In order to be happy in life, you must start doing the right things and stop doing the wrong things. And one of the first things you must do is stop saying, ‘I just don’t have any self-control.’ Self-control is a choice, and the more you choose it, the stronger it becomes. And here is the best part: the power of self-control comes from God, not you. ‘The Spirit gives us power, love, and self-control.’ It happens automatically as you spend time with God in prayer and His Word. ‘Listen carefully to my words. Don’t lose sight of them. Let them penetrate deep into your heart, for they bring life to those who find them, and healing to their whole body. Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life’ (Proverbs 4:20-23 NLT). God will give you the power to do this, but you must exercise that power each day. There is no quick-fix form of self-control. Remember how many times in school you repeated your times tables before they became part of your thinking? Now you just do it automatically. Similarly, when you become educated to think as God wants you to think, you will be able to defeat the devil and walk in victory. And the first step is to stop saying, ‘I just don’t have any self-control.’ You will never rise above what you say! As long as you believe you’re not a disciplined person, you won’t be. So today, come into agreement with God’s Word and start saying, ‘I am disciplined and self-controlled.’
