The Fruit of Temperence - Self-Control

Yah began to speak to me about the Fruits of the Spirit and the truth that there is no law in existence that can come against these. With His radical love covering and encapsulating everything I do and am being called to, Yeshua specifically called me to Self-Control this weekend.

He said, "I need you to come into the fruit and realm of self-control."

As I typically do, my response was "yes" with a side of "what does that mean?" So, I went into the scriptures.

I started at the beginning of our conversation:

Galatians 5:22-23: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Temperance is G1466

ἐγκράτεια

egkrateia

eng-krat'-i-ah

From G1468; self-control (especially continence): - temperance; self-control (the virtue of one who masters his desires and passions, esp. his sensual appetites)

Other scriptural references:

Acts 24:25: And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, go your way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for you.

1 Corinthians 9:24-25: Know you not that they which run in a race run all, but one receives the prize? So run, that you may obtain. And every man that strives for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

Titus 1:7-9: For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not self-willed, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre; but a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate; holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.

Titus 2:1-2: But speak the things which become sound doctrine: that the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience.

2 Peter 1:5-8: And besides this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that you shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

This was excellent confirmation in a larger questioning of what God's government on Earth really looks like. Let's face it, we haven't seen it in the churches yet. Not fully. If there is someone doing this kind of government better than anything else I've experienced, I am not closed to correction. I want to know how the disciples did government while they were with Yeshua and even more so after Yeshua's ascension. The previous scripture not only outlines temperance aka self-control but also a full list of things needed to remain fruitful in Yeshua.

The greatest of these is love. Radical love that the world finds ignorant and unwise.

Because I am still learning, I love digging into the Hebrew and what Greek words were used in the Septuagint. This search left me empty-handed, so I am leaving this writing incomplete!

If you have read this far: I am seeking other words that could mean the same thing as temperance in the Old Testament. I want to find the first mentions of these words to understand even deeper about self-control: what is it and how do we do it. I get that this is a fruit of the spirit and cannot be done in the fleshly or soulish parts. BUT, my spirit can spring forth a supernatural understanding and knowledge through my heart, soul, and body that can manifest on Earth as it is in Heaven. So, I march on. I look forward to the company that chooses to march with me and bless them.