Proverbs 25:28

"Whoever has no rule over his own spirit is like a city broken down without walls." (Proverbs 25:28 NKJV)

Having rule over one's spirit is about having self-control (Galatians 5:23). When we lack it we leave ourselves vulnerable to attack from the enemy. If we don't have self-control when it comes to food, he will exploit that weakness to where eating becomes an escape from dealing with issues. As a by-product of this faltering, we jeopardize our health also.

If a man lacks self-control when it comes to the opposite sex, he can get into all kinds of trouble. Lust is an issue for many of us, and it's one I've had to contend with in my life. The problem is for years, rather than starve that sinful appetite, I fed it. Not with pornography, but with fantasizing. While keeping my struggle a secret to others, I tried to find justification for my behavior. By the way, if you're looking to justify something you know is wrong, you'll always be able to find ungodly counsel to support it. On the outside I probably seemed fine, but on the inside I was bound, and in fact, an adulterer in the way Jesus defines it. I had practically given the enemy keys to the city. It wasn't until I genuinely came clean and repented, that I experienced true deliverance.

There are any number of things that can become compulsive; some need to be moderated and others should be avoided altogether. If we apply ourselves to the word of Almighty God, completely open our lives to Him and be filled and refilled with His Holy Spirit, self-control can be made manifest and we can experience victory. Further, we need deep relationships with others with whom we can share our struggles in confidence, and they with us. In other words, we need mutual accountability.