Qualification Four — Self-Controlled | 1 Timothy 3:2

Therefore an overseer must be 4self-controlled. — 1 Timothy 3:2 Let's remember where we are in the text. Because sometimes, when we look too closely at scripture, we forget where we are in the text, and thus we might wrongly interpret the text. The big picture of this letter is that Paul is writing to his young protege Timothy and giving him some instructions for getting the church in Ephesus back on track. In chapter three, he aims to help Timothy build a leadership team in the church. They gave these leaders a common title in their day — elder. And then he gives him a list of fourteen things that would qualify them. The list addresses five categories: character, commitment, attributes, leadership abilities, and faith development. We also said that we would feel disqualified at some point because we all sin. But my encouragement to you was to think of these qualities in the aspirational sense. To work at them as men. This qualification, "self-controlled," fits in a string of three attributes or virtues that address how we think, feel, and act. Okay, now that we are caught up, I think there are times in all of our lives when we have "lost control." And I think the term "lost control" is a misnomer because we don't really lose it. Losing control is not like losing the keys to your car. When we lose control, we willfully "give control" over to something else. For example, when we "lose control" at Thanksgiving dinner, we are "giving control" to our fleshly desires, which results in overeating — at no point does our hand mindlessly shovel food in our mouth. There is no point we have lost it. We have only chosen to give control to something else. Now let's also address the term "self" in the term "self-control" because we also have to be careful about what this means. Because exerting self-control by the force of self-will is not what Paul means. In the letter to the Galatians chapter five, Paul clarifies that there are wills and desires that come from two sources. One comes from the flesh, and one from the Spirit. He explains that these are at war with each other to the point we have to learn to walk, be led by, and keep in step with the desires of the Spirit to get the fruit of the Spirit — one of which is self-control. So with this context in mind, self-control cannot be understood as something we do by mere will. But instead, it is something done by keeping our will and desire in step with the Holy Spirit. So a self-controlled leader is someone who does not give control over to his fleshly desires but is sensitive to the desires of the Spirit and can give control of his desires to the will of God. How about that? So is there some fleshly desire you have given control over to in your life? If so, stop it. And take one step to give control of that desire and action over the will of God. The first step might be confessing to yourself and God that you have a desire of which you have "lost control." ASK THIS: Is there some fleshly desire you have given control over to in your life? DO THIS: Confess it to God. PRAY THIS: God, I need to confess I have given control over to this ____________ desire. And I want to place it under the Spirit's control. PLAY THIS: Better Man. Check out other all Vince Miller's videos and audios for small groups at: https://beresolute.org/ Get Vince's most widely read resources The Daily Devotional at: https://beresolute.org/mdd Check out more ALL IN products like the one Vince is wearing at: https://beresolute.org/product-category/all-in-hats/ ____________________________________________________________________________________ Connect with Vince socially: FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/millervince INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/vinceleemiller LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vincemiller TWITTER: https://twitter.com/vinceleemiller