CALVARY CHAPEL MERIDIAN

Fruit of the Spirit: Self-Control

Self-Control is the Ability to Tell Ourselves 'No' When We are Tempted

Memory Verse
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control; against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23

Read Daniel 1:1-17

Self-control helped Daniel and his friends stay true to God. It also made them a witness and showed their captor’s that God’s way was better. Self-control can help us say no to sin, and it can keep us healthy as we grow in Jesus.  

When we began the Fruit of the Spirit series, we talked about what it takes for a fruit tree to yield its crop. It needs good soil, plenty of sunshine, and plenty of water. A well-nourished plant will produce a huge crop of fruit. The seed of those fruits will then spread and grow even more trees and even more fruit.

Self-control is what we need to keep the soil of our lives healthy. Just as a healthy diet keeps our bodies in good shape, the good soil we create by saying no to sin and being faithful to God will cause all the fruits of the spirit to grow in our lives. As we share love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control with the people in our lives, the seeds of those fruits will spread. Our friends, our classmates, and our neighbors will all begin their own walks with Jesus. They will be rooted in good soil, and they will produce the Fruits of the Spirit for themselves.

Family Discussion
  • Why did Daniel choose not to eat the royal food and wine? (He wanted to please God) 
  • What made it easier to resist the temptation of the food set before him? (He had made up his mind before he was tempted, He was allowing God to work in the situation by speaking to the commander first) 
  • How did Daniel and his friends appear after the 10-day test that was agreed upon? (they were healthier and more robust than the men eating the royal food.) 
  • What Fruit of the Spirit helped Daniel and his friends stay true to God? (Self-Control) 
  • We have been studying the Fruits of the Spirit for the last nine weeks. Can you list them all? (Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, Self-Control) 
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