Why Self-Control Is Your Ultimate Ticket to Success

The following illustration underscores the vital nature of self-control in this ‘me’ society in which we live. Have you ever heard of the Marshmallow Experiment? This experiment tried to show the essence of emotional self-regulation as the ability to delay impulse in the service of a goal. The importance of this trait to success was demonstrated in an experiment begun in the 1960s by psychologist Walter Mischel at a preschool on the Stanford University campus. Children were told that they could have a single treat, such as a marshmallow, right now.

However, if they would wait while the experimenter ran an errand, they could have two marshmallows. Some preschoolers grabbed the marshmallow immediately, but others could wait what, for them, must have seemed an endless 20 minutes. To sustain themselves in their struggle, they covered their eyes so they wouldn’t see the temptation, rested their heads on their arms, talked to themselves, sang, even tried to sleep. These plucky kids got the two-marshmallow reward. The exciting part of this experiment came in the follow-up.

The children who, as 4-year-olds had been able to wait for the two marshmallows, were, as adolescents, still able to delay gratification in pursuing their goals. They were more socially competent and self-assertive and better able to cope with life’s frustrations. In contrast, the kids who grabbed the one marshmallow were, as adolescents, more likely to be stubborn, indecisive, and stressed.¹ A simple experiment, profound results — Why Self-Control Is Your Ultimate Ticket to Success, that’s our focus on this week’s Light on Life.

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Each week’s podcast contains a call to action. The Word of God will not produce in your life unless you put it into operation.
This weeks call is:

Begin to examine the areas of your life where you know you need to increase in the discipline of self-control. Make a quality decision to ‘keep your body under.’

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Each week’s podcast also contains a question designed to encourage testimony. Testimony is vital to a believer’s life. We overcome by it (Rev. 12:11).
This week’s question is:

Question: Share your testimony of how you overcame an area of excess by using the powerful fruit of the Spirit known as self-control. Please leave your story in the comments section below.

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About Emery

Emery committed his life to the Lord Jesus Christ over 40 years ago and has served as both a full-time pastor and an itinerant minister. Both he and his wife Sharon of 37 years, emphasize personal growth and development through the Word of God. The ministry of the Holy Spirit is both the focus and the hallmark of their mission. Read more about them here.

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Self-Control: What It Is and What It Isn’t

1 Corinthians 9:24–27 (ESV) — 24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. 25 Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. 26 So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. 27 But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.

What Paul describes here as the Pentathlon was an Olympic type event with five events all playing out in one afternoon.
The five events of the ancient Pentathlon were the foot race, the javelin throw, the discus throw, the long jump, and wrestling.
Much like it’s modern counterpart, the events were picked because each of them was useful skills for combat.
War was a big thing in the ancient world, just like it is today.
In fact, the Lord left some enemies behind for Israel to train on.

Judges 3:2 (ESV) – 2 It was only in order that the generations of the people of Israel might know war, to teach war to those who had not known it before.

What’s the point? — combat skills are vital for life’s battles.
To grow, you have to know war.
Today, we have our version of the Pentathlon.
The modern version’s five events include fencing, swimming, horse riding, pistol shooting, and running.
Per the Encyclopedia Britannica, they were chosen to reflect skills that cavalry soldiers of the 19th-century ought to possess and refine.
So, sports was about war, about combat.
So, both the modern and ancient versions of the Pentathlon had direct applications to everyday life.
The training profited the contestants in everyday life because they were skills soldiers needed to survive.
The Apostle Paul ties this concept directly to spiritual life in Christ.
Christian soldiers need to train — they need to know war and combat.
To win life’s fight, followers of Jesus need to drill, practice, and work with the same intensity as an Olympic champion.
That’s the Word of God!

Self-Control and Running for Jesus

Let’s take a look at one of the events in the ancient version of the Pentathlon, the running event.
And with that thought, here’s the Historical Background of the day.

The Greeks had one particularly grueling running event which we lack. In addition to the sprints and the long distance races, they also had a 420 yards and an 840 yard race by athletes in armor. This race was especially useful in building the speed and stamina that Greek men needed during their military service. If we remember that the standard hoplite armor (helmet, shield, and greaves)weighed about 50–60 lbs, it is easy to imagine what such an event must have been like.²

Can you imagine running in 60 lbs. of armor for 8 and 1/2 football fields in length?

Running with Your Armour On

Running with your armor on, isn’t that a scriptural principle?

Ephesians 6:10–13 (ESV) — 10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.

The armor Paul refers to here is not the Greek version but the Roman.
Roman body armor weighed in around the 40 lb. region.
In either case, we are talking about running with your armor on, that’s a valid spiritual point.
Surely, followers of Jesus should do no less than the Olympian, which is what Paul refers to in 1 Corinthians 9.
Train with your armor on.

Spiritual Attitudes: The Armour of God

The fact that the Lord provided amour for us implies a fight — it points toward war and battle.
The armor of God is spiritual attitudes a follower of Jesus must maintain.

