Almost every morning as we sit around the breakfast table, each person requests prayer for themselves in one area.  Self-control is by far the most requested by everyone.  In some areas of my life I guess I'm the poster child for self-control, in others...far from it.  This just tells me that I haven't fully allowed God (through the power of His Holy Spirit) to have total control of my "self".   It's a dangerous thing to lack self-control.  As we can see in the life of Samson who was ultimately enslaved and died.  Beth Moore suggests in her book, Living Beyond Yourself, that with self-control comes the protection of God.  I've seen this in my own life on many occasions but hardly recognized it as such until going through Beth's study.

The exercise of self-control hardly comes through an act of sheer will-power, we will fail on our own power to control our flesh.  However, the Holy Spirit can cultivate self-control in us by daily handing our lives over to him.  Then we will have supernatural self-control.  When I posted on this topic for the LBY study, I mentioned my "New Orleans Story" and while that is a rather obvious example, we can find evidence in even every day things.  When we control our tongues, we are protected from the tongues of others.  When we control our spending, God blesses us in our finances.  When we control our eating, our bodies become healthier.  I could go on and on.  Our flesh has fleshly desires.  Not all of them are bad but too much of anything (other than God) isn't good.  When something of our flesh begins to control us, we are a slave to it.  We are giving it "power" and that is idolatry.  If we want God's hand of protection removed in a hurry, we should start worshiping something other than Him...Yikes!

Do not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.
Exodus 34:14

Has God been trying to reveal to you areas you haven't given over to Him?  He's been working on me about this for a while now.  I don't want that junk in my life any longer.  Any worldly desire or craving I have never satisfies anyway.  Solomon learned that it's a waste to chase after such things and expect them to fulfill you.  Nothing can replace the filling of the Holy Spirit, and yet we try don't we?  I know I do.  It is painfully obvious when my focus is on myself and when my focus is on Him.  I say stupid things (sometimes selfish and mean things).  I do stupid things.  And then when I realize I'm slipping, my immediate reaction often is to try to control myself...by myself.  You know that doesn't work for long because my "self" is weak.  Through God, all things are possible though.  With God I can have self-control and ultimately His supernatural protection.

Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control.
Proverbs 25:28