh, we want to be our own god. And the only way out for being under the flesh is through Jesus and the gospel. So Christ has abolished all of these standards of seeking our unrighteousness. And in Romans chapter 6, verse 6 through 7, it says, we know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we will no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. Crucifier flesh, so you could be no longer enslaved or under dominion of the flesh and sin. Romans 6 Chapter 14 says, for sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under the law, but under Grace. Praise god, we are under Grace. How do you know if you’re under the, the dominion of sin? And this is Tim Keller’s, um, understanding that I, I Learned from him. It says, when you don’t know You’re under dominion is when you are under the dominion of sin. So when you’re blind to the fact that you are habitually sinning, you are under the dominion of your flesh. You don’t even know how to rebel against it because you don’t know that you are being controlled by it. So as soon as you realize that sin is controlling you, it’s no longer absolutely controlling you. You now can rebel because you know that you are under the control. Does that make sense? So when Jesus is your Lord and savior, you are now not under the dominion of your flesh and sin, you have been set free. Though your old self will try to crawl back and pull you back into sin. But if you just know God’s character and know his word and spend time with him, you will be able to fight against it and it won’t have any hold on you. Cause Christian growth is. Is gradual. You don’t guys that god can set you free of things immediately in the snap of a finger. But how are we gonna learn anything through that, you know? So god lets us grow gradually in him. The more we spend time with him, the more we know him and learn his word. So in. In 1st Corinthians chapter 10 verse 13, it says, no temptation has overcome you. That is not common to man. God is faithful and he will not let you be tempted. Beyond your ability. But with the temptation, he will also provide the way of escape that you may be able to endure it. So a non believer is in constant battle with this sin. A believer is in battle with their. With their old self. But the more we grow closer to Christ, the less and less that our old self is um. It. It weakens our old self. You know, it’s. It’s not gonna be coming back. You know, your old self, um. Will try to come back and have you slip up and fall back into sin. But the. The more we um, grow with Christ, the less and less power that will have over us. So in Romans, chapter 7, verse 15, it says, for I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. And this is what it’s talking about when we. Our old self is making us do things we hate. But I don’t understand it. Why? It’s cause sin is trying to get back into your life. So once you’ve accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and savior, and abide by his word and obey his commandments, the flesh cannot win. It may fight against you, you know, it may still try to fight, but it will not win. Because Jesus is inside of you. You’ve been set free. So. And um.