Ephesians 6:14 (ESV) — 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,

The breastplate of a Christian’s armor is righteousness.
What that means in simple terms is that followers of Jesus must maintain a ‘righteousness consciousness.’
A righteousness consciousness helps you in life’s combat zone.
We must know that we are right with God — that is that our standing with Him is solid.
What makes our place in God solid? — the Blood that Jesus shed.
That means you are no more right with God, the day you die than 5 minutes after you gave your heart to Jesus.
Now, there will be a lot in life that you face that will try and tell you otherwise.
That’s why you must ‘train’ in and maintain this righteousness attitude.
Now, you can take each of the pieces of armor listed in Ephesians six and apply the same idea, which is of training in the spiritual attitudes that each piece of armor represents.
But there is another area where we need to train, and Paul mentions that in verse 25 — ‘every athlete exercises self-control in all things.

Self Control: The Holy Grail of Spirit Development

What is self-control?
I’m glad you asked that, and with that thought, here’s the definition of the day.
The Greek word for self-control used by Paul in 1 Corinthians 9:25 means to keep one’s emotions, impulses, or desires under control.
It means to control oneself or to abstain.[2 William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 274.]
That pretty much says it — doesn’t it?
And with that thought, here’s the quote of the day.

One gentleman said that self-control is the capacity to break a chocolate bar into four pieces with your bare hands—and then eat just one of the pieces.³

That’s self-control — it’s staying under your emotions, impulses, or desires.
Another way of saying it is not giving full vent or expression to your emotions, impulses, or desires.
Are you angry about something?
Self-control is not allowing yourself to blow your top completely.

Ephesians 4:26 (TNIV) — 26 “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry,

Are you hungry?
Self-control is not allowing yourself to pig out.
Do you want to give someone a piece of your mind?
Self-control is holding on to that piece.
We don’t blow up, go off, or let go — we maintain self-control – we keep our cool.

When the Lord Says Self-Control, Does He Mean Me?

Yes, he does self-control is part of the believer’s lifestyle.
Every Jesus follower must build up and learn to tap into self-control.
It is God’s will for your life.
It must be God’s will because it is one of the fruits of the recreated born-again human spirit.

Galatians 5:22–23 (TNIV) — 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

So, then you cannot say that you do not have it as some confess.
People will say, ‘You know when it comes to this area, I just have no control.’
If you are born again believer in Jesus, guess what? — you just told a lie.

2 Timothy 1:6–7 (ESV) — 6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, 7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

You see, you have self-control; the Lord gave it to you when you gave your heart to Him.
That means ‘everyone’ is to live their life’s under the umbrella of control.

Elders Must Be Self-Controlled

1 Timothy 3:2 (ESV) – 2 Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,

Titus 1:8 (ESV) – 8 but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined.

That means preachers are supposed to live this way.
You know you can’t run God’s church if you can’t run yourself.

During his term as President of the U.S., Lyndon Johnson was somewhat overweight. One day his wife challenged him with this blunt assertion: “You can’t run the country if you can’t run yourself.” Respecting Mrs. Johnson’s wise observation, the President lost 23 pounds.⁴

Mrs. Johnson told it like it is, didn’t she?
But, let me ask you a question — do you think the self-controlled lifestyle is just for preachers?
Don’t you think it should be true of all believers?
Well, let’s ask the Word of God and see what He says about this.
You don’t have to hear it from me.

Older Men Must Be Self-Controlled

Titus 2:2 (ESV) – 2 Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness.

So, not just preachers — older men also are to live in control.

Younger Women Must Be Self-Controlled

Titus 2:4–5 (ESV) — 4 and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, 5 to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.

So, now we have younger women as well as older men.
That’s what thus saith the Word.

Younger Men Must Be Self-Controlled

Titus 2:6 (ESV) – 6 Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled.

Wow, the list keeps growing — older men, younger women, younger men, and not just preachers.

All People Must Be Self-Controlled

Titus 2:11–12 (ESV) — 11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age,

Did you hear it? — bringing salvation for all people, training us.
Who is the ‘us?’ — the ‘us’ is all people.
So now, this settles it — the self-controlled lifestyle is for all people.

Growing in Self-Control

So, now, how do we get there – How do we grow in self-control?
Paul gives us two things that he did: listen to verse twenty-seven of our original text again.

1 Corinthians 9:27 (ESV) — 27 But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.

The two things are disciplining the body and keeping it under control.
What does that mean?
Well, listen to this same passage in another translation, the KJV.

1 Corinthians 9:27 (KJV) — 27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

So, instead of ‘disciplining the body,’ we have ‘keeping your body under.’
And, for ‘keeping the body under control,’ we have ‘bring it into subjection.’
How about TNIV?
What does it say?

1 Corinthians 9:27 (TNIV) — 27 No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

So, instead of ‘disciplining the body,’ or ‘keeping your body under,’ we have’ strike a blow to my body.’
And for ‘keeping the body under control’ and ‘bring it into subjection’, we have ‘make it my slave.’
And finally, the Amplified translation adds the following.

1 Corinthians 9:27 (AMP) — 27 But [like a boxer] I buffet my body [handle it roughly, discipline it by hardships] and subdue it, for fear that after proclaiming to others the Gospel and things pertaining to it, I myself should become unfit [not stand the test, be unapproved and rejected as a counterfeit].

