HelpFinder Bible - Flipbook - Page 299
page A297
• R O MA NS 1 3 :1 4 | Clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don’t let
yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires.
• 2 PE T E R 1 :6 | . . . and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient
endurance, and patient endurance with godliness . . . (See note on page 1135.)
We must ask God to help us with self-control. The better we know God, the easier selfcontrol becomes.
• 1 C O R I NT H I A NS 1 0 :1 3 | The temptations in your life are no different from what others
experience. . . . When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.
(See note on page 1037.)
It helps to know that others are facing the same temptations we are. It also helps to know
that God wants to help us! Ask him.
• 1 C O R I NT H I A NS 9 :2 5 | All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a
prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize.
God wants you to exercise self-control over what you think, what you say, and what you
do. He wants you to live as children of God, not as mindless followers of the godless ways
of culture. You can do this by (1) honestly assessing your weaknesses; (2) determining
that they will no longer rule you; (3) appealing to the Holy Spirit to help you stand strong
against temptation; (4) humbly confessing to God when you make a mistake; and (5) giving
glory to God when you are victorious!
• PSA L M 6 0 :1 2 | With God’s help we will do mighty things, for he will trample down our foes.
• PSA L M 6 1 :2 | From the ends of the earth, I cry to you for help when my heart is overwhelmed.
Lead me to the towering rock of safety.
Our extremity is God’s opportunity. When we face a problem or temptation too big,
we should run to God for help.
What are the rewards of self-control?
• J A ME S 1 :1 2 | God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward
they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
Self-control saves you from the consequences of giving in to sin and bad habits. Self-control
in faithfully following God will be rewarded in heaven.
How can I best control my emotions?
• PR O VE R B S 4 :2 3 | Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.
• E Z E K I E L 3 6 :2 6 | “And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you.”
What you think about doesn’t just come from your mind; it comes from your heart. The
Bible says that the heart is “desperately wicked” (Jeremiah 17:9). It is the center of the
battle between your sinful nature and your new nature as a believer. It is also the center
of your emotions. This should make you cautious about trusting your emotions, because
Satan is trying to get you to think that your sinful feelings are right. It is obvious, then,
that guarding your heart means not allowing bad influences in. For example, if you look at
pornography you let it into your heart, and then the healthy emotion of sensual love will
become tainted by sin, turn to lust, and begin to convince you that you deserve to enjoy
sinful sexual pleasures. To effectively guard your heart you must keep filling it with God’s
Word, which comes from God’s heart, and is good and perfect.
• J O B 7 :1 1 | “I cannot keep from speaking. I must express my anguish.”
Keep an open dialogue with the Lord and others you trust so you are not covering up your
emotions. Share your feelings with a few godly confidants so they can hold you accountable when you get off track and help you redirect your emotions from unhealthy ways to
healthy ones.
• E Z R A 3 :1 2 -1 3 | Many of the older priests, Levites, and other leaders who had seen the
first Temple wept aloud when they saw the new Temple’s foundation. The others, however,
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• PSA L M 5 6 :3 -4 | But when I am afraid, I will put my trust in you. I praise God for what he
has promised. I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me?
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When we need help beyond our own self-control, what should we do?