Now, add ‘buffet my body — handle it roughly, discipline it by hardships, discipline the body,’ or ‘keeping your body under,’ or ‘strike a blow to my body.
Add the thought of ‘subduing the body’ to keeping the body under control’ or ‘bring it into subjection’, or ‘make it my slave.
Now that’s actually a pretty good job by the translators and captures the sense of the Greek words used here.
Let’s review:
I discipline my body means:
- to ‘buffet my body — handle it roughly, discipline it by hardships,
- to ‘keep your body under,’
- to ‘strike a blow to my body.
I keep my body under control means:
- to subdue the body
- to bring it into subjection
- to make it my slave
One commentator translating this phrase ‘I discipline my body and keep it under control’ said the Greek means literally – ‘I pummel my body and make it a slave.’ ⁵
Now, compare all of this to some of our modern phraseology and tell me what you think.
- Anything that feels good couldn’t possibly be bad — Angela Jolie
- Too much of a good thing can be wonderful — Mae West
- Anything worth doing is worth overdoing — Mick Jagger

What do you think about these quotes? — do they sound like what God’s Word says — ‘I keep my body under control?’

Can You Ever Just Let Yourself Go?

With that thought, here is the illustration of the day.

In May 1996, 5 foot 7 inch, 118 pound Miss Venezuela won the Miss Universe contest. According to the Chicago Tribune, after her victory reporters asked her what she wanted to do first. “I’m going to do something,” she said, “I haven’t been able to do for three weeks—eat, eat, eat and sleep.” Apparently she kept her word. She quickly gained weight, to the point where pageant officials were complaining. One pageant official explained, “She has various swimsuit contracts, and they’re not happy that she has gone a bit chubby.” She kept on gaining, though. According to People Weekly, by January 1997 a new personal trainer weighed her in at 155 pounds, and at one point she weighed 160 pounds. But with the help of her trainer within a few months she was back down to an ideal weight of 130 pounds. Without ongoing self-discipline how quickly we can squander our accomplishments. Self-control must be a lifestyle, not an occasional event.⁶

Now, just from that story, I think you can glean the answer to the question, ‘Can I ever let myself go?’
Self-control inherently is not about that.

Romans 13:14 (AMP) — 14 But clothe yourself with the Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah), and make no provision for [indulging] the flesh [put a stop to thinking about the evil cravings of your physical nature] to [gratify its] desires (lusts).

I know recently I picked up what I felt was a little bit too much weight — maybe 10 lbs. or so.
I resolved to correct that situation: how did I do it?
By reminding myself of what Paul said, ‘I keep my body under.’
So, when I sat down to eat, I just stayed under my body.’
What does that mean?
I ate less than my body wanted to eat.
When I did, the weight just fell off.
Now, it’s one thing to get it off, it’s another to keep it off.
The same self-control you need to lose weight is the same; you need to exercise to keep it off.
If that’s the case, you need to exercising self-control continually — all the time.
One way you can tap into the self-control mindset is to quote these passages of Paul in 1 Corinthians 9 continually.
When you sit down to eat, say to yourself — ‘I keep my body under.’
My spiritual Dad told us on many occasions that every week he would have set days where he would fast.
That was his pattern for a long time.
One day the Lord told him, ‘I would rather you live a fasted life than to have set fast days.’
What was the Lord teaching him with these words?
He was teaching him to keep his body under at all times.
So, no, you should never let yourself go.

The Motivation for Self-Control

Everything is about motives — your motives.
I mean, why bother with all this self-control business?
Why not just let go, indulge — the Lord will forgive us anyway — ‘I’m not really hurting anybody in the first place’ — what’s wrong with that kind of thinking.
To answer, you should back up from 1 Corinthians 9:24–27 and read the passage in context.
What motivated Paul to live where he was always hard on his body. And strict with his appetites?
He lets us in on that.
Back-up to verse nineteen of 1 Corinthians nine.

1 Corinthians 9:19–23 (ESV) — 19 For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. 20 To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. 21 To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. 23 I do it all for the sake of the Gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.

Preaching the Gospel was one of Paul’s motivation for practicing self-control.
The other? — the Crown of Life.

References:

Six Ways to Go Out on Top

Emotional Intelligence, Daniel Goleman, Bantam Books, quoted in Reader’s Digest, January, 199, Galaxie Software, 10,000 Sermon Illustrations (Biblical Studies Press, 2002). ↩
http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/Olympics/running.html ↩
Michael P. Green, 1500 Illustrations for Biblical Preaching (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2000), 325. ↩
Source unknown, Galaxie Software, 10,000 Sermon Illustrations (Biblical Studies Press, 2002). ↩
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016). ↩
Craig Brian Larson, 750 Engaging Illustrations for Preachers, Teachers & Writers (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2002), 498–499. ↩

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Why Self-Control Is Your Ultimate Ticket to Success

Podcast: Light on Life Season Seven Episode Thirty-Eight

by Emery Horvath